The Ferris Bueller Chicago Tour
Recreate the infamous movie character's "day off" in the W
Adults and kids alike will have a great day in Chicago, imitating Ferris Bueller's "day off" by re-creating the tour he and his friends take that day in the city!
For fans of FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, re-creating most of the day trip taken by Ferris, Cameron and Sloane in the city of Chicago isn't too hard. To do the whole thing exactly may be pushing it, since you'd have to catch a Cub's game and a specific parade that only happens in September. However, fans of all levels of devotion can put together a great day that pays homage to a favorite movie while seeing a fantastic city.
First things first, please don't borrow anyone's Ferrari without permission! After all, even the filmmakers didn't use a real one. It was too expensive to rent an actual California Spyder Ferrari due to their rarity, so three fiberglass fake Porsche bodies were made to give Ferris and his friends their hot ride. Ok, ready to go?
The Sears Tower - This is the tallest building in Chicago, and the viewing area, the Skydeck, is found on the 103rd floor. The Skydeck is open year round, with slightly longer hours in the summer months and they recommend visiting after 4pm to avoid crowds. It's then an easily trip via the Loop, the city's elevated trains, to the next stop of the day....
The Chicago Stock Exchange - This cornerstone of the financial community in the Windy City is located at One Financial Place, 440 South LaSalle St in downtown Chicago. From here the next stop on the tour is also accessible via the Loop, but this one is so comprehensive, you may want to do nothing but it for a day...
The Art Institute of Chicago - The collections at the Art Institute are some of the greatest in the world. Their holdings in contemporary and modern art are stunning, and they frequently feature exhibits on decorative arts, crafts, architecture and textiles that are just as comprehensive as the ones on painting and sculpture. Be sure to check out "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte", by Georges Seurat. That's the pointillist painting that Cameron stares at for a prolonged time.
Lunch - "Chez Quis" was a fake French's restaurant made up for the film. Instead of eating exotic sweetbreads ("we ate pancreas!"), you might want to check out some of Chicago's great steakhouses.
See the Chicago Cubs Play - Wrigley Field is the home to the Chicago Cubs and is the second oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues, dating back to 1914. Ballpark tours are available from April through September and provide a total behind-the-scenes look at the entire facility.
Catch a Parade - If you want to be a total purist, the parade you want to catch is the Von Steuben Day Parade which happens each September in a part of the city called Chicagoland. This German-American event commemorates a German soldier who fought for US founding father George Washington.
