360 CHICAGO is an observatory in the iconic John Hancock Building, offering fantastic 360-degree views of the city.
This observation deck at 305 meters (1000 feet) is also known as John Hancock Observatory.
The best part of the observatory is 360 CHICAGO Tilt, where visitors get the adrenalin rush of downward-facing views over The Magnificent Mile and Chicago’s famous skyline.
This article covers everything you must know before buying tickets to 360 Chicago at John Hancock Center.
Top 360 Chicago Tickets
# Regular ‘Skip the Line’ tickets
# Sun and the Stars tickets
Table of contents
- What to expect at 360 Chicago
- Where to book tickets
- How do online tickets work
- 360 Chicago Tickets
- 360 Chicago tickets
- 360 Observation Deck Skip the Line Ticket
- 360 Observation Deck Sip and View Ticket
- How to reach 360 Chicago
- 360 Chicago timings
- How long does 360 Chicago take
- Best time to visit 360 Chicago
- What to see in 360 Chicago?
- Views from the observatory
- 360 Chicago at night
- Activities at 360 Chicago
What to expect at 360 Chicago
See the magnificent John Hancock building tower above you, one of the most revered buildings architecturally in a city famous for its architecture.
Take one of the fastest elevators in the US and zoom up to the 94th floor, sitting at a majestic 314 meters (1030 feet) in the sky.
Witness unrivaled 360-degree views of the Chicago skyline and shoreline from the observation deck that provides the most comprehensive vantage point to observe all of the Windy City.
Walk along the skywalk with a stunning “Cloud Walk” 3D mural on the floor.
Feel your adrenaline spike with a stint in TILT, an enclosed glass and steel moveable platform that holds up to eight visitors per cycle.
The TILT suspends you outside the walls of the observation deck and gradually begins to lean forward up to a tilt of 30 degrees, giving you an exhilarating headrush as you hover over the Chicago streets.
Kick back and enjoy a few drinks and snacks at Cloud Bar (Bar 94) on the observation deck.
| Tour | Ticket Price |
| Chicago: 360 Chicago Observation Deck Skip-the-Line Ticket | US$30 |
| Chicago: 360 Chicago Observation Deck Sip and View Ticket | US$44 |
Where to book tickets
Tickets for 360 Chicago at John Hancock Center are available online and at the venue.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the attraction.
When you buy online, you can avoid the long queues at the ticket counters.
Because the observation deck is a popular attraction, tickets may sell out during peak days.
Booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.
How do online tickets work
Visit the ticket booking page for 360 Chicago, select the preferred date, time slot, and number of tickets, and buy the tickets immediately.
Once you purchase tickets, they get delivered to your email address.
There is no need to get printouts of the ticket.
Show the e-ticket on your smartphone at the entrance and walk in.
Please carry a valid ID with you.
360 Chicago Tickets
For 360 Chicago Observation Deck Skip-the-Line Ticket, the general ticket for ages above 12 costs US$30.
Children between three and 11 years old are charged US$20.
On weekends (Friday to Sunday), the general ticket costs US$35, and the child ticket costs US$23.
Infants under three are not charged anything.
For 360 Chicago Observation Deck Sip and View Ticket, an adult ticket for all ages 21 and above costs US$44, and on weekends it costs US$49.
People under 21 are not allowed to participate in this package.
360 Chicago tickets
Here are a couple of options you can choose from:
360 Observation Deck Skip the Line Ticket
These are the most popular 360 CHICAGO tickets.
This Skip-the-Line ticket gets you admission to the 360 CHICAGO observatory in the shortest possible time.
This ticket does not provide you access to the TILT experience.
Once at the venue, you can upgrade your ticket to include the TILT for an additional fee of US$9-10.
360 CHICAGO Tilt has a minimum height restriction of 3.5 feet (42 inches).
The 360 Chicago is accessible to wheelchair users.
