During my time in Chicago, a visit to the Field Museum was a must. The huge Stanley Field Hall already makes quite an impression, with Máximo, the massive titanosaur, stretching across the main hall and giving you a pretty good idea of what kind of museum you have just walked into. Natural history is the main focus, but there are also large sections dedicated to different cultures and human history.

The museum’s most famous resident is probably SUE, the legendary Tyrannosaurus Rex. SUE is no longer displayed in the main hall but has a dedicated space inside the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet. The exhibition follows the development of life on Earth and becomes especially interesting once you reach the many dinosaur skeletons.

There is plenty more to see as well. Inside Ancient Egypt features mummies and burial objects, while Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories looks at the history and present-day lives of Indigenous communities in North America from their own perspective. Other sections cover the cultures of the Americas and the Pacific, birds, gemstones, and even Underground Adventure, which takes a closer look at the world beneath our feet.

Two temporary exhibitions were also running during my visit in late August 2024. Unseen Oceans explored the largely unknown world beneath the surface of the sea, with specimens, large projections of blue whales, giant squid and manta rays, fluorescent marine life, and a look at the technology scientists use to explore the deep ocean.

A little more unusual was Bloodsuckers: Legends to Leeches. This exhibition focused on animals that feed on blood, from mosquitoes and ticks to leeches and lampreys. Alongside models and specimens, there were even live animals on display, while other sections covered vampire legends, medicine, and pop culture. My timing was pretty good here, as the exhibition closed only a few days after my visit.

Natural history museums are almost always a must for me in the United States. Their collections are often impressive enough that there is always something new to discover, even after visiting several of them. The Field Museum was no exception and ended up being one of the highlights of my trip.

Pictures Field Museum of Natural History

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In the morning, I left Six Flags Great America and headed toward Chicago. I parked the car at the Cumberland Park & Ride and took the Blue Line into downtown. Much easier than dealing with traffic in the city center and paying the rather painful parking rates.

My Total Loop Tour with Free Chicago Walking Tours started at the former Sears Tower, now the Willis Tower. It turned out to be a great way to see quite a bit of downtown Chicago in a relatively short amount of time.

From the Willis Tower, we first headed to the Rookery Building with its impressive interior court, later redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright. From there, the tour continued to Federal Plaza with Alexander Calder’s red Flamingo sculpture and then to Daley Plaza with its large Picasso sculpture.

Next came the Chicago Theatre and the former Marshall Field’s, now Macy’s on State Street. The huge Tiffany glass ceiling alone is worth looking up for. The Palmer House with its beautifully decorated lobby was also part of the route before we passed the Art Institute and eventually reached Millennium Park.

Of course, I had to stop at Cloud Gate, better known as “The Bean.” I also wanted to see Buckingham Fountain, which I mainly knew from the opening credits of Married… with Children.

After all that walking, it was time for food. I had wanted to try a proper Chicago deep-dish pizza anyway, and Jared from themeparkcoastercrazy had recommended Giordano’s. My first deep dish was definitely not a light meal, but it was really good.

I stayed at the ACME Hotel Company, a very nice modern hotel with a cool vibe and a stylish bar. That was also where I had an excellent Old Fashioned. Ever since, that cocktail has become my benchmark for bars. If a place cannot make a decent Old Fashioned, I usually do not order much else there.

The hotel’s location was also very convenient. The Hard Rock Cafe was practically around the corner, there was a casino across the street, and the Riverwalk was not far away either. That made it easy to spend the evening in the city without having to walk too far.

Pictures Chicago

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