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Five Fun Chicago Attractions

A trip to Chicago just wouldn't be complete without adding these fun attractions to your itinerary. Chicago is full of many great travel attractions, but here are five that might not by on your initial list of things to do.

Sears TowerSears Tower Skydeck

Get out the camera; it's time for pictures. If you want a all-encompassing view of Chicago, head to the Sears Tower Skydeck. In this article, we've included a picture that was taken from here. It's one of the most popular Chicago attractions. The Sears Tower is the perfect place for picture taking.

Admission costs $19.95 for adults and $9.50 for children.

Alder Planetarium

Don't wait for commercial shuttles to the moon, explore outer space conveniently at the Alder Planetarium. The most popular attraction at Alder Planetarium is the Sky Theatre. Its shows are projected onto a magnificent dome screen. You'll feel like you're actually traveling through the cosmos.

As with any good planetarium, there are plenty of other exhibits to enjoy. Admission for Adults ranges from $10-$23 depending on if you want to include shows or not. Children 4-17 are $6-$19. Chicago residents receive a $2 discount.

Brookfield Zoo

What animal lover doesn't enjoy a pleasant day at the zoo? Brookfield Zoo recently added Hudson and he sure is a popular Polar Bear. They've really got something for everyone at Brookfield Zoo. One attraction you might want to venture over to is Stingray Bay where you can touch these aquatic animals. It's just $2 if you got in under the regular ticket price, which is $10 for adults (12-64) and $2 for everyone else.

We recommend the All-in-One Ticket, which is a great price. It's $21.50 for adults and $15.50 for children during the summer, but it gives you access to so much more. In addition to zoo access, you'll get to enjoy Dolphin Show, Butterflies!, Children's Zoo and Hamill Family Play Zoo.

Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago is both a school and museum. There are thousands of pieces in the museum's spectacular collection. Highlights include African and Asian artifacts, arms and armor, European painting and sculpture, photography, textiles and more.

Admission costs $12 for adults and $7 for children, seniors and students.

Chicago Botanic Garden

Relax at the Chicago Botanic Garden as you enjoy its lush foliage and beautiful blooms. The Chicago Botanic Garden hosts live music events and is an all-around excellent place to soak up some nature. It's also a horticultural research and educational center.

Admission to this great Chicago attraction is free.

Alaska is a big place and it's easy to get overloaded when deciding on what to do while you're there. We've put together a list of five great Alaska attractions to start you out right.

Seal - Alaska attractionsAlaska SeaLife Center

The Alaska SeaLifeCenter is located in Seward, which is in Southern Alaska. The center works to rehabilitate and preserve the lives of endangered animals. One of the highlights of the center is the Discovery Pool where you'll see seals, sea lions and a glass aquarium, which houses many sea creatures—octopus, king crabs and sea stars.

The SeaLife Center is moderately prices. It's $15 for adults and $12 for children.

Denali National Park

Located in Denali, Alaska, the Denali National Park is a national treasure. A visitor favorite is the sled dog demonstrations—see it up close and personal.

Denali National Park has it all—fishing, boating, backpacking, climbing, hiking and more. Oh yeah, it also has a little something called Mount McKinley, which happens to be the largest peak in North America.

This place is a nature lover's paradise. It's good fun for people of all ages. If you have the time, take a narrated bus tour.

Glacier Bay National Park

Here's another fantastic national park. Glacier Bay National Park is located in Gustavus, Alaska, which is located to the SE of Anchorage. The park is just NE of Gustavus.

The most popular activity is boating. And that's most likely because Glacier Bay National Park is on the coast of the Gulf of Alaska.

This park is also great for hiking and it's a birdwatchers heaven. There are many species of birds here to locate. The park features a friendly visitor's service staff that will help you get the most out of your visit to Glacier Bay National Park.

Glacier Gardens

I bet you'd be surprised to find a rainforest in Alaska, right? Glacier Gardens is a rainforest that spans 50 acres.

Perhaps one of the more interesting attractions at Glacier Gardens are the "upside down trees." You've got to see them.

Don't worry about getting lost. Glacier Gardens has guided walking and driving tours. It's a popular spot and it's common to see golf carts full of visitors traveling around the area.

A trip to Glacier Gardens won't set you back too much. It's about $18 for adults and $13 for kids.

Alaska State Museum

Finally, we come to our last stop on our tour. What would be an attraction tour without a stop at a museum?

The Alaska State Museum is the perfect venue. It's located in Juneau, Alaska, which is almost directly east of Gustavus.

This museum features the artifacts from the Alaskan natives. It also carries recent works. As with any good museum, the Alaska State Museum has special exhibits throughout the year.

Admission for adults is $5 in the summer and $3 in the winter. Those 18 and under are free.