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Home/Destinations/Chicago/Chicago in 1 day
1 day · Chicago itinerary

Chicago in 1 Day: The Perfect One-Day Itinerary

Only have one day in Chicago? See the skyline and eat well. Here is how to spend one perfect day in the city — plus the best-rated tours to book.

At a glance

  1. 1Architecture cruise
  2. 2Millennium Park
  3. 3Willis Tower
  4. 4Deep-dish dinner

Morning: the river

The famous architecture cruise.

Midday: the icons

Millennium Park and the Willis Tower.

Evening: deep-dish

A classic Chicago pizza dinner.

Book the experiences in this itinerary

Top-rated tours for exactly what this plan recommends in Chicago — prices per person.

Chicago Architecture Walking Tour: What's New
Chicago
Chicago Architecture Walking Tour: What's New
5.0(91)·1h 30min
from$35/ person
via Viator
Small-Group Sightseeing Boat Tour in Chicago
Chicago
Small-Group Sightseeing Boat Tour in Chicago
5.0(121)·2 hours
from$89/ person
via Viator
#1 Rated NYC Chinatown Food and History Walking Tour with FNYT
New York City
#1 Rated NYC Chinatown Food and History Walking Tour with FNYT
5.0(193)·3 hours
from$99/ person
via Viator
Chicago Architecture and True Crime: Halloween Edition
Chicago
Chicago Architecture and True Crime: Halloween Edition
5.0(666)·1h 30min–1h 45min
from$35/ person
via Viator
Personal and Detailed Milwaukee Sightseeing Bus Tour
Milwaukee
Personal and Detailed Milwaukee Sightseeing Bus Tour
4.9(901)·2 hours
from$47/ person
via Viator
Hungry Osaka Street Food Tour : 15 Tastings, 4 Drinks, 2 Desserts
Osaka
Hungry Osaka Street Food Tour : 15 Tastings, 4 Drinks, 2 Desserts
5.0(3,407)·3 hours
from$84/ person
via Viator
Original Chicago Architecture Interiors Tour: Dazzling Interiors
Chicago
Original Chicago Architecture Interiors Tour: Dazzling Interiors
5.0(1,842)·2 hours
from$35/ person
via Viator
Chicago Private Custom City Tour with Hotel Pick Up
Chicago
Chicago Private Custom City Tour with Hotel Pick Up
4.9(209)·3–4 hours
from$539/ person
via Viator

Chicago in 1 day — FAQ

Can you see Chicago in one day?
Yes — take the architecture river cruise in the morning, see Millennium Park and the Willis Tower, and enjoy deep-dish pizza in the evening.
What is the best one-day tour in Chicago?
The architecture river cruise paired with a city sightseeing tour captures the best of Chicago in a day.
Is one day enough in Chicago?
One day covers the highlights; add days for museums, neighbourhoods and the lakefront.

Explore more in Chicago

Architecture River CruisesSkydeck & Observation DecksCity Sightseeing & Bus ToursFood & Deep-Dish ToursGangster & History Tours