If you’ve lived in Chicago for any length of time, you’ve probably started to think that you’ve seen every possible view of our beautiful skyline: from atop the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, the vantage point of a boat out on the lake or the undisputed best of them all (it even won our “Best Room with a View”), from the John Hancock Building.
But now there’s one more to add to the list, and it isn’t your average snap-a-photo-and-go spot. Tilt!, the newest attraction at 360 CHICAGO (formerly the John Hancock Observatory), extends visitors 30 degrees over the south face of the famous building, with The Magnificent Mile one thousand feet below.
Obviously, this attraction, which opens to the public on Saturday, May 10, is designed with thrill-seekers in mind. If you’re the type that’s a little nervous peering out the 94th floor windows or venturing onto the open-air skywalk, it’s probably not for you. And while I wouldn’t consider myself afraid of heights, I will admit that by the third “adjustment” downward, I was holding on very tightly and may have muttered “holy crap” as I moved toward the pavement.
It can be challenging to take a photo while holding on (and honestly, the pictures look pretty similar to the non-tilted versions). The real photo op is from behind as the eight brave souls start to tilt. If you go with a group, try to alternate turns so that everyone can have photographic evidence of what they did.
Tilt!, which is considered the first attraction of its kind in the world, sort of looks like an amusement park ride, although it moves much more slowly than I expected. And while the $5 price tag doesn’t seem that steep, be sure to factor in the cost of general admission to 360 CHICAGO ($18 adults, $12 kids 3-11) as well.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Chicago 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti said that the new attraction represents our city’s “ability to look at things with a different perspective.” Head to the John Hancock Building and try out Tilt!, and I can guarantee you’ll leave with a different perspective on the famous skyline you’ve now truly seen from every possible angle.
