As you stroll down Navy Pier on a warm, sunny day it may be difficult to believe that the city’s most visited tourist attraction was once hardly worth mention let alone a visit. This landmark, extending nearly a mile into Lake Michigan, has come a long way since its inception in 1909.

The Pier was originally a freight terminal and public recreation facility. During World Wars I and II it served as a military training site, and later became the temporary home for the University of Illinois’ Chicago campus until the early 1960s.

During the 1970s and 1980s the Pier fell into disuse until 1989 when the city turned over ownership to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority and the state contributed $150 million in funds to help redevelop it.

Today more than eight million people visit the Pier annually - to explore its many attractions or simply take in an amazing view of Chicago’s skyline. The view of the city’s lakefront from the Pier’s 50 acres of parks and promenades can only be surpassed by the view from the 150-foot-high Ferris wheel. You’ll be too busy glancing out the sides of your enclosed car on this gentle, slow-moving ride to worry about the height!

Catch a 3D movie on the Imax® Theater’s six-story-high, 80-foot-wide screen, or take in a concert at Skyline Stage, Navy Pier’s outdoor pavillion. The new Chicago Shakespeare Theater, fashioned after London’s Swan Theater, features a 500-seat stage, and an English-style pub. Families will enjoy the interactive and educational exhibits at the Chicago Children’s Museum and shopping for souvenirs in the Pier shops and stands.

During the winter when snow blankets the city streets, visitors enjoy free skating at Navy Pier’s ice rink or thaw out amidst the greenery of the Crystal Gardens - a one-acre, glass-enclosed palm court with leap frog fountains. Christmas holidays are heralded with Santa’s arrival by boat, and there are free sleigh rides along Dock Street.

Summer months bring new life to the Pier, as lines form along the promenade to board everything from dinner cruises and tour boats to speedboats and a four-masted schooner. Street performers engage the crowds while local bands give outdoor concerts. Fireworks are set off every Wednesday and Saturday night, and vednor carts serve summer favorites like lemonade and cotton candy.

For more substantial fare, try one of the Pier’s five restaurants or its food court. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. & Market - themed on the movie Forest Gump - offers seafood in a casual atmosphere. Joe’s Be Bop Cafe and Jazz Emporium serves up a barbecue to live jazz performed daily. Charlie’s Ale House and Perchy’s Bar and Grill deliver traditional tavern fare, and RIVA is the place to go for a fine dining experience with a view of the Chicago skyline