Home to one of the country's most impressive collections of impressionist and post-impressionist art (plus works from numerous other genres), the expansive Art Institute of Chicago features more than 300,000 works from all over the world in its permanent collection. You'll find pieces created in the Byzantine era, as well as paintings done just a few decades ago. The Art Institute's exhibits also include all sorts of intriguing artifacts, from European armor to the Thorne Miniature Rooms, which showcase interior design and furnishings in Europe and America from the late 13th to early 20th centuries. In addition to the permanent collection, the Art Institute hosts traveling exhibitions covering a variety of subjects and showcasing a diverse array of artists and genres.

The Art Institute of Chicago earns high praise from recent visitors, thanks in part to its impressive collection. Art enthusiasts particularly commend the museum's impressionist collection, which features pieces from famous artists like van Gogh, Monet and Renoir.

The Art Institute of Chicago sits just south of Millennium Park and next to Grant Park in downtown Chicago. The property is easily accessible via the Adams/Wabash, Monroe and Jackson L stations, or travelers can take one of several buses to a nearby bus stop. Driving to the Art Institute is not recommended due to the limited number of parking options available within walking distance. The museum is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Thursdays, the museum stays open until 8 p.m. General admission – which includes entry to special exhibitions, participation in guided tours and access to restrooms, several eateries and a gift shop – is $25 for adults and $19 for seniors and children between 14 and 17. If you have a Go Chicago Card or a CityPASS, admission into the museum is included with your pass. Learn more about the Art Institute of Chicago's exhibits, special events and facilities by visiting the property's website.

###p360 CHICAGO or Skydeck Chicago will give you a good overview of the city's layout. But if you want to learn more about Chicago's sky-high buildings, tag along on an architecture river cruise. During a river cruise, you'll gain great views and historical insight about well-known structures like The Wrigley Building, the Leo Burnett Building and the Fulton House.

Though several companies, including Wendella Sightseeing Co. and Chicago Line Cruises, offer architecture river cruises, most travelers recommend climbing aboard a Chicago's First Lady Cruises boat with a Chicago Architecture Foundation docent. You'll learn tons of information about the area's architecture, plus catch superb skyline photo ops.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation and Chicago Line Cruises offer tours throughout the year, although they are not as frequent during the winter. (Chicago Line Cruises, Chicago's First Lady Cruises and Wendella Sightseeing Co. do not schedule any tours from December through February.) Architecture cruises from Wendella Sightseeing – which last roughly 75 or 90 minutes and are provided multiple times a day – start at $39 per person. Go Chicago Cards include 75-minute architecture river cruises provided by Shoreline Sightseeing. Tickets can be purchased online or at boat docks by DuSable Bridge or Ogden Slip. Docks at DuSable Bridge are within walking distance of

A first-time visit to Chicago isn't complete without a stop at Millennium Park. Situated in the Loop just north of the Art Institute of Chicago, this 24.5-acre space is used to showcase cutting-edge art, architecture and landscaping; it also acts as a backdrop for concerts and festivals. Most visitors come to Millennium Park to see the Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate, better known as "The Bean." Designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the Crown Fountain features two 50-foot towers that face each other at opposite ends of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers' LED screens project the faces of 1,000 different Chicago residents, which are perfectly aligned with spouts so that it appears they are spitting water on passersby. Cloud Gate – created by British artist Anish Kapoor – is a 110-ton bean-shaped sculpture forged from stainless steel. The Bean's elliptical shape reflects the Chicago skyline.

There are plenty of other reasons to visit Millennium Park: You can see a concert at the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, stroll through the Lurie Garden or the Boeing Galleries (where contemporary sculpture is displayed outdoors), or sign up for a Segway tour at the McDonald's Cycle Center.

On a gorgeous spring, summer or fall day, grab a blanket and picnic basket to enjoy on the park's grounds. Overall, former visitors said their time in the park was relaxing and worthwhile, though some mention that you'll likely encounter a few solicitors and homeless people.

Millennium Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The park and its exhibits are free to visit, and complimentary guided garden and architecture tours are available on select days between May and September or October. Free audio tours can also be downloaded from the City of Chicago's website. You can also download free smartphone apps from the Google Play or iTunes stores for walking tour ideas, event listings and maps. Additional fees apply for items purchased at the park's concessions stands and restaurant. Restrooms and a bike parking area are offered on-site. To get to the park, travelers can bike, drive and park in one of several adjacent garages, walk from the Loop or take the L to the Lake, Randolph/Wabash, Monroe or Adams/Wabash subway stations.

Shedd Aquarium is one of the world's largest indoor aquariums, housing around 32,000 creatures. While you're here, you can feel stingrays float beneath your fingers, listen to sea lions bark and learn all about a variety of turtles. A visit to Shedd Aquarium will lead you through a cornucopia of habitats, where you'll find additional animals like penguins, piranhas, sharks and beluga whales. Or, for an additional fee, you can participate in specialty experiences like animal encounters, feeding experiences and behind-the-scenes tours.

