Chicago > Educational Trip > Chicago Charm
Day 1: The Skydeck at Willis Tower will be a great way to start your visit with an introduction to new heights! 103 floors up from where you started, your tour group will step inside an all glass room with nothing below it but air! Visit the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum to experience sky shows in three different theaters, see the sky over Chicago as it was prior to pollution in 1913 and learn how to practice the preservation of our atmosphere so that we don’t lose sight of anymore stars in the future. The Field Museum offers a variety of wonderful exhibits including Sue the T-Rex; the largest fossil set of her kind! You will want to plan accordingly as this museum is big. You might want to wear your shades in the Hall of Gems, but keep your eyes peeled for creepy crawlies in the entomology exhibit!
Day 2: Your group is off to Navy Pier where they can do a little shopping and have some fun on the amusement rides right beside Lake Michigan. This particular pier is 3,300 feet long and not one square inch of it lacks in entertainment! Summer fireworks are a huge hit after admiring the Big Art sculptures outside, so big that one is even made out of over a dozen aluminum boats! Only found at Navy Pier is the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows which is as beautiful as you imagine! 150 stained glass windows line Festival Hall, each more mesmerizing than the last. If your group is interested in more great art, then the Art Institute of Chicago is the attraction for you. While your student tour group will see many artworks that are new to them, there will be familiar things as well whether they have been featured in textbooks or simply because they are a part of Americana culture. The Museum of Science and Industry also has a variety of exhibits to explore and learn from. Ponder no more the driving force behind tornadoes, the anatomical evolution of your favorite animals, even take part in live science experiments like creating fireballs or vinyl stickers. The five story tall theater is a treat for those ready to put their feet up after a long day! Comedy Sportz will have you laughing for hours. The improv show is played as a sport, where two teams compete for your laughs, complete with a referee! Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday your team may enjoy slapstick comedy at its finest!
Day 3: Take some time to learn a little more about Chicago at the Chicago History Museum. Step inside a South Shore railway car, peruse 1890s Columbian Expo items, discover the Prohibition, the mafia, the great Chicago fire, immigration in Chicago, even a football from a Chicago vs. Northwestern game that happened over a century ago! Your group can shop on the prestigious Magnificent Mile where finding a souvenir is the easy part, choosing just one is impossible! Hosting its own museums, aquarium, spas and restaurants, these are just a precursor to the hundreds of shopping establishments, many of which are sure to be your favorites!
Day 4: Stroll through Millennium Park and be sure to stop by Cloud Gate for a look at a classic Chicagoan sculpture. This giant park on the Loop is praised for its green design as well as the free admission! The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is the outdoor performing arts centerpiece of Millenium Park while the Crown Fountain might just conjure up someone you know! Lurie Garden is packed with 2.5 acres of well groomed flora that cost millions of dollars to introduce as well as to maintain. Millenium Park also features an ice rink that out of season becomes Park Grill Plaza, a serpentine pedestrian bridge, the performing arts based Harris Theater, Greek architecture in Wrigley Square, a bike station and more! Next, head over to Shedd Aquarium to see the exquisite aquatic life that thrives there! Pet a stingray or immerse yourselves in the 4D experience only found in Phelps Auditorium! For an incredibly expansive shark exhibit, diverse jellies, lake view dining and more, Shedd meets your highest expectations as the largest indoor aquarium on the planet!