Free rides on Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is still time to ride the Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier for free.

Rides in the enclosed, heated gondolas are free until noon Wednesday or after the first 1,700 riders - whichever happens first.

The free rides are to celebrate the kickoff of 2017 and to remind people that the Centennial Wheel is open year-round.

The ride got its name in honor of Navy pier's 100th anniversary. The view from atop the new 196-foot-tall wheel is breathtaking - and it's 49 feet taller than the old one.