1 – Noony
Duh.

2 – The Art Institute Chicago
One of the best museums in the country, the Art Institute also has a well-regarded school.

3 – Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo
Sister zoos, Lincoln Park is in the heart of Chicago and boasts the Farm in the Zoo; Brookfield has the incredible Regenstein Wolf Woods.

4 – Chicago Botanic Garden
An amazing and beautiful place. Once you come, you won’t want to leave. Extensive classes available in all manner of botanical interests, from the casual to the esoteric.

5 – The Field Museum
One of the better-known anthropology museums in the country, the Field also provides extensive research in the field both in their extensive archives and in the, er, field.

6 – The Sears Tower
Across the street from Noony’s office, as a matter of fact. Notable for the fact that the elevator to the top of the Tower does not have cables – it’s run by pneumatics. A fact they tell you AFTER you’re already ON said elevator. EEP?

7 – The John Hancock Building
Come visit the restaurant at the top of the Hancock. There’s a building over by the Sears Tower that’s part of Union Station, that was used as a “test” for the Hancock. It’s the tallest building with an exoskeleton – those big, black diamonds are holding the building up. Also, supposed birthplace of famed Church of Satan founder, Anton LeVey.

8 – A Boat Tour: Mercury or Sea Dog Speed Ferry
Mercury runs some of the best tours on the Chicago River, and you get to go through the locks. The speed ferry is awesome – a speed boat, ferry-sized (and when they open that puppy up, you FEEL it).

9 – Shedd Aquarium
Here, fishy fishy! Travel through several distinct marine and aquatic habitats, including some that humans live in. Ooh and aah at the cetacian enclosure and get up and personal with a dolphin.

10 – Adler Planetarium
Home to Doane Observatory, an actual working radio telescope. Regular lectures by notable personages in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics, including Brother Guy Consolmagno, an Astronomer to the Pope.

11 – Millennium Park
Newly completed, this is an incredible place. Come see the Bean and ice-skate downtown. Come visit a multi-million dollar garden – oops, look out for the rabbits! Rabbits cost the City several million dollars in nibbled foliage since the park opened. And they breed like, well, rabbits!

12 – Ravinia (in the summer months)
The oldest outdoor music festivals in North America, Ravinia has an amazing lineup from jazz to rock to dance. Their schedule is constantly changing and developing and they publish a lovely full-color catalog every year. If you have the chance to go, do it – the lawn seats are worth it, and very reasonably-priced. You’ll take home a piece of history.

13 – Buckingham Fountain
This is one of the first landmarks I saw when I came to the city nearly a decade ago. Modeled after one of the fountains at Versais, it is larger and more grand (which is indicative of the personality of Chicago – we have one too, but it’s bigger!).

To arrange a tour of these and other fine locations, please contact Noony and your local travel agent. We’ll see you here! (That’s an order, luv!)