Willis Tower Skydeck
Willis Tower (Sears Tower)
Completed in 1973, this 442-meter skyscraper held the title of world's tallest for 25 years. The glass boxes of The Ledge on the 103rd floor project over the street 412 meters up, with the ground visible beneath your feet.
Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, was completed in 1973. It stands 442 meters tall, or 527 meters including its antennas. Built from nine bundled tubes, it was the world's tallest building until 1998, and it is still the third-tallest in the Western Hemisphere. The Skydeck is on the 103rd floor, 412 meters up. The Ledge, added in 2009, consists of four all-glass boxes projecting from the building's exterior. Stand inside and you can look straight down at the traffic on Michigan Avenue and the river below, which makes it Chicago's most thrilling photo spot. On clear days you can see four states (Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois), and Lake Michigan stretches to the horizon like an ocean. Admission in 2025 starts at about $40, and prices are higher during peak times such as sunset. Book a timed slot online, since CityPASS includes fast-track access. The entrance is on the Jackson Boulevard side. After security, check out the interactive exhibit on Chicago history before a 60-second elevator ride up. Waiting to step into the glass boxes often takes 20 to 40 minutes, and staff will take your photo. Alternatives or add-ons: at the north end of the Magnificent Mile, 360 Chicago occupies the former John Hancock Center's 94th floor and has the TILT glass platform, which tilts outward. Its views of the lake and the north side are even better, and admission is about $30. You only need to choose one, though. Willis is the classic panorama of the Loop and the river. Nearby are the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Rookery Building (its lobby lightwell was redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright), and Union Station. Getting there: a 3-minute walk from Quincy CTA Loop station. The Skydeck is open until 22:00, later in summer, and the night view is just as spectacular.
Opening hours
9:00–22:00 (approx. 10:00–20:00 in winter); last admission 30 minutes before closing
Nearby sights
- Rookery Building
- Chicago Theatre
- Buddy Guy's Legends
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Chicago Cultural Center
- Millennium Park & Cloud Gate
- Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
- Chicago Riverwalk & Architecture Cruise