I will always call it the Sears Tower. I can't help it, that's what it was called the first time I ever saw it and you know how it is...some of us humans just don't adapt to name changes of places we know and love. Anyway, I have been to Chicago many, many times (if you see me at a Yelp event, ask me why) and I like to see the tower whenever I am in the neighborhood. No longer the tallest building in the world, it is still a spectacular sight. The history and origin and the fact that it was the first skyscraper still holds intrigue and meaning for any architecture lover. As you can imagine, it can be extremely busy because after all, it is a building that holds businesses. However, that is not always the case. I have been at various times of day and it just really depends on the time, etc. If you are going for the first time, you absolutely want to get a view from the deck (Skydeck). The views are beyond incredible. read more

I went to Willis Tower at 5 PM on a weekday with absolutely no idea what kind of crowd situation I was walking into. I had mentally prepared myself for lines, chaos, and the slow march of humanity. Imagine my surprise when I basically walked right in. In fact, my longest wait of the entire experience was for an elevator, which feels like a very reasonable thing to wait for in a giant skyscraper. I also loooooooved all of the historical information provided throughout the experience. It kept things interesting and made the journey feel like more than just walking in and riding an elevator to a great view. The cute photo ops sprinkled throughout were a nice touch too. And can we take a moment to appreciate the bathrooms? There were plenty of them and they were so clean. THANK YOU. As someone who judges attractions at least partially on restroom availability, this earned major points from me. Supreme appreciation. Everything felt organized, easy to navigate, and flowed really well. I don't know if I should credit the time of day, the weekday timing, or if it's always this smooth, but whatever the reason, I was pleasantly surprised from start to finish. Would absolutely visit again. read more

I've been here multiple times, both during the day and at night, and the views are always amazing! Seeing Chicago from the top never gets old -- daytime gives beautiful city and lake views, while nighttime is stunning with all the city lights. The Skydeck and glass ledge experience is super cool and definitely worth trying. The staff is also helpful and take really good pictures, which makes the visit even more memorable. Whether it's your first time or a repeat visit, this place is always worth it. One of my favorite attractions in Chicago! read more

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The best place to go to get the best of the Chicago skyline. Whether you are going here as a tourist or local it's a great experience. There is a cafeteria on the ground floors with plenty of options to eat. After that you can go up to the sky deck and take pictures and learn about the history of Chicago. The tickets are a little pricey so it's something I wouldn't do on a frequent basis. It's definitely worth it to do at least once while you are in Chicago. read more

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Spontaneous visit to Sears Tower on a Saturday afternoon! I haven't been here since I was a little kid, and that was before they added The Ledge and before it was renamed to Willis Tower, so I've been wanting to come back to experience it again. Surprisingly on a Saturday around 1:30pm, it wasn't crowded at all and there was 0 wait times for anything. I loved the museum you walk through before getting to the elevator that takes you up. The part featuring Chicago foods and the mirrored deep dish pizza was especially cool. When we got up to the top, we enjoyed the amazing views and then headed over to The Ledge. There are two lines, but it did not take long at all because they only allow people 90 seconds to take photos and there are multiple ledges. There's also a bunch of restaurants located here, so you could truly just make a day out of it. They also have other exhibits sometimes, and I think this time around it was the Color Museum. Love that they also added a Van Leeuwen ice cream shop recently! read more

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They have military discounts! But you can't take advantage of the discount unless you purchase tickets onsite. We were not prepared for the crowd on a weekday. Pro tip, you can line up for entry 15 minutes before your entry time. But at about 17 minutes before entry everyone rushes to the line, lol. The line moves fast, so no biggie. Once you enter, you go through security (another line) then they do photos (another line) then you walk through several very interesting exhibits, with multiple photo opportunities (more lines) but my hubby was focused on getting to the top, so we skipped the photo ops. Next you get in line for the elevator. After shooting up so fast your ears pop, you are treated to a wonderful view that pictures just don't capture. If you choose to go out on "The Ledge" its another line. They also take your picture. I can attest that you can accomplish the photo without ever looking down. Yes it's a lot of standing in line, but how often are you up where planes are flying by at eye level? And boy is the city breath taking from this vantage point. read more

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While walking the city to get to my meeting, I had to walk past the Sears Tower... This might be called the Willis Tower, it's still and will always bee the "Sears Tower" to me! It's huge! It was humbling standing at the bottom and looking up. I didn't go up it, but liked the view from the bottom! read more

Willis Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We visited on a Saturday morning knowing the wait could be long, but decided to go anyway. We purchased wristbands, which came out to a little over $200 for our group, and waited nearly two hours to reach the Skydeck. Once you're in, you're given about 90 seconds to enjoy the view, after getting your photos taken. Honestly, you're better off visiting the John Hancock Building from the restaurant or bar. You'll get similar views with a more relaxed experience. This is a one-and-done visit for us, we wouldn't come back again. read more

