Downtown Chicago

Previously, only businesses were allowed in downtown Chicago, and after business hours ended, everyone would leave in droves. Today, the area is thriving with commerce, year-round cultural activities, a new Chicago Riverwalk, high-rise residences, and condo living with quick access to needs like supermarkets.

Thanks to Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the dozens of free events, concerts, and film screenings scheduled throughout the hectic summer months, downtown Chicago continues to be a popular tourist destination. Both tourists and locals may find much to do in the downtown area.

There are some interesting facts about Downtown Chicago, such as the fact that Adams Street, just west of Michigan Avenue and the Art Institute of Chicago, is where Historic Route 66 begins. Depending on the weather, you can see up to four states from the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). Originally the city's first public library, the Chicago Cultural Center is today a cultural hub that hosts a variety of free activities throughout the year, including art exhibits. However, you may visit Preston Bradley Hall on the fifth floor to see the largest stained Tiffany dome in the world. It has a remarkable 38-foot diameter and is made up of 243 sections with about 30,000 pieces of glass. Fish scale-shaped Tiffany Favrile glass is sliced into pieces.