Wyndham Blake Chicago

Glimpse our city from 103 stories in the air – or 3,300 feet off shore.

There are so many things to do and see here in Chicago that it's impossible to experience them all in one trip. But there is no reason you can't try, so make time to see as much of our fair city as you can from the convenience of Chicago's South Loop. Start with a visit to Willis Tower where you can marvel at the Windy City from 103 stories up. Or check out the 24.5-acre Millennium Park with its ice-skating rink, gardens and the one-of-kind Cloud Gate sculpture. The Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Shakespeare Theater are all great choices to enjoy some of the our city's world-class entertainment. Along with works by Picasso, Matisse and Warhol, you'll find the worlds largest collection of Monet paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago. And be sure not to miss Chicago's number one attraction: the 3,300-foot-long Navy Pier on our own Lake Michigan. Sports nuts will not want to miss a chance to see our own Chicago Bears or White Sox do what they do best. No matter what you choose to do while you are here, we hope you come back and be our guest at the Wyndham Blake Chicago again and again.

Arts & Cultural

• Art Institute of Chicago - People are drawn first to its vast Impressionist collection, including the world's largest group of Monet paintings. But treasures abound, including the haunting American Gothic and Seurat's groundbreaking Pointillist work. The contemporary section now includes pieces by Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Pollock, and Warhol.
• Bank of America Theater - Formerly known as the Shubert Theatre, this performance venue originally hosted top-name vaudeville acts, but it now features plays and musicals like Cabaret and Rent. Pre-Broadway works have also been performed, including the notable Sweet Smell of Success. Dance performances are popular too.
• Cadillac Palace - This theater has been in existence since 1926, when it hosted top-name vaudeville acts. The magnificent interior stylistically mimics the palaces of Fontainebleau and Versailles. The lobby has lovely mirrors, marble accents, and high ceilings, and the theater features 2,500 seats. Diverse entertainment options include pop acts and pre-Broadway features.
• Chicago Cultural Center - This stunning neo-classical building boasts glass domes and mosaic walls and was once the main branch of the Chicago Public Library. Today, it serves as a multimedia art complex, offering such things as daytime and evening concerts (often free of charge).
• Chicago Symphony Orchestra - One of the country's most celebrated classical concert groups, offers an astounding repertoire of music year-round. During the holidays, favorites like Swan Lake and Duke Ellington's jazz version of The Nutcracker leave audiences riveted. Other performances, such as Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, also attract large audiences.

Points of Interest

• Chicago Children's Museum - It features thirteen permanent interactive exhibits on three floors – it's where play and learning connect.
• Chicago History Museum - The Chicago History Museum is dedicated to collecting information about, and preserving the heritage of, the city's past. It also focuses on select areas of American history and features permanent and rotating exhibits of art, historical objects, and artifacts.
• Field Museum of Natural History - Two massive elephants and Sue, the museum's famous Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, greet each visitor. Keep going and you'll delve into paleontology, geology, botany, anthropology, and much more. With nine acres of space to set up, curators can change displays regularly – they have more than 20 million items to choose from!
• Jane Addams Hull-House Museum - A quest for social reform and belief in equal opportunities for all community members were driving forces behind Jane Addams' establishment in 1889 of a settlement house in one of Chicago's immigrant neighborhoods. The restored structure houses a museum that honors Addams, her work in Chicago, and her influence on civil rights and women's suffrage.
• Millennium & Grant Park - Located in downtown Chicago, this 24.5-acre park is a center for music, art, architecture and landscape design.
• Navy Pier - The historic Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot pier found on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. But more than that, it's Chicago's lakefront family attraction center. With entertainment, shopping, dining, cruises and events – spread over 50 acres.
• Willis Tower: Skydeck - Found in what was known as the Sears Tower, the Skydeck is 103 floors in the air and offers commanding views of Chicago. For those want a true thrill try the Ledge, these glass boxes extend over four feet outside the Willis Tower itself.
• Wrigley Building - The Wrigley Building is one of the city's (and the nation's) most notable corporate landmarks. Comprised of two towers connected by an open walkway, the building takes inspiration for its shape from the Seville Cathedral's Giralda Tower in Spain, and its design is an Americanized version of French Renaissance style.

Shopping

• Magnificent Mile & Streeterville Shopping District - Some of Chicago's best shopping and dining can be found on the Magnificent Mile. Consider it the Rodeo Drive of the Midwest. If you seek a trendier, more eclectic setting, go two blocks east to Streeterville, a more hip division of the neighborhood.
• Old Town Shopping District - Home to Chicago's legendary Second City comic troupe, Old Town has many claims to fame. The neighborhood, located between North Avenue and Division Street on North Wells Street, was once a hippie paradise. Now it's home to some of Chicago's best nightlife spots. The area also offers an array of shops, bars, and restaurants.
• State Street Shopping District - State Street is known as the bustling city's "main street." It offers plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment possibilities and is always alive with motion and energy. The street was made famous by the popular 1922 song, Chicago. When you visit, be sure to ride down or take a walk along this busy Chicago stretch of real estate.
• Wicker Park & Bucktown Shopping Districts - Wicker Park was once home to industry and wealth, but the neighborhood's Victorian mansions now shelter one of the country's largest artist communities. Although the district sports a gritty, bohemian feel, it also promises the best in trendy restaurants and shops.

Sports & Amusements

• Chicago Golf Club - This outstanding course has a wide-open layout resembling old links-style courses. Fairways are lined by a wispy rough that hinders approach shots and makes scoring even more difficult. In addition, a number of bunkers line fairways and guard greens, making shot accuracy a valued skill at this exclusive course.
• Seadog Cruises Lake Tours - Appropriate for both adults and young ones, the Seadog speedboat offers a more thrilling ride than the average boat tour – think more than 2,000 horsepower, and you've got the idea. Cruise at higher speeds for a 30-minute lake tour, or opt for a slower, 75-minute architecture tour.
• Soldier Field Stadium - Home of those famous Chicago Bears and all the gridiron action you can handle.
• United Center - See the Bulls battle it out, the Blackhawks skate like demons, and world-renowned entertainers like the one and only Tina strut their stuff.
• US Cellular Field - Watch our own Chicago White Sox play under an open sky.
• Wrigley Field - Come see the Cubs dominate, with all-stars like Ryno at second base and Mr. Cub himself guarding first.