Views from 360 Chicago (September 2025)
I only had half a day left in Chicago following my second night, but I still managed to squeeze in a considerable amount of activities before I had to leave for the airport. Although it was Labor Day, the city was absolutely-packed with visitors, more than usual, so it made navigating town a bit of a challenge. All the same, I did my best, and I’m happy to get the last of Chi-Town on my short weekend stay.
Having learned my lesson on the first day, I woke up a bit later and headed to Starbucks Reserve Roastery just a block away from my hotel. Although the Reserve opens at 6h30, only the first floor is opened, and the remaining four floors open at 8h00. Therefore, I queued up at 7h45 with already a good handful of visitors and soon enough, we were let in to take the escalators up.
I headed straight for the third floor, which had the “Experiential Coffee Bar” with unique drinks that you otherwise can’t get at a regular Starbucks. However, I ended up getting a PSL (pumpkin spice latte), as it was September and about time for PSL season to begin. I also ordered sweet and savory items, including a blueberry doughnut and prosciutto-Parmesan sandwich. They were all tasty, if a tad too sweet and salty. In any case, I had my fill of the Starbucks Reserve, and soon headed out to begin my half day in town.
Pumpkin spice latte, prosciutto-Parmesan sandwich, and blueberry doughnut
Just before heading to my next destination, I returned to my hotel to pack up and check out. From there, I walked a couple of blocks up Magnificent Mile to 360 Chicago, a 94th-floor observatory located inside John Hancock Building. I’d purchased my ticket beforehand, a steep $30 USD, but honestly, it was worth it. The views were gorgeous and not only did I get clear views of Chi-Town’s skyline, but also views of Lake Michigan (utterly massive, almost like an ocean!).
Entering the experience…
Views of Lake Michigan
Views of Navy Pier
360 Chicago also included TILT, a glass and steel platform that literally tilts over the ledge, offering the thrill of “dropping” from the building. It’s not for the faint of heart, or those afraid of heights. I’m okay with heights, but I didn’t want to pay an extra $15 USD, so I watched a few people take the challenge instead.
360 Chicago TILT
In fact, there was one middle-aged woman who did it with her husband and daughter, and she has terrified; she was hyperventilating and screaming as the platform slowly tilted over the edge. At first, I found it funny, but then I kind of felt sorry for her, as it didn’t look like she was enjoying herself– her husband and daughter were laughing, too, which was a bit mean. Any case, the ride lasted only a couple of minutes, and the woman was fine in the end.
I spent almost an hour at 360 Chicago, and then I left to head over to Navy Pier by the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s a touristy destination with shops, restaurants, and few amusement park rides, but I was there to check out skyline views of Chicago from the water at eye-level view. It was a sunny and warm day at a balmy 27°C (80°F), but I did see a few leaves already changing in the nearby park, meaning that the fall season was just around the corner.
On Navy Pier
Skyline of Chicago from Navy Pier
Leaves are changing. Autumn soon?
It was just around lunchtime, and I wanted to grab some food before I had to leave for the airport. I knew that I couldn’t leave Chicago without having its iconic deep-dish pizza, so I headed to a well-known pizzeria for that. Unfortunately, the place was ridiculously-packed, and it would’ve been a 75-minute wait for a table– I ended up finding another pizzeria nearby with a 20-minute wait, and I ordered an individual-size deep dish, which was cheesy, crusty, and oh-so-delicious.
Individual-size deep dish pizza
By the time I finished lunch, it was about time to leave Chicago. I caught the Metra to O’Hare International Airport, where my flight left at 16h00. It was an easy ride back, and soon enough, I landed in LAX around 18h30 local time. I made it home by 20h00, tired, but super happy to be back. Overall, it was a short and whirlwind time in Chicago, and honestly, I don’t know if I ever recovered from my overnight flight over, haha. All the same, I’m happy I got to get a glimpse of the Midwest, and I’d like to return and see more of that part of the US some day.
Thanks for reading, and more adventures are coming soon! 🙂
— Rebecca
