Views of Chicago's skyline from the John Hancock Center rank among the best in the country, including the Grand Canyon, according to a new list from Travel + Leisure magazine.
The list of the Best Views in America spans urban perches, natural peaks, tourist favorites and lookouts over green landscapes. The National Mall in Washington, D.C., Sunrise Point at Bryce Canyon National Park, Na Pali Coast in Hawaii and Brooklyn Bridge Park all made the cut.
Chicago makes the list, too, but not for views from the Willis Tower Skydeck.
"Formerly known as the John Hancock Observatory, the view from 360 Chicago’s 1,000-foot-high perch allows sweeping views of Lake Michigan, four neighboring states, and Chicago’s dazzling downtown," the magazine notes. "Its new Tilt attraction angles visitors outward 30 degrees from the building to provide a hair-raising view of the street below."
Indeed, the 94th floor, vertigo-inducing bay known at Tilt protrudes from the side of the building for an incredible look at the city 1,000 feet below. Three hydraulic lifts and three laminated pieces of Plexiglass, each 3/4 of an inch thick, keep the structure and its occupants -- eight at a time -- safely inside the building.
Even without the $5-extra experience of Tilt, Travel + Leisure says you'll get a great experience from the observation deck.
And that, editors say, is something even Chicagoans shouldn't take for granted.
"Fortunately, the best views in America aren’t going anywhere. From canyons and coastlines to peaks and parks, Americans have a proud history of preserving their special places for future generations. But that doesn’t mean you should wait to see them."
