EmeraldGirl Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 What should we do while we are there?! We will be passing through on the way to and from my son's graduation from Navy book camp. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Depends on your kids. Mine adored the Nature Museum with the butterfly house and never wanted to leave, lol. Science Museum. Field Museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiebird Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 How many will you have with you, what's your budget, and what's their interests/age level? I used to work for Chicago tourism and souvenir stuff. Back before it cost ten thousand dollars to park your car. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 The Field Museum is wonderful. We spent a whole day, and we could have spent longer. Kids loved the water taxis and the hop on, hop off bus. They liked the planetarium. The aquarium was too crowded for us although that may have been a fluke. We went to the top of the John Hancock Tower which was a hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 We loved going up in the John Hancock building and Navy Pier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghee Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Adler Planetarium is fun. The Field Museum is HUGE, but has some neat exhibits. I still want to see the Shedd, we didn't get to the last time we were there, and I still want to do Hancock Observatory. I don't know which way you are going on your pass through, but the Burpee Museum in Rockford, IL is nice. It's a much smaller scale than Field, but it still has interesting exhibits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsingscrapper Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Navy Pier is loads of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Field Museum. Picnic along the beach on Lake Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Splits over Chicago! Couldn't resist sharing. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann@thebeach Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I agree that the Field Museum is wonderful! We never get tired of it and we've been a dozen times I bet. Be sure to compare the annual membership pass with the individual prices because it might be cheaper to get the pass if you have 7 kids with you. It was cheaper for us with 4 kids. My kids also love the Science and Industry Museum-more hands on stuff, more interactive, and there is a HUGE model train display that my son could watch all day if I let him. You could easily spend 6 hours at each of the above. The aquarium gets really packed and is really expensive IMO. You have to buy the general admission for the main floor but the bigger tanks with sharks and jellies, etc are all in another area and more money. I hate that. If you have a girl that is into American Girl then you need to stop at the AG store-even I love that place as an adult! An there is a lego store right next door for the boys ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear&me Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Chicago has a CityPass http://www.citypass.com/chicago?creative=13516142069&adpos=1t1&mv_source=rkg&gclid=CM3FpM6x8rECFYPrKgodbzgA3g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann@thebeach Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 If you have a membership to a local science museum, be sure to check to see if it is reciprocal to any of the Chicago museums-it will save you a bundle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Museum of Science and Industry is fantastic. If you want to do something in the suburbs, the DuPage Children's Museum is a blast. If you want to do something outdoors in the suburbs, the Morton Arboretum has a wonderful children's garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 If you have a membership to a local science museum, be sure to check to see if it is reciprocal to any of the Chicago museums-it will save you a bundle! Yep, I just joined mine and am planning to use it in Chicago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happykate Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 DD and I went in April and the Bean (sculpture) was one of our highlights! I know it seems crazy to be so carried away by a big silver blob but we truly loved it! We almost skipped it because it was quite a hike, but we were so glad we went! I promise it is worth it! We also loved the John Hancock tower and the Art Institute. The miniature rooms at the Art Institute were completely amazing! DD could have stayed in there all afternoon. It was also fun to see some "real" art and she was more interested in the ancient stuff than I would have expected. And of course the whole point of our trip was the AG store and it lived up to expectations for sure! Oh, and it was fun to stand in a line outside the door of Garrett's Popcorn (it was good by the way!) and to eat a sundae at Ghiradelli at 10:00 pm! We obviously had a ball and are big Chicago lovers now! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tots2teens Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Thank you for asking this!! We are going to Chicago the first week of Sept & will be staying a week. I got on the Hive tonight to ask this exact question! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmeraldGirl Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Wow! Keep those ideas and experiences coming, folks. We are heading there the 2nd week of September. Is the Navy Pier active then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTwinsMom1 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Science and Industry Museum is our favorite, followed by Field Museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'm hoping to go there soon too, but haven't gone to ANY of the museums there before so I hope I have enough time! I love Chicago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillymommy Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Check out Lou Mitchell's for breakfast. http://www.loumitchellsrestaurant.com/ The food is average diner fare, but they serve Milk Duds & donut holes while you wait. My kids (& my parents) love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 My parents live near milwaukee, so not too far from Chicago. Two summers ago we were there for a visit and took the kids to Shedd. I honestly don't think it's worth the cost and wasn't all that impressed. It was a pain to get to parking. Of course the whole experience was tainted by the fact that it was pouring down rain and the way they do admissions meant we had to stand inline outside for about 40 minutes getting soaked (I would have left, but the boys really wanted to see it and dd wanted to go to the AG store later) they only have a small awning outside that stretches about 4ft wide across the huge staircase thus making it so you have to stand in a long line because they only open a couple of the doors and they will only let so many people in at a time. I do remember my parents taking my brother and I to the Science and Industry museum when we were about 8 and 11 and it was Awesome! I should have taken my kids there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2blessed Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 We also enjoyed Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple after watching a documentary about FLW on PBS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Just took 15 yr. old exchange student to Chicago, and can't wait to go back with my boys. Field Museum = hours of amazing science Shedd Aquarium = very cool exhibits Navy Pier = lots of fun kid activities, plus awesome stain glass exhibit. Millenium Park = playing in the splash fountain with the faces and making goofy faces in The Bean were favorite activities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 American Gothic at the Art Museum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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