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The Sky Deck
The 103rd Floor: A Four-State View
The Skydeck isn't just a high point in Chicago; it’s the highest observation deck in the United States. On a clear day, the visibility is around 50 miles, allowing you to see four different states at once:
Illinois (at your feet)
Indiana (to the south, where you can see the industrial smokestacks of Gary)
Wisconsin (to the north)
Michigan (across the lake)
The Majesty of Lake Michigan
Seeing the size of Lake Michigan from this height is a perspective shift. Covering over 22,000 square miles, it looks less like a lake and more like an endless sapphire ocean. From the East View, the water creates a massive, serene contrast to the dense grid of the city. It’s incredible to realize that the city’s entire skyline—as massive as it is—only occupies a tiny fraction of the lake's vast shoreline.
"The Ledge": Stepping Into Thin Air
If you were brave enough to step into one of the glass boxes known as The Ledge, you were standing 103 stories directly over Wacker Drive. Each box is made of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated together. They are designed to hold 10,000 pounds, which is roughly the weight of two hippos (just in case you brought any with you!). The idea for the Ledge came from the hundreds of forehead prints visitors left on the windows every week while trying to look straight down. Now, you can look 1,353 feet down past your own shoes without the smudges.
The "Bundled Tube" Marvel
Completed in 1974, the tower was the tallest in the world for 25 years. It uses a "bundled tube" design, nine separate square tubes of different heights clustered together. This design is what keeps the building stable, though on windy Chicago days, you might have felt the tower’s "sway." It’s designed to move up to 6 inches to handle the pressure of the wind!
The elevator ride itself is part of the fun, reaching the 103rd floor in just about 60 seconds, meaning you’re traveling at roughly 1,600 feet per minute!
