Willis Tower
4.5(24K)google
3.8(1.5K)yelp
City LandmarkScenic LookoutPhoto SpotMust-See
Overview
The Willis Tower, formerly and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, is a 110-story, 1,451-foot (442.3 m) skyscraper in the Loop of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Designed by architect Bruce Graham and engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), it opened in 1973 as the world's tallest building, a title that it held for nearly 25 years. It is the third-tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the 26th-tallest in the world.
Practical Info
Every day9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-3 hours
Best TimeWhile a year-round attraction, arriving 30 minutes before the morning opening line at 8:30 AM or heading up after 8:30 PM offers the shortest waits. Clear mornings provide endless horizon views spanning four neighboring midwestern states, while late nights unveil a clinical, glittering urban grid stretching to infinity.
Getting ThereLocated at 233 S Wacker Dr. It is perfectly situated for rail commuters, just a 3-minute walk east of Union Station and an 8-minute walk from Ogilvie Transportation Center. CTA riders should take the Brown, Orange, Pink, or Purple lines to Quincy station and walk one short block west.
Travel Tips
- The corporate commercial lobby blocks casual tourist routing; all general observation deck traffic must enter via the separate, subterranean South Wacker Drive specialized pavilion.
- The high-speed elevator system scales 103 floors under 60 seconds; the extreme barometric delta causes severe ear popping, remediable by chewing gum or continuous swallowing.
- Do not attempt street curbside parking along Wacker Drive; route directly into the linked Tower Self Park garage on Adams Street to utilize pre-paid digital validation discounts.
Reviews
Positive
- Once the world's tallest building, this pinnacle of Chicago modernism offers unparalleled structural visuals and architectural majesty.
- The newly renovated 'Catalog' lower retail concourse features state-of-the-art facilities, local dining food halls, high-end restrooms, and accessible paths.
- Prime location in the heart of the financial district, within a few minutes' walk from any major Loop subway station, ensuring endless transit options.
- The summit elevator is remarkably fast with cool LED multimedia height tracking, maintaining great safety crowd flows to view the American Midwest.
Heads up
- Standard line wait times frequently breach 1.5 to 2 hours during tourist peaks; without standard buying a pricey Fast Pass, much time is lost in queues.
- For vertigo sufferers, the Skydeck experience is psychological torture, and if sudden thick fog rolls in, visibility hits zero, destroying all value.
- Surrounding streets are narrow, filled with one-ways, and gridlocked during rush hours; local parking garage rates are extortionate for drivers.
- Gift merchandise and professional prints of summit photos carry heavy price markups, feeling overly commercialized with heavy tourist premiums.