Great views. A trip to the ledge will set you back $54/person plus a processing fee. Exhibits leads you to a line to queue for the elevator which takes you to the 103rd floor. Another queue to get to the ledge. Timers are set for 90 seconds once on the ledge to keep the line moving. Great views and less scary than you'd think. On a clear day it's definitely worth a visit. Several food options in the main level including shake shack and a sushi bar. read more

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The Willis Tower is a cool spot in Chicago as it's home of the SkyDeck, the viewing spot on the 104th floor. Here you can walk around and embrace the skylines, and you can also wait in line to stand in one of their glass boxes for a free photo op included in your ticket. We visited right before close at night so there were long lines to visit the glass boxes. They only give you 90 seconds to take photos--good for line management, rushed for enjoying. You also had to walk through a "museum" type features before hitting the elevators. It was cool but we didn't take our time through it since we went through so late at night. It took us about 10 minutes to walk through with very little stops. After you finish that, you get to the elevators Overall it gave a cool perspective of the city. It's on opposite ends of the other tower that offers this, so you see different views. read more

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Besides the views there is a tribute to Ferris Bueller in the exact spot where he stood when making the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off which is easily one of my all time favorite characters and movies. read more

Willis Tower - My view from my seat.... - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Worthwhile stop while in Chicago. Nice exhibit before you get to the elevator to take you to the observation deck, which was very worthwhile, although fairly pricey. I would hate to come on a really busy day and wait in line for an hour or more, but it was pretty easy access for us on this day. Very enjoyable to do on a nice day where you can see things at a distance. read more

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Willis Tower (or as all Chicagoans call it, Sears ) was definitely worth the visit. I got my ticket through CityPASS, which automatically includes the express lane--absolute game changer. The ride up was a dope experience, especially with all the Chicago history along the way. Of course, the highlight was the Skydeck boxes free-hanging over the city... equal parts terrifying and amazing. The entire place was clean, well-kept, and very well organized. Definitely a must-do Chicago experience. read more

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I have been to the SEARS tower before, but after my wife and I recieved a date book of fun things to do in Illinois, we decided to do the Ledge. (I've done it in the past). It's pretty pricey but it's Chicago and it's a tourist trap. Views were amazing as ever. The pictures look a lot better than the ones I've taken in the past thanks to technology. read more

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Great place for tourists in downtown Chicago. They sell tickets to take the elevator to the skydeck area. Your ticket includes the ability to go onto these glass out pockets in the side of the building at a specific time window. You can see completely below you and get some awesome pictures of Chicago. read more

Willis Tower - Willis Tower - spelled S-E-A-R-S - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I didn't pay up to go to the top and go out on the ledge. What I did do was take the elevator to the fourth floor and lay out on the grass and stare straight up enjoying two skyscrapers. This was so calming and reminded me as a kid flat on my back and enjoying the clouds in the sky. However on this day no clouds were to be had. The lawn here is nice. It would have been nice to have a picnic here. read more

Willis Tower - Lying on my back and enjoying the heavens. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great tour! I'm afraid of heights and I pushed myself to do it. The view is beautiful, it's spacious and plenty of room to walk around even being crowded. read more

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This formerly called Sears Tower is now Willis Tower is very nice and modern. So much happens here. The Metropolitan restaurant and the many sites here including the floor where you can see yourself with the bottom of your feet seeing all of Chicago through the clear glass. Bring ID for any events bc security is very strict. read more

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Typical tourist spot but it has nice views The observation deck has nice views of the city from all angles. The skydeck is a little underwhelming but still offers cool views. This is the only spot where you feel like cattle. read more

On my first trip to Chicago I tried to do as many things as possible in 48 hours. This was my first stop. I did the skydeck which had the most amazing views of Chicago including the beautiful lake. There are so many photo opportunities here and most of them did not disappoint. They also take you through a museum of sorts as you walk the path to the elevators. You learn about the Chicago fire, the royalty like Jordan and the Obamas. I learned that a Chicago hot dog does not ketchup! I never knew this fact. lol. I will go back when I come back to Chicago for sure. read more

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Went today on a semi cloudy day. We were warned about limited visibility but the sky cam showed us that we could definitely see and cloud were moving and we could see down below. We paid around $180 for 4 people got to the top and pitch white saw nothing . Got downstairs and where they take picture's form souvenirs the girl was rude as all heck. Didn't want to work i think read more

Willis Tower - Sky deck - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pricy but if you are in town, great experience! They give you a timed 90 seconds to take your pictures so work fast! Pick a beautiful day, you can see for miles read more

