Planetarium & Grant Park

Today we didn't really have all that much strictly planned, and honestly, we were both starting to feel a bit tired after cramming so much in over the last few days. So, after grabbing a spot of breakfast, we caught the number 22 bus downtown into The Loop. We got off near the Chicago Theatre, which is one of the most famous sights in the city, then waited about ten minutes for the number 146 bus. That took us on a twenty-minute ride down to the Adler Planetarium, which is located right on the edge of Lake Michigan at the bottom of Grant Park.

Alder planetarium

Approach To The Alder Planetarium

The building for the Alder Planetarium doesn't actually look very big from the outside, but I think a lot more of it must have been underground. First off, though, was a stop at the café to get something to eat and, of course, have a cup of coffee – you may have noticed by now that I do love my coffee! It wasn't actually that much to go in, about $12 each, I think, which turned out to be a good thing, as I didn't really find it that interesting inside; the one in New York was much better, to be honest. But, they did have some really cool stuff in the gift shop, and I ended up getting myself a pen that has all different lights in it. Simple things please simple……, never mind!

Looking Over Lake Michigan To The City

After about an hour and a half, we felt like we had seen everything there was to see inside, so we left and planned on going into the Shedd Aquarium next, which is right nearby. We had actually passed this place on the bus on the way to the planetarium earlier. As luck would have it, there was a bus due to leave in about ten minutes, which was perfect. It was only about a four-minute ride, but it was easier for Jane to get between the buildings that way, especially as we hadn't brought the wheelchair with us today. That, as it turned out, was going to be the wrong move.

Fishy Prices At The Aquarium

The Shedd Aquarium looked absolutely massive from the outside, and we thought it was going to be really good. However, once we actually got in there and started looking at the prices, we quickly found out that they are less than upfront about the costs they put on their website. We had thought it was going to be about $30 each to get in, but that only gets you into a small, basic part of it. If you want to see everything, then it was going to cost $58 each! We simply weren't prepared to pay over $100 to go in when you're not really sure if the place is going to be any good or not, so we came back out again.

Chilling In The Shade

Instead, we decided to just have a walk around Grant Park, as it was a lovely sunny and hot day, perfect for being outside. So, we cut through the tunnel that takes you under a six-lane road and directly into the park itself. As I've mentioned before, when I say 'park' here in Chicago, it's not just a little green space; Grant Park is about two miles long and a mile wide – it's absolutely huge!

Grant Park Again

Buckingham Fountain

One of the most famous spots in this massive park is called Buckingham Fountain. It's genuinely hard to get your head around just how big it is, and the sheer number of different water jets that shoot up from it at various times is incredible. 

Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park is arguably one of the most famous landmarks in Chicago. Many people recognise it from the opening credits of Married... with Children, Crime Story, and more recently, the US version of Shameless.

Awsome Design

It officially opened in 1927 at a cost of $750,000—roughly $14 million in today’s money. It typically operates from May through to October, provided the weather isn't freezing; Chicago is known for having unpredictable conditions at any time of year.

The fountain features 20-minute water shows choreographed to music every hour. However, the highlight is definitely after dark when the entire structure is illuminated, but I will cover more on that later in this journal.

I think the absolute best part though, was discovering there's a cafe right nearby with a bar that sells beer! So, naturally, it was time for a cold beer and an ice cream while we sat there and watched the fountain doing its thing, spurting water beautifully to the occasional music played through nearby loudspeakers. It felt absolutely lovely just sitting there, watching the world go by on such a beautiful day, and we were definitely glad we'd chosen not to go into the aquarium after all.

Great Surface For Anything With Wheels

There were loads of other people doing pretty much the same as us, just enjoying the sunshine. We also saw groups of people whizzing about on Segways – you know, those two-wheeled things you stand on with a handlebar, powered by batteries. After spending some time taking plenty of photographs of the fountain from various angles, we decided to grab some chips from the cafe that was on the other side of it.

