The Online Reflector

Spring Break is quickly approaching and, if you have yet to make plans, Chicago is a great destination that is affordable, yet still feels like a complete get-away.

According to mapquest.com, Chicago is 190 miles from campus. A seat on the Megabus for March 7 can be purchased for $29. It’s definitely practical for your budget so hop on the Mega or get your road trip CD ready and take a drive with your friends to Chicago.

The city is very enticing for college students due to the shopping, culture and food offered.  Take a walk through the bustling city and you’re bound to find something to do, but to make it easy, here is a list of attractions.

1. Navy Pier: Navy Pier is placed right on the edge of Lake Michigan and includes fireworks, rides, attractions, boats and cruises. On the Web site, www.navypier.com, there is attraction information and a schedule of upcoming events. The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel is a must visit for anyone touring Chicago, and there is also The Chicago Children’s Museum, located on the dock. The Children’s Museum is fun for people of all ages and, during this time of year, includes an inside arena with snow forts, snow ball fights and an ice skating rink.

2. The “Magnificent Mile:” The “Magnificent Mile” is the stretch of high-end fashion shops strung along North Michigan Avenue.  The Mile is currently home to Chicago’s largest shopping district and is also occupied by museums, restaurants and hotels.  Even if you don’t have the money to spend, the Mile is worth window-shopping.  It also contains impressive architecture such as the Wrigley Building and the John Hancock Center.  It is also the sight of major media firms such as The Chicago Tribune. Some of the high-fashion shops on the Mile include Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Armani and Tiffany & Co.

3. Millennium Park: Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago and is bordered by Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive, Randolph Street and Monroe Street. It is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design.  The 24.5-acre park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and admission is free. The highlights of Millennium Park are the “Cloud Gate” and the interactive “Crown Fountain.”  The “Crown Fountain” consists of two fifty-foot glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool.  Each tower projects video images of Chicago citizens with water spouts placed so that fountains appear to shoot out of the citizen’s mouths. “Cloud Gate” is known less formally as “the bean” and is exactly what it sounds like: a huge, metallic structure in the shape of a bean. This is a favorite photo opportunity location when visiting Chicago.  The 110-ton structure reflects the cities skyline and clouds, and is 66-feet long by 33-feet high.  Both structures are definite must-sees.

4. Willis (Sears) Tower: Go up to the top of the 108-story tower and get a birds-eye view of downtown Chicago. Formally known as the Sears Tower, the Willis Tower is the tallest building in the United States and the fifth tallest freestanding structure in the world. On windy days you can experience how the building sways.

Those are just some of the big attractions, but Chicago is a city full of adventures. Take some of our suggestions or go explore it for yourself. Indulge in the nightlife, enjoy the beautiful skyline and make sure to take advantage of the amazing pizzerias that are scattered throughout the entire town. Chicago is known as “the windy city” though, so be sure to bundle up or take someone special to snuggle with.