Chicago Offers Plenty Of Fun For ISSA/INTERCLEAN Attendees

After the trade show and convention ends for the day, take some time to explore the city of Chicago. There are plenty of quality museums, music venues and bars to choose from. And if travel allows for it, arrive early or stay late to enjoy even more fun.

Tourist Stops

Museum of Science and Industry
Walk through a coal mine or check out a 60-foot replica of the Golden Gate Bridge made out of Legos at the Museum of Science and Industry. Dozens of exhibits are featured at the 400,000-square-foot museum that celebrates invention, technology and creativity in the sciences and industry. Tickets start at $18 for adults.

Art Institute of Chicago
A collection that rivals that of great European museums will treat art lovers at the Art Institute of Chicago. From Andy Warhol to Claude Monet, many of the great artists are featured throughout the halls of the museum situated south of the Loop, just blocks from the shores of Lake Michigan. Tickets are $25 for adults.

Museum of Contemporary Art
The Museum of Contemporary Art is a dazzling display of more than 2,000 works from the last 70 years. Dance, live arts, talks and movie screening are also on tap at the museum. Tickets for adults are $12.

Millennium Park
Millennium Park is a must see for any out-of-towner who enjoys unique architecture, landscape design and art. The spacious park features Cloud Gate, a 110-ton stainless steel elliptical sculpture that provides a perfect background for snapshots and selfies as it reflects the city's skyline. The park also features gardens, public art galleries and vast open spaces. Admission is free.

Skydeck in Willis Tower
Take a trip to the top of the city at the Skydeck in Willis Tower, where visitors can enjoy spectacular views of Chicago and beyond. For the daring visitor, the Skydeck features the Ledge, a glass box that visitors walk out into and look 1,300 feet down to the street below. Adult admission is $22.

360 Chicago
Once known as the John Hancock Observatory, 360 Chicago is a popular tourist stop 1,000 feet above the city. Visitors can see 55 miles out, take an interactive tour and dine high above Chicago at 360 Chicago. For the brave, Chicago 360 offers the Tilt, an enclosed platform that tilts visitors 30 degrees out from the building, giving them a breathtaking view of the city below. Adult tickets are $18.

Shedd Aquarium
Dive deep into a fascinating underwater universe at the Shedd Aquarium. From snails and whales to dolphins and penguins, 32,000 aquatic animals make the world renowned aquarium home. A 90,000-gallon Caribbean Reef, the Amazon Rising flooded forest and a shark infested Wild Reef are just some of the must-see exhibits the aquarium has to offer. Admission for adults ranges from $8 to $54.95.

Field Museum
SUE, the largest and the best-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil in the world, along with her dinosaur friends, greet visitors at the Field Museum. Visitors are encouraged to explore world history through the museum’s exhibits and thousands of historic artifacts that both educate and inspire. Adult basic admission is $22.

Lincoln Park Zoo
More than 200 of animal species, some of which are endangered and rare, roam Lincoln Park Zoo, which is located north of downtown. The 49-acre zoo near Lake Michigan is home to more than 1,000 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians along with thousands of fish and insects. Admission is free.

Adler Planetarium
Reach for the stars at the Adler Planetarium. As the first planetarium to open in the western hemisphere in 1930, the facility is billed as a laboratory, a classroom and a community that explores space together. General admission for adults is $12.

Second City
Laugh until it hurts at historic Second City comedy club, theatre and school of improvisation. Live nightly shows are always on tap. Second City is the birthplace of renowned comedians such as Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell, among other greats. Adult tickets are about $25, depending on show and time.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The city is home to one of the greatest musical groups on the globe in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra, made up of prominent international musicians, plays more than 100 concerts each year at its home, the Symphony Center, in downtown Chicago. Adult ticket prices vary depending on performance and location of seat.

Chicago History Museum
Take a journey through city's rich history at the Chicago History Museum. The museum features a collection of more than 22 million Chicago and U.S. history artifacts that include archives, manuscripts, books, costumes and photographs. At any given time, there are several fascinating exhibits regarding an aspect of the city's history on display at the museum. Adult admission is $16.

