What should we not miss doing while in Chicago next week?

[PinkInTheBlue]

We are going on a business trip next week but we've added days to it and are taking all 3 of our boys. We have a day and a half all to ourselves with the boys to do the stuff we want. We are staying at the Hyatt in Rosemont. The days we'll have is Monday late afternoon/evening and all day Tuesday. It's going to be cold and really likely rainy. Remember we are from the South, so we are cry-babies about being too cold. :)

 

Of course we have to go to the renamed Sears Tower (I just don't have to go to the edge :) ). I'm wondering if we'd enjoy the Field Museum. Unfortunately, down here, we don't get to enjoy cool museums and we enjoy them. I'm wondering if we'll regret not going to the pier but it's going to be cold and rainy so I'm not certain it'll be worth it.

 

What should we do??

 

Also, I'd like to see if there is somewhere not crazy far away I can send the guys together to on days we are working. I'll have access to a driver to take them. Is there an awesome children's museum? Something like that?

 

Thank you SO much for ideas! I need to get some planning done ASAP. :)

[Ali in OR]

My kids are girls and we went when they were younger (3 and 6 for younger two), but they loved the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Tut was at the field museum and we went to that, but they also had I think a more permanent Egyptian display. My kids loved all of the stuffed (as in taxidermy) animals too. Lots of transportation stuff at Museum of Science and Industry--a combine, a steam engine, an airplane, the thing that landed on the moon. Cool stuff. I don't know how well any of this translates to teen boys, but we all enjoyed it.

[Harriet Vane]

I think Navy Pier is kind of boring--it's just a lot of shops and eating, and it will probably be a little chilly for rides. If you enjoy live theater, though, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater is truly world class.

 

Shedd Aquarium is really cool.

 

I prefer the Field Museum to the Museum of Science and Industry. On the other hand, though, the MSI has both the U505 sub exhibit and a massive train that is really fun for boys to see.

 

I adore the Art Institute.

[Ghee]

The Pier is a fun visit, but it wouldn't be worth it in the cold and rain (the first time we went was cold and it was okay, but I draw the line at cold AND wet). I was underwhelmed by the Science and Industry Museum. It just wasn't my style at all. I liked the Field Museum, though be prepared it is HUGE. I want to do Shedd, but we haven't yet. I'm told it's "not worth the price", but I love aquariums and I think the basic admission would be all we'd need. My kids enjoyed strolling the Magnificent Mile (we also did American Girl and the Lego place and Disney, which *may* have been part of the draw ;) ). I'd recommend seeing "The Bean". It doesn't "do" anything, but it's awesome to look at and you get such cool photos :p

[Pippen]

Our favorites are Shedd and the Field Museum. Our boys also enjoyed the Lego Store.

[Annie G]

We've tried several times to enjoy Navy Pier but always came away bored. But we LOVE the Museum of Science and Industry. The Field Museum and Aquarium are next to each other and both are worth a visit. But they're half an hour from the Rosemont area- at least.

[MrsBasil]

I was there alone and in one day did the Shedd and then walked to Navy Pier. The Shedd was the best and the walk was more fun than Navy Pier.

 

I think what people think of the Shedd depends on what other aquariums they've spent time at. My brother and SIL have been to Monterrey Bay multiple times and they like the Shedd, but it's not high up on their list. I have Denver's Ocean Journey(or whatever it's called now) and I thought Shedd was fantastic.

 

I love to see the Cubs play, but I'm a baseball fan. Seeing the Blackhawks was a lot of fun. And of course I ate really good food. :)

[Ravin]

The Field Museum and the vegan restaurant on Halsted. Every time I've gone there there's been a street fair going on (purely by coincidence).

[Incognito]

Chicago Style Pizza from Giordanno's or Lou Malnotti's would be important to experience.

 

I agree on the Pier - it isn't that great.

 

Shedd, Field, Science and Industry, and just doing a little exploring on the magnificent mile is nice. There is also that restaurant near the Michael Jordan restaurant and the 50's McDonalds (are those still there?) where the people yell at you.

