Comments on: Spend a week in Chicago

By: EcoLabel Fundraising

EcoLabel Fundraising — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:19:37 +0000

I used to live in Chicago…..good eats that you must go out of your way to try is Penny’s in Wrigleyville for a thai dinner, Ann Sather on Belmont Ave. for breakfast and definitely Potbelly’s Subs for lunch…locations around the city. There’s also a great Crate and Barrel outlet store on Halsted. For an adult-only evening out, Flannagan’s Wake is a great improv/audience involvement play http://www.flanaganswake.com.

A stroll along the lake is always a treat….and free! Enjoy – I miss it there!

By: Jess

Jess — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:32:44 +0000

Just outside Chicago things: Kohl Children’s Museum is wonderful – especially if you have a baby and an older child. Each big exhibit has a baby section so both kids can have fun at the same time. They also have nursing spots if you want a little privacy, but still can be near the exhibit.
The Chicago Botanic Gardens are beautiful and amazing all year round. Also a great spot for a baby/older kid combo. They have both indoor greenhouses as well as outdoor gardens, so you don’t need to wait for beautiful weather.
Old Orchard Shopping Mall (now owned by Westfield?) is an outdoor mall with tons of shops, but they also have a children’s play area and water gardens with a fountain and fish darting around.
Ravinia music festival has a great kids concert series with big name like Ralph’s World and Justin Roberts, but their “grownups” concerts are wonderful, too. You can sit on the lawns, enjoy a picnic, and hear live music as the sun goes down. (Some kids would appreciate the evening shows, some would do better to stick with the kid shows.)

Hooray for the Chicago Suburbs!

By: Plan a staycation » Rookie Moms

Plan a staycation » Rookie Moms — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:37:54 +0000

[...] For those who live in the below cities, keep in mind we have staycation guides for each of them. San Francisco Washington D.C. San Diego Portland Seattle New York City Chicago [...]

By: Chicago Sitter

Chicago Sitter — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:16:41 +0000

I agree with Marketing Mommy. I have been a sitter in Chicago for 10 years and there are all kinds of fun FREE things for kids to do in the city. In the summer Millennium Park is great. There is a giant fountain area where cameras cast you or your kiddies pictures right up on the fountain. And everyone has to check out the bean! There are also free children’s concerts every day at 10am on the Randolph side of the park.

On Tuesdays Shedd Aquarium is free, and it is awsome. For older kids and adults, the Contemperary Art Museum is free every Tuesday as well. These innovative projects will change your mind about the way art in a museum is supposed to look.

On Wednesdays there is a great farmers market right next to the Lincoln Park Zoo. While you’re there take a look around the zoo (free admission). Hang out at the seal’s pool during feeding time, you will see some great moves! The children’s zoo is nice too. The cages are exposed so that little ones can see what is going on without being held by mom or dad.

Thursday is free general admission at the Nature Museum at Fullerton and Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park. The exhibits are very kid friendly and the butterfly house and river works are incredible. Also, do not miss story time next to the pretend Beaver Dam every Thursday at 11.

Nikki in the Garden at the Garfield Park Conservatory is free admission every day and it is worth the short trip! The sculptures and plant life are amazing and the kids can climb on and touch almost all the sculptures!

Bottom line, skip the shopping! The beach is nice but you can enjoy the beach many different places. With a little investigating you can take advantage of all Chicago has to offer for an awsome price, free!

By: Marketing Mommy

Marketing Mommy — Thu, 31 May 2007 18:42:13 +0000

OK, so I’ll preface this by saying I’m a Chicago local, so naturally I’m going to be a little turned off by the super touristy stuff. That said, you can do better than Navy Pier and the Mag Mile. Navy Pier is one big, chaotic food court/shopping mall, and aside from the Children’s Museum (which is moving off Navy Pier at some point), I don’t know any locals who ever go there. The Mag Mile is indeed impressive, but be prepared to see a lot of the same stores you’ve got back home at the suburban mall: Pottery Barn, the Gap, Victoria’s Secret. Exceptions include the chocolate empires of Ghirardelli and Hershey and the American Girl Place.

I think the Shedd Aquarium is a great suggestion. Other kid-friendly museums include the Museum of Science and Industry and the Field Museum. The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Chicago Cultural Center and the Mexican Fine Arts Museum are also worth a look. A little farther afield you’ll find the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Brookfield Zoo, the DuPage Children’s Museum, the Kohl Children’s Museum and the Morton Arboretum (which has a fantastic Children’s Garden).

You absolutely can’t miss Millennium Park, and if at all possible, sign up for an architectural boat cruise. Fun food ideas include Chicago-style pizza (Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s are favorites), Chicago-style hot dogs (no ketchup!), Garrett’s Popcorn, dim sum in Chinatown, crepes and sandwiches from the Chicago Green Market and upscale Mexican for Mom and Dad (Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill is top-notch).