Top 5 Activities in Chicago with Kids

chicago bean sculpture: copyright Stephany Wiestling, all rights reserved.

Spending a family vacation in Chicago is so fun! There are so many things to do in Chicago with kids, there’s no way I can list them all here. But if you only have a few days, here are 5 things not to miss. Although, I highly recommend you plan a return trip to explore more of this great family friendly city.

Willis Tower Skydeck: Stand off the edge of a skyscraper and amaze your friends with the photos… in complete safety. Even though I am crazy afraid of heights, we did this and I will confess that it is way less scary than I imagined. You are completely enclosed in glass as you stand looking 50 stories down at the streets below. Ok, I’m getting more woozy talking about it than I did actually doing it. Gotta try it.

Shedd Aquarium: If you’ve been following us for any length of time, you know that we are aquarium junkies. This one is top-notch with Beluga whales, a dolphin show, and countless other mesmerizing exhibits. The cafeteria is actually good and has healthy options, which you don’t normally find in places like this.

Field Museum: Dinosaur lovers will be thrilled to be greeted by Sue the T-Rex upon entering the museum. There are several traveling exhibits that are wonderful, so check the website to see which ones appeal to your kids. We didn’t get to spend nearly enough time there, and only got around the first turn, learning about more birds than I ever knew existed. Our next trip, we will devote a whole day to just this.

Navy Pier: The nation’s tallest Ferris Wheel, an award-winning children’s museum, boat tours, tons of family restaurants, and street performers make this a can’t miss stop on your Chicago vacation.

Millenium Park: The Bean is a super-cool sculpture, it captivates even those who have aversions to art and museums. Millenium Park has another trick up it’s sleeve with the Crown Fountain video splash park. You have to experience this in the summertime. It’s a splash park in the middle of the city, with video faces displayed on either side of the sculpture making it high-brow for adults and still super fun for kids. Throughout the summer there are several festivals and concerts between here and Grant park (just a few blocks away) to keep everyone entertained and happy.