Willis Tower

Every time I visit Chicago, I make sure I don't miss my favorite places ... and Willis Tower is definitely one of my favorite places!
Did you know? Willis Tower is 1450 feet high - 1730 feet including twin antenna towers. Willis Tower elevators operate as fast as 1600 feet per minute - among the fastest in the world! Sky deck is the highest observation deck in the U.S.
The view is amazing from the top!
Make sure to purchase your ticket before you arrive and (at this time) reservations are required!

Before you enter the building, you can see a giant public wall art on the foot of the building, called Atmospheric wave wall, created by Olafur Eliasson. And with this, let the photo taking begin! During the walk through, before getting to the elevators to the top, a massive transformation you can see. There are many different type of displays of the city's beauty ... and all of them a photo opportunity! By the time you get to the top, your phone battery will probably be depleted.

Lines are moving pretty fast to get to the elevator. There are a general lane, and also a faster moving express lane, depending on your type of ticket you purchased.

There are plenty of restrooms both downstairs and upstairs too.

When you are upstairs, there is only one little gift shop with very limited choices for drinks, but plenty of gifts and various merchandise.
Downstairs, before you leave, there is a massive shopping area, and also a desk where you can purchase photos what being taken by an experienced person/employee.

My highlight of this visit of course was the Skydeck, The Ledge!
It's always exciting!

I had never been here & of course you have to go when you're in Chicago. The tickets were about $35 per person, which is pretty overpriced I feel like but it is pretty neat to see all the history of Chicago as you walk through. Once you're at the ledge you only get 90 seconds to take pictures. And the views are cool but I'm wondering why they decided to put the ledge on the side they did because it doesn't even overlook the main part of the city. I am glad I did it to experience it but probably will not pay for the tour again.

Get tickets ahead of time otherwise you will need to wait. There are a few options that you can do to pass the time that are located in the building.

Formerly known as The Sears Tower - Willis tower is must do for tourists in Chicago. Besides the amazing part of going up to 103 floor observatory deck, how do you efficiently get thousands of tourists daily up there!?
That's what makes this whole operation special.

From the moment you enter Willis Tower, you realize everything is well organized. You are conducted through the food court to the lower level where you purchase your ticket. Then through the series of museum-like spots depicting Chicago history and landmarks all the way to the elevator. The ride up takes about a minute and there is a video and narrative depicting what height you are at any given moment as well as how that relates to other buildings around the world.

The observatory deck on the 103rd floor is huge and yes it has The Ledge which I chose to bypass as I am faint of heart. The views are - well nothing short of spectacular....

The trip down is equally well organized and staff is very very friendly! Good Job!

Formerly known as Sears Tower. Glad I got the Chicago Attraction Pass.

AMBIANCE:
Parking: You're in Downtown Chicago, for tourists, we don't usually drive around but rely on public transportation (bus, trains, uber, or walk - if you're close by). However, there is a self-park garage around the area if you need that.

Experience: Great! For those that don't know about Chicago, this is a great start! On the first floor, there are a few eateries to get you started. The bottom floor has a selected pop-up museum, before you enter is a museum of Chicago that has a great history from the art, culture, and people. Finally, the floors at the top are beautiful. You get a better view of South Chicago and Lake Michigan. The sky deck (the one where it looks like you're walking on air) is quite the experience.

TL;DR OVERALL:
4.5 stars. Lovely! It was an honor to visit the twelfth-tallest building in the world! This is a must if you're in Chicago. The skydeck takes it for me if I had to choose between the two Chicago towers. I don't think it's a one-time experience but an every-time experience whenever you're visiting Chi-City.

Tips:
* Plan accordingly for weather or daytime/evening views.

My husband and I had to try this destination spot. We bought general tickets and got a 3:30 time slot. It takes a good 45-1 hour to get through before getting to the ledge. Hundreds of people are doing the same. It didn't bother us because it was the experience. Once you get to the ledge each attendant for the 4-6 ledges gives you 90 seconds to take as many pics as you want. Everyone is watching It was fun. Would definitely recommend.

What was once the world's tallest building is a must-see tourist attraction if you're in Chicago. The sky deck offers a great view of the city. If you're at the top on a clear day you can see Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan from the top.

Besides the tourist attraction, the Willis Tower is also home to residences and office space. If you enter from Franklin or Wacker, you'll be able to get to the businesses operating in Willis Tower. In the lobby area, there are many restaurants that make a great lunch option for workers. Options include Do-Rite Donuts, Shake Shack, and others.

If you're not afraid of heights, and you want to walk out on a glass window the ledge. This is a place to go. It was fun going through the museum downstairs and then shooting up in the fast elevator to the top floor. I marveled at the stunning vistas of Chicago, observing the bustling city streets and encountering incredibly friendly and humorous locals who eagerly snapped photos. I thoroughly relished the experience and am certain to repeat it in the future.

We had an amazing time in Chicago to celebrate my wife birthday She really enjoyed herself!

Aug 8, 2023 tuesday: Rsvp time at 630pm to go up. Before heading to the elevator to get up to the 103rd floor there is a maze like city views background that you can take pictures. Also, with the City Pass your entitled to go to the "Expedited " line to go up and when taking pictures on the ledge. They give you 90 seconds to take all the pictures you want after their own picture takes that will cost you $31 for 2 sets of pictures. Views are amazing. Go at night..it's even more beautiful with the city lights. Staff are nice. Souvenirs are expensive! The high life!!!