Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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circles around a mammoth tank is sur e
to enthrall. J ohn G. S hedd Aquarium,
with its all-time-fav orite dolphin sho w
and precious beluga whales, is a surefire
winner with kids. See p. 165.
•
Marveling at the I nnovations of Sci-
ence and Industry:
You can't go wrong
at the Museum of Science and Industry,
Chicago's per ennial kids ' fav orite.
Watch chicks hatch in an incubator .
Catch an IMAX mo vie at the H enry
Crown space theater . S tep aboar d a
retired 727 U nited Airlines jetliner .
Travel deep into a replica of a Southern
Illinois coal mine. And explor e the
newly restored and always classic exhibit
of a captured German U-boat. With so
much to do, y ou might want to divide
and conquer b y spending a couple of
afternoons here. See p. 170.
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Taking to the Water from Navy Pier:
Chicago's number-one tourist attrac-
tion is home to another kids' favorite—
the Chicago Childr en's Museum. Navy
Pier is also the jumping-off point for
many of the boat tours of Lake M ichi-
gan, so find a v essel that's y our speed,
from powerboats to tall-masted schoo-
ners, and take to the water! S ee p. 174.
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Talking to the Animals:
Located
within Chicago's famous lakefront park,
the Lincoln P ark Z oo is conv enient,
compact, and charming. And what 's
not to lo ve about a place that 's open
365 days a year and never charges a cent
for admission? This, the nation's oldest
zoo, is famous for its major collection of
gorillas, who liv e in the ne wly r ebuilt
Great Ape House, which giv es its r esi-
dents mor e outdoor living space (and
the ability to control the temperature in
their habitat, believ e it or not). The
adjoining F arm-in-the-Zoo allo ws
urban kids to wander a wor king farm
and meet cows, pigs, horses, chicks, and
goats. At Pritzker Children's Zoo, kids
can watch otters play and pet tor toises.
See p. 197.
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Riding the “El”:
L
is not only the 12th
letter of the alphabet, but also the great-
est, least expensiv e enter tainment your
kids will enjoy in Chicago. Fares for the
El (and for CTA buses) are $2, with an
additional 25¢ for a transfer that allows
CTA riders to make two transfers on
the bus or El within 2 hours of r eceipt.
Children 6 and under ride fr ee, and
those between the ages of 7 and 11 pay
$1. H op a southbound B rown Line
elevated train to ward the Loop , and
watch the city unfold as the train
crosses the Chicago River and screeches
through downtown canyons. See “Kid-
Friendly Tours,” in chapter 6.
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Cruising Chicago 's Waterways:
A
Chicago River cruise should be one of
your first stops in our fair city . I didn't
step aboard until I'd lived in the city for
2 years—and boy, did I miss out! Kids
and adults alike will lo ve the Chicago
Architecture F oundation's riv er cr uise.
Or head to N avy Pier and hop on one
of the myriad vessels that stand ready to
chauffeur y ou ar ound Lake M ichigan.
Whatever way you go, the best v antage
point for vie wing Chicago 's world-
renowned architecture is from the water.
See “Kid-Friendly Tours,” in chapter 6.
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Ogling O ur I nland O cean:
Chicago's
magnificent lakefr ont is an emerald
strand of parks and sand beaches, linked
by running, walking, rollerblading, and
biking trails. You'll appreciate the for e-
sight of Chicago's forefathers even more
when y ou compar e our fr ee and open
public lakefront to that of other G reat
Lakes cities like Toronto, wher e much
of the lakefr ont is used for industrial
purposes or is priv ately owned. And at
22,300 square miles in siz e and r each-
ing depths of 900 feet, our gr eat lake
will look mor e like the ocean to y our
kids. It's the only G reat Lake that lies
wholly in U.S. territory, and Chicago is
blessed with 29 miles of lakefr ont for
biking, 'blading, or simply being. So get
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