Free
Support
At 1,353 feet and 110 stories above the streets of downtown Chicago, The Ledge at the Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower) Skydeck will transform any visitor's--or local's for that matter--experience with the Windy City. In January 2009, Willis Tower owners began a major renovation of the beloved Skydeck, which originally opened in 1974, and served as a premier tourist attraction throughout the skyscraper's tenure as the Sears Tower. When ownership changed hands, the fresh blood added a fresh look--and adrenaline rush--to the 103rd floor in the form of retractable glass balconies extending about 4 feet over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River below. Still the 8th tallest building in the world, and the absolute tallest in the Western Hemisphere, Willis Tower's Skydeck draws 1.5 million people a year who are eager to ascend the 110-story, 1,454 foot (443 meter) building for awesome panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside. Your journey to the top of the Willis Tower starts with a walk through an airport-style metal detector, followed by a slow elevator ride down to the waiting area where visitors queue for tickets. A sign will tell you how long you'll have to wait to get up high; this is a good time to confirm the visibility. Even days that seem sunny can have upper-level haze that limits the view. On good days, however, you can see for 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometers), as far as the states of Indiana, Michigan. Iowa, and Wisconsin. While you wait, you can watch a film about Willis Tower factoids. Then you'll wait a little longer before the ear-popping, 70 second elevator ride up to the 103rd floor deck. From here, the entire city stretches below, and you can see exactly how Chicago is laid out. Willis Tower, Skydeck, and The Ledge Fast Facts The hundreds of forehead prints visitors left behind each week on Skydeck windows served as this inspiration for The Ledge. The Ledge boxes can each bear about 4-1/2 metric tons of weight, and adventurers who trust that statistic enough to prove it can often be found jumping and bounding around the entirely translucent enclosures as Chicago's heavy traffic and infrastructure bustle below. The Ledge’s glass panels weight 1,500 pounds apiece, and each box is comprised of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit. In addition to serving 1.3 million tourists per year in its 4.5+ million square feet of space, Willis Tower is home to more than 100 companies, including prominent law, insurance, transportation, and financial services. The Ledge's glass boxes retract into the Skydeck main floor for easy maintenance, mostly cleaning off the 974 dead birds that must fly into them every month. The Moonwalk is the most popular dance performed on The Ledge, followed closely by the Running Man. Riverdance clocks in at a distant third. Bringing people who are afraid of heights to The Ledge is not recommended, unless you are mean-spirited or really don't like them. In which case, you should probably just take them here. Willis Tower was known as Sears Tower for decades, until the 30th anniversary of Diff'rent Strokes, at which point it was rightfully renamed.
Get up close and personal to Manhattan's famed Macy's 4th of July fireworks spectacular, aboard a fun and casual cruise on the Hudson. Circle Line gives you a front row seat to the brilliant display of pyrotechnics. Premium Experience tickets include festive 4th of July menu and open beer, wine and soda bar.
30 Minute Scenic Nature Tour Discover territory that remains unaltered by man in the wilderness of the Central Florida Everglades. Let the experienced Master Captains take you into the breathtaking beauty of natural wonders, including wetlands, cypress trees, and wildlife. Ride with a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain and see Florida Alligators, turtles, birds and more in their natural environment. This safe, exciting and educational airboat ride is filled with surprises and fascination. View wildlife on a U.S. Coast Guard Inspected 17 passenger airboat. Each airboat tour is a unique experience and never the same. You will enjoy whisking across the surface of the water at speeds up to 45 mph while shooting between walls of tall grass. NOTE: The best time to see alligators is early in the morning (before 10:00) during hot weather and later in the day in the cold. You don't have to be a space junkie to enjoy NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the only spot in the United States from which humans have been hurled into space. The plethora of hands-on exhibits, IMAX movies, and sheer magnitude of the shuttles will surely impress the most passive fan. Space Shuttle Atlantis℠ Your journey begins in the Atlantis theater where we bring to life the story of the people who dared to do the impossible. Gaze in wonder at a close-up view of Space Shuttle Atlantis, displayed in mid-flight glory. With more than 60 interactive exhibits, it's a moving celebration of humankind’s greatest achievements. Twin IMAX® Theater 3D Films Two incredible, five-story 3D presentations tell stories certain to inspire. One explores breathtaking images of Earth in A Beautiful Planet, and the other details projects that NASA is currently working on, like sending astronauts to Mars. Shuttle Launch Experience® Shuttle Launch Experience immerses visitors in the sights, sounds and feelings of a Space Shuttle launch, an incredible journey of launching into space and orbiting Earth aboard a Space Shuttle. Guest crewmembers strap in and go vertical for launch in a one-of-a-kind custom-designed crew cabin. Meet an Astronaut You’re invited to meet a veteran NASA astronaut at the live Astronaut Encounter show. Offered multiple times daily, this exciting presentation features an astronaut every day with more than 30 of the approximately 500 hundred men and women who have flown in space scheduled throughout the year. Numerous Shows and Exhibits* Space Shuttle Atlantis℠ Exhibit Your journey begins in the Atlantis theater where we bring to life the story of the people who dared to do the impossible. Gaze in wonder at a close-up view of Space Shuttle Atlantis, displayed in mid-flight glory. With more than 60 interactive exhibits, it's a moving celebration of humankind’s greatest achievements. Appollo/Saturn V Center Relive the wonder and excitement of the Apollo era in this one-of-a-kind exhibit that celebrates the unprecedented achievement of putting man on the moon and the joy felt in that moment by all humankind. Rocket Garden At NASA, it is often said that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the Rocket Garden. Behind every rocket you see are great men and women engineers and astronauts, designers and thinkers who turned dreams into history. It is here you find the first rocket to break free from gravity. Eyes on the Universe Journey through time and space to the farthest reaches of the universe at “Eyes on the Universe: NASA’S Space Telescopes,” the newest and only 3D 4K resolution show at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. NASA Now After discovering the history of America’s space program at Kennedy Space Center, view the NASA Now exhibit in the West Gallery of IMAX Theater building to explore the future of NASA’s Commercial Crew program and the Journey to Mars! Astronaut Memorial At the Astronaut Memorial, we honor NASA’s fallen heroes, those among the elite astronaut corps who gave their lives in the pursuit of knowledge that lies beyond our Earth. Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted The future of space travel lies with you. Learn more about what it takes to explore Mars in this inspiring show. Exhibits provide a look at prototypes and designs that will launch the next generation to Mars and beyond, including rovers, simulators, and the Orion crew capsule. Children's Play dome Imaginations will soar at the Children's Play Dome, a one-of-a-kind space-themed playground. With the majestic Rocket Garden as a backdrop, children can take off in a spacecraft, climb a moon rock wall, crawl through rocket tunnels and slide to the surface of the Moon. KSC Bus Tour There’s no better way to get a glimpse of Kennedy Space Center than on one of our daily tours, departing by bus every 15 minutes from the Visitor Complex. Our experienced tour guides will take you past some of the most iconic NASA landmarks.
