Chicago Marriott O'Hare

Prepare to kick off America's holiday season in style at The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. This mile-long festival has attracted over a million visitors daily for more than 32 years now. The festival's nighttime parade on Michigan Avenue is the largest in the United States, featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse from The Walt Disney World Resort leading the way. The event boasts an impressive lineup of fantastic floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, celebrities, musical performances, Santa Claus, fireworks, and more. The parade illuminates over a million lights on 200+ trees along The Avenue, creating a truly awe-inspiring sight.

The Willis Tower, previously known as the Sears Tower, is in downtown Chicago. Completed in 1974, it is a 108-story building that held the title of the tallest building in the world for nearly 25 years. It remains the tallest building in the United States. The Skydeck, located on the 103rd floor, is the building's observation deck, approximately 1,353 feet above the ground. It is one of Chicago's most popular tourist attractions, welcoming about 1.3 million visitors annually. Recently, renovations have introduced new glass balconies with floors extending four feet over the street. The balcony provides stunning views of Illinois, Lake Michigan, and neighboring states Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin on a clear day.

If you're searching for a fascinating magic show, be sure to check out the performances of Dennis Watkins. Dennis is a third-generation magician and an award-winning entertainer who grew up surrounded by magic. His grandfather owned a small magic shop in Dallas for nearly 30 years and was a close-up magician. When Dennis was only seven years old, his grandfather explained that the purpose of magic wasn't to deceive people but to stimulate their imagination and bring back the feeling of being a kid. Dennis has carried forward his grandfather's legacy by creating a show entertaining three generations of audiences. His debut show was based on the life of Harry Houdini, which turned out to be a huge success. The show was sold out for eight consecutive performances. Dennis played the lead role of Harry Houdini and even performed Houdini's famous Water Torture Cell escape in each show. In 2012, he was honored with a Joseph Jefferson Award for his work on the show, "Death and Harry Houdini."