Leigh Caldwell of MidwestTravelMom.com attended the Embassy Suites #300 More Press Trip to Chicago on behalf of Mommy Musings. This is the fourth of several posts she will be sharing about the hotel and the attractions she visited.
In preparing for our mother-daughter Chicago trip, we read up on the summer travel tips offered by Samantha Brown and Embassy Suites.
One of Samantha's tips for city trips is this:
Head to the top! The tallest building in the city usually offers a top-floor observatory to give kids a thrilling birds-eye view of the city from above.
It is something we had done before, visiting the St. Louis Arch earlier this summer, and the Empire State Building observatory on a trip to New York a couple of years ago. But we were especially excited to know that in Chicago, we would not just be going to the top of the tallest building in the city, we'd be going up in the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere!
The Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, is 1,450 feet high. The Tower's observatory, called Skydeck Chicago, is on the building's 103rd floor.
Skydeck offers more than a window on the city, it offers a ledge. The building has glass boxes that extend out 4.3 feet over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River. I was nervous about visiting The Ledge, because I assumed it was a walkway you would have to step out on, but they really are just small boxes, and you are just a step outside the building. At least, as you can see from my foot above, I was just a step outside the building. This kiddo could not wait to get out and look down:
And I couldn't believe it when she laid down to look down! She is definitely not afraid of heights.
It was quite a view, even on the cloudy day we chose to visit. On a clear day, you can see up to 50 miles and into four states from Skydeck Chicago.
General admission tickets for Skydeck Chicago are $18 for adults and $12 for kids. You can buy Skydeck Chicago tickets online and print them in advance to skip the ticket line.
For more of Samantha Brown's family travel tips, check out the Embassy Suites Web site.
Disclosure: Embassy Suites covered our transportation, hotel and some meals as part of the press event we attended in Chicago.
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes
EEEEEK -- just looking at those photos is making my stomach do flip-flops. I wish I wasn't afraid of heights!
carla
Im offf to the windycity next month, too, to visit family.
**adds to list**
Ashley M
I was recently in Chicago for a conference and I did get to do some site seeing but unfortunately this is one of the things I missed out on! I want to take my family back to Chicago and do this in addition to some of the other things the city has to offer like the Aquarium, Museum and Navy Pier.
Melissa
What an amazing view but no way could I step out on that skybox!!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell
I'm not super duper scared of heights, but they had something similar to this at the CN Tower in Toronto and although I went out on it, it did give my stomach flips. I need to do this at the Sears Tower though (and yes, I said Sears, not Willis). I'm gonna be stubborn and refuse that name change. 😉
Jackie
I still call it Sears Tower.... I always forget that new name!
I've been there before and it's pretty cool but I didn't know that you could see 4 states from it!
Angela
Wow! those are amazing shots and they almost make me dizzy!
Michelle
Ack! The view is spectacular but I'm a scaredy cat! Truly amazing, like you could reach out and touch the city!!
WOW
Donna
What a great view, but I am too afraid of heights to do it myself. 🙂
Meghan Cooper
This would terrify me!
Tiff @ Babes and Kids
I think I would have had an anxiety attack. I do NOT do well with heights!
Jenn
I've been there and could not do it. I'm too terrified of heights. Makes no sense, I know.
Vanessa: thequeenofswag
I could never do it! I would freak out at that height.
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com
Eek, what a thrilling experience.
Jennifer Soltys
AHHH! I live near Chicago and have yet to do this. My knees just got weak looking at your pics!
Jenn- The Rebel Chick
Oh my gosh that is so cool but I am not sure I would be able to handle it without getting white knuckled from holding the side so hard lol
Colleen
When we visited Chicago many years ago we did not make it to this, I have a feeling my husband would have refused to join in. I love it!
HilLesha
I could never do this in a million years, but kudos to you. You rock!
Becca @ Mama B
Oh man! I don't think I'm brave enough for this but how fun!
Leilani
There is no way I could do that! I would die! I'm so afraid of heights.
Toni
Part of me really wants to visit there but another part of me is like OMG what if the glass broke LOL
Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins
This just made me afraid of heights!