Willis Tower (Chicago, IL)

I remember as a teenager visiting Sears Tower (now known as Willis Tower) during a summer trip to Chicago, and as a teenager I thought the views from the top of that tower were spectacular! I recently took a trip back to the tower and felt the same amazement while checking out the views from the top. Come along as I share all about my visit to Willis Tower!

Fun Fact: Known as one of the tallest buildings in the world, Willis Tower is a 110 story building in the heart of Chicago’s downtown.

Check Out This History!

Sears Roebuck and Company was the largest retailer in the world back in 1969. With about 350,000 employees, Sears Roebuck and Company decided to build one large office space for everyone. Architects Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill were commissioned to design what would become one of the largest office buildings in the world. Fazlur Khan, the structural engineer, designed the “bundled tube” design that handled both wind and gravity.

Ground was broken for the beginning of construction in August 1970, taking three years to complete. The last beam put in place was signed by 12,000 construction workers, Sears employees, and Chicagoans. So cool!

Sears Roebuck and Company sold and moved out of the building in 1988, but the Sears Tower name remained until 2009. At that time the building was renamed after the Willis Group, a London-based global insurance broker.

Museums In Willis Tower

If you’re interested in the views from the top of Willis Tower, be sure to visit the Skydeck & The Ledge! With the purchase of your ticket to the Skydeck & The Ledge, you can also go through these incredible museums:

• Discover the history of Chicago, encounter the Great Chicago Fire, and walk through a glowing Chicago River tunnel.
• Experience an interactive fly-through video tour of the city known for its skyline, ending at the Willis Tower, and then pose next to floor-to-ceiling Tower antennas to post on social media!
• Hop aboard a full-scale ‘L’ train replica and pass through Chicago neighborhoods by viewing video displays. This was really neat!
• Strike a pose on the larger-than-life deep-dish pizza platform or grab a seat on the nine-foot long, Chicago-style hotdog bench.
• Tell jokes on a Second City stage and pose with Chicago icons, such as Michael Jordan and Oprah Winfrey.
• Connect with some of the city’s landmarks, including the legendary Wrigley Field marquee and Cloud Gate (The Bean).

Skydeck & The Ledge

The Skydeck is a thrilling observatory at the top of the Willis Tower and is the highest observation deck in the United States with views that span up to four states and 50 miles on a clear day! The Skydeck features The Ledge with five glass floor balconies extending 4.3 feet from Willis Tower and standing 1,353 feet above Wacker Drive. Each balcony is made up of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit. I will say that I have a slight fear of heights, but my friend who I was with pulled me into the line (Ha!) for The Ledge and I must tell you that I don’t regret it at all! The views were magnificent from the glass floor balcony, truly amazing – and the line to check out the views didn’t take long at all to get through. The Skydeck and The Ledge provide a space to inspire poses for those social media posts.

Complete your Skydeck experience by having lunch at Catalog at Willis Tower, a five-level urban destination, featuring new dining options such as Kindling, Color Factory, Foxtrot, Convene, Market Creations, Joe and the Juice, Tortazo, Brown Bag Seafood, Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken, Fifth Third Bank, Shake Shack, Sushi-San, Sweetgreen, and Starbucks. I ordered lunch from Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken and enjoyed a delicious chicken sandwich with an old-fashion donut. It was definitely not a healthy meal (Ha!), but I was so hungry from walking around the city all morning and it hit the spot!

Has it been a while since you visited Willis Tower (or Sears Tower even!)? Then I encourage you to pay a visit during your next trip to Chicago. You won’t regret it!

Enjoy, friends!