Street Art
Greetings from Chicago Mural
Location: 2236 N Milwaukee Ave.
Created by artists Victor Ving and Lisa Beggs.
Heart Emoji Wall
Location: 1820 W Webster Ave.
Created by artist Erica Chin.
From Bloom to Doom Mural
Location: 1006 S. Michigan Ave.
Painted by Collin van der Sluijs, a renowned artist from the Netherlands, this mural showcases two endangered birds from Illinois, the yellow-headed blackbird and the red-headed woodpecker, perched among native flowers. This mural is part of The Wabash Arts Corridor; see our story on the corridor for many other mural locations.
Restaurants
This nautical-theme restaurant is Instagram-famous for its neon Rosé All Day sign, string lights and bright space. The food and cocktails may make it onto your Instagram too.
Within brick walls sits a fountain, furniture in elegant shades of gray and a crystal chandelier. Try it for brunch.
Outside the restaurant, you'll find a larger-than-life painting of candy-pink flamingos on a sea-green background, created by artists JC Rivera and Andrew Ghrist. The pink- and green-hued interior doesn't disappoint either.
These colorful treats are begging to be photographed—and are bound to give you a sugar high.
The beautifully crafted lattes, matcha-based drinks and more by latte art expert Hiroshi Sawada will make you pause in admiration before that first sip.
Hotels
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
A boutique rehab at this historical men's sports club added bars and restaurants with 241 cushy guest rooms above Michigan Avenue. Photo ops abound, including the marble staircase in the lobby, the Drawing Room with carved wooden archways and huge fireplaces, and rooftop Cindy's restaurant with panoramic views of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan.
The lobby ceiling says it all. The elegant hotel was originally an engagement gift from a Chicago businessman to his wealthy fiancee; it's been welcoming guests since 1873. The ceiling fresco was painted by French artist Louis Pierre Rigal.
Other
View Chicago form The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago, a glass viewing platform that juts 4 feet out from the 103rd floor of Willis Tower (but always the Sears Tower in the hearts of Chicago natives). The building is the second-tallest in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall.
This free conservatory, one of the nation’s largest, houses plants from around the world under a crystal glass-roofed greenhouse designed by landscape architect Jens Jensen. Ten acres of outdoor gardens beckon as well.
Also known as "The Bean," this sculpture in Millennium Park is one of Chicago's most famous attractions. It was created by artist Anish Kapoor with the help of computer technology to cut 168 separate stainless steel shapes, which were then welded together. You'll want to get a pic...or 10.
Several of Chicago's most popular museums, including the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium, cluster in the 57-acre Museum Campus. Because of the lakefront location, it's easy to find Instagram-worthy photo spots with the Chicago skyline in the background.
Pop-Up Museums
Walk through dazzling rooms with optical illusions, multicolored lights, sculptures and iridescent glass. The wndr museum is meant to make its visitors experience and be a part of the art, instilling a sense of surrealism and, you guessed it, wonder...as you wander. But you might want to wander quickly, since there's no word yet on how long this museum (which opened in September 2018) will stay in Chicago.