Back to the hotel

By now, it was around 3 pm, and the temperature had reached a sweltering 34°C with the humidity still sitting at 75%. You honestly started sweating straight away if you moved too quickly! So, we decided to take a slow walk across the park and back into The Loop to catch the Red Line train back to the hotel. We had originally planned on getting the bus, but the traffic is absolutely murder at this time of day.

Then again, the trains also get absolutely packed, which can make it really difficult to even get past people to get off at your stop. You see people just keep trying to cram themselves on, even when the doors clearly won't close, when they could just wait a few minutes for the next train. All they're really achieving is making all the other trains late, as they start to queue up behind each other in the tunnels. Twenty minutes later though, we were back at the hotel and happily chilling with the air-conditioning on. 

Carton, Chicken & Rice

One thing we really wanted to try while we were here was a proper Chinese takeaway, the sort like you see on TV where the food comes in what looks a bit like a milk carton box. So, Jane had a look on the internet and found one that was only about a fifteen-minute walk away. When it got to about 6 pm, we set off towards the China Doll takeaway on North Wells Street, which was just three blocks over.

Just before we actually got there, we unexpectedly discovered a supermarket called Plum Market. It looked like a sort of high-end grocery store, so we decided to pop in there first to get a couple of things before crossing the road to the takeaway itself.

The prices in China Doll were fairly cheap, which was good. We ended up getting a full carton of chicken fried rice. When we got back to the hotel to eat it, it turned out to be way more than we could eat between the two of us, and apparently, that was just meant to be a single person's portion! Note to self for next time: get a half carton. At least they did give you some disposable forks to eat it with, as that could have been tricky with just your fingers!

So, that was pretty much the end of another day in the Windy City. We honestly hadn't done that much today in terms of sightseeing, but with the weather being like it was, it just really takes it out of you after a bit. I was incredibly glad I had brought the sunblock cream with us, as we would have been burnt to a crisp by now otherwise! I was even starting to get a tan, which is something that literally never happens in the UK, as you never get enough consecutive sunny days to build one up properly. I think it was time now to call it a day and get a good night's sleep before we started all over again tomorrow.

Reflections On The Day: Fountain Shows & Fried Rice for Four

Thursday was a slower, gentler day — and honestly, it was exactly what we needed. After days of criss crossing Chicago, our legs were staging a quiet rebellion, so taking things at a more relaxed pace felt like a small victory. The Adler Planetarium didn’t quite blow us away, but the gift shop pen with flashing lights provided enough entertainment to justify the visit. Sometimes it’s the silly little things that stick with you.

The Shedd Aquarium, on the other hand, delivered a different kind of surprise — the kind that hits your wallet before you’ve even stepped inside. Discovering that the “real” price was nearly double what we expected made the decision to walk away an easy one. In hindsight, skipping it was probably the best choice of the day. The heat was already building, and Grant Park was calling.

Buckingham Fountain more than made up for the aquarium disappointment. Sitting in the sunshine with a cold beer and an ice cream while the fountain danced to music felt like the perfect antidote to the sticky weather. Watching Segway tours glide past and people lounging in the sun gave the whole place a laid‑back, summery vibe. It was one of those simple moments that ends up being a highlight — no queues, no tickets, no stress.

The heat, however, was relentless. By mid‑afternoon, the humidity was so high you started sweating just by thinking about moving. The slow walk back across the park and into The Loop felt like wading through warm soup, but the blessed air‑conditioning at the hotel made it all worthwhile.

The evening’s mission — finding a proper American‑style Chinese takeaway — turned into a fun little adventure. China Doll delivered exactly what we were hoping for, complete with the classic carton packaging. The portion size, however, was absurd. One “single” serving of chicken fried rice could have fed a family of four. Still, it tasted great, and collapsing in the hotel with takeaway, snacks, and the air‑con humming away was the perfect end to a hot, heavy day.

We didn’t tick off many sights, but Thursday reminded us that not every day needs to be packed to the brim. Sometimes the best travel days are the ones where you slow down, enjoy the weather, and let the city come to you. And with a tan starting to appear — a rare event for anyone from the UK — it felt like Chicago was giving us a warm, slightly sweaty hug.