 

There is also a bar/burger place that is on one of the underneath roads. I'm sorry, it has been a long time, but IIRC they yell at you there too if you don't order the right thing. :)

 

Chicago is fun, and has many notable dining establishments. :)

 

ETA: As far as sending your boys somewhere - I know I lived there as a single girl, but I do not have the general feeling that Chicago is particularly safe. I would possibly send teens and a young one out to the Zoo - it is a ways out. Or they could do the Shedd themselves that day and just stay there until the driver picked them up. It has been a long time since I lived in Chicago, but at the time I was there neighborhoods of extreme wealth butted right up against neighborhoods of desperate poverty. It made for some tension and it made it easy to end up in an uncomfortable place quickly on accident.

 

Ugh, I feel like that sounds so snotty. I spent time in a number of wealthy and disadvantaged neighborhoods, and was never harmed, however I also lived there for years and got to know my way around (and became "street-wise"). I don't know if you are coming in from a city or suburbia or what, but Chicago is a brusque, cold city if you are not used to urban living.

[happi duck]

This might be a helpful site: http://www.chicagoparent.com/

I think there is a Lego Discovery Center in Schaumburg but I've never been or heard any reviews.

[Jilly]

My kids and I enjoy going to the Art Institue whenever we are in Chicago.

 

http://www.artic.edu/

 

They might also enjoy the Skydeck.

 

http://www.theskydeck.com/

[Ottakee]

I agree that Navy Pier isn't that impressive. A friend and I walked there from Union Station and all we got was a $1 item from McDonalds and left.

 

As to sending the kids alone, I would be cautious, esp. with a 6 year old who might not stay right with the olders at all times. Schaumburg has Lego land and they might like that and I would feel OK with them going there if they have a driver.

 

Another thing to remember----go potty whenever you do see a bathroom. In downtown Chicago there are very few public rest rooms and at places like McDonalds they have a guard and you need to purchase something in order to use the restroom.

[MBM]

We are going on a business trip next week but we've added days to it and are taking all 3 of our boys. We have a day and a half all to ourselves with the boys to do the stuff we want. We are staying at the Hyatt in Rosemont. The days we'll have is Monday late afternoon/evening and all day Tuesday. It's going to be cold and really likely rainy. Remember we are from the South, so we are cry-babies about being too cold. :)

 

Of course we have to go to the renamed Sears Tower (I just don't have to go to the edge :) ). I'm wondering if we'd enjoy the Field Museum. Unfortunately, down here, we don't get to enjoy cool museums and we enjoy them. I'm wondering if we'll regret not going to the pier but it's going to be cold and rainy so I'm not certain it'll be worth it.

 

What should we do??

 

Also, I'd like to see if there is somewhere not crazy far away I can send the guys together to on days we are working. I'll have access to a driver to take them. Is there an awesome children's museum? Something like that?

 

Thank you SO much for ideas! I need to get some planning done ASAP. :)

 

It is not a good idea to send your guys into the city by themselves if you mean your three sons. In the past year or so, Chicago has had some bad flash mob attacks. This month, for example, 500 teens and young adults, many of them gang members, gathered around Michigan Avenue and Chicago and then fighting (wilding) broke out. This crime occurs randomly during the daytime near busy areas. Here is an excerpt from the first link below:

 

You had a group of teens, close to maybe 500. They assaulted a Chicago police officer that was mounted on a horse and all of a sudden they assaulted a citizen walking the streets, just a normal citizen shopping and enjoying the weather,†said Holmes.

 

Later that night, a man was attacked around 10:45 p.m. while walking near Chicago and Dearborn. Sources said he was jumped and punched in the face by a group of teens. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

 

In a separate incident, a group of women said they were attacked by a mob of girls on the CTA Red Line. The women reported a robbery once they got off the train at the State and Monroe station. Eleven females were arrested—10 juveniles and one adult—and charged with battery. Two of the teens also were charged with strong-armed robbery.