Ticket price (Monday to Thursday)
Adult ticket (12+ years): $30
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): $20
Ticket price (Friday to Sunday)
Adult ticket (12+ years): $35
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): $23
360 Observation Deck Sip and View Ticket
This ticket provides you access to all the benefits of a Skip the Line ticket, with an added perk of one free drink of your choice from the Cloud Bar Menu.
TILT expense is not part of the package and can be bought for an additional fee of US$9-10.
The 360 Chicago is accessible to wheelchair users.
Ticket Prices
Weekdays (21+ years): US$44
Weekend (21+ years): US$49
Some visitors aren’t sure which observatory they want to visit – 360 Chicago or Skydeck Chicago.
How to reach 360 Chicago
360 CHICAGO is at the top of the John Hancock Building, located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Delaware Place, and overlooks Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
Address: 875 N Michigan Avenue, 94th floor, Chicago. Get Directions
By Train
To get to 360 CHICAGO, take L’s Red Line to the Chicago subway station.
The Red Line is sometimes called the Howard–Dan Ryan Line or the North-South Line.
From the station, the John Hancock Building is just 0.65 Km (0.40 Miles), and you can walk the distance in less than 10 minutes.
By Bus
Hop on to bus numbers 125, 146, 151, or 66 and get off at the bus stop mentioned in the table below.
| Bus No | Bus Stop to get down at |
| 125 | Mies Van Der Rohe & Pearson |
| 146 | Michigan & Chestnut |
| 151 | Michigan & Pearson |
| 66 | Chicago & Michigan |
By Car
Cars for Rent and Taxis for hire are easily available in Chicago.
Put on Google Maps and navigate to the 360 Chicago in the John Hancock building.
Parking for 360 CHICAGO is available at 875 N Michigan Avenue’s garage.
The parking garage is easily accessible from the Chestnut Street or Delaware Place side of the building.
If you show your 360 CHICAGO tickets, you will receive a $5 discount on your parking fees.
To get up to a 50% discount on drive-up rates, reserve your parking spot on Spot Hero App.
Divvy Bikes
Divvy’s bike program is Chicago’s bike-sharing system with thousands of bikes and hundreds of bike stations.
Within walking distance of 360 CHICAGO, you will find many bike stations.
It is straightforward to get a Divvy bike from one of the stations and get to this attraction.
360 Chicago timings
360 CHICAGO observation deck opens at 9 am and closes at 11 pm every day of the year.
The last entry at 360 CHICAGO is one hour before the closing.
How long does 360 Chicago take
Visitors usually spend 45 minutes to an hour enjoying the views from the 360 Chicago observation deck.
Some tourists are known to stay up for more than 90 minutes.
If you haven’t bought your 360 CHICAGO tickets online – you need to factor 45 to 60 minutes more into the ticketing line.
Best time to visit 360 Chicago
The best time to visit 360 CHICAGO is an hour before sunset.
Since everybody wants to see the sunset from 360 Chicago’s observatory, it gets crowded around this time.
But it is the best possible experience at 360 CHICAGO because you get to see Chicago’s skyline in three different forms – during daylight, twilight, and nighttime.
If you can’t make it for the sunset, the next best time to visit 360 CHICAGO is before 10 am so that you can beat the crowd and go straight to the top.
However, please be informed that sunset is also often the busiest time at the Tower.
Please look up the sunset timings for the day and arrive at least 45 minutes earlier at the Tower.
It is also advisable to check the weather before planning your visit – the best time and day to visit any observatory is when the skies are clear.
What to see in 360 Chicago?
There are many things to explore and enjoy at 360 CHICAGO.
Multimedia Exhibit
Chicago Multimedia Exhibit is an experience that begins on the ground floor of the John Hancock Tower.
It is a museum-style exhibition to celebrate Chicago’s history and its nine culturally rich neighborhoods.
Observation Deck
All visitors board one of the fastest elevators in the USA to ascend 94 stories to get to the observation deck of one of the tallest buildings in North America.
