Take in the views from Chicago's skyscrapers
Chicago's skyline is breathtaking, but you don't have to just appreciate its buildings from the outside.
The city's skyscrapers offer fantastic views, plus plenty of other reasons to visit including ice skating, cocktails and spa treatments.
John Hancock Observatory
875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, (888) 875-8439; hancockobservatory.com
The world's highest skating rink opened at the John Hancock Observatory in January and will stay open until the end of March. The 900-square-foot rectangular rink on the building's 94th floor uses artificial ice so you don't have to bundle up. Tickets for a 25-minute skating session are $5, but you'll also need to pay the general admission fee of $15 or $10 for kids ages 3 to 11.
General manager Daniel Thomas said the goal of the ice rink was to bring in more locals at a time when tourist traffic is down.
“Winter is traditionally a quiet season for us,” he said. “This is part of a long-term plan for us to make sure we've got something for everyone.”
The floor-to-ceiling windows provide amazing views while you skate. For a more detailed glimpse of the city, visitors can pay $1.99 to try one of the observatory's state-of-the-art telescopes, which were installed in June. The telescopes let you zoom in on whatever you're looking at and provide facts about the city's landmarks. They also have stored images of the views, so you can still see the sites on a cloudy or foggy day.
Another popular addition is the full bar at Hancock Observatory's Lavazza Café. Along with serving designer coffee drinks, paninis and hot appetizers like baked goat cheese with tomato-basil sauce, the cafe now features a cocktail menu using all-natural ingredients. Lavazza gets packed on the weekends, with parents often relaxing with a beer or glass of wine after touring the observatory with their kids. On weeknights the place is much quieter. Students take advantage of their discounts and the free Wi-Fi to get a novel place to study, and it's become a popular date spot with couples coming up to share a bottle of wine or some signature cocktails while taking in the views.
Trump International Hotel & Tower
401 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, (312) 588-8000; trumpchicagohotel.com
Even if you're not staying at Trump International Hotel, you can easily spend a day there. The Spa at Trump offers a wide variety of services, including signature gemstone treatments where you're massaged with oils containing sapphires, rubies, diamonds or emeralds. For February, the spa is offering some romance-inspired specials. You can sip a glass of champagne while you relax with a rose petal pedicure for $95 or get an aromatherapy massage with a special someone, which includes a bottle of oil to take home.
This month you might also spot some Hollywood celebrities at the tower. Hotel director of sales and marketing Robert Prohaska said stars have been known to fly to Chicago to book The Ultimate Kate, a wrinkle smoothing treatment that gets them red carpet ready before the Academy Awards.
Customers getting treatments are welcome to come early to take advantage of the hotel's pool or health club.
Visitors can also take in the views from the 16th floor at Sixteen, which sports 30-foot floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Chicago River, Lake Michigan and the Wrigley Clock Tower. The restaurant's terrace is expected to open in May, weather permitting, and will provide a great place to watch the Navy Pier fireworks.
“The views from the terrace are simply superb,” Prohaska said.
For something more casual, stop in at Rebar. The hotel lounge serves sushi and seasonal cocktails. Rebar's punch bowls are especially popular with groups of theatergoers, with servers ladling out drinks for up to six people.
Willis Tower
233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, (877) 759-3325; theskydeck.com
The Ledge opened at Willis Tower in July 2009, offering a new way to experience the thrill of being at the top of the world's third tallest building. Visitors can look down on the city from 1,353 feet up by standing in an enclosed glass box that extends out of the building by more than four feet.
Admission is $15.95 or $11 for kids ages 3 to 11. Kids under age 3 are free. If you're bringing children, visit the Skydeck website before you go and print out a scavenger hunt, which challenges them to spot as many of the city's landmarks as they can.