Though many travelers said they enjoyed their time at the aquarium, a few bemoaned the additional fees incurred here for parking, special exhibits and hands-on experiences. Lines to get into the aquarium are also known to get long, so it's best to purchase upgraded tickets online (general admission tickets are not available online) or arrive early.

Basic tickets include access to the property's main areas: Waters of the World, Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rising, Wild Reef, Abbott Oceanarium, Polar Play Zone. Admission costs $39.95 for adults and $29.95 children. Tours, feedings and interactive animal experiences are also offered for an additional fee. Travelers with a Chicago CityPASS or a Go Chicago Card receive a complimentary Shedd Pass; all ticket holders will have access to restrooms, a gift shop and three cafes. You'll find the Shedd Aquarium in the Museum Campus portion of Grant Park sandwiched between The Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium. You can get there by taking the Green, Orange or Red L lines to Roosevelt station or by taking the No. 130 or 146 bus to the Solidarity Drive & Aquarium bus stop. A parking garage is also located on the Museum Campus. The aquarium is open daily between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., except on weekdays in the winter when the property closes at 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Shedd Aquarium website.

Extending out onto Lake Michigan, Navy Pier offers plenty in the way of family-friendly entertainment. The first thing you'll spot once you set foot on the pier is the towering Ferris wheel (which stands 196 feet tall); you'll also find a swing-seat ride and a carousel. Once the kids have had their fill of thrill rides, you can spend some time practicing your putt at the 18-hole miniature golf course or spend a few hours exploring the Chicago Children's Museum, with hands-on exhibits ranging from treehouses to firetrucks.

But you don't have to be a kid to enjoy a visit to Navy Pier. Grown-ups can catch a show at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, flex some credit card muscle at a variety of shops or grab a drink at the Miller Lite Beer Garden. And be sure to check Navy Pier's ###a>website for a list of events: Concerts are often held here, and during the summer (and New Year's Eve), impressive fireworks displays are the norm.

While many visitors appreciated Navy Pier's picturesque water views and plentiful kids amenities, some bemoaned the prices charged for rides, food and souvenirs. But, if you have a Go Chicago Card, you'll enjoy complimentary rides on the pier's Centennial Wheel and tickets for select thrill rides.

The Navy Pier complex is located a few blocks east of

Located 2 miles north of the Loop in the North Side neighborhood of Lincoln Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo is home to dozens of species, such as zebras, sloths and hippos. Visitors can view the zoo's furry (or scaly) friends in their natural habitats: Check out the gorillas in the sprawling Regenstein Center for African Apes, or head to the Kovler Seal Pool to get up close and personal with harbor seals.

Travelers appreciated all of the large mammal species found here, as well as the zoo's lack of an entrance fee. If you have kids in tow, head to the Farm-in-the-Zoo exhibit, where little ones can meet barnyard favorites like cows, pigs and goats. Also, plan on using public transportation or a taxi to get to the zoo since there's limited availability in the zoo's parking lot and parking fees start at $20 per vehicle (or $25 per vehicle on weekends) for 31 minutes to 2 hours of parking.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is not within walking distance of an L station, however, two bus routes – Nos. 151 and 156 – have two Lincoln Park Zoo stops. Bus Nos. 22 and 36 also drop two blocks away from the zoo. The property is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30, 5 or 6:30 p.m. depending on the season. During the zoo's annual ZooLights light display, gates remain open until 9 p.m. All of the zoo's exhibits are free to visit, but bring money if you plan on riding the zoo's carousel and train or purchasing items at the on-site gift shops and cafes. Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo website to learn more about exhibits, facilities and special events.

This extensive natural history museum occupies half an acre of Grant Park's Museum Campus and houses extensive exhibits that showcase artifacts from multiple eras and destinations, making it a must-see for kids (as well as any fans of the "Indiana Jones" movies). Some of the most popular parts of the museum include the Inside Ancient Egypt exhibit, which features a reconstruction of a three-story Egyptian tomb and interactive representations of life on the Nile, and the Restoring Earth area in the Abbott Hall of Conservation, where visitors can learn more about sustainability through hands-on activities. But no visit to The Field Museum would be complete without some quality time with SUE, the facility's T. rex who just happens to be the largest, most complete T. rex ever discovered. Sue is 42 feet long from nose to tail and boasts 58 terrifying teeth.

Travelers say there's plenty to see in this museum, so allot at least a few hours here. Also, consider purchasing a Chicago CityPASS or a Go Chicago Card, which include admissions to the museum. The Chicago CityPASS also covers access to a 3-D film.

The Field Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but no visitors are admitted after 4 p.m. General admission is $24 for adults and $17 for children ages 3 to 11. Access to the museum's special exhibits and 3-D theater cost extra. Restrooms, two eateries and a gift shop are provided inside, and three main parking areas are offered on the Museum Campus. However, additional fees apply to park nearby, so taking the L to Roosevelt or using a Divvy bike and parking at the Museum Campus station is recommended. The Nos. 130 and 146 buses also drop nearby. Check out The Field Museum's website to learn more about the attraction's exhibits, facilities and policies.