DuSable Museum of African American History
Located on the South Side in Hyde Park, the DuSable Museum of African American History is a can’t-miss stop when visiting Chicago. The museum, considered one of the most prominent African American museums in the United States, has hundreds of artifacts along with exhibits and programs. Tickets for adults are $10.

Water Tower Place
Seven floors of retail await shoppers at Water Tower Place. Dozens of fashion, health and beauty and home and houseware stores fill this indoor mall at the north end of the Magnificent Mile. Dining options include a food court. Admission is free.

Magnificent Mile
A shopper will be in heaven on the Magnificent Mile along Michigan Avenue in a stretch of retail and dining and luxury hotel options. The mile, which runs north and south, north of the loop, is ideal for a morning walk or evening stroll after dinner. Admission is free.

The City Gallery
The City Gallery is a small museum in the Chicago's Historic Water Tower on Michigan Avenue. The gallery features unique exhibits from local artists and photographers. Admission to the gallery is free.

Things To Do

Gangster Tour
Go deep inside Chicago's notorious past on the city's Original Gangster Tour. Tourists will be taken by bus to gangster hot spots, hangouts and haunts while listening to fascinating historical accounts from the likes of Capone, Moran and Dillinger. Tourists will also learn about the Prohibition Era and how it played a major part in the gangster and city history. Adult reservations are about $30.

Architecture River Cruise
The city's iconic skyline and architecture is front and center during a 90-minute boat tour that is offered by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Tour guides will present more than 50 buildings along the Chicago River, detailing the growth of the city over the last century. Tickets are $44 during the day and $46 during twilight cruises.

Segway Tour
A great way to see the city is on a Segway tour that takes tourists to several of the city's main attractions such as its world-renowned museums and iconic buildings. The tours are for both beginner and experienced Segway riders. Tours are either two hours or two-and-a-half hours long and begin several times a day. Adult tickets start at $45.

Chicago Horse and Carriage
Take a romantic horse drawn-carriage ride during the evening through the downtown’s North side neighborhood. Watch the hustle and bustle of the city under the stars and city lights during your memorable ride. Routes and length of rides vary. Rides start at about $40 for 20 minutes.

Navy Pier
Take a stroll along Navy Pier, a shopping, dining and people-watching destination. The Chicago landmark in the heart of city features several attractions, such as a massive Ferris wheel, day boat tours, an IMAX 3D movie theater as well as a wide variety of dining and snacking options and retail stores.
Adult admission is free to the pier while several attractions require ticket purchase.

Chicago Botanic Garden
Get out of the high-paced city and visit the serene Chicago Botanic Garden. The garden is made up of 26 gardens and four natural areas on 385 acres. The garden is situated around nine islands and along six miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Admission is free.

Chicago Blackhawks
During the week of the trade show, the Chicago Blackhawks play two games at the United Center, about 10 minutes for downtown. The Blackhawks, which have won the Stanley Cup three times over the last seven years, play the Calgary Flames on Monday, Oct. 24 and the L.A. Kings on Sunday, Oct. 30.

Famous Bars

The Green Mill
Located on the North Side of the city, the Green Mill has been at the heart of the city's famed tavern and music scene for more than a century. The cocktail lounge has seen the likes of Billie Holliday, Al Jolson and Miles Davis perform there in the past. Today, visitors can find nightly jazz acts and an entertaining weekly poetry slam.

Schaller's Pump
Tourists who want to get a good feel for what Chicago and its people are all about should have at least one drink at Schaller's Pump, which has been a popular watering hole for movers and shakers for generations. The South Side bar is also a favorite spot for Chicago White Sox fans.

Butch McGuire's
An anchor of the legendary bar corridor near the corner of Rush and Division streets and known for being a hangout for singles, Butch McGuire's claims it has been ultimately responsible for 10,000 marriages since it opened in 1961. The fun bar is uniquely decorated with Christmas lights, garland, mobiles, and two double-decker trains.

posted on 8/12/2016