Fun Facts About Chicago: Your Essential Trivia

By Katie Sagal
Published: July 18, 2024

How much do you know about Chicago? Test your knowledge of the Windy City with our trivia below. These fun facts are sure to come in handy on your Chicago vacation!

Top Chicago facts 1-10

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  1. The world’s very first skyscraper was erected in the city in 1885.
  2. Skydeck Chicago is a film star! Catch a glimpse of the experience in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
  3. The Willis Tower is the eighth tallest building in the world, coming in at 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall.
  4. Chicago invented deep-dish pizza.
  5. The Navy Pier Centennial Wheel was preceded by an iconic Ferris wheel, which welcomed over 17 million riders in its ten-year life span.
  6. Historic Route 66 begins in Chicago (and terminates in Santa Monica, CA).
  7. The Field Museum’s newest addition is Máximo the Titanosaur: the largest dinosaur ever discovered, weighing 70 tons.
  8. Chicago is known as “The Windy City” for the bombast of its politicians—not for its weather.
  9. Chicago is home to an impressive 56 museums, including the famous Art Institute of Chicago.
  10. The Taste of Chicago — a summer legend in Chicago — is the world’s largest free outdoor food festival.

Top Chicago facts 11-20

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  1. The Museum of Contemporary Art is the only museum in the city to feature dozens of works with the title, “Untitled.”
  2. Batman’s iconic Gotham City was based on Chicago; not, as many people assume, NYC.
  3. The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the world’s rare free zoos.
  4. Malört, one of the most distinctive liquors in the world (and some say the most unpalatable), was created in Chicago. Today, more than 90% of the national consumption of Malört is still confined to the greater Chicago area.
  5. The Adler Planetarium was America’s first planetarium.
  6. The Adler Planetarium is also one of the best places to get a great view of the skyline.
  7. The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the largest science museums in the world, with more than 400,000 square feet of exhibit space.
  8. The renowned Pablo Picasso sculpture, created specifically for the city and located in Richard J. Daley Plaza, weighs an intimidating 162 tons. It is also called 'Untitled'.
  9. Chicago's Brookfield Zoo was the first such institution in the world to successfully perform brain surgery on a gorilla.
  10. The Brookfield Zoo is also known for its majestic fountain, named for Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States who is remembered for expanding protections on wildlife.

Top Chicago facts 21-25

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  1. The Chicago Theater's grand lobby is inspired by the Royal Chapel at Versailles.
  2. The Chicago Theater also boasts one of the oldest Wurlitzer pipe organs remaining in existence.
  3. The Ernest Hemingway Home was the first house to have electricity in Oak Park.
  4. The American Writer’s Museum is the only museum in the world devoted exclusively to American writers and their works.
  5. The Shedd Aquarium has more than 32,000 animal inhabitants.

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Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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Night time view of the Navy Pier Ferris wheel in Chicago
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Things to do in Chicago at Night Time

