(Photo) Field Museum Entrance.

Piece 1: Museums. Located in downtown Chicago IL near Millennium Park is The Art Institute of Chicago (111 South Michigan Avenue).

Considered one of the best museums in the world, art enthusiasts will find many notable works in the permanent collection here. We were excited to see Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” and (as classic movie watchers) enthralled by Ivan Albright’s macabre “Picture of Dorian Gray”, a 7-foot tall painting created for the 1945 movie adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s 1891 novel about a man experiencing moral decay.

The Field Museum of Natural History (1400 South Lake Shore Drive) is a pleasant 30-minute walk south through Grant Park from the Art Institute.

This extraordinary collection of fossils and cultural exhibits was established in the late 1800’s and was named after its first major benefactor, department store owner Marshall Field. The museum moved into its current location in 1921.

Upon entering the building, you will almost immediately encounter a 40-foot long Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton known as “Sue” (a nod to the explorer who found it in South Dakota in 1990, Sue Hendrickson).

The Ancient Egypt exhibit, which features a 3-story replica of a pharaoh tomb and over twenty mummies, is particularly interesting.

The Museum of Science and Industry (5700 South Lake Shore Drive) is a quick 10-minute drive (or ride using a service like Uber) from the Field Museum.

Visitors will see many examples of industrial achievement here; including a submarine, diesel-powered train, several airplanes, and Apollo and Mercury Program spacecraft.

My favorite part of this museum was an experience relevant to the energy industry. In the museum’s Central Pavilion, there is a re-creation of a bituminous coal mine. I descended down the shaft in a elevator and then rode a rail car to different parts of the underground exhibit, learning about the coal extraction process.

Wrigley Field Marquee Sign

Piece 2: Wrigley Field. Located on the north side of Chicago is the storied baseball venue, Wrigley Field (1060 West Addison Street), home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

The stadium opened in 1914 and is distinguished by its ivy-covered walls, famous red marquee sign over the main entrance, and the building rooftops (most with bleachers to view game action) along the outfield horizon.

Wrigley is situated within a residential neighborhood with limited parking options, so most fans use public transportation.

The “L” Red Line train stops within a block of the stadium, so it’s the preferred option…but tourists with little to no experience using the city’s transit system might find it confusing. We met a local couple when we first boarded the system near Midway Airport, and they helped us make all the right transfers.

We got to Wrigley early on our game day and were rewarded with a limited edition “bobble head doll” of Cubs legend Ernie Banks.

There is a lot to see inside and outside the stadium, so budget some time before the “first pitch” to explore.

The post-game environment at the stadium (when everyone is racing out to catch the train) can be a little chaotic.

A fun day…and best of all, the Cubs won!

Top of the John Hancock Center

Piece 3: John Hancock Center Observation Deck. Located at 875 North Michigan Avenue along Chicago’s famed Magnificent Mile is the John Hancock Center, a 100-story building with a publicly accessible observation deck now known as 360 Chicago.

The bird’s eye views of the city skyline, Lake Michigan, and Navy Pier amusement park are incredible; and the high-speed elevator ride to the top of the building is thrilling too. Moving at just over 20 miles per hour, the lift rises 94 floors in about 40 seconds.

NOW…READY TO START PLANNING YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE?

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