A 5 minute walk across the Chicago River brings you to the Loop, the old quarter of downtown under the bronzed el tracks where exhibitions and alfresco eateries compete for your lunch money.
Hollering distance from 20 West Kinzie, the Chicago Theatre was hailed as the “Wonder Theater of the World” when it opened in 1921. Once a lavish movie palace, it has hosted everyone from Frank Sinatra to Prince. Built in French Baroque style, that exterior is a replica of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe above its iconic State Street “C-H-I-C-A-G-O” marquee. Tour the backstage and be back at your desk in under an hour.
175 N. State St
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 462-6300
Three of the world’s finest museums are located on the lakefront just south of the Loop in an area known as Museum Campus. A 15-minute cab ride from 20 West Kinzie, the Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium offer visitors of all ages the opportunity to explore the natural world up close. Visit the world’s largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, eyeball a shark or see the Sky Show.
Don’t be surprised if someone asks you about the Weather Underground. In the winter, you can stay down under by taking the Pedway Tunnel or pedestrian walkway all season. It is a maze-like system of semi-public hallways that connects the basements of more than 50 Loop buildings, including municipal buildings like City Hall and the Thompson Center, shopping centers like Macy’s and Block 37, and a few newer residential buildings.
