Are You In Chicago? Drop By At The Navy Pier

IL at http://www.istaygreen.org

Certainly one of the top tourist locations of local and foreign visitors in Illinois is the Navy Pier in Chicago. Probably the most visible feature of Navy Pier is its 150 foot Ferris Wheel which is a harking back to World Colombian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Nearby is a musical carousel, hand-painted with historic narrations of the pier. Between the Memorial Day and the Labor Day, fireworks displays are generally enjoyed every Wednesday and Saturday nights. An 18-hole Chicago-theme little golf course as well as a ravine climbing structure can also be found in the Pier Park. The Fun House Maze plus the Chicago Children’s Museum are among the indoor attractions. The five hundred seater courtyard theater as well as 200 seat Chicago Shakespeare Theater can also be located here. Most musical and theatrical performances were being held inside the 1,500-seater Skyline Stage.

Boat excursions stretch from spendthrift feast cruises across the lakefront to rough speed boat rides. Chances are you’ll even observe a wedding on board one of several boats! Plenty of environment friendly festivals are being held here. There are a selection of retailers at Navy Pier, with many exceptional memento stuff and local souvenirs. Dining alternatives stretch from refreshment stands to some mini foodcourt to top quality restaurants.

Navy Pier likewise is a convention center, which can cater medium sized exhibits with 55,000 square meters of exhibition room in Festival Hall and 36 convention rooms. Crystal Gardens is a 1acre steamy paradise with |more than 70 full grown palm trees and a variety of seasonal plants and flowers. Private events and company dealings are held here or you may choose from over a hundred Chicago Hotels and convention facilities in close proximity.

The lake front is a superb location for cycling and skating – you can hire bicycles or roller bladesat Bike Chicago, found at the pier. And if you want a break from all of the activity, Navy Pier {is really} good spot to just sit and enjoy all the people around. http://www.iStayGreen.org – the directory of Green hotels – found this spot and some other areas all over the world to be environmentally friendly.

A slight flashback from the earlier period: Navy Pier was first built in 1916 and was formerly known as Municipal Pier No. 2, since the Municipal Pier No. 1 did not in reality materialize. It was the largest pier in the world then with 292 x 3000 feet in measurement (89 x 914 meters). It served the Lake Michigan freighters and offered transportation to other cities on the Great Lakes, as well as for recreational reasons during that time. In 1927, it was renamed as “Navy Pier” to pay tribute to the Navy veterans during the World War I. In 1941, Navy Pier was converted to armed forces use and used throughout the second World War being a education facility. From 1946 to 1964, it had been made an annex of the University of Illinois. After a quiet period in the 1970’s and 1980’s, Navy Pier was recharged starting with its two oldest existing buildings; the Headhouse and the Auditorium, and, today, it’s a multi million dollar convention, entertainment and recreation center and Chicago’s top attraction.
Did you know of the fact that twin towers of the Headhouse were in fact water tanks of 2 million liters of water each? It had been used for the sprinkler system of the pier.

The best time to visit Navy Pier will likely be during the summer time to actually appreciate its splendor and pleasure. Previous tourists commented that some outdoor sights were closed particularly during rainy and monsoon seasons.