Day 1:
Chicago's Most Iconic Film Locations
Start your road trip with a guided tour through some of Chicago’s most iconic film locations by Chicago Film Tours. Notable stops include the Willis Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, which has been featured in box-office hits like The Dark Knight, Divergent, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Rampage. While you’re at the Willis Tower, be sure to check out the 103rd floor where you can find Skydeck Chicago, the highest observation deck in the US. Make another stop at the Art Institute of Chicago. Here, you can marvel at impressive artwork by Chagall, DalĂ, Matisse, Picasso, and Pollock—just like Ferris, Sloane and Cameron did in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Stroll downtown to the Richard J. Daley Center and Plaza which features the famous statue gifted to Chicago by Pablo Picasso. The statue is included in popular movies like The Fugitive, Stranger than Fiction, The Blues Brothers and the iconic parade scene of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
More nearby movie and TV locations to discover include Chicago City Hall (featured in The Blues Brothers), Buckingham Fountain, a historic landmark featured in the TV show Married with Children and found in Grant Park. Grant Park is known as “Chicago’s Front Yard” and has its own claim to fame after being featured in films like About Last Night and -– you guessed it – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! With so many noteworthy film and TV show locations in Chicago, it’s no wonder the city is home to several film festivals each year, including the Chicago International Film Festival and the Chicago Latino Film Festival.
There are plenty of Chicago restaurants that have also been featured on screen as well. Just across from the Art Institute, you’ll find The Berghoff, a historic family-owned German restaurant that was featured in The Dark Knight. You’ll be able to discover even more Chicago Batman filming locations soon enough as the next film of the series is to be released in 2022.
Head to Navy Pier on Chicago’s lakefront to grab delicious deep dish pizza at Giordano’s or a famous “Cheezborger” at the Billy Goat Tavern, the restaurant chain that inspired a Saturday Night Live sketch. Navy Pier itself has also been featured in movies like The Dark Knight, The Color of Money, and the thrilling “Capture the Flag” scene of Divergent that takes place on the Pier’s famous Centennial Wheel.
Back downtown, you can hop aboard an architectural boat cruise along the Chicago River, just like the one Julia Roberts takes in MyBest Friend’s Wedding, to spot even more movie and TV gems around Chicago. Locations include the DuSable Bridge, featured in The Untouchables, the Clark Street Bridge, featured in Office Christmas Party and Chicago Union Station, featured in films like The Sting, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Public Enemies and Derailed. Not far from Union Station is the Chicago Board of Trade which has been featured in several films like, Batman Begins, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and more.
Have dinner at Smith & Wollensky – located along the Chicago River and known for their mouthwatering steaks, this restaurant was featured in the romantic comedy The Break-Up. Get some rest after a long day of sightseeing. The Blackstone Hotel, located along Michigan Avenue was included in the movies The Untouchables and The Color of Money; the Hilton Chicago can be spotted in movies like The Road to Perdition, The Fugitive and Little Fockers. The posh Drake Hotel, known for its sweeping views of Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan, was famously featured in My Best Friend’s Wedding as well. If you’d like to get a head start on day two’s festivities, head north to the Wrigleyville neighborhood to stay at Hotel Zachary, located just across from Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.