The Sears Tower Chicago

Introduction
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The Sears Tower is a masterpiece of engineering located in the "windy city", Downtown Chicago. If you happen to visit this magnificent city then one of the "musts" is to catch a view of the city from a height. I say "a height" and not "the top of this building" because there is also the Hanncock tower, which is also situated in downtown Chicago and is also extraordinarily tall. This building also happens to look very similar. But it is the Sears tower that remains the largest in North America and third largest in the world and hence the more famous. Towering above the buildings surrounding it, from the top you get an astounding view of the bustling metropolis below.

Chicago is the third largest city in America and is a city of huge skyscrapers, beautiful parks, cultural museums, world renowned sporting centres and is always busy, twenty four hours a days, seven days a week. Tourists love the city, locals love the city and upon visiting its not hard to see why. The weather is similar to New York; snow in the winter, blaring sun and fantastic heat in the summer.

History
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The sears tower was completed on may 3, 1973. It is one of the most recognisable landmarks on the Chicago skyline. It actually held the record for the largest tower in the world for 25 years, until the Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malyasia were built in 1998. In 2004 Taipei 101, in Taiwan became the largest building in the world. It is worth mentioning, though that when the Sears tower adds the height of its antennas; it is the largest, becoming 1,725 feet (big antennas, bit of a cheat to add to actual building height!). The building was designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Sears, Roebuck & Company.

Main
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Located at 223 South Wacker Drive, Chicago Illinois this building isn't exactly in the centre of downtown (one of the reasons I decided to choose the Hanncock after my initial visit). Located in the financial district it is a fair walk from the centre, but you can expect that trying to get most places in such a massive city. The subway and bus services around the city are some of the best in the US and are both cheap and reliable. Although the main reason that most tourists visit this majestic tower is for the views the building also contains seven restaurants, including Starbucks, Mrs. Levy's Deli, Corner Bakery, Mia Torre and Dos Hermanos.

It is at the top of the Tower on the 99th Floor, where this building offers breathtaking 360-degree skyline views. At this height, on a clear day it is said you can see between fourty and fifty miles away, all the way around. But most people do tend to visit the tower's skydeck in the middle of the day when the sky is clearest and it is very busy. Queuing at this time can take over half an hour. I would suggest visiting after four in the afternoon, perhaps with a view to go when the sun is going down. The view is simply stunning at night. All those tiny lights, simply blows you away. It is a different view from day really, but I enjoyed the night view more and if you are going for one of the other I would suggest night. If you are taking a picture at this time especially be sure to turn your flash off, I got a lovely picture of me taking a picture instead of the breathtaking view!

The building opens at 10am and closes at 10pm (October to April it close at 8pm). If you are going later on be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before it closes to get in. Also included around the skydeck are museum-quality exhibits, multi language kiosks (If you are reading this I'm guessing you don't need those though!), a kid's level display and high power telescopes. The skydeck is also accessible to wheelchair users.

The Building
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As I mentioned this building is the third largest in the world and the largest in North America. It stands at 1,450 feet and is 110 stories high. The building itself is quite modern looking. It is several cubical sections attached to one another and is a sleek black colour. ON top of the building are two very large, pointed antennas. These antennas help give the tower its distinctive image. The interior is as expensive and practical as you would assume from such an active and rich area. It combines office and retail space, but as a visitor you wont be able to see most of this. Some of the facilities this building boasts are a world-class broadcast platform, tallest skydeck, full-service conference centre, fitness facility, and exceptional technology features.

Prices
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These are the prices for the skydeck although this is payment just for a view it really is a must see. As you would imagine prices vary depending on the customer, but do include tax;
-Adults 12-64 pay $11.95 (£6.85)
-Seniors 65+ pay $9.95 (£5.71)
-Youth 3-11 pay $8.50 (£4.88)
-Children under 3 get in free (free)

If you are feeling cheeky one of the tricks with these towers is to stroll in like you are heading to the restaurant and then either order something cheap or just mill around. Beware many of the security are probably aware of this little scam!

Conclusion
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If you are planning to go to Chicago then a visit to either the Sears tower or the Hancock tower is an absolute must. I would suggest the Hanncock as its cheaper and more centrally based, but the Sears does have better facilities. Even if you are strapped for cash a visit to the park in front of the building to stare up at its overwhelming and quite dizzying height is essential. Bear in mind pictures may have to be taken from some way off, due to its height and videos taking it all in take a while (be sure you don't fall over whilst filming!).