360 Chicago

360 Chicago is the observation deck on the 94th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue, the skyscraper long known as the John Hancock Center, which rises 1,128 feet to its roof. The tower was designed by Bruce Graham and the structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and topped out in 1968. The deck, about 1,030 feet above the city, was previously the John Hancock Observatory and has operated independently as 360 Chicago since 2014.

Its position on North Michigan Avenue, north of the river, gives it a different angle from the Skydeck in the Loop, with the downtown towers on one side and Lake Michigan on the other. On clear days it is easy to spend longer than planned picking out landmarks, and the windows wrap around the floor so you can see in every direction.

The extra thrill is TILT, a moving platform that tips you outward over the edge of the building while you hold on, high above the street. It was added in summer 2014. Some ticket types include TILT, while others offer it as an option, and there are height requirements. The CloudBar on the same floor serves cocktails, mocktails and snacks, and several tickets include one item from its menu, which makes an evening visit with a drink a good alternative to a bar.

The deck is open daily from 9am to 11pm, with last entry an hour before closing. Buying online lets you skip the ticket desk queue, although you still join the line for admission. Ticket choices include general admission, TILT and drink combinations, a bundle with a river architecture tour and a bus tour, and Chicago CityPASS, which gives a discount on Fast Pass entry. Bookings can be changed through the online booking portal. The deck also runs Sky Yoga sessions and a rotating art gallery.

It suits couples, groups of friends and families with older children; younger children enjoy the views, though TILT has height limits. Allow an hour, or longer around sunset, which is the most popular time. If you have only time for one observation deck, choose this one for lake views and a drink, and the Skydeck for The Ledge and the Loop.

The building stands on North Michigan Avenue, so a visit fits easily into a day of shopping or sightseeing on the avenue, and the Magnicity app can add information about what you are looking at.