07/14/09

Best view on the north side

by GorgeousGirl

With the exception of the Sears tower this is the best view from any building in Chicago. It's a must for Chicago tourists. I love the view of the lake when you look east from here and the restauarant upstairs is amazing too. Great place to hang out

• Pros: Amazing view
• Cons: Not as good as the Sears

10/18/05

great way to see Chicago

by mattystrappy

It was beautiful being at the observatory at night. It would have been more romantic if there hadn't been so many noisy kids there. If you do go, try to go as late as possible. Also, go when you have some time, because you'll have to wait in line for the elevator both to go up and down.

• Pros: awesome view, romantic music, outdoor section
• Cons: noisy kids

08/29/05

Better than the Sears Tower

by bluehensfan

Thanks to the proximity of Lake Michigan, the view seems better here even though you're not as high up as at the Sears Tower. Less of a line here and no pre-trip movie presentation, as well as an outside viewing area mean a more enjoyable visit. The view is great, and they have a few exhibits up top where you can take your picture that make you look like you're hanging from a suspended beam or are waskhing the windows up high. When you're done, stop by the gelato store at the bottom for some good food!

11/15/04

All grace and strength, it's shorter than the Sears Tower, but it's still among the world's 10 tallest buildings.

by Contributor

The View
The third tallest building in Chicago (after the Sears Tower and Aon Center ), the Hancock stands 1,127 feet tall, 100 floors high. The Hancock's greatest draw is the option of kicking back in the 96th floor Signature Lounge with a beer or cocktail and taking in a lakeside view of the city. Add the killer location on North Michigan Avenue, and you have the Chicago insider's favorite sky-high pastime.

The Background
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the same prominent Chicago firm that designed the Sears Tower, the Hancock--"Big John," as it was nicknamed--was completed in 1970 after five years of construction. It can withstand winds up to 132 miles per hour.

11/10/02

Tower of Dreams

by martianmikey

The John Hancock Center was breathtaking, the view was incredible, and the staff was very friendly.

• Pros: not crowded, Inexpensive, friendly staff
• Cons: bad parking

08/17/02

Picturesque View

by sueyoo

This is a nice place to go after eating an early dinner at one of the restaurants downtown and watch the sun set. The view is incredible, almost too hard to describe with words, as you have to see it to feel it.

08/07/02

Signature Room Rating

by tnt

I have only been in the Signature room in the John Hancock, and it is great. It is a very good view, while you enjoy an awesome buffet.

06/07/02

Best View in Chicago

by taradelis_citysearch

Yes, everyone knows this is the tallest building in North America, and by some standards, the world. And yes, it was featured prominently in Ferris Buller's Day Off, a seminal Gen X flick. But you can do better. The John Hancock building has a cocktail lounge on its top floor, which you DON'T have to pay to get into, nor do you have to deal with unhappy families having bad vacations, and the location is more central and closer to Lake Michigan AND you can have a cocktail.

Yes, the drinks are priced a bit steep and the some of the specialty cocktails have funny names, but really folks, this is the ticket!

• Pros: amazing view
• Cons: a little cheesy

06/04/02

This Place is a City in a City

by rghirsch

John Hancock Building in Chicago, I consider the view better then the Sears Tower since it right next to the lake while the Sears Tower is more to the western part of DownTown Chicago

On the observation deck on a clear day you can see Canada across Lake Michagan. Also The Hancock Building has more Residential living areas.

Some floors are huge grocery stores , Malls, Health Clubs and even Bowling allys . It totally amasing

05/16/02

What a view!

by jpanderson_citysearch

Great place for visitors to Chicago. On a clear day, you can see into Indiana and practically all across the lake. Great for families; just get there early or be prepared to wait a long time.

• Pros: view
• Cons: long waits