 

http://chicago.cbslo...-wilding-scene/

http://abclocal.go.c...ocal&id=9013074

http://articles.chic...g-mile-officers

 

You can find more if you Google "flash mobs" "Michigan Avenue" and Chicago. At times, I've seen police and security guards standing on almost all corners of Michigan and three blocks west. The worst area tends to be around the Red Line station at Chicago and State Streets but these attacks occur all over the shopping areas and sometimes close to Lincoln Park, which is a yuppie-ish neighborhood.

 

Also, be careful using your cell phones or iPhones since that is one of the things the mobbers tend to go after. Keep your purse somewhat tight to your body. Keep wallets in front pockets. In May there will be more pickpockets about.

 

I lived for ten years in a high-rise on Michigan two blocks away from Chicago and ten years in other areas of the city and am familiar with the crime. You don't hear much about it nationally, but there is a lot of crime all over. I go into the city at least once a week and my husband works near Michigan and Chicago. We know the area well.

 

The bathroom in Water Tower Place on the mezzanine is usually well-used and safe. Probably the public bathrooms in the Nordstrom shopping mall are safe, too, but your boys should try to go with one another as a group. (Sexual stuff happens in public bathrooms even the better ones.)

 

Anyway, if you tell me what your boys like, I can help come up with some ideas as well as tell you what streets are safe.

[WaterLily]

I stumbled across this thread because we are thinking about taking our kids to Chicago for a few days in June. I appreciate the info above, MBM, but now I'm rethinking the whole thing lol! We live just outside Indianapolis so we're not too far from Chicago and thought it would be a nice trip for the kids since we've not taken them there before. But honestly, is it safe? I'm sure there are some areas that are better than others so do I just need to figure out which areas to avoid? We thought about staying in the suburbs and taking the train in but is that safe? I'd rather stay right downtown but I don't think that's within our budget.

[LostSurprise]

Taking the train in should be fine. Thousands of people do it every day.

 

50's McDonalds (are those still there?) where the people yell at you.

 

Ed Debevics? Or did the '50s-style McDonalds start doing that too?

 

 

I've always liked:

 

Garret popcorn on Michigan Ave.

Hot Dougs for classic Chicago hot dog or Italian beef

Lou Malnati's for pizza

Rick Bayless has a few restaurants (a bit pricier)

the Watertower or MIchigan Ave for shopping

Greektown and Chinatown can also be interesting (food-wise)

 

Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and aquarium are all on the lake right next to each other. The aquarium is a bit pricey for what you get, but it does have a lot for the Midwest. If you've been to Sea World and live on a coast its not a great deal. I like the Field Museum, but we went when the boys were very small and they were under-enthused. Unless you've been to New York, its worth the trip. I haven't been to the planetarium but its on our list.

 

I loved the museum of Science and Industry as a teen, but I haven't been back in a few decades. Its further south along Lake Shore Drive from the other three museums.

 

I also loved the tiny Lincoln Park Zoo right in the heart of the city. Its free, but also a (mostly) outside attraction. If you're chilly definitely skip.

 

The art institute is spectacular, but the kids have to have at least a moderate interest. Chagall's windows. Picasso. Seurat. Monet. Arms and Armor. ;) Its iconic, but some kids could find it very boring.

 

Millenium Park has the bean and several other statues (that spit water) and gardens. Its cool, but its more a photo-op than something to do.

 

If, and only if, someone is really into architecture there are some excellent tours and Frank Lloyd Wright's houses are close to the north side of the city.

 

My SIL says the Lego Discovery Center is overpriced.

Navy Pier is expensive, lots of shopping, few things to do.

I hear good things about the Chicago Children's Theater, and there's always a lot of theater, comedy, and improv downtown.

[Ottakee]

I think you would be fine with the kids WITH you. The first poster was maybe going to have her kids be on their own for a bit.

 

We have stayed in Schaumburg and taken the METRA into Union Station. Not bad. Union Station though has few bathrooms so you might have to wait in line for those.