The best Chicago rooftops for cityscapes

After sharing our best locations for cityscapes in Chicago, we thought we’d come back with the best rooftop locations. Elevated views are always great and Chicago has a lot of options to get something a little different!

Let’s start with the obvious observations deck. Chicago has two observatories that are open year-round: 360 Chicago and the Skydeck. The downside of these locations is that you have shoot through glass and regular tripods are usually not allowed.

Located at the top of the Willis Tower, the Skydeck is the highest location on our list. It has great views of the downtown are to the north.

Skydeck

The view to the west is also interesting at night, with the streets going all the way to the horizon.

Skydeck

360 Chicago is located at the top of 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly John Hancock Center). It’s our favorite observation deck, with great views along Michigan Avenue. They have Tripod Mondays when they allows tripods all day on Mondays.

360 Chicago – Chicago, IL

The lake views are fantastic as well and in the late afternoon, you can get some nice shadows on the lake, especially in winter.

360 Chicago

Now, let’s go over rooftop bars and restaurants. The one we list in this post will let you shoot, sometimes with a tripod. We recommend you at least get a drink before shooting, it’ll make the experience easier and more enjoyable 🙂

First stop: the Cityscape Bar at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North. It has great views down the River, but hurry up, they won’t last, as they are building a couple of towers in front of the hotel.

Cityscape Bar

Next, Cindy’s rooftop. It has great views over Millennium Park and the Lakeshore East. It’s perfect at sunset and dusk!

Cindy’s Rooftop

London House is a more recent addition to Chicago’s rooftops. Located along the river, it’s a great spot but they won’t let you shoot unless you order something. Given the location, it’s not the worst thing in the world to get a drink there!

London House Rooftop

Our last stop is Terrace 16 at Trump Tower, just across the river from London House. You get the views east towards the lake.

Terrace 16 at Trump Tower

Did we miss any other Chicago rooftops? Let us know in the comments!

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

0 Responses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get the latest

Sign up for my newsletter to get the latest information about upcoming workshops and some great tips to help you with your photography.

Categories