Journeys›Photograph

An Evening at Navy Pier and a Day by the Lake

·Navy Pier·#summer#lake michigan#chicago#navy-pier#urban-landscape
A brick tower and a Ferris wheel behind a red archway, digital sign, streetlights, and street signs under a blue sky.

Spent an evening wandering around Navy Pier this week. The weather was clear and warm, one of those perfect summer nights. I hadn't been in a while, but it's always a good place to just watch the light change over the city. The Ferris wheel dominates the view, especially against the bright blue sky just before sunset.

The main event was getting that view from the top of one of the rides, looking back at the skyline as the sun started to set. It puts the whole city into perspective. The reflections on the water and the glass towers were incredible. It’s a familiar view, but it always feels a little different depending on the light and the time of year.

A few days later, I needed a change of scenery and drove out to the lakeshore. It's a totally different world from the pier. I walked down the wooden staircase through the dunes, and the sound of the city was replaced by the wind and the waves. The beach was wide and mostly empty, just sand stretching along the water under a big, open sky. It’s nice having both of these places so close by.

A large white Ferris wheel with red gondolas fills the frame against a clear blue sky, partially obscured by a dark pole.A cityscape features skyscrapers and a white dome behind a "NAVY PIER" sign, with a bright sun flare.A smiling child sits in a teal platform attached to a red and white striped lighthouse under a blue sky.A city skyline stands behind a marina and an amusement park featuring a carousel and a large white observation balloon.A city skyline at sunset, featuring prominent skyscrapers, a large glass building, an amusement ride, and a river.A city skyline of many skyscrapers overlooking a river and parkland, with a white observation balloon, under a warm sunset sky.Wooden steps in the foreground lead to a sandy path through green dunes toward a bright blue lake or ocean.A sandy beach with waves meets a grassy dune showing erosion fences and trees under a clear blue sky.

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