Navy Pier Centennial Wheel

The Navy Pier Centennial Wheel is a 196-foot Ferris wheel at the end of Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave in Streeterville, Chicago, Illinois, United States. The activity is a gentle sightseeing ride in enclosed gondolas, so no fitness level or skill is required and the ride suits children, families and older visitors. Each ride lasts about 15 minutes and rises high enough for views of Lake Michigan, the pier and the downtown skyline. Tickets cost roughly $18-$25 USD per adult, with a fast-pass option at about $28 USD, and visitors should confirm current prices at navypier.org. The gondolas are enclosed, so no special equipment is needed, though a camera and layers are useful because the lake wind can be strong at the pier. The operator is Navy Pier Inc., which manages the pier, and the wheel is staffed by attendants who load and unload gondolas and monitor the ride. Safety procedures include controlled boarding, closed doors on each gondola and the ability to pause the wheel in case of an emergency. The pier is open year-round, with summer hours roughly 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and winter hours are shorter. The best season for most visitors is summer, when fireworks are held on some evenings and lakefront restaurants and boat departures add to the experience. Conditions to avoid are heavy rain, lightning and very high wind, when the wheel may close temporarily, and peak summer weekends bring long lines. Visitors who want to skip the wait can choose the fast-pass, and those who want less crowded conditions can ride on weekday mornings or in the shoulder seasons. The wheel sits close to other Navy Pier attractions such as the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the pier's boat docks, so it combines easily with a longer lakefront outing. Evening rides give a view of the city lights.