A week in Chicago, Illinois

Seven days in Chicago, each a walk through best-known places that lie close together, the best known first: day one starts at Willis Tower. 35 stops in all.

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Day 1

  1. Willis TowerSkyscraper · On the map
  2. Art Institute of ChicagoMuseum · 0.6 mi on from Willis Tower · On the map
  3. Millennium ParkGarden · 0.2 mi on from Art Institute of Chicago · On the map
  4. Aon CenterSkyscraper · 0.2 mi on from Millennium Park · On the map
  5. Two Prudential PlazaSkyscraper · 0.1 mi on from Aon Center · On the map
  6. Trump International Hotel and TowerSkyscraper · 0.3 mi on from Two Prudential Plaza · On the map

6 stops, 1.9 mi on foot along the streets: about 38 min of walking.

Day 2

  1. 875 North Michigan AvenueSkyscraper · On the map
  2. Tribune TowerSkyscraper · 0.6 mi on from 875 North Michigan Avenue · On the map
  3. AquaSkyscraper · 0.3 mi on from Tribune Tower · On the map
  4. St. Regis ChicagoSkyscraper · 0.1 mi on from Aqua · On the map
  5. Grant ParkGarden · 0.7 mi on from St. Regis Chicago · On the map
  6. Buckingham FountainMonument · Next to Grant Park · On the map

6 stops, 2.3 mi on foot along the streets: about 44 min of walking.

Day 3

  1. Field Museum of Natural HistoryMuseum · On the map
  2. Museum CampusPark · 0.1 mi on from Field Museum of Natural History · On the map
  3. Shedd AquariumZoo or aquarium · 0.1 mi on from Museum Campus · On the map
  4. Adler PlanetariumMuseum · 0.4 mi on from Shedd Aquarium · On the map

4 stops, 1 mi on foot along the streets: about 20 min of walking.

Day 4

  1. Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and IndustryMuseum · On the map
  2. Barack Obama Presidential CenterMuseum · 0.3 mi on from Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry · On the map
  3. Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North AfricaMuseum · 0.6 mi on from Barack Obama Presidential Center · On the map

3 stops, 1.4 mi on foot along the streets: about 26 min of walking.

Day 5

  1. Hull HouseMuseum · On the map
  2. 311 South Wacker DriveSkyscraper · 0.7 mi on from Hull House · On the map
  3. Chicago TheatreTheatre or opera house · 0.7 mi on from 311 South Wacker Drive · On the map
  4. NBC TowerSkyscraper · 0.5 mi on from Chicago Theatre · On the map
  5. Lake Point TowerSkyscraper · 0.5 mi on from NBC Tower · On the map
  6. Park TowerSkyscraper · 0.7 mi on from Lake Point Tower · On the map

6 stops, 4.2 mi on foot along the streets: about 1 h 21 min of walking.

Day 6

  1. Museum of Contemporary Art, ChicagoMuseum · On the map
  2. Water Tower PlaceSkyscraper · 0.1 mi on from Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago · On the map
  3. Olympia CentreSkyscraper · 0.1 mi on from Water Tower Place · On the map
  4. Chicago Water TowerTower · 0.1 mi on from Olympia Centre · On the map
  5. Holy Name Cathedral, ChicagoCathedral · 0.2 mi on from Chicago Water Tower · On the map
  6. Jay Pritzker PavilionPark · 0.9 mi on from Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago · On the map

6 stops, 2 mi on foot along the streets: about 39 min of walking.

Day 7

  1. BP Pedestrian BridgeBridge · On the map
  2. Crown FountainMonument · 0.2 mi on from BP Pedestrian Bridge · On the map
  3. Chicago Temple BuildingCathedral · 0.4 mi on from Crown Fountain · On the map
  4. Civic Opera HouseTheatre or opera house · 0.4 mi on from Chicago Temple Building · On the map

4 stops, 1.6 mi on foot along the streets: about 30 min of walking.

More for Chicago

Day trips from Chicago

Photo credits

Pictures from Wikimedia Commons, through each place’s Wikidata entry.

Good to know

  • Each day starts at the best-known place not yet seen and adds the best known within a short walk of it, then puts them in the shortest order. The places come from Wikidata (CC0), ranked by how many Wikipedias have an article about them.
  • The map draws each day’s walk along the streets, routed by Valhalla on OpenStreetMap; the distances beside the stops are straight lines.
  • Opening hours, tickets and closures are not checked: each place’s Wikipedia article has them.

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