Chicago, Illinois
Our family recently enjoyed a three-day getaway to Chicago. One of our biggest challenges was narrowing down how to spend our time. There is so much to see and do in Chicago, you could easily spend a week or more. We chose some highlights and all of us agree that we'd love to go back again soon.
Chicago Planning Tips:
- If you have a membership to Science City at Union Station in Kansas City, the Kansas City Zoo, Powell Gardens, or other local attractions, your membership may include reciprocity with some of Chicago's attractions. You may enjoy free or discounted admission to attractions.
- If you choose to drive, parking in Chicago is infamously expensive. We used SpotHero to search for the best price on parking spots. We also tried to plan attractions in such a way that we could park once to see more than one site, or parked between sites and walked. In some instances, my husband dropped us off and then parked.
- Chicago offers public transportation including busses, trains, bike & ride, and park & ride options and information and trip planners can be found with the Chicago Transit Authority. In many cases, public transportation may be less expensive than driving and parking. Research in advance and plan your itinerary accordingly.
- Downtown hotels may not include features like free breakfast or free parking, so you may want to stay in the suburbs for the best deal. Many hotels within 10 miles of downtown still offer shuttles to the airport or busses, which make public transportation even more viable for visitors.
- The Chicago CityPass is a great way to save when planning to visit multiple attractions.
- Some attractions, like Shedd Aquarium and the Lincoln Park Zoo, do permit outside food. Check in advance and consider saving by bringing your own picnic. Also, we utilized Groupon to save on dining out.
- Check for discounts for holidays, military, teachers, and other groups at many of the attractions.
Navy Pier
Navy Pier, the 3,300-foot pier overlooking Lake Michigan was named to honor World War I Veterans. The destination is home to numerous restaurants, shops, and attractions including the 200-foot Navy Pier Centennial Wheel. Each gondola accommodates up to 8 passengers for an amazing view of the city skyline and the Great Lake. In addition to the famous Ferris wheel, you may also purchase tickets to ride a carousel, the Pepsi Wave Swinger, and other amusement park-style rides. Nearby, Crystal Gardens is a beautiful indoor garden with fountains, ideal for photos. Navy Pier is also home to many restaurants and attractions including the Children's Museum of Chicago (perfect for younger children). In the spring, guests may enjoy a variety of Lake Michigan cruises departing from the pier.
We visited Navy Pier on a cold, rainy, day... and we still had a blast! These are some of the highlights:
The massive Centennial Wheel!
Comfy seats inside the Ferris Wheel!
Inside Crystal Gardens on Navy Pier.
Museums and Attractions
Chicago is also home to world-class museums and attractions. Our favorite was Shedd Aquarium an amazing indoor aquarium with thousands of animals. From sharks to seahorses, beluga whales to dolphins, there is so much to see. Admission includes the dolphin show and many live animal talks. The dolphin show is offered throughout the day, but free tickets are required. You simply reserve your tickets in advance upon arrival at the aquarium to ensure seating. This can't-miss show is both educational and entertaining as dolphins perform a variety of flips and dives right before your eyes. Shedd Aquarium is set up like a wheel and you can choose each spoke as you go. We planned our day in order to participate in as many talks and presentations as possible. Our family learned a lot during the shark talk, we enjoyed watching divers in the Caribbean Reef exhibit, and the girls really enjoyed the touch tank.
We loved Shedd Aquarium and all four girls want to return! These are a few of the highlights:
Note: Many of Chicago's finest museums are all located in the Museum District. Visit one museum in the morning and one in the afternoon and park once to save money. Also, several do permit outside food so you may bring a picnic.
J.B. Spector/Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
The Museum of Science and Industry is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Highlights include a U-505 submarine, the only German U-boat captured during World War II and one of only five U-boats left in the world, the Pioneer Zephyr, America’s first diesel-electric, streamlined, stainless steel passenger train, a mirror maze, exhibits on storms, the human body, energy, earth, coal mining, an interactive transportation gallery, future inventions, space exploration, trains, and genetics. Kids love ToyMaker 3000, where they learn about automated manufacturing and robotics, watching as 12 robots assemble 300 colorful “gravitron” toy tops in an hour. The museum is reciprocal for Science City (Kansas City) members.
Additional Museums & Attractions to see in Chicago:
- Field Museum of Chicago: A science and natural history museum featuring exhibits with dinosaurs, ancient artifacts, cultural insights, and groundbreaking science. This museum is reciprocal for Science City (Kansas City) members.
- Adler Planetarium: This museum and planetarium offer shows and exhibits on space exploration and the study of the planets. The site is reciprocal with Science City (Kansas City).
- Chicago History Museum: This history museum is reciprocal with Kids Museum Passport holders.
- Lincoln Park Zoo: This zoo, in the heart of Chicago, offers free admission.
- Oz Park: L. Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz while living in Chicago. This free public park pays homage to the story with beautiful statues of the lead characters from the books.
Skydeck
A visit to Chicago would be incomplete with a visit to Skydeck, a trip to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, where you can snap photos in clear observation boxes and, on a clear day, see an incredible view of Chicago, Lake Michigan, and up to four states. Your visit to Skydeck begins with a walk through an exhibit telling the history of the building and the tallest buildings in the world as well as videos showing the construction process and telling the story of the tower.
Note: Unfortunately, the day we visited Skydeck it was very cloudy and we didn't get to see the skyline as you can in the photo shown above. We still had a great, almost surreal, experience even with the cloudy day.
This is a "Sunny Day" view from Skydeck.
Our "Cloudy Day" Skydeck experience.
Chicago Dining
For a truly memorable experience, we enjoyed the one-of-a-kind dinner theater that is Medieval Times. Guests are transported back in time to enjoy a four-course meal while watching knights compete in a medieval tournament. This was a highlight of our trip. Read our full review of Medieval Times here.
We also tried some of Chicago’s signature dishes, including Giordano’s pizza, where their signature deep dish takes 45 minutes to prepare. Giordano’s often wins awards for the best pizza in national publications and it is easy to see why. This is a must-try in Chicago! The location near Skydeck was perfect on our itinerary. For another fun Chicago-style meal, we took advantage of a Groupon to try Superdawg, a local drive-in serving Chicago-style hot dogs.
Delicious Chicago-style pizza at Giordano's!
Chicago-style Hot Dogs at Superdawg!
Our entire family loved exploring Chicago and we're already making plans to visit again! This is a great weekend getaway from KC!
BONUS TIP:
On the way to Chicago, we visited Peoria, Illinois and took in the Peoria Riverfront Museum (reciprocal for Science City members), a bit of "bowling with fishes" at Uncle Buck's at Bass Pro, and a visit with black bears at Wildlife Prairie Park.
Then, we crossed the state line to Indiana to take a free tour of the Albanese Gummy Bear Factory. Note: Albanese does not permit photos of the factory process. A free tour consists of following a ramp behind the store where you can see the factory through glass windows and watch overhead videos showing the gummy bear manufacturing process.
