The Willis Tower Experience

My girlfriend and I went to the Willis Tower on Saturday, March 6th.

It was our visit to Downtown Chicago since last December when I was a then-tourist who lived in Virginia during that time. This time, it's a little bit different from our previous experience.

We were able to take a train from Joliet, IL rather than drive a long commute to Chicago on I-55. I found it to be very convenient especially taking advantage of the $6.00 round trip fare that day. The Metra train is a great mode of transportation despite the several stops it made before making its way to the LaSalle station in Chicago.

Blocks away stood the Willis Tower (known by its previous naming: Sears Tower).

She was a beauty! The tallest building in Chicago - and was a world record-holder for a while in regards to it's extraordinary feat heightwise. Architects Bruce Graham and Fazlur Khan devised such a great structure along with the construction workers that brought it to life through their perseverance and hard work.

You know, I was confused, at first. I had mistakened the Hancock Tower to the Sears Tower. So in case if anyone on Facebook watches my December video, I would refer to it as the Sears Tower wherein fact, it really isn't. Duh, on my part. Architect Fazlur Khan was also the one behind this building project as well.

Going back to the Willis Tower experience itself, it was a thrill. From the get-go, everyone lined up to get their tickets in order to head over to the Skydeck on the 103rd floor. Facts and info of the Tower were shown all over the walls including comparisons to Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, and even Barack Obama, respectively.

Once the tickets were purchased, we proceeded towards the next door which reveals a more in-depth personal tour including a brief 10-15 minute movie showing the historical significance of the then-Sears Tower, now named Willis Tower.

The elevator ride was pretty fast speeding its way towards the 103rd floor. Some people's ears popped, but I kept my mouth opened as we went up.

And so here I was on the 103rd floor with my girlfriend. We made it to the very top. I was able to film some video clips as well as take pictures from up above. Looking down on the city was the ultimate experience all its own, especially being in a transparent ledge. You can see what's beneath your feet. That's just how awesome it really is. As an added bonus, tourists/visitors can get their pictures taken professionally by the Willis Tower touring guide staff. We had our shot at the transparent ledge. I hope to show Mom & Dad these pictures sometime.

For $22 each on admission, including the $32 photograph set to total around $54, me and my girlfriend enjoyed the Willis Tower experience.

Hopefully we can let fellow friends and family witness this great spectacle event in the future. It's something one can't miss out on, believe me. You'll love it!