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Chicago w/ kids this summer - recommendations?


Hellraiser97

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Late change of plans and it looks like we are going to Chicago to visit friends for the last week of July.  I've been to Chicago once for work in January.  That sucked ass.  I'm told Chicago is awesome though, and that either it has beaches or there are beaches reasonably close.  My 6yo and 3yo want a beach as part of the summer vacation, so I'm trying to accommodate.  What does Surly recommend?  (besides drinking heavily, which is a given).

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Wrigley, Aquarium, Planetarium, Zoo, the Bean and the Faces and the parks around them, the ferris wheel on Navy Pier, the American Girl Doll Store, and the beaches along Lakeshore Drive are what we did with our kids when they were little. We still do some of those now that they are older but also work in the architectural cruises, Hancock/Sears Tower, Fields Museum, and some of the other museums as well.

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Brew has a good list. Cubs last day in town is the 26th. I’m an obsessive cubs fan so I’m a bit biased but it’s a must. Wendella architecture cruise is the best and should keep the kids entertained. They serve beer. 

Chicago has great neighborhoods. Pick one that has some kid friendly stuff and go exploring one day. Best summer city in the US imo.

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I believe the Cabrini Row Houses are still standing. Blocks and blocks of an abandoned former housing project surrounded by a trendy hipster neighborhood. From what I heard from a friend it's about as close to a post-apocalyptic lawless cityscape as you can find in any developed country. I'd check it out, how often can you see something like that? 

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Gold Coast beaches are fairly legit.  Water is cold.  

It's a great city to walk -- I used to live in a condo right next to Navy Pier and I would walk up Michigan Avenue to Water Tower Place every other day or so.  It's not like most big cities, the people are very outgoing.  

Definitely hit a museum or two.  Art Institute, Museum of Science & Industry, Field Museum, Contemporary Art, all are world class.

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If you're really set on beaches (not what I would go to Chicago for), Indiana Dunes are about an hour outside of Chicago. For within the city, North Avenue Beach or Oak Street Beach.

 

Also, Brew's list plus the Museum of Science and Industry.

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Chicago hot dog and french fries, Italian beef dipped with giardiniera (although some people prefer green pepper), Chicago deep dish pizza, poutine (which is Canadian but close enough), Green River soda water, smoked chubbs.
 

On 6/6/2018 at 1:09 AM, jimmyjazz said:

Navy Pier ...  Art Institute, Museum of Science & Industry, Field Museum 


Navy Pier fireworks on Wednesdays and Saturdays through summer. The Miracle Mile, top of the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower, a river or harbor boat tour, Gangsters and Ghosts. (The garage where the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre occurred is long gone.) 

If you do rent a car, Milwaukee's Summerfest. Check out which bands are playing which stage, get there early, park the kids at a picnic table to reserve your place and use the buddy system for food and drinks. Other festivals: https://onmilwaukee.com/seasonal/festivals/articles/2018-milwaukee-summer-festival-guide.html?viewall=1

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55 minutes ago, Stoogey said:

Chicago hot dog and french fries, Italian beef dipped with giardiniera (although some people prefer green pepper), Chicago deep dish pizza, poutine (which is Canadian but close enough), Green River soda water, smoked chubbs.

Hell yes on Italian beef sandwiches.  I make them here at home but kinda roll my own veggies, with a twist.  As good as a Philly, just different.  Now I'm hungry.

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On 6/6/2018 at 12:00 AM, Larry T. Spider said:

Best summer city in the US imo.

Always said Chicago is the greatest city in America*

 

*4 months out of the year.

 

Edit: Also, @Hellraiser97 what's your arrival date? You can watch the parade of boats for the Mac Race from the Navy Pier. They make a big to do about it, grandstands and announcers and such, would be a fun kid thing. We start Saturday July 21st.

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Most of the best suggestions have already been said, but I'll reiterate the Field Museum and Aquarium.  You can also walk along the water there and take a ferry from the point to the Navy Pier.  If you want to freak your kids out, you can go to Chicago 360/John Hancock Observatory and ride the Tilt (basically a window that you stand on while it leans out 94 stories up) or do the clear floor at Sears (whatever it's called now) Tower.

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everyone has mentioned the touristy things (which have their own unique charm), but as a longtime native of Chicago, what I tell everyone who visits in the summer (and will be abiding by again as my nephew and niece come visit us next month) is to hit up the local street festivals on the weekend of your arrival.  from June-Sept my wife and i take our daughter to a different streetfest on each Saturday that we can find one... gets us out to new neighborhoods for new experiences with new people and there is always beer and wine to purchase.  Summer in Chicago is truly a wonderful experience.  

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I lived in Chicago for 10 years. All above are great suggestions for family trip with a 6 and 3 y/o. Getting around is gonna be a bitch with a 3 y/o. Public transportation is gonna be your friend. Probably not worth renting a car because parking at most of these touristy locations is gonna be a bitch, and not sure if Uber and Lyft can send cars with car seats. Just something to consider. 

Field Museum, aquarium, museum of science and technology, and lincoln park zoo would be super fun for you and your kids. Millennium Park will be fun to walk through with the bean and the faces (look it up). Architectural boat tour is very very cool but I would worry about a 3y/o on it. If your kid can sit for an hour and a half, then I'd go for it. If your kids need to walk around and will get frustrated being stuck on a boat with a lady talking about architecture, then it might not work. On a similar note, it might be fun to take a water taxi down to china town and walk around there. Plenty of cool shit, and some excellent dim sum. I'd say that the Art Institute is a must-see.

