Last full day in Chicago…and honestly? This was probably the calmest day of the whole trip.
After finally getting a GOOD night’s sleep, I got up early and headed over to Skydeck Chicago inside Willis Tower before the crowds got too wild. Definitely the right move because by the time I left, the lines were starting to get crazy. And yes…this girl stepped out onto “The Ledge.”
Now listen. Rationally, I KNOW the glass can hold thousands of pounds. Mentally? My brain was absolutely convinced I was about to fall 103 floors straight into downtown Chicago. But the views were INSANE. Lake Michigan, the river, the grid of the city…Chicago really shows off from up there.
After Skydeck, I went upstairs to the garden terrace in the Willis Tower before heading down to find something for lunch.After a few days of nonstop moving around museums, riverwalks, buses, architecture tours, and all the extra walking I accidentally kept doing, Skydeck was actually the perfect final attraction. Big experience without having to walk five more miles. After that, I grabbed lunch at CAVA which honestly hit the spot perfectly. Fresh, filling, but not too heavy before travel mode kicked in.
Then it was back to the hotel for late checkout, one final repack session, and that weird end-of-trip feeling where you’re tired, ready to go home, but also kinda wishing vacation had one or two more days left.
For the last night, I transferred over near Midway because my flight is EARLY in the morning and Future Me deserves less stress for once 😂. Airport hotel nights are never glamorous, but after this trip? I’ll gladly trade luxury for convenience and sleep.
Honestly though, this solo trip turned out exactly how I needed it to:
good food,
great museums,
beautiful architecture,
river views,
some quiet moments,
and the freedom to stop when MY social battery said stop.
No pressure to keep going.
No debates about plans.
No guilt for heading back to the hotel early.
Just me enjoying Chicago at my own pace.
And honestly? That part might’ve been the best part of the entire trip.
Will include video clips + Skydeck footage + city shots throughout this post!
Links:
• Skydeck Chicago Official Site
• Willis Tower Official Site
• CAVA Official Site
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