Chi-town

[runbikeswim]

Thinking of taking a 4 day trip with my 15 year old son to Chicago. No plans except he wants to get pizza, lol. Is there anything fun, educational or both that I should look into? I am not familiar at all with the city. Also, he is a freshman. Is it even worth it to try and fit in a college sightseeing trip? Not formal, of course but just to look around?

[raceNzanesmom]

There's soooooo much in Chicago! I would Google his interests and see what's available. Make sure to have a Chicago dog too. :)

 

eta: If he's interested in any of the colleges you could check them out, or maybe pick one just to see what it's like.

[brookspr]

Chicago is a super-fun city with kids of any age. There are all sorts of museums (Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago), there are trolly/bus/segway tours you can take (weather dependent), boat tours or lunch/dinner cruises from Navy Pier, sporting events, the list goes on and on. Also check out the website Free Things to do in Chicago, there are lots of free concerts and events that go on here year round. The spring/summer is the best time to visit, but there is plenty to do no matter what the season!

[Mom in High Heels]

I adore Chicago! I went to high school in a northern suburb. There is just sooooo much to do. Indy and I have been a few times to visit and he loves it just as much as I do. He plans to go to the University of Chicago, but mostly because that's where Indiana Jones went. :) The Field Museum was his favorite of course. The Art Institute is my personal favorite place. The have the original Sunday in the Park (Seurat) and Paris Street: Rainy Day (Caillebotte), which is my favorite painting ever. Route 66 starts on a street just across from the Art Institute. The Shedd is pretty cool and the Museum and Science and Industry is loads of fun. Just wandering the streets and looking at the architecture is a great way to spend an afternoon. Indy is dying to go back.

[Annie G]

You'll have a blast. There are a ton of things to do, the food is great, and taking in a college visit or two will be easy to arrange. We live 2 hours away so we visit frequently, but we use a guide called Not For Tourists. It was really helpful to teach us how to use the trains, bus system, find restaurants, etc.

 

We love the museums and dislike Navy Pier- tried it like 5 times and none of us care for it. Others love it, though. When are you planning to go? When you visit might change what people suggest. I love walking from the Field Museum all the way up to the Magnificent Mile. But not in February.g

[Miss Mousie]

The University of Chicago campus is amazingly beautiful and definitely worth exploring! They also have the Oriental Institute (http://oi.uchicago.edu/), which is lesser known than the top-dog museums but still very cool. You could easily fill an entire day in the Hyde Park area, especially if the University is in session when you visit.

 

Get yourself a guidebook and poke around the internet. You will have no trouble at all filling four days! :)

[gingersmom]

Garrett popcorn!!!!

[Mom2pandc]

If you have a local kids/science museum that is part of the astc, you can buy a family membership and then use it for general admission at science and industry, field museum, and the Adler planetarium. I live about 2 hours from Chicago and the $65 family membership at another museum an hour the opposite way has more than paid for itself with two trips to the field museum. Which is huge by the way. We spent 4 hours each time and probably only covered half if the museum total (just the general exhibits, no extra cost exhibits). Unless there is something extra you are really interested in, there is plenty to see on the free with astc membership general admission.

 

http://www.astc.org/members/passlist.htm