Navy Pier

- Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, Auditorium, Headhouse, Beer Garden, Shakespeare Theatre, Lake Point Tower, Streeterville

 

Navy Pier is a more then 1km long pier, just to the Northeast of downtown, in the Streeterville neighbourhood at Lake Michigan. It is Chicago's most popular tourist attraction. It was constructed 1914-16, one of two piers in Daniel Burnham's plan (the other was never built). It was the world's largest pier upon completion.'

It is today a shipping and entertainment area. During WWI it was temporarily used as a military harbour. It got its name in 1927 in honour of the war veterans from the navy. In the end of the 1920s, the pier started to decline. In 1946 it was used by the university. Not until 1976 and in 1989 the pier was restored and redeveloped. Among the attractions are the Navy Pier Ferris wheel, Chicago Children's Museum (in the Headhouse building), the Aeroballoon, 50 acres of parks, Museum of Stained Glass, Pepsi Skyline Stage, a 18-hole miniature golf course, the Shakespeare Theatre, and IMAX theatre and the Beer Garden. The main buidings are the Headhouse Building (at the entrance to the pier) and the Auditorium Building (in the end at Lake Michigan), both designed by Charles Summer Frost. These two art deco buildings look very similar with brown brick and small towers. Crystal Gardens is an atrium that can be rented, with more then 70 palm trees.

Navy Pier Ferris Wheel is the landmark of the pier. The classic ferris wheel that was modeled after the one at the 1893 Columbian Exhibition was replaced by the current one in 2005, that is much more modern with indoor gondolas. It is 45m high and offers views of downtown skyline and Lake Michigan.

You will also find a sculpture of TV personality Bob Newhart, sitting on a sofa. At the beginning to Navy Pier, you find Gateway Plaza, and the Children's Museum. To get to Navy Pier you have to take the bus to its foot (like we did), a taxi, or walk, there is no subway station.

If you expect a small amusement park with a lot of attractions and restaurants you will be disappointed. There are only about 3 carousels, of which 2 for children and the other being the ferris wheel. There are only a few outdoor restaurants. Except for the views and the ferris wheel, there is not as much to do as one might expect from the most popular tourist attraction in America's 3rd largest city. It is worth to visit once though. We arrived at sunset, took a ride in the ferris wheel, walked around the pier looking at the skyline and attended a small rock conert in the Beer Garden. Unfortunately the stores, the parts of the main building, the stained glass museum and the Crystal Gardens, were closed during our visit.

Lake Point Tower, the only skyscraper in downtown Chicago east of Lake Shore Drive, was the world's tallest residential building upon completion in 1968. It is known for its curvy, futuristic black glass facade, with a rotating restaurant on the top. It has 70 floors and is 197m to the top. It was inspired by Mies van der Rohe's never built 1922 Berlin skyscraper, and has been used in many movies. The tower can be found at the foot to Navy Pier.

Sunset panorama from Navy Pier Navy Pier 01 - Chicagos most popular tourist attraction Navy Pier 02 - Chicagos most popular tourist attraction Navy Pier 03 - Childrens Museum, Headhouse Building Navy Pier 04 - Lake Point Tower Navy Pier 05 - Childrens Museum, Headhouse Building Navy Pier 06 - Ferris wheel, the new one from 2015 Navy Pier 07 - Ferris wheel Navy Pier 08 Navy Pier 09 Navy Pier 10 - Shakespeare Theater Navy Pier 11 - Downtown skyline Navy Pier 12 Navy Pier 13 - futuristic stairways from the pier to the upper gardens Navy Pier 14 - Adler Planetarium Navy Pier 15 Navy Pier 16 Navy Pier 17 Navy Pier 18 Navy Pier 19 - childrens carousel Navy Pier 20 - ferris wheel Navy Pier 21 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 22 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 23 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 24 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 25 - ferris wheel from 2015 Navy Pier 26 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 27 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 28 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 29 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 30 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 31 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 33 - views from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 34 -South Loop from the ferris wheel Navy Pier 35 - lower section of garden Navy Pier 36 Navy Pier 37 - ferries and and other ships are leaving from the pier Navy Pier 38 - Birds over downtown skyscrapers Navy Pier 39 - Windy ship Navy Pier 40 Navy Pier 41 - Windy ship Navy Pier 42 - Lake Michigan Navy Pier 43 - Ships and skyline Navy Pier 44 Navy Pier 45 - Mirror roof and Chicago Elite ship Navy Pier 46 - Sweden! Navy Pier 47 Navy Pier 48 - Auditorium Building at the end of the pier Navy Pier 49 - Rock band playing in the Beer Garden Navy Pier 50 - Rock band playing in the Beer Garden Navy Pier 51 - Downtown skyline Navy Pier 52 - ship with rainbow flags and pirate flags Navy Pier 53 - fastfood in the Beer Garden Navy Pier 54 - there are many helicopters circulating Navy Pier 55 Navy Pier 56 Navy Pier 57 - Lake Michigan and skyline Navy Pier 58 - Sunset skyline and USS Odyssey Navy Pier 59 Navy Pier 61 - Aon Center at sunset Navy Pier 62 - Sunset skyline Navy Pier 63 - lighthouse Navy Pier 64 Navy Pier 65 - sunset at the Auditorium Bldg Navy Pier 66 - Magnificent Mile skyline with John Hancock Center Navy Pier 67 - Sunset over skyline Navy Pier 68 - Magnificent Mile skyline Navy Pier 69 - sunset Navy Pier 70 - USS Chicago anchor Navy Pier 71 - Coach sculpture of the comedian Bob Newhart Navy Pier 72 - Skyline at sunset Navy Pier 73 - Beer Garden and Auditorium Building Navy Pier 74 Navy Pier 75 Navy Pier 76 Navy Pier 77 Navy Pier 78 - View of the skyline Navy Pier 79 - View of the skyline Navy Pier 80 - View of the skyline Navy Pier 81 - Shakespeare Theatre Navy Pier 82 - Shakespeare Theatre Navy Pier 83 - Lake Point Tower Navy Pier 84 Navy Pier 85 Navy Pier 86 - Ferris wheel at sunset Navy Pier 87 - Ferris wheel at sunset Navy Pier 88 - Lake Point Tower and downtown skyline Navy Pier 89 - Aon Center and other skyscrapers Navy Pier 90 - South Loop Navy Pier 91 - childrens carousel Navy Pier 92 - John Hancock Center Navy Pier 93 - Many helicopters are circulating the pier Navy Pier 94 - Chicago Childrens Museum