The previous day, the CityPASS was definitely worth it, and we had a lot of fun. On our second day in Chicago, we visited the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium, went up Chicago's tallest building, and ended the day in Millennium Park.
Our second day in Chicago started with another lie-in, because even though our son fell asleep early, he kept us in bed until 7:15 a.m. Heavenly!!!
The Field Museum with the Chicago CityPASS
This time we went back to the Museum Campus, to "The Field Museum." The natural history museum houses many different exhibits on a wide variety of topics, including China, Egypt, geological history, dinosaurs, plants and animals from all over the world, and much more. The Chicago CityPASS includes admission, plus access to the China exhibit, the "Cyrus Tang Hall of China," and a 3D film. We watched a 3D film about Egypt, which the little guy unfortunately found boring.
The exhibits are very interesting and informative. Our little darling especially liked the dinosaurs, but he's just the age where they really get excited about them. Unfortunately, but understandably, you're not allowed to eat and drink everywhere because of the exhibits. With a toddler, however, it's not always easy when you're in the middle of a particular exhibit and you have to demand patience before your child can take a drink. Fortunately, the individual exhibits aren't so huge that you can't just quickly leave.
Adler Planetarium with the Chicago CityPASS
Next, our destination was the Adler Planetarium. We walked the few meters to the end of the peninsula and, hey presto, the sun came out. The planetarium has all sorts of exhibits on the universe and its origins, the planets of our solar system, the Milky Way, and the discovery of the sky (history of astronomy), as well as on the history of space travel, such as the Apollo missions and the moon landing. All of the exhibits are very informative and some are designed for children. Typical for America is the very simple and brightly colored presentation and explanations. I think it looks a bit more scientific here, but I quite like it that way. The Chicago CityPASS includes not only admission but also two films. We chose Planet Nine and Skywatch Live (the Adler Planetarium's oldest show).
The film Plant Nine is shown in a large room with a domed roof. The film itself is projected onto the dome, creating a 3D effect without actually being 3D. It took some getting used to at first, as I felt a bit dizzy, but I got used to it over time. Our son, on the other hand, was scared. The rocket launch at the beginning of the film seemed so real to him that he kept shouting that he wanted to go back down. He was crying and so upset that Christian had to take him out.
A little later we went to the second film: Skywatch Live, about the starry sky over Chicago and the light pollution in big cities. This film was shown in a smaller room and projected onto a slightly vaulted ceiling. This made it less spectacular than Planet Nine, but it was still very interesting. Unfortunately, our little man got so scared as soon as he sat down in the armchair that he started crying again and desperately wanted to get out. The shock from the other film was probably still too deep. So this time I went outside with him and Christian watched the film. Luckily, the planetarium has a really great children's area which we were able to visit. Here you can control little Mars robots yourself, play and slide in a replica space station, launch a rocket in a video game, and much more.
Afterwards, we went to the Willis Tower, as the sun had now completely emerged from behind the clouds and the view was fantastic. We took the 146 bus back into town, this time with the correct change (at the Trip the day before we only had large bills and couldn't pay, so someone invited us to use his fare card).
Willis Tower Skydeck with Chicago CityPASS
The Willis Tower, with its Skydeck observation deck, is the second-tallest building in the United States and the tallest building in Chicago. It's obvious that you have to go up there to truly see this city.
Unfortunately, on our way there, our son fell asleep and ended up missing out on all the fun and the beautiful view. When we arrived at the base of the 527-meter-high building, we were ushered in through the wheelchair-accessible entrance with our stroller. We were immediately told we could expect a wait of 1 to 1.5 hours—phew, but now we're here, we want to go up. Thanks to the Chicago CityPASS, we not only got free admission, but also went straight through, only having to wait a short time at the elevators. The whole process took just 20 minutes! Great!
After a spectacular ride in one of the world's fastest elevators, we arrived at the Skydeck at a height of 412 meters. As expected, it was very crowded, but there was always a gap in the panoramic glass front. We had a magnificent view of Chicago and Lake Michigan. The clouds slowly drifted over the water into the city, creating an atmosphere. Chicago looks simply beautiful from above! Since it was already late afternoon and the sun was slowly moving towards the horizon, the city was bathed in beautiful light. Almost a bit magical and perfect for ending the day!
Christian absolutely wanted to climb one of the three glass balconies to gaze directly down 412 meters. The lines were endless, as this experience is included with admission. He lined up for the shortest one and still waited 30 minutes. There's the obligatory photo opportunity, which can be purchased for a lot of money at the exit. You can also take your own photos. That's not really for me; I wouldn't dare stand on a glass floor at that height, but Christian thought it was quite good.
Cloud Gate at Millennium Park
After this amazing view from above, we wanted to visit Chicago's landmark: Cloud Gate at Millennium Park, or "The Bean." Our little man had also woken up in the meantime and was very excited about this oversized distorting mirror. This attraction is definitely a must-do for any visit to Chicago. The many perspectives and fun photos you can take are not to be missed.
On the way to the hotel, we treated ourselves to a burger at Shake Shack and, as always, were thrilled. The wavy fries are the best ever, and our son loves them.
Unfortunately, that was our last day in Chicago, but the next day we would continue north along Lake Michigan.
Which travel guide can you recommend for Chicago?
  | For the perfect city trip to Chicago, we recommend this travel guide. Here you will not only find a detailed city map, but also lots of information about all the important sights. You will also find great suggestions for excursions to the outlying districts. |
The Chicago CityPASS was kindly provided by "Choose Chicago." Once again, we thank you for your cooperation. This article represents our free and independent opinion. Further information on journalistic independence can be found under "Reporting on Chicago." Cooperation.
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