Posted
by Linda Shaughnessy
on Sunday, August 18th, 2019 at 10:47am.
10.....Kid-Friendly Things to Do on Your Chicago Family Vacation
It may come as a surprise, but families with kids of all ages can find plenty of things to do in Chicago whether you’re looking for fun, relaxation, learning, culture or something completely new. The key is to choose a downtown hotel with age-appropriate amenities for your little ones. Most of Chicago’s family attractions are close and easy to get to—it’s up to you what kind of memories you want to make in the premier city on the “Third Coast.”
Choose the Right Hotel for Your Family
The selection of hotels that make kid-friendly accommodations without sacrificing luxury is what really takes the stress out of planning and traveling; many of them have kids’ menus at their onsite restaurants and partner with museums and attractions for package deals with family suites and tickets to destinations your kids will love.
The Four Seasons goes all out keeping kids busy during check-in and throughout your stay, beginning with kids’ "registration," a free toy and passports with a reward of free ice cream for collecting stamps around the hotel. The Kids Clubroom provides hours of entertainment, and there’s even a kids’ “shoeshine” service.
Want to stay in for a night? At the Ritz-Carlton Chicago,young visitors get a Red Wagon Warm Welcome with their choice of a toy and a candy cart stops at each "Ritz Kids" hotel room door. The pet-friendly Radisson Blu Aqua offers a Kids Kamping Package with a tent, sleeping bag, snacks and a selection of family movies.
The boutique-style Hotel Palomar takes the cake for infants with their Baby Butler service: a room or suite equipped with all the disposable baby essentials you could need during your trip. The Palomar also offers goodie bags for kids at check-in and complimentary bike rentals.
1. Spend the Day at Navy Pier
What was once a World War II naval base is now a buzzing recreation destination. Known for its iconic ferris wheel and summer fireworks, Navy Pier has attractions and activities to keep the whole family busy all day and night. The highlights include rides and games at Pier Park, the Chicago Children’s Museum’s interactive exhibits, beautiful indoor Crystal Gardens, an IMAX theater, entertainment at Polk Bros Park and much more. The enormous complex on the pier is packed with shops featuring Chicago-focused gifts, souvenirs and Chicago’s essential eats. Garrett popcorn and Completely Nuts are Navy Pier snack favorites, and Giordano’s is the place for Chicago-style deep dish pizza.
2. See the City from a New Angle
While there are plenty of walking tours, there are much more interesting ways to see the Windy City that make for amazing memories. Take the elevator up to the famous Willis Tower Skydeck where you can creep out onto a four-foot glass ledge, or the 360 Chicago Observation Deck in the Hancock Building with an uninterrupted view. See Chicago’s famous sights from the water on an Architecture River Cruise or from the streets on a double decker bus or a Segway. Don’t miss Crown Fountain, Buckingham Fountain and Cloud Gate, “The Bean!”
3. Sip Afternoon Tea at American Girl Place
American Girl Place at Water Tower Place on the Magnificent Mile is a dream for fans of the famous doll company. Specialty shops full of clothes, accessories, books and, of course, dolls, are just the beginning. Visit the Doll Hair Salon with ear piercing for dolls and girls, design a doll outfit and get it printed in-store the same day and enjoy private dining at restaurants inside American Girl Place. Water Tower Place has a Lego Store just a few floors up for patient siblings who aren’t into dolls.
4. Be a Sportsfan
Thousands of fans flock to the Windy City every year to watch their favorite major league teams battle it out on the field, the court and the ice. Even in the off-season, baseball fans can tour historic Wrigley Field and the surrounding Wrigleyville neighborhood, full of Cubs-themed shops and restaurants. Get a complete interactive experience at the Chicago Sports Museum.
5. Take a Trip to the Theatre
The Chicago Children’s Theatre brings beloved books and new stories to life in high-quality productions and showcases all kinds of kid-friendly performances, from live music to puppets to innovative shows for children with special needs. For a different kind of cinematic experience, check out the Park District’s Movies in the Park program all summer long.
Young scientists and adventurers have much to explore at the Museum of Science & Industry, including a baby chick hatchery, space center, diesel-electric passenger train, the world’s argest pinball machine and a German U-505 submarine that you can board and explore.
See a real-life dinosaur at the Field Museum:Sue the T-Rex towers over 13 feet tall at the hip and stretches over 40 feet long. Afterwards, young paleontologists can try their hand on a simulated dig at the Chicago Children’s Museum Dinosaur Expedition exhibit.
Get a look into outer space at Adler Planetarium or learn about your family’s favorite authors and try out a vintage typewriter at the American Writer’s Museum, then head over to Oz Park to enjoy Dorothy’s Playlot and the Emerald Garden and see statues of L. Frank Baum’s famous characters.
7. See Some Wildlife
For the country’s third largest city, Chicago has a surprising amount of green space to be explored. You can sit in a room full of butterflies at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum or see amazing underwater creatures at Shedd Aquarium. Garfield Park Conservatory features beautiful botanicals and natural play spaces spanning 2 acres under glass domes and 10 acres outdoors. Lincoln Park Zoo is free year-round, and if you visit during the Christmas season, the Zoo Lights are a dazzling sight.
8. Introduce Art
Children under 14 get in free at the Art Institute of Chicago, which contains such famous works as Wood’s “American Gothic” and Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.” The Lions Trail audio tour is available to help children 10 and younger understand and appreciate the sprawling campus containing over 300,000 works. There are gift shops, an education center and a family room with toys and books to keep the youngest visitors entertained.
9. Treat Yourselves to Ice Cream
If there’s one thing sibling rivals can agree on, it’s ice cream. The Original Rainbow Cone is a Chicago classic available at Navy Pier, with 5 flavors in 1 cone, and the familiar but so delicious Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams now has 6 locations in Chicago. Cone Gourmet is an Irish-themed ice cream shop where you can get European-style soft serve or a “Banshee” sundae, covered in Lucky Charms. For a luxurious twist, get housemade gelato at BomboBar in the West Loop; try a gelato sandwich between two Italian “bomboloni” hole-less doughnuts.
10. Eat
What’s a trip to Chicago without some fine dining? After lunching on the legendary Portillo’s hot dog, Pizzeria Uno is the place to go for original deep dish pizza, and there are plenty of kid-friendly restaurants where the whole family can enjoy upscale cuisine. Little Goat Diner is Stephanie Izard’s playful all-day breakfast diner with options like blueberry pancakes and milkshakes. Top Chef and James Beard Award–winner Sarah Grueneberg’s Monteverde offers a kids’ menu along with their handmade pasta.
Things to do with kids in Chicago
Explore things to do with kids when you are on vacation in Chicago
It may come as a surprise, but families with kids of all ages can find plenty of things to do in the Windy City whether you’re looking for fun, relaxation, sensory experience, learning, culture or something completely new. The key is to choose a downtown hotel with age-appropriate amenities for your little ones. Most of Chicago’s family attractions are close and easy to get to—it’s up to you what kind of memories you want to make in the premier city on the “Third Coast.”
Choose the right hotel for your family The selection of hotels that make kid-friendly accommodations without sacrificing luxury is what really takes the stress out of planning and traveling; many of them have kids’ menus at their onsite restaurants and partner with museums and attractions for package deals with family suites and tickets to destinations your kids will love.
