AttractionsIconicFamily Favorite

Navy Pier

Chicago's lakefront playground: the Centennial Wheel, boat cruises, fireworks, and nonstop family fun.

600 E Grand Ave · Chicago, IL

About Navy Pier

Jutting nearly a mile into Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the city's classic day-out destination, ride the 200-foot Centennial Wheel, hop a speedboat, catch summer fireworks, and graze your way down the promenade. Admission is free, so you can wander in for an hour or make a whole day of it. It's touristy in the best possible way.

#ferris wheel
#lakefront
#fireworks
#boat tours
#family

Printable maps

What's around here?

The closest stops to Navy Pier, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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Flyover Chicago
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Transit: reachable by public transit
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Stay
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Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
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An all-suite Streeterville hotel with a 16-story atrium, cooked-to-order breakfast and an indoor pool near Navy Pier.
Transit: reachable by public transit
0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay
Sports & Outdoors
Maggie Daley Park
Check prices
A lakefront park in downtown Chicago with seasonal ice skating, play areas, climbing walls, and picnic groves.
Transit: reachable by public transit
0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors
Museums
Art Lover
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Under $25
One of the world's largest contemporary art museums, steps off the Mag Mile, bold exhibitions, free for under-18s.
Transit: reachable by public transit
0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
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Iconic
Skydeck Chicago
$25–$50
Observation deck atop Willis Tower with glass Ledge boxes and panoramic views over four states.
Transit: reachable by public transit
1.7 mi awayMore like this
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Color Factory Chicago
$25–$50
Interactive, colorful art experience inside Willis Tower with 14 playful installations, including a giant ball pit.
Transit: reachable by public transit
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