Did you know that the Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower is the tallest observation deck in the western hemisphere? Visitors can look out up to 50 miles across Lake Michigan and see four different states from the 103-story high Skydeck. 

So what better place to test your eyesight and knowledge than the Skydeck Scavenger Hunt? 

Do you have what it takes to find all of the sites in our list below? 

How to Play the Skydeck Scavenger Hunt 

As one of the top Chicago attractions for families, many visitors hope to spot all these great Chicago sites from the tower. Play our scavenger hunt and see how you stack up!

It’s easy to do, just print out this page and bring it with you when you visit. 

Check off every sight you see and then compare your results to our scorecard to see how well you know Chicago.

Here’s a list of things to look out for: 

Looking North

Look toward Canada to spot these landmarks:

  • The Merchandise Mart. Nowadays, it’s dwarfed by the Willis Tower, but the Merchandise Mart was once the world’s tallest building! Follow the river to where it turns, and you’ll see a massive building with pyramids on the roof and at each of the four corners. Can you see it? 
  • Marina Towers. Chicago’s first “city within a city” was a set of high-rises that featured shopping, restaurants, and even a bowling alley all within the buildings! Keep tracing the river over to the left of the Merchandise Mart and look for the two giant corncobs. 
  • The Lincoln Park Zoo. Lions and tigers and bears—Oh, wow! Can you spot the long green strip along the lake? That’s the Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the last truly free zoos in the United States and a popular family go-to in the Chicago area. 

Looking East

See if you can spot these Chicago landmarks by looking out the east windows toward Lake Michigan:

  • Buckingham Fountain. Off in the distance, see those plumes of water shooting into the sky? Those are from Buckingham Fountain, nestled in the famous Grant Park. 
  • Navy Pier. You can’t miss the famous Ferris Wheel—that’s the start of Navy Pier. 
  • The Wrigley Building. Remember where the corncob buildings were? A little farther down the river is an old white building with a huge clock in the tower. It’s the Wrigley Building, home of a world-famous Chicago treat. See it?

Looking South

Look south for a glimpse into Chicago’s history and some of the best things to do with families in Chicago:

  • Soldier Field. Those impressive buildings just south of the lake are the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Planetarium. Just a little farther south, you’ll see an old, oval building with a famous grid of green inside it. It’s Soldier Field—home of the Chicago Bears football team. See it?
  • Guaranteed Rate Field (formerly Comiskey Park). Chi-town is all about baseball! Guaranteed Rate Field is a large white stadium next to the biggest freeway. Do you see it? 

Looking West

Fly your vision out to the west and spot these landmarks: 

  • Garfield Park Conservatory: Look straight west and spot the glass building in the middle of a big park. That’s the Garfield Park conservatory with its thousands of varieties of flowers. There’s even a display showing how Chicago looked when the dinosaurs roamed here. 
  • O’Hare Airport. Careful! Looking west might make you want to duck! Track the planes in the north sky as they land at the world’s busiest airport.
  • United Center: Look out for the United sign on top of a beige dome. That’s the home of the Blackhawks and the 6-time world champion Chicago Bulls! 

Scoring

How’d you do? Let’s count up your score and find out!

All 13. You know Chicago like the back of your hand!

9-12. You have eyes like a hawk!

6-8. You’ve seen more of Chicago than most people who live here!

3-5. Did you get hit by a fastball at U.S. Cellular?

1-2. Keep looking. You can find more!

0. You tried to do the scavenger hunt with your eyes closed, didn’t you? Try again!

These great sites and landmarks aren’t just fun to explore at Skydeck—they also host some of the best family activities in Chicago! Remember to print out this Scavenger Hunt game when planning your visit to the Ledge at Skydeck.