Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower

Skydeck Chicago is the observation deck on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower, at 233 S Wacker Dr in The Loop, about 1,353 feet above the street. The tower, completed in 1973 as the Sears Tower, was the tallest building in the world for roughly a quarter century and remains among the tallest in the United States. Visitors enter on the Jackson Boulevard side and ride high-speed elevators to the deck in about a minute. On a clear day views stretch across Lake Michigan and into Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, and the Chicago River and downtown grid are laid out below. The signature feature is The Ledge, a set of glass boxes that extend about four feet out from the building's west face, giving a straight-down view of the street far beneath. A pre-show exhibit with Chicago history and architecture displays leads into the deck, and interpretive panels help identify landmarks such as Navy Pier, the Hancock Center and Soldier Field. Most visits take one to one and a half hours, including the line and elevator. Lines are longest on summer weekends, school holidays and midday, and are shortest on weekday mornings soon after opening. Clear mornings or the hour before sunset offer the best visibility and light, and sunset gives both daylight and city lights. Cloud and haze can obscure the view entirely, so checking conditions beforehand is worthwhile. For photos, the Ledge boxes are the most popular spot, and the south and east sides give views toward the lakefront and Museum Campus. Willis Tower is a short walk from Quincy (Brown, Orange, Pink and Purple Lines), Clinton (Blue Line) and Union Station.