Chicago, with kids!
TV ClubHouse: Archive: Chicago, with kids!
Mamaanja | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 03:27 pm     The boys and I are going to join my husband on a business trip to Bloomington, Illinois. We will have the opportunity to go to Chicago for the day on Friday, Aug. 23. I'm hoping that those of you familiar with Chicagoland can give me some tips! We think we'll go to the Shedd Aquarium. Any other ideas? Our boys are 3 and 1. Should we even bother with a stroller or use backpacks to carry them? Thanks in advance. |
Ryn | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 03:42 pm     3 and 1 thats the catch.... Aquarium and the Zoo (zoo is free - a mile maybe north of the Aquarium). that would be enough to wear out kids that age, everything else (to me) would be too 'old' for them. I would bring strollers - the aquarium is stroller friendly - and you get to ride an elevator up and pass a bit of the line if I recall (hehe). |
Bob2112 | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 03:54 pm     I think Ryn's got it. Lincoln Park Zoo and the Aquarium would make for a nice day with the little ones. Maybe get something to eat on Michigan Ave. There's The Cheesecake Factory at the bottom of the John Hancock Center. Always one of my favorites. Hope you have a great time when you get here. ...wonders why Mamaanja would want to carry a stroller in a backpack...  |
Mamaanja | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 04:01 pm     Bob, are you being silly? Or did I misuderstand a joke? The backpack would be for the children to ride in. Of course, it's designed to carry children. Not just your normal backpack..... Thanks for the tips! |
Mamaanja | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 05:30 pm     Would you recommend that we drive up from Bloomington or take the train? If we do drive, will we be able to park at the aquarium? |
Ryn | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 05:35 pm     Is there a train from Bloomington to Chicago? I haven't a clue. We drive to Chicago, and park, there is surface parking near the Aquarium and might want to leave your car there and look at walking to the zoo (you can always grab a taxi if you get tired). I just know at that age they have limited attention spans ;) My 9 & 5 year old love the Museum of Science and Industry, but there is not much there to entertain a 3 yr old. Also, the date you mention is a Friday - not that driving is ever wonderful in Chicago, but Fridays can be nasty when people start heading out of town. |
Ryn | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 05:37 pm     Thinking a bit more..... If you wanted to Walk it... park at the Shedd, see it, walk (it would be a hike), to the Hancock - do the Cheesecake as suggested, or not - it is on the Magnificent Mile though. The Zoo is North of the Hancock - right?? North East??? Then you could catch a taxi back to your car. Or - you could walk West from the aquarium a few blocks and catch an L-Train and see the "loop" and not walk all way with kids. |
Halfunit | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 06:52 pm     I have visited Chi-town and say park at the aquarium ($10 max for the day, I think), then I'd either cab it to the zoo, or inquire at the aquarium if there is a shuttle or some type of city bus that runs to the zoo (I bet your little ones get to ride for free...) |
Ryn | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 07:12 pm     Oh - other thing to keep in mid - Zoo - all outdoors except some of the exhibits. Aquarium - all indoors. So if check the weather and maybe you will want ot flip-flop your schedule if one part of the day will be better than the other for the Zoo - either way you could still park at Shedd. |
Mamaanja | Monday, August 12, 2002 - 07:13 pm     Thanks so much everyone! I can't wait. |
Ryn | Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 10:10 am     Ty for your post in my folder - I just saw it - glad you had a good time |
Julieboo | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 02:57 pm     Mama How was your trip? I recently took my 3 year old to both of those places on the same day too. But he didn't like the aquarium too much, but he did like the zoo. It's so nice that the zoo is free. This weekend we are taking him to Navy Pier and the Children's museum and Rainforest Cafe. |
Mamaanja | Friday, September 06, 2002 - 07:03 pm     Julie, Thanks for asking. We had a really wonderful day. We got to the city around 10:30 and buzzed by my husbands companies Chicago office. (is that proper grammar?) Then we had a quick bite to eat and headed to the aquarium. We got to use the accessible entrance with our stroller--and bypassed a big line. (thanks