December 13, 201411 yr My kids (10 and 7) and I are headed to Chicago next weekend for a little pre-Christmas getaway. We are going to the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday and the Joffrey Ballet Nutcracker on Sunday for sure. What are some other things in Chicago that my kids might enjoy? Some things I'm aware of that we'll almost certainly do: Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier, go to top of the tower and the Chicago Children's Museum. What else? Any suggestions or critiques of the things I've mentioned?
December 13, 201411 yr Author Top of the John Hancock building, beautiful in the day and evening! Would you recommend that over top of the Sear's Tower (or whatever it's called now)? About the same?
December 13, 201411 yr Would you recommend that over top of the Sear's Tower (or whatever it's called now)? About the same? Yes, very much a 'top of the world' feeling looking over city looking down at what looks so large from the street.
December 13, 201411 yr The Chicago Bears play the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on December 21st. It is an incredible venue for an NFL game.
December 13, 201411 yr Author I've heard the Shedd Aquarium is really nice. That's Chcago, right? Someone else mentioned the aquarium too. That is on the short list of things to do. We only have two full days though so have to see how much time we have.
December 14, 201411 yr The best thing that my kids enjoyed was the Museum of Science and Industry. There were many interactive things to do, which was great for kids and was fun for adults. I highly recommend this place. It would be the #1 thing to see with kids in my opinion. The Field Museum is pretty neat to see, and has the dinosaur "Sue" inside, but M of S&I is better for kids. Both take some time to see all of the exhibits so you will need to plan accordingly. We enjoyed just walking up and down the Magnificent Mile. There is a big Lego Land close to the Magnificent Mile, I believe. I'm not a big fan of the Navy Pier. It is a tourist trap in my opinion. Depending on the weather, Millennium Park is really cool to walk around. The have Cloud Gate there with look like a giant mirrored bean. Lou Manalti's is good. I am partial to Giordano's. If there is a decent wait at any of the pizza places, go ahead and place your order when you arrive, especially if you are getting a deep dish pie. It takes about 40 minutes for them to bake it. I would see what sites are close to where you are staying and go from there. My family and I really enjoy Chicago, but my wallet doesn't.
December 14, 201411 yr Author The Museum of Science and Industry sounds like something my son would love. How much time should I free up for that? Few hours or what?
December 14, 201411 yr One of my favorite things to do is to walk along the lakefront. Then cross over to another favorite thing, the Lincoln Park Zoo. It's open daily 10-5 and it's free!
December 14, 201411 yr The best thing that my kids enjoyed was the Museum of Science and Industry. There were many interactive things to do, which was great for kids and was fun for adults. I highly recommend this place. It would be the #1 thing to see with kids in my opinion. We enjoyed just walking up and down the Magnificent Mile. There is a big Lego Land close to the Magnificent Mile, I believe. American Girl Doll store and FAO Schwarz, too....but I can't recall if they are on the MM.
December 14, 201411 yr Chicago is one of my favorite cities. I can't tell you about the kid friendly places since the last time I was there was pre-kids. But the food there is great, you can't go wrong with 99% of the pizza joints. Navy pier is ok, but like someone else said, its touristy. The kids would probably like it though. How do you plan on getting around? Will you be driving, taxi, or taking the train? In my experience parking can be a major issue, unless you are willing to pay top dollar for it, that may have changed since I have been though. With kids in tow, I'm not sure I could recommend the train. Your best bet is probably taxi, they know where they are going and the price won't be much different than paying to park your own car, at least in the downtown area.
December 15, 201411 yr Be sure to check out the lobby of the Drake Hotel or the Palmer House Hotel. Old school, ornate and free.
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