John Hancock Center - Chicago - TravBuddy

COOL COOL COOL, Every chance I get I am making my way to visit this extreme sight. This particular attraction has great things to offer for anyone. When you come to Chicago you may find yourself looking up at this huge building, asking yourself "how far can you see this?" - Well the answer is this, it may be identified from 4 states and over 80 miles.

The pricing is standard and should cost anywhere from:

INDIVIDUAL RATES

Adults (12-64) - $12*

Seniors (65+) - $10*

Children (4 to 11) - $8*

Children (under 4) FREE

* including city and county amusement tax

They offer tours, ride to top, display for children, and skywalk. Which is scary to me but a breath of fresh air too ;) ... Check out their website to for more information.

I took my husband to Chicago for his birthday. We had three days to take in all of the sites that Chicago has to offer, so we didn't have a lot of time for long lines. We had wanted to go to the top of the Sear's Tower to get great views of Chicago, but after reading the travel book I bought for Chicago, we changed our mind. Upon reading the book, I found out the lines at the Sear's Tower are horribly long, and once you do get to the top, the lovely Sear's Tower can in no way, be in your photos. What's a skyline view of Chicago without the Sear's Tower in view? I am so glad I read this. They were right. The John Hancock building is the second tallest building in Chicago, but it is overlooked greatly by a lot of tourists. Sure, it's not the tallest building in the United States, but you great views of that building.
So we get there, it was only two blocks from our hotel, and we walk in and see a great gift shop. We got our desired souvenirs, (a magnet and a smashed penny), and made our way to the ticket counter. There was a line of about 15 people only. It only took a few minutes until we were in the elevator, making our way up to the top. Before you get in the elevator, they take a picture of your group that you can purchase at the top.
Once we got to the top, we knew we had made the right decision. The John Hancock building is like two blocks from Lake Michigan, so you had amazing views of the lake, Michigan, Canada, and the Navy Pier on one side, and amazing views of Chicago on the other 3 sides. It is very hard to get great pictures of the Sear's Tower, since it is so big. From the ground, it's almost impossible to get a great picture due to the height, and surrounding buildings. I got exceptional photos of it, and the skyline with it in it.
The Hancock Observatory offers Daredevil photo props, so you can get in there for a fun photo op. We did the window washer one, it's free to do, we just had to find somebody to take the picture for us, and unfortunately, it's not the greatest picture, what can you do though?
The hours of operation for the Observatory are 9 am to 11 pm, with 10:45p being the last time tickets are sold. The fee has since been raised since last year, and I believe it is now $13.00 for adults, $11.00 for seniors, $7.50 for 4-11 yr olds, and free for children under 4.
Check it out, you will not be disappointed, and with the time you saved, you have experience something else Chicago has to offer.

For a $10.95 price tag, this was SO worth it!!!

We had considered not going here as we had already stopped at the Sears Tower, however, this should be a do not miss when in Chicago!

We visited in the evening and decided to go to the observatory instead of the lounge. (we heard you can buy a drink at the lounge and therefore, not pay the fee to go up... however, then you don't know if you will get a window view!)

The lines were short as it was around 8:30 when we went up. It was a spectacular view! Just breathtaking, especially as the city was lighting up for the night! And although you are not in the tallest building, you are able to SEE the tallest building!!! :-)

The open air viewing area is amazing! Feel the air at 1000 feet!

Then, being a Saturday during the summer, we caught the Navy Pier fireworks! HOW PERFECT this was! It was an amazing experience viewing the fireworks from above!

The John Hancock Center at 875 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, Illinois, is a one-hundred-story, 344 m (1,127 ft) tall skyscraper designed by structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and, when completed in 1969, was the tallest building in the world outside New York City. It is the third-tallest skyscraper in Chicago and the fourth-tallest in the United States, after the Sears Tower, the Empire State Building and the Aon Center. When measured to the top of its antennae, it is 457 m (1,500 ft).

The 95th floor has long been home to a fine restaurant, the latest incarnation being called "The Signature Room on the 95th Floor." While patrons dine, they can look out the windows overlooking Chicago and Lake Michigan.

The John Hancock Center is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Chicago, standing out from the myriad of steel and glass buildings. It was built in 1969, and offers one of the best views of Chicago. The line is pretty long, so you might want to get up early. At the base of the building there's a nice plaza with a deli and restaurants. The central location of it all makes it easily accessible. The elevators to the top are pretty fast, kind of fun. At the top, there's a small visitor's center with information on the building itself. On each viewing side, there's a sign telling you what you are looking at and where it is located (using a picture of the same view). There is also a nice shop in the observation deck, offering mementos and souvenirs related to the building and Chicago. On a clear day, you could see the entire city and its attractions, like Shedd Aquarium, or the magnificent Sears Tower. I'd recommend this attraction to anyone visiting Chicago!!