The elevator ride from the ground floor to the 94th floor takes only 40 seconds.
Towering above the Windy City’s skyline, the 360 CHICAGO observation deck offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the city.
When the weather is clear, you can see up to 80 Kilometers (50 Miles) – up to four different states.
The observation deck also has panoramic touch screens with information on the city’s history, architecture, natural scenery, culture, etc.
360 Chicago Tilt
TILT is a moveable glass and steel platform which can hold eight visitors simultaneously.
Once you are safely inside, facing the full-length window panes and holding the bars on both sides for support, the platform starts tilting outwards.
As the window panes tilt forward and outward from the 94th floor of John Hancock Tower, you get downward-facing views of Chicago – from one thousand feet above The Magnificent Mile.
These panes tilt out gradually up to 30 degrees, making it one of the most thrilling attractions in Chicago.
How long does TILT last?
360 Chicago TILT lasts for around 2-3 minutes.
Depending on the time of the day and the season, you may have to wait for 5 to 15 minutes for your turn at the Tilt.
Michigan Pete
Michigan Pete is an interactive multimedia exhibit that narrates the construction of the John Hancock Building through the eyes of one of the workers.
Evald Peterson, also known as ‘Michigan Pete,’ worked as head caisson inspector while constructing the John Hancock Building.
He documented the whole process with notes and photographs, which is now a fantastic history of the iconic building.
Cloud Bar (Formerly Bar 94)
Bar 94 is on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Tower and offers 360-degree views of the city.
If you are above the drinking age, we highly recommend checking it out.
Bar 94 serves locally crafted beers from Revolution Brewing and locally inspired spirits from KOVAL Distillery.
If you prefer, you can book Observation Deck Entry with a Drink at Bar 94 in advance.
Views from the observatory
On a clear day, the 360 CHICAGO observatory in the Hancock Building offers excellent views in all directions.
You get fantastic views of Lake Michigan shoreline, Willis Tower, Navy Pier, downtown Chicago, etc.
In fact, on a clear day, you can see 88 km (55 miles) in any direction.
Ironically, you can even see the Willis Tower (which has the Skydeck observatory) amongst the Chicago skyline.
Northside view
Southside view
Eastside view
Westside view
Visitors love the large glass panes of this observatory, which makes it easy to look around and take photos.
The nighttime view is also brilliant – you can see the lit-up Chicago skyline.
360 Chicago at night
After dark, from 360 CHICAGO’s 94th floor, you can see the city’s skyscrapers shimmering in golden light.
However, one side of the building will be dark at night since there are no lights on Lake Michigan.
To know what kind of views to expect from 360 Chicago Observatory at night, watch the video below –
Activities at 360 Chicago
360 CHICAGO conducts exciting activities every week.
For photographers
It is tricky for photographers to find a photo-worthy attraction that allows photography.
360 CHICAGO solves this problem by allowing photographers to set up shots the way they like every Monday.
They can also use their tripods during the day and at night.
For artists
If you have a passion for art and creativity, you must visit 360 CHICAGO on Wednesdays.
Painters and illustrators are invited on Wednesdays to bring their easel and canvas up to the deck of 360 CHICAGO to capture the stunning skyline through an artist’s eye.
For beer lovers
If you love beer, plan a trip to 360 CHICAGO on a Thursday evening.
From 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm on Thursdays, Revolution Brewing’s locally brewed craft beer is available, plus big TV screens, board games with music, etc.
Everything is fun with a sea of city lights all around you.
For Yoga enthusiasts
360 Sky Yoga takes place every Saturday morning from 9 am to 10 am.
This one-hour yoga class is led by a professional instructor who takes participants through an all-level Yoga flow and meditation.
Sources
# 360Chicago.com
# Themagnificentmile.com
# Tripadvisor.com
# Loopchicago.com
The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy.
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