Willis Tower - SKY DECK - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This special mindfulness event was pretty cool. "Up, Up And Away Yoga" on the 99th floor of Willis Towers. I've only taken a handful of classes in my lifetime. I understand there are many benefits to include yoga as a part of your daily regimen. Some examples are stress relief, improved flexibility and better rest. Nicole, our beautiful, well-toned, warm spirited instructor gave the group quite the workout. I was familiar with the 'tree' pose as it helps improve balance. I was also familiar with the 'downward facing dog' as it stretches the spine. The rest of what we did was all new to me, but fun to get the body moving. This ticketed event also included an express pass visit to the Ledge for a 90 second photo shoot. They literally set a timer. For our group there were yoga poses for pictures. For the next two days I could feel aches in muscles that don't get that much attention. I've got to do better. Thanks, Nicole! read more

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Willis Tower is filled with tons of restaurants and businesses. I stopped by with a friend to visit SkyLedge. Thankfully the line moved quickly and there were no issues with my reservation. The line leads you through a large, informative museum about the history of the surrounding area, the creation of the Willis Tower, the technology behind it and so much more. Of course, the views are absolutely stunning. The staff is friendly and efficient. Once we arrived to the ledge you'll notice that the staff is constantly keeping the glass clean to make for flawless views from over 1,000 feet in the air. I recommend visiting on a weekday. It's why the line was manageable and quick! read more

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Tallest building in Chicago!! A must to see!. Take the elevator up to the 110 floor. The interactive part which details Chicago and the building history of the Willis/Sears Tower. read more

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The Willis Tower formerly known as the Sears Tower in Chicago, imo is a must go as a tourist is you visit the Windy City. Being inside the 1451 feet tall building is extraordinary. Going to the top skydeck is a must! The elevator takes approximately 45 seconds to reach the top from the bottom floor. On top, you will enjoy a 360° view of the city. Windows everywhere for your camera experiences to take spectacular pictures. Ideally, going there should be on a clear day. You'll see the whole city, Lake Michigan, along with the awesome artistic views of far away clouds along the Lake. The skydeck is a transparent box, built with plexiglass and glass for you to walk into to get a real life-like experience walking on air. You'll see everything directly below you. Of course, it's funner if you are afraid of heights. Lol. The time limit for staying in the transparent box is 90 seconds. A worker will take a photo of you, and will offer the picture of you before you you leave to purchase through a photo kiosk. The 360 deck floor also offers a gift shop, a snack store, and a bar for you souvenir needs, and your spirit enjoyment. You may hang out there as long as you want. Overall, it was a great experience. We finished the whole in about 90 minutes. The security along with the staff were very cordial. Yes, security check before going up. Enjoy the adventure! read more

My wife, her parents, and I all visited the Willis Tower on 13 May 2025. Great to see this marvel of architecture and the view from the Skydeck was amazing! read more

Willis Tower - The view at the Ledge! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had SO much fun here. Scary to be on the glass just a little bit, but I loved every moment of this experience read more

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I recently visited the Skydeck at Willis Tower for the first time since its remodel, and it was an unforgettable experience--especially since I had the opportunity to bring some of my coworkers from China along for the ride. The newly updated experience has a historic museum entrance that talks about the rich history of both the skyscraper itself but also the city of Chicago, which was a nice touch for both us and our visitors who were seeing Chicago for the first time. It also had a ton of great photo ops with some things best known to Chicago :) Watching my coworkers step onto the sky deck priceless! They were both awestruck and a little nervous, but everyone ended up loving the experience. In terms of crowd management, I was impressed. Even though it was a sunny Saturday, the flow of visitors felt smooth, and we didn't feel too jam packed. read more

Willis Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Formerly known as The Sears Tower - Willis tower is must do for tourists in Chicago. Besides the amazing part of going up to 103 floor observatory deck, how do you efficiently get thousands of tourists daily up there!? That's what makes this whole operation special. From the moment you enter Willis Tower, you realize everything is well organized. You are conducted through the food court to the lower level where you purchase your ticket. Then through the series of museum-like spots depicting Chicago history and landmarks all the way to the elevator. The ride up takes about a minute and there is a video and narrative depicting what height you are at any given moment as well as how that relates to other buildings around the world. The observatory deck on the 103rd floor is huge and yes it has The Ledge which I chose to bypass as I am faint of heart. The views are - well nothing short of spectacular.... The trip down is equally well organized and staff is very very friendly! Good Job! read more

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Formerly known as Sears Tower. Glad I got the Chicago Attraction Pass. AMBIANCE: Parking: You're in Downtown Chicago, for tourists, we don't usually drive around but rely on public transportation (bus, trains, uber, or walk - if you're close by). However, there is a self-park garage around the area if you need that. Experience: Great! For those that don't know about Chicago, this is a great start! On the first floor, there are a few eateries to get you started. The bottom floor has a selected pop-up museum, before you enter is a museum of Chicago that has a great history from the art, culture, and people. Finally, the floors at the top are beautiful. You get a better view of South Chicago and Lake Michigan. The sky deck (the one where it looks like you're walking on air) is quite the experience. TL;DR OVERALL: 4.5 stars. Lovely! It was an honor to visit the twelfth-tallest building in the world! This is a must if you're in Chicago. The skydeck takes it for me if I had to choose between the two Chicago towers. I don't think it's a one-time experience but an every-time experience whenever you're visiting Chi-City. Tips: * Plan accordingly for weather or daytime/evening views. read more