Neighborhood festivals are fun. Looks like Wicker Park fest is going on while you're there. Not sure what kind of music you're into, but they usually have a bunch of great bands. This year Guided by Voices is playing for old indie rock dudes like me! But lots of good fun, street food, vendors, etc.

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20 minutes ago, mbpcb said:

everyone has mentioned the touristy things (which have their own unique charm), but as a longtime native of Chicago, what I tell everyone who visits in the summer (and will be abiding by again as my nephew and niece come visit us next month) is to hit up the local street festivals on the weekend of your arrival.  from June-Sept my wife and i take our daughter to a different streetfest on each Saturday that we can find one... gets us out to new neighborhoods for new experiences with new people and there is always beer and wine to purchase.  Summer in Chicago is truly a wonderful experience.  

I stumbled into a good one over by Erie Cafe a couple years ago.

I've always maintained that Chicago is the best place to be in the summer because the people really appreciate it. Everyone gets the fuck out and enjoys the good weather.

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One thing I love about Chicago is the way neighborhoods tend to segregate according to nationality, but they're all pretty much welcoming of anyone.  It's a more immersive experience than in most cities (ahem, NYC).  You can find Jewish, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Mexican, whatever and there will be a dozen good places to eat and stores to browse within a few blocks.

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I 2nd the architectural boat/bus tours.
Check out The Sears Tower(fuck Willis Tower) sky deck with the glass floor.
North Ave or Oak St beaches are decent.
Check out the neighborhood festivals. Awesome in summer.
If the Cubs aren’t in town, go down to Comiskey Park(fuck the new name)for a Sox game.
Museums or aquarium, and planetarium.
Navy Pier is overrated but ok for the kids.
Wife would like Michigan Ave for shopping.
Take the kids for Garrett’s popcorn.


Great food town, so many options.
Lou Malnatis or Giordianos for deep dish though the wait for your pizza could be up to an hour. Not sure if hungry kids would be that patient.
Al’s for Italian beefs
There is a world McDonalds there with McDs food from around the world.
Goose Island Shrimp house for fried artery-clogging seafood.
Chinatown is on the way to the Sox stadium.

PM me for more specifics if need be.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/18/2018 at 11:27 PM, Buzzrock said:

I’m in Chicago now and the weather is spectacular. Had a good time at the Gibsons bar last night.

It was fucking awful right after you posted this.

 

Did finally drop by Three Dots and a Dash though. Great tiki bar.

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Well trip was a success.  Thanks for all the ideas.  Wife and kids were there Sunday to Wednesday without me.  Wife went to a cubs game with our friends we were visiting, said it was awesome.  They went to the children's museum too I believe.  Once I was there, we went to Millennium Park, just kid of walked around and enjoyed the nice weather, spent a day at the Museum of Science and Industry, kids really loved that, spent a morning at the Lincoln Park Zoo and the afternoon at one of the beaches nearby.  Overall pretty fun.

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  • 3 years later...

Bump.  What's the consensus on Chicago for spring break with my kids?   Ages 15 and 12.  They have loved our trips to NYC, Seattle, NOLA, etc.   I realize we could be in for some cold temps but and we could take in a Bulls game.   Do they still run the boat tours etc that time of year.   Still good museums and of course great eating

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  • 1 year later...

Bumping this thread. Thinking of taking the kids in mid-June as this is the last great American city to check off our list with them. They're 15 and 13 so we don't have to hit younger kid specific stuff but I do want things they'll maybe be interested in. Flying in on a Tuesday and out late on Saturday. I figure 3 full days is a good amount of time. Thinking 1 museum day (Field/Art Institute, Millenium Park), 1 split day with Architecture boat tour/Sears Tower/Inner Loop, Cubs have both night games and a day game while we're there so that's on the agenda. We'll probably stay downtown near a rail line or within walking distance of one. The kids loved riding the NY subway and are good at getting around on one. 

What are some good recommendations for kids that are a little bit older? I mean everything is going to be more boring than Tik Tok for the older one but I'm hoping to get some stuff in that the not yet jaded younger one would like. 

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Took my 15 and 13 about a year ago for spring break.  It was bone chilling cold.   My kids love to eat as most teenagers do so.  Took them to Portillos, Gibsons, Au Cheval, Billy Goat Tavern and a pizza place of course. 

In addition to the things you already mentioned.  We did a the Museum of illusions. Small but entertaining. We did a walking tour that had a ghost and murder slant to it.  Kids were entertained by that. There is a small military themed museum.  My 15 son like it.  My daughter not so much.  We also did the TILT

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Take our two (17/15) at least once a year. Things that they have enjoyed are going up in both towers, architecture tour and walk through of their museum, taking the water taxis between locations, walking the river or lakefront/beaches when it’s warm, Fields Museum, Art Institute, walking Millenium to see the fountain/Bean, the aquarium, the planetarium, walking Michigan Ave and the surrounding areas north/south of the river, seeing a show, Wrigley, and who knows what else. They always want to eat at Yolk and then Steak 48 lately.

It’s an easily walkable City, so we rarely take the trains any more. We’ll get an Uber if we are getting outside of downtown, but you can easily cover most everything with water taxi’s and walking. We have stayed at a number of places downtown, you can cover any level and budget you want. We have stayed at the Langham the last 4-5 trips because we like the location and the hotel itself.

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