Bucket List Check: Skydeck Chicago

Skydeck has become pretty internet famous thanks to the likes of Instagram and Pinterest. As such, it has found its way on many a bucket list, including mine. Unfortunately, the experience is not as exciting or invigorating  I thought it would be because of the crowds. (Pro Tip: try to go either super early or super late to avoid crowds, we went during the afternoon and there were too many lines and crying babies for my comfort).

The Experience
I am not scared of heights. The part of my brain that should be scared of heights likes to be used for cockroaches and spiders (meh). As such, I was more excited than scared to step onto the glass (plexiglass? Not sure what it's made of and frankly I don't care, since I didn't die).

Skydeck is located on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower. Admission is $19.50 for folks ages 12 and up and $12.50 for the kiddos. We actually used the Chicago City Pass, which gave us Fast Pass admission (no lines up yay!). For more info on City Passes, click HERE (highly recommended, as it gives you VIP entrance to several famous sightseeing destinations in the city).

The City Pass allowed us to get in line for the elevator that takes you to 103rd right away without having to wait in line for 30 minutes to buy tickets. Please know that there are security guards with metal detectors like in an airport, so be mindful of what you pack for the day. If you have pocket knives or lighters, they are best left in the car or at the hotel.

Transportation/Parking
We actually got dropped off by a family member who was kindly hosting us, so parking was not an issue. I would actually recommend avoiding driving a car into downtown as traffic is insane and parking tends to be expensive. Take advantage of Chicago's excellent public transit system (Pro Tip: use the Transit App if you do this). If you still want to use a car, then click HERE to find parking or use Uber and let the driver drop you off at the front of the building.

Thoughts:
Although I am grateful that I was able to experience such a famous destination, I was not over the moon impressed with it. That being said, I am certainly glad for the boss Instagram pictures that I got out of it! 

I was under the assumption that Skydeck would give me views of the city, which it did. However, due to the line behind us on the deck itself and the generall crowds on the 103rd floor, I did not have the chance to enjoy the views or get as many nice pictures that I wanted.

If you want to specifically get awesome views for Chicago, I'd recommend Chicago 360 in the John Hancock Center as you can get shots of both the city and Lake Michigan (in other words, you get a 360 degree view of Chicago). Since it is less famous that Skydeck, you don't have to worry about lines or crowds. We went around 4:00 pm and had a pleasant and fun experience.

Have you ever been to Skydeck? What were your impressions?

Best Wishes, 

The Pseudo Southerner