Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
6
Exploring Chicago with Your Kids
W
hile Chicago has sights that top
any world traveler's list (although
fewer than New York or London),
Chicago offers big family attractions,
too. Part of Chicago's kid-friendliness
comes from the location of our major
museums, which sit within walking
distance of beaches and miles of parks.
Kids can learn in the morning and run
free in the afternoon. Compared to
some major cities, outdoor space is
easy to find, thanks to miles of unim-
peded lakefront. And as every parent
knows, being outdoors is a welcome
relief when kids need to let off steam.
Although crowds do pack the major
museums on weekends and holidays,
the crowdedness is not on the level
of New York City on a similar day.
Summer is prime time here: Families
flock
to
Chicago on the weekends—
unlike other urban areas, where families
escape from
the city. When the weather
is warm, you'll find that suburbanites,
Wisconsinites, Iowans, and families
from other surrounding states head to
our city to enjoy the cool lake breezes.
Chicago's a no-nonsense Midwest-
ern city, and most establishments are
laid-back and open-minded. You won't
get the kind of urban snobbery you
might experience in other big cities.
For the most part, Chicagoans are
“nice”—another Midwestern qual-
ity—meaning you are more likely to
get a sympathetic smile than the evil
eye when trying to calm a crying child.
SIGHTSEEING SUGGESTIONS
If You Have 1 Day
Get thee on the water: Take a boat
tour of the Chicago River and Lake
Michigan. Even if your kids are
small, they'll enjoy being on the
water, and adults will enjoy learning
about our spectacular architecture.
(Chicago is a showcase of modern
architecture; for more on our
best buildings, pick up
Frommer's
Chicago.
) Some tours take you up
and down the Chicago River, then
through locks that release the boat
into Lake Michigan. You'll see first-
hand that the Chicago River is one
of the engineering marvels of our
nation; its flow was reversed to move
backwards from the lake, not into it,
in order to prevent river water from
polluting Lake Michigan.
Back on land, head south to the
Museum of Science and Industry,
the classic Chicago kids' attraction
that never fails to enthrall. After-
ward, head back to the city to dine at
a restaurant near Michigan Avenue
and the
Magnificent Mile.
Finish
off the day with a stroll along
the boulevard and up the
lakefront.
Although you won't see the sun set
over the lake (remember, the lake is
always to the east), the colors can be
spectacular anyway. (Interestingly,
on the other side of the lake, those in
Michigan and Indiana have the
opposite view: They never see the
sun rise over the lake, only set.)
If You Have 2 Days
Stroll around
the Loop
to see the
buildings and the city's extensive
