Shedd Aquarium

Chicago


Top draws at the kiddie-mobbed Shedd Aquarium include the Wild Reef exhibit, where there's just 5in of Plexiglas between you and two-dozen fierce-looking sharks, and the Oceanarium, with its rescued sea otters. Note the Oceanarium also keeps beluga whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins, a practice that’s increasingly frowned upon as captivity is stressful for these sensitive creatures.

General admission includes all of the aforementioned exhibits. The 4-D movies cost extra ($5 each). Lines can be very long here, especially in summer. Tickets purchased online at least one day in advance provide faster, priority entry (for a per order fee of $3).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Chicago attractions

1. Olmec Head No 8

0.1 MILES

Staring out from the Field Museum's lawn, Olmec Head No 8 is a replica of one of many sculptures the Olmec people carved in Veracruz, Mexico, c 1300 BC…

2. Field Museum of Natural History

0.19 MILES

The Field Museum houses some 30 million artifacts and includes everything but the kitchen sink – beetles, mummies, gemstones, Bushman the stuffed ape –…

3. Sundial

0.32 MILES

Henry Moore sculpted the 13ft bronze piece outside the Adler Planetarium in 1980. It does indeed mark the time of day by casting a shadow on the ground.

4. Copernicus Statue

0.32 MILES

In the front median of the Adler Planetarium, the bronze Copernicus statue shows 16th-century Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus holding a compass and…

5. Adler Planetarium

0.37 MILES

Space enthusiasts will get a big bang (pun!) out of the Adler. There are public telescopes to view the stars (10am to 1pm daily, by the Galileo Cafe), 3-D…

6. Northerly Island

0.55 MILES

This hilly, prairie-grassed park has a walking and cycling trail, bird-watching, fishing and an outdoor venue for big-name concerts. It's actually a…

7. Buckingham Fountain

0.63 MILES

Grant Park's centerpiece is one of the world's largest fountains, with a 1.5-million-gallon capacity and a 15-story-high spray. It lets loose on the hour…

8. Grant Park

0.66 MILES

Grant Park hosts the city's mega-events, such as Taste of Chicago, Blues Fest and Lollapalooza. Buckingham Fountain is the park's centerpiece. The…