A mighty metropolis renowned for its world-class museums, fine restaurants and frankly epic city skyline, the Windy City is, if anything, even more thrilling at night. There’s an absolute abundance of attractions and activities worth staying up late for, from galleries and ghost tours to deep dish pizza and old-school jazz joints. Hop aboard for our whistle stop guide to some of the best things you can do in Chicago at night time. Skyline Views Chicago’s sensational skyline is the envy of cities across the States. Take a leisurely evening stroll along Lake Shore Drive or the Chicago Riverwalk and you’ll soon find out why. We’re talking soaring skyscrapers that include the awesome Willis Tower (for many years the tallest building on the planet, fact fans) and the iconic neo-gothic Tribune Tower. Incredible enough to look at during the day, these architectural titans really come into their own by night, lighting up to produce one of the world’s most recognizable cityscapes. See them from the water on a night cruise of Lake Michigan, when widescreen views of the illuminated city reflect beautifully in the glassy waters that lap the shoreline. Head in the Clouds You’ve checked it out from ground level, now take in birds’ eye views from atop some of the Western world’s loftiest skyscrapers. You need nerves of steel to ascend to Skydeck Chicago atop the Willis Tower. At 1,353 feet and 103 floors up, it’s only the highest observation deck in the United States. No wonder then that you can see four states from up here, as well as Chicago landmarks including Navy Pier, Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile. Daredevils/masochists can even step out onto The Ledge to see the lights of the Windy City twinkling far beneath their feet. A little closer to terra firma at a mere 1,030 feet up, 360 Chicago adds the option to experience TILT, a sky-high thrill ride in which willing victims participants climb onto a moving glass platform which then – yup, you guessed it – tilts riders forward to a perilous angle over the city. Very much not for the faint of heart.  Bean There, Done That For a unique perspective on the iconic Chicago skyline, hit up The Bean on the AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park. This huge stainless steel sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor – officially named Cloud Gate, but more commonly known as The Bean due to its shape – has quickly become a Windy City icon. Visit at night, when the bright lights of the Michigan Avenue skyscrapers reflect on its gleaming surface, creating hallucinatory magic-mirror cityscapes that bend, twist and morph as you walk around and underneath it. Check listings for al fresco evening concerts elsewhere in Millennium Park during summer. Take a Tour There are dozens of ways to get under the skin of night time Chicago without, you know, the tedium and inconvenience of poring over a guidebook for hours. Take to the skies on a twilight helicopter tour over Lake Michigan and that famous city skyline; hear all about the Windy City’s ghosts and gangsters on a spooky walking tour; or – perhaps best of all – join a foodie tour that gives you the chance to tuck into unmissable local delicacies such as Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and deep dish pizza. Yum. Museum Lates Chicago has a frankly superb selection of museums and galleries, many of which have regular late opening hours, allowing you to ogle Old Masters, contemporary masterpieces and ancient artifacts in relative peace and quiet. Hit up the Art Institute of Chicago on Thursday evenings, when you can check out significant pieces from Hopper, van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, O’Keeffe and more until 8PM. Other Windy City institutions including the Chicago History Museum and Museum of Science & Industry run ‘happy hour’ events that run as late as 10PM, and the Adler Planetarium’s late Wednesday openings provide a stellar option for whiling away chilly winter evenings. Animal Magic Museums and galleries a little too stuffy for you? Fear not! Take an evening walk on Chicago’s wild side at the Lincoln Park Zoo where, on balmy summer evenings, the park stays open late for adult-only events that include the likes of wine festivals and craft beer tasting. There’s nothing quite like the roar of a nearby African lion or cackle of a laughing kookaburra to get the party started. Meanwhile over at the Shedd Aquarium, night time events for adults include animal encounters, cocktail evenings and salsa classes, though not necessarily all at the same time. Navy Pier A tad nippy in winter, but a vibrant waterfront treasure on summer nights, Navy Pier is where it’s at for old-school seaside-style vibes. That’s largely thanks to the fab Ferris wheel that dominates the shoreline here, but after-dark firework displays, buzzy rooftop bars, live music, fab fast food joints and delectable dessert stores all add to the fiesta atmosphere. Grab an original rainbow ice cream (that’s orange sherbet, pistachio, Palmer House, chocolate and strawberry stacked high on a cone) and tuck in as the sun sets over the water. All That Jazz Hipster joints abound in downtown Chicago, and the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, with its distinctive lime green neon sign, should be at the top of every bucket list. This century-old Chicago institution was once a favorite of Al Capone and his band of bootleggers, who used tunnels underneath the bar to smuggle booze during Prohibition. So grab a seat in Capone’s old booth, order up a Manhattan, and enjoy some of the finest jazz acts in town, just like Big Al used to do. Blues fans are also well-served in Chicago, thanks to the likes of Kingston Mines, Buddy Guy’s Legends and the House of Blues, while scuzz-rockers can get their fix at hipper-than-thou dive bars including Pilsen’s beloved Skylark and the Rainbo Club in Wicker Park. Save on attractions in Chicago Save on admission to Chicago attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Navy Pier Ferris wheel in Chicago
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Things to do in Chicago in the Morning

Morning is a fine time to check out the Windy City’s most popular attractions – including the Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, Field Museum and Navy Pier – before the crowds arrive, and to enjoy the Magnificent Mile’s luxury stores and the city’s pot-pourri of architectural style when the streets are at their least busy. Read on for our guide to all the best things to do in Chicago in the morning…
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
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Chicago Labor Day Weekend - 10+ Fun Things to Do in September

Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer, but it certainly doesn’t mean the end of summer fun! There are still so many great festivals, events, and activities to enjoy that will help you squeeze every last drop of summer out of this last weekend before school starts. If you’re looking for Chicago Labor Day Weekend ideas, check out some of these local activities and fun things do in Chicago in September, including... Architecture River Cruise Architecture Tours SkyDeck Chicago Art Institute of Chicago Navy Pier Centennial Wheel & Rides Brookfield Zoo Bike and Roll Chicago - 4 Hour Bike Rentals Great American Lobster Fest at Navy Pier Chicago Jazz Festival And more! 2. Frank Lloyd Wright Studio & Robie House If the idea of an architecture cruise was really exciting but didn't seem to go far enough, you'll want to check out some of Chicago's other top architecturally-minded attractions. Head to the Frank Lloyd Wright Studio and Home to tour the living and working spaces of one of the most iconic architects of the last century. You can also scope out one of his famed local projects, the Robie House (on the campus of the University of Chicago, which is a fun area to explore as well). Finally, the Chicago Architecture Center also offers plenty of walking tours, bus tours, Segway tours, and cruises to meet your architectural desires. 10. North Coast Music Festival The North Coast Music Festival brings together artists from all across the spectrum of EDM music. It's also located on the chic Northerly Island concert site, which is an outdoor venue that's just perfect for end-of-summer fun. The North Coast Music Festival is a separately ticketed event, with options for lawn seating, general admission, and VIP tickets. Save on Attraction Admission Regular admission to a number of these Chicago attractions are included on the Go Chicago® pass. Choose as you go from dozens of top attractions and save up to 45% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more. We hope you consider visiting some of these attractions to help round out your summer vacation in style. Share your adventure with us Remember to tag @GoCity in your holiday snaps and we'll feature you on our page. Follow the Go City Instagram and Facebook pages for competitions, special offers, and events and inspiration for your chosen destination too!
Katie Sagal

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