Willis Tower – A Visitor’s Guide

One of the iconic buildings of Chicago is the Willis Tower, formerly and more notably known as the Sears Tower. A trip to Chicago for any first time visitor is not complete without a visit to this architectural marvel. Like a visit to Rome is not complete until you have been to the Coliseum, the Willis Tower is one of the top tourist attractions in the city.

Facts: Located a block east of Union Station and along the river, stands the tallest building in the city and in the Western Hemisphere. The Willis Tower stands at 1,450 feet tall (1,730 feet if the twin antenna towers are included) and 110 stories tall. The tower goes 43 feet below street elevation and took three years to build. The tower features a revolutionary construction method at the time called the “bundled tube design.” It is essentially nine tubes, bound together. The docents told us to think of it like a pack of pencils with each tube rising higher than the rest. While the tower itself has more than a 100 different companies using it as an office building, visitors are only there for one maybe two reasons: mainly the Skydeck (observation deck) and possibly the restaurant.

The Skydeck is the highest public viewing area in the US and on a clear day (hope you are lucky), you can see four states (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan). Back in 2009, the building added four observation pods which are affectionately known as “The Ledge.” They are these glass boxes that are made up of three layers of half-inch thick glass that has been laminated into one seamless unit.

Visiting: The Skydeck is open every day of the year to accommodate visitors. Always be sure to check the website for hours, but in general they are open from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM April through September, and 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM October through March. When planning your visit, the last entry is 30 minutes prior to close. The Skydeck does have several offerings prior to the “main event” of getting to the top. There are several different exhibits that talk about the tower and the city as well as a movie that tells the story of the building and surrounding architecture. All of this is well and good and gives you a greater appreciation for the building and all that went into making this massive structure and it will provide a fuller experience but is time consuming.

There are two different ticket options: Basic and Fast Pass. Basic is obviously your general admission and does include everything to see all the exhibits. The Fast Pass is currently more than twice the basic admission and allows the guest to bypass the exhibit and movie to be within 2-4 elevator rides from going to the top. So you may need to decide if the extra cost is worth it. Personally, unless we are in a severe rush or a tourist bus just let out, I don’t think the added cost is justified.

There are several other ticket such as the day/night (two same day tickets for one guest), the skylights tour (audio/visual tour that points out top sights), trolley tour (a combo ticket with basic admission and the hop-on, hop-off trolley tour), and the Art Institute combo (basic admission with the added ticket to the Art Institute)

Rachel and I have visited the tower several times on our own and with friends and the tower does offer a wonderful experience. After passing through the exhibits and movie, the line to the elevators can get backed up quickly. Unless you are the first one there, expect to wait at least 15-30 minutes but at peak times it will be closer to an hour if not more. The elevator ride itself is amazingly quick and has a video presentation in it to keep your attention.

Once you make it to the top, you are surrounded by tourists, souvenirs, and a really great view. The four different Ledges are practically surrounded by people so you can’t miss them. An informal line will form on two of pods but be prepared to wait. Also be patient as there will be some selfishness going on and you will either have someone cut in front of you or will be in the pod with you. On the flipside, don’t be one of those people who does a photoshoot in the pods. I can’t tell you how frustrating that can be when there is a long line and some person/group is taking a hundred photos. The Skydeck does have a couple of photographers available to take your picture if you choose that option for a fee.

Around the walls, you will see a couple of telescopes and also some maps which help you see other buildings in the Chicago skyline. Overall the views that are offered are really good, but most locals will tell you the view at the 360 Chicago Tower (formerly the Hancock Observatory) is actually better even though it is a few stories lower.

The building does offer a couple of different restaurants on the main levels, but for those looking for a meal with a view, there are a couple of different options.

One more thing to remember is when planning your visit and your day, the Skydeck will give you a great experience and provide you with some memorable views. You may even be able to get in see the Skydeck quickly, but generally the line to leave can get pretty long as well so  plan accordingly.

Overall, if you go first thing in the morning or late at night, you can probably get in and out in around an hour if you have your tickets already purchased. That is best case scenario. But in general, because of the lines to go up and go down, plan about two to three hours to visit the Willis Tower. We have found that the best time to visit and the website will agree with this is right when it opens. You are able to avoid long lines and will have much better access to views.

Make sure to check out their website for any special events and hour changes. For me personally, this is a must do when visiting Chicago. It is a great family friendly place and the kids should have a good time. Whether you are a lover of architecture or not, the Willis Tower is an incredible building that is worth seeing and visiting. Even if you don’t like heights like myself, the Ledge is a pretty cool concept that gives a new twist and perspective

Tips: City Cards – The Chicago Citypass and the Go Chicago cards are both useful ways to save money when visiting the city as well as touring many popular attractions. Both allow you the availability to skip the ticket line and go straight for elevator lines. The Citypass can be purchased from a Skydeck cashier if you want to do that, but just be careful of waiting in the ticket line. Also the Citypass grants you the Fast Pass admission. The Go Chicago card is also a good option and may fit many visitors itineraries more with their customizable and electronic options.

Pre-Purchase Tickets: Whether you do one of the visitor cards or the basic admission, it is a good idea to save the time and purchase your tickets online. The last thing you want to do is have to wait in a long ticket line while the elevator line gets longer and longer.