Willis Tower - Wooo! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Every time I visit Chicago, I make sure I don't miss my favorite places ... and Willis Tower is definitely one of my favorite places! Did you know? Willis Tower is 1450 feet high - 1730 feet including twin antenna towers. Willis Tower elevators operate as fast as 1600 feet per minute - among the fastest in the world! Sky deck is the highest observation deck in the U.S. The view is amazing from the top! Make sure to purchase your ticket before you arrive and (at this time) reservations are required! Before you enter the building, you can see a giant public wall art on the foot of the building, called Atmospheric wave wall, created by Olafur Eliasson. And with this, let the photo taking begin! During the walk through, before getting to the elevators to the top, a massive transformation you can see. There are many different type of displays of the city's beauty ... and all of them a photo opportunity! By the time you get to the top, your phone battery will probably be depleted. Lines are moving pretty fast to get to the elevator. There are a general lane, and also a faster moving express lane, depending on your type of ticket you purchased. There are plenty of restrooms both downstairs and upstairs too. When you are upstairs, there is only one little gift shop with very limited choices for drinks, but plenty of gifts and various merchandise. Downstairs, before you leave, there is a massive shopping area, and also a desk where you can purchase photos what being taken by an experienced person/employee. My highlight of this visit of course was the Skydeck, The Ledge! It's always exciting! read more

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Willis Tower, formerly Sears Tower, is the icon on Chicago. Most pictures you see out there includes the tower and without it, Chicago might just look like other cities throughout the country. There is no surprise that at one time this was the tallest building in the world. Seeing how the skyscraper got its birth in this city. At street level this looks like every other building when you walk along the streets. But when you look up, you see the scale of it. When compared to nearby buildings, it sticks out and kind of draws you to it. Even though I showed up here on a weekday evening, there wasn't much going on here. I see most people that have reviewed this in the past have made complaints about going up to the top. I'm not going to do that. For one, I already did a review on that for the Skydeck. And two, I wanted to do that and was glad to pay to do that. However, I will say it was much cheaper back then compared to today. If you are here to visit as a tourist and do not work in house, there are a few things to keep you busy beside the view from the top. There is a food court that you can take your pick to eat at. And if I remember correctly a few businesses to browse about. Honestly you really don't need to visit the tower to appreciate it. You can definitely view it from afar. But if you do, you might not get the shear size of the building. You also won't be able to experience the wind tunnel effect you get walking at the base. read more

What an amazing experience. All the staff were polite, professional and very helpful. A special thank you to Felix the photographer on the Ledge. He was amazing. So polite and went the extra mile for us. Thank you Willis Tower. read more

I had never been here & of course you have to go when you're in Chicago. The tickets were about $35 per person, which is pretty overpriced I feel like but it is pretty neat to see all the history of Chicago as you walk through. Once you're at the ledge you only get 90 seconds to take pictures. And the views are cool but I'm wondering why they decided to put the ledge on the side they did because it doesn't even overlook the main part of the city. I am glad I did it to experience it but probably will not pay for the tour again. read more

Willis Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The ledge was a must in my visit to Chicago. They take a picture with a camera at the top of the ledge and then give you 90 seconds to enjoy and take your own pictures read more

Willis Tower - The ledge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a beautiful facility! The sky deck experience was unforgettable. We loved the displays to show the rich history of Chicago. We had fun with the photo ops. We will be back to visit the Color Factory. read more

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What was once the world's tallest building is a must-see tourist attraction if you're in Chicago. The sky deck offers a great view of the city. If you're at the top on a clear day you can see Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan from the top. Besides the tourist attraction, the Willis Tower is also home to residences and office space. If you enter from Franklin or Wacker, you'll be able to get to the businesses operating in Willis Tower. In the lobby area, there are many restaurants that make a great lunch option for workers. Options include Do-Rite Donuts, Shake Shack, and others. read more

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definitely a tourist trap but i loved it. great views. the staff here were nice. it did get busy with other tourist but a unique worth while spot to check out. read more

Willis Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Formerly known as the Sears Tower (I was informed many times during my visit) haha, was beautiful. There are many restaurants to try and it is conveniently located downtown. I went to the skydeck and enjoyed the pieces of history they depicted of Chicago throughout the walk to the view of the city. This is a great tourist attraction and I would recommend it but probably wouldn't go to skydeck more than once. read more