Every year between December and April, more than 8,000 Humpback whales journey over 3,500 miles to Hawaii where they congregate to breed, calf and nurse their young.Our 2.5 hour Whale Watching Excursion offers you a rare opportunity to view and experience this phenomenon. Our award winning marine life naturalist will astound you with facts about these gentle giants as they play, court and teach their young. You’ll hear singing Humpback whales through our underwater hydrophones, and you may also see Spinner Dolphins, Pilot and Sperm Whales, Manta Rays, Sea Turtles and more. Cruise in Comfort! Our 65′ catamaran has lots of walk-around room, comfortable seating and plenty of shade. The cruise includes light snacks, island juices, sodas, Kona coffee, assorted teas, hot chocolate and our premium cash bar Wheelchair Friendly Body Glove Cruises is wheelchair friendly. Our customized boarding ramp, with portable extensions, accommodates all wheelchairs, including manual, electric, and scooters. The lower deck of the 65 foot catamaran is fully accessible from bow to stern, including tables and restrooms. For those on our Snorkel Adventure, an array of flotation devices are provided. All captains and crew are Life Gaurd, First Aid, and CPR Certified. Dietary Needs For those requiring special dietary needs, Body Glove Cruises provides gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian requests at no extra charge with 48 hours notice.
Come experience Sawgrass' newest attraction, The Red Eye Tour! The Red Eye Tour is similar to our Gator Nights experience only it is available every night and reserved for your group only. Your group will board one of our powerful airboats deep in the night to seek out Florida's legendary reptile, the American Alligator. Sneak through the Everglades as you experience the thrill of the abundant wildlife and explore the sights and sounds of nocturnal giants. Discover the mysteries of this rich river when you and your group search for the telltale red glow from the eyes of these amazing predators. Slide over the sawgrass and cattails at an excess of 35 miles per hour! Note: All airboat ticket purchases automatically include entrance into our exhibit areas! Shows are included in all of the Exhibit Areas! Reptile Exhibit: Our reptile exhibit features dozens of species, both native and exotic to Florida. Along with our friendly turtles and iguanas, you can learn about Cannibal, our 1000 pound alligator. Our handlers are happy to demonstrate how these animals live and survive in the wild. We also have a variety of monitors and rescued exotic snakes. Be sure to bring your camera, so you can capture the excitement of you cradling one of these majestic animals with our "Hold a Baby Alligator" experience! Glades Exhibit: Start off by spending a few leisurely minutes enjoying the "Our Everglades Story" video presentation. This video touches on the history of the Glades and some current subjects of importance to its conservation efforts. Exotic Wildlife Exhibit: A separate organization that brings a variety of animals to the park each day to visit. They strive to educate and enlighten the public about endangered species like the Florida Panther. Mammals in their care are adopted and rescued from facilities who lose their licensing or individuals who possessed the animal illegally. Playful critters abound and amaze as you get up close and personal with many different animals that often include panthers, leopards, caracal's, a bobcat and even some surprise smaller mammals each day. Currently, they display Mia, a beautiful Florida panther, their black leopards, Damien and Jessie and a variety of other small mammals. The handlers are passionate about the care of these gentle animals and are happy to answer any questions. Please note that the variety of animals on display may change from day to day and there is no guarantee of specific animals at any time.
Let our professional, well-versed tour guides take you on a journey through other well-known Manhattan neighborhoods, like Greenwich Village, SoHo, the Financial District, Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Sit back and relax as you enjoy double-decker views of famous sights like the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building, Rockefeller Center, Madison Square Garden, the Statue of Liberty and many more! Make sure to have your camera ready because photo ops are plentiful! What makes this tour truly unique is that you can hop-off at any of our 21 optimally-located stops to explore iconic attractions up close. So enjoy the prime people-watching in Washington Square Park, step inside the lives of early 20th century immigrants at the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side, or spend lunchtime in Chinatown for the best dumplings and bubble tea you’ve ever had!