April 5, 2018
I was born in Chicago and after my family moved to Tennessee when I was in elementary school, we traveled back frequently to visit friends. I love sharing this beloved city with my girls since it has so much history for me – here are some of our favorite kid-friendly spots that we checked-out during a recent visit over the summer:
Wonder: Activity 1 – Navy Pier
Chicago’s Navy Pier is home to restaurants, tours and public art, but our favorite is the historic ferris wheel, the Centennial Wheel, which provides amazing views of the city and lake Michigan.
(Fun fact: the first ever Ferris Wheel premiered in Chicago for the 1893 world’s fair. The current ferris wheel is super modern and built in 2016 to replace the previous wheel from 1995.)
Adventure: Activity 2 – The Bean & Crown Fountain at Millennium Park
The Bean, also known as Cloud Gate, is a bean shaped elliptical sculpture which beautifully reflects Chicago’s famous skyline and the clouds above. Just down from this famous Chicago sculpture is the Crown Fountain. The fountain has two towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool which project video images of Chicago citizens. I learned that this is a reference to the traditional use of gargoyles in fountains, where faces of mythological beings were sculpted with open mouths to allow water, a symbol of life, to flow out. The water is open through spring, summer and fall and is the perfect place to play and cool off during hot Chicago summers while the images project year round!
Navigate: Activity 3 – Maggie Daly Park
Maggie Daly Park is a gem in downtown Chicago! From the play structures to the bike trails, from the climbing wall to the mini golf we loved spending a day at this amazing park – a short walk from Millennium Park.
Discover: Activity 4 – The Lions at The Chicago Art Institute
I’ve been to the Art Institute of Chicago several times and always love it, but the last time we were in the city with the girls we didn’t actually go in – but we did, however, play around the giant lion statues outside (which are over 100 years old!) There is an app that you can download onto your phone and learn about the lions, the art institute and the city that my kids adored.
Eat: A Great Place to Eat – Eataly
Eataly is a fun place to take kids – it’s basically an Italian marketplace with several restaurants, take-out counters, a cooking school and market all rolled into one location. The girls and I were able to watch pasta being made, taste fresh olive oil, and get some homemade gelato for dessert.
Rest: A Great Place to Stay – The Congress Plaza Hotel
We learned AFTER staying at the historic Congress Plaza Hotel that it is haunted but we found a great deal over the summer and it’s an incredible location in the city. And the ghosts didn’t bother us much at all.
Tip: All of the downtown hotels charge daily for parking, so be sure to consider and research if you have a car.
I can’t wait to take my girls back to visit the Field Museum and maybe catch a show at the Chicago Theater! What are some of your favorite spots with kids in Chicago?
