Centennial Wheel — Attraction in Chicago

The Centennial Wheel, a prominent feature of Chicago's Navy Pier, offers a fantastic experience for families and individuals alike, boasting stunning views, a wealth of surrounding activities, and diverse food options.

Great for Kids: The Centennial Wheel is definitely a hit with children. Its enclosed gondolas provide a comfortable and safe ride, even in varying weather conditions, and the smooth, approximately 15-minute rotation offers plenty of time for little ones to marvel at the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. The thrill of being high above the city, coupled with the panoramic views, often captivates younger visitors. Beyond the wheel itself, Navy Pier is incredibly family-friendly, with many attractions geared towards kids. Activities Around the Place: The Centennial Wheel's location at Navy Pier makes it a central hub for entertainment. Directly adjacent are several carnival-style rides in Pier Park, including a carousel, Drop Tower, and Wave Swinger (seasonal). For year-round indoor fun, the Chicago Children's Museum is a major draw, offering three floors of interactive exhibits. Kids can explore a dinosaur excavation, climb a three-story schooner, or get creative in the art studio. Amazing Chicago's Funhouse Maze provides another engaging indoor option. Additionally, Navy Pier frequently hosts public art displays, various events, and even fireworks shows on summer evenings, ensuring there's always something to see or do. For those seeking a different perspective, boat tours departing from the pier offer unique views of the city's architecture.

Great Food Options: Navy Pier is a culinary destination in itself, offering a wide array of dining choices to suit every taste and budget. From quick bites to sit-down restaurants, you'll find plenty to satisfy your cravings. Popular options include America's Dog & Burger for classic Chicago-style hot dogs, Giordano's for iconic deep-dish pizza, and Garrett Popcorn Shops for a taste of their famous Garrett Mix. For those seeking a more substantial meal, establishments like Harry Caray's Tavern (serving American and Italian comfort food), Margaritaville Bar and Grill, and the Latin-inspired Lirica and Bar Sol Mariscos offer sit-down experiences with often spectacular waterfront views. There are also plenty of sweet treats available, like Kilwins Chocolates and JoJo's ShakeBAR, making it easy to find something for everyone...

This review is for anyone considering purchasing a VIP ticket. In short: is it worth it? If you want to skip the wait, want privacy, or have something special in mind prepared, then, yes, possibly. But, for $107 (total price w/ tax), it's a steep price and lacks some amenities, imo. To be honest, I would not have purchased this if I hadn't planned to propose and if partner had been to Chicago before— I bought a regular ticket at first only to realize only VIP cabanas are private.

The perks: •You skip the line entirely and enter thru the back.

•You're allowed to bring food and drinks on the ride with you.

•Glass floor to see below you.

•Privacy, for up to 4 people.

•Seating is much more comfortable too.

•Staff were super nice.

The cons: •There was no photo offering for VIP, which you think would be included for the price. Regular riders get a photo taken before getting on and sold one at the end, but nothing for VIP side.

•Very expensive for a ride that's only 12 or so minutes.

•Not VIP related, but windows were pretty dirty. A lot of marks were from bugs and that's impossible to prevent, but it does take away from the view a little.

•Also not VIP focused, but if you're looking for a good view of the city, this ain't it. It's very pretty, don't get me wrong, but Hancock tower is a better bet if you want to enjoy Chicago's architecture. Though standing at 200ft, you do see a lot.

In conclusion: if you're planning to get VIP to celebrate an occasion, or for a proposal, go for it if you think it's worth $107 for a few minutes. I'm sure we'll be back to celebrate our anniversary. It was fun, don't regret it at all. But it is definitely an overpriced...

My daughter and her cousin Anna had an excellent time. They bought tickets for the drop tower and Centennial wheel. They wanted to go back on the drop tower again really love that the Centennial wheel they went around four times in it they said really enjoyed the city skyline and a unique way and looking out at the lake. The tickets were $52 for both of them to ride on the Centennial wheel and on the Drop Tower there is a package deal when you buy more. Don't buy them individually go with the package deal you'll save some money!! Children that are 11 and under get a different rate my daughter couldn't pass for 11:00 no way she's about 14 so we couldn't get that special rate but we did help some other people that were there that didn't know about the pricing and tickets hope I could help you with this post enjoy have a good time! There are a lot of things to do aside from this some of the boats that were there we really wanted to go on there's one I think for a $36 per person which is a pretty good rate. Please like this if you gain some knowledge from it and it benefits you have fun down...