Exploring Chicago

Exploring Chicago

Explore Chicago

Chicago is a vibrant city, full of shopping, good food, and attractions for everyone. The Hyatt Regency Chicago is centrally located one block from the Magnificent Mile and is within minutes of Navy Pier, numerous museums and the beautiful lakefront.

  • Architecture
    As the birthplace of the skyscraper, Chicago is well known for its incredible architecture. Just three blocks from the Hyatt at Millennium Park, view the new outdoor amphitheater, the latest work by Frank Ghery. Take a walking or boat tour and explore the city further with the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Or get the bird's eye view of Chicago from atop the 94th-floor observatory of the John Hancock Building or experience breathtaking 360 degree views from North America's tallest building at the 103rd floor Sears Tower Skydeck.

    NEW! Architecture tours now available at the Forum!
    The Chicago Architecture Foundation will introduce you to the city's landmark buildings:

    • Rise of the Skyscraper, a lecture, Saturday, 2:45 - 4:00 PM
    • Historic Skyscrapers, a walking tour, Sunday, 7:30 - 9:30 AM
    • Architecture of Culture and Commerce, Sunday, 1:00 - 2:30 PM, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
    See details in the program. Advance registration is required; sign up at Hospitality Desk on site. $10 fee for tours.

  • Navy Pier
    Located on Lake Michigan, just four blocks north of the Hyatt, Navy Pier showcases a unique collection of restaurants, shops and plenty of entertainment. At Navy Pier you'll find the Chicago Children's Museum, an IMAX theater, Crystal Gardens (an indoor botanical park), the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. For outdoor fun, Navy Pier has a permanent 150-foot-high Ferris wheel, a musical carousel, an old-fashioned swing ride, an 18-hole miniature golf course and the Skyline Stage outdoor performance pavilion.
  • Museums
    The downtown Museum Campus is home to three of Chicago's most beloved museums: The Field Museum of Natural History, The Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. Other internationally renowned museums include the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Science and Industry and The Art Institute of Chicago, site of our Halloween Evening Event.
  • Restaurants
    See Chicago Restaurants for a list of restaurant recommendations from our Local Arrangements Committee.
  • Shopping
    Just outside the doors of the Hyatt, the Magnificent Mile begins on Michigan Avenue just across the Chicago River and extends north, offering 460 stores in eight city blocks.
  • Theatre
    Experience Chicago's innovative theatre with Steppenwolf Theater Company. The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work.
  • Other Activities
    • Take a tour of Eli's Cheesecake, the Chicago cheesecake institution. The "Sneak Peek" tour is available to walk-ins at 12:00pm Monday through Friday for $3. Get a behind-the-scenes guided tour and, of course, a slice of Eli's Cheesecake afterwards.
    • Explore Chicago's Chinatown located between Canal Street and Lake Shore Drive north of the Stevenson Expressway and south of the Santa Fe railroad yards. This unique area offers dozens of Chinese and Cantonese restaurants, bakeries, bookstores, and gift shops.
    • Enjoy "Afternoon Tea" at The Drake Hotel from 1:30 - 5:00pm daily. The Drake is located at 140 East Walton Place.

Or check out these Chicago visitor sites for additional ideas:
http://www.choosechicago.com/see_and_do.html
http://www.timeout.com/chicago/
http://www.fodors.com/chicago