Top things to do in Chicago if you only have one day
The Windy City. The 312. The City of Broad Shoulders. The City by the Lake. Chi-Town. No matter what you call it, Chicago, Illinois is one of the greatest American cities. There are so many attractions, places to see, things to do, and amazing treats to eat. There is no way you can fit it all in over the course of just one day. Unfortunately, sometimes that is all the time you have. If you have a quick trip to The Big Onion (yes, it is called that too!) then here is a list of the top things to do in Chicago if you only have one day.
Navy Pier
If you only have one day in Chicago, Navy Pier is a total must-visit location. Right in the banks of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is perfect for a quick trip because it gives you a little slice of everything Chicago has to offer. Cool Things Chicago has a great, comprehensive guide to Navy Pier that tells you absolutely everything you need to know about one of Chicago’s top attractions.
The Pier offers incredible history, fun tours, and activities for tourists of all ages. There is a Children’s Museum there, award-winning botanical gardens, a Shakespeare and an IMAX theater, and plenty of boat, walking, bus, and even helicopter tours. It is also home to the Centennial Wheel, a giant, 200-foot Ferris wheel that was inspired by the one built in the same location for the World’s Fair 100 years earlier. It gives you breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and over the entire city of Chicago.
Millennium Park
In the heart of downtown Chicago is Millennium Park. The city of Chicago’s website calls it “a new kind of town square” and a place that is a draw for local Chicagoans and tourists alike. The park includes great amenities no matter what season. There are beautiful gardens to stroll through, lots of public are and the park even boasts an ice rink in the winter and an outdoor bandshell in the summer.
The Park is also home to one of Chicago’s most iconic landmarks, Cloud Gate. Better known as “The Bean”, this public sculpture which resembles a giant silver bean, is the centerpiece of Millennium Park and was made Indian-born British artist Sir Anish Kapoor. Kapoor won a design contest in the early 2000s and constructed the sculpture 33-foot-tall sculpture between 2004 and 2006. Prior to and during construction, many questioned if the design was even possible. Once finished though, it has become a modern marvel of sculpture and engineering.
Wrigley Field
Chicago is a great sports town and is home to some of the most well-supported teams in the country. Depending on the season you will see local fans walking around in gear that shows their support for the Chicago Bears, White Sox, Bulls, or Blackhawks. However, there is no more famous team than Chicago’s other baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. These “lovable losers” went over a century between World Series wins, finally breaking their 108-year drought in 2016. For most of those years, from 1914 on, the Cubs have played their home games at historic Wrigley Field.
If your day in Chicago is in-season, Wrigley Field is a must-see attraction. Only Boston’s Fenway Park (1912) is older and watching a game here feels like a trip in a time machine. With the ivy-covered outfield walls and the manual scoreboard, you can watch a baseball game the same way people did early last century. Their famous announcer, Harry Caray, is no longer alive to scream “let’s get some runs!” at the end but you never know what local Chicago legend may take to the press box to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch.
The Magnificent Mile
The Magnificent Mile is a 13-block stretch of North Michigan Avenue that starts from the banks of the Chicago River to the south and goes to Oak Street to the north. It is literally a full square mile of downtown Chicago with all the best shopping, restaurants, hotels, shows, galleries, museums, and tours Chicago has to offer. It includes more than 460 stores, 275 restaurants, and 60 hotels. There is also plenty of wonderful entertainment and attractions along the way. Here you can have a drink on a roof-top bar, order a famous Chicago deep-dish pizza, catch a show, browse a museum or take an architecture tour on a boat up and down the Chicago River. It also has shopping that easily rivals New York’s 5th Avenue or Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive.
The Second City
Saturday Night Live is a New York City institution but the comedian pipeline for the iconic show flows straight from The Second City in Chicago. This theater is home to a troupe of improvisational comics and actors who do some of the best sketch comedy in the world. So many successful comedians have come out of Second City including the likes Joan Rivers, John Candy, Jane Lynch, and Key and Peele. The biggest thing The Second City is known for though is sending talent to Lorne Michaels and SNL. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Mike Meyers, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Chris Farley, Martin Short, and many more SNL cast members got their start right here. And, it is still a great place to catch a show with tons of up-and-coming talent.
Conclusion
If you have only 24-hours in Chicago, you cannot go wrong hitting these five attractions. It will give you a great sampling of everything Chicago has to offer and leave you wanting to come back for more. One last tip on what to do at the end of your day in The Windy City; pick up a Chicago Dog from Weiner Circle as a late-night snack. The famous hot dog stand is a truly unique experience in and of itself and the Chicago Dog, “dragged through the garden” is the perfect nightcap for your day of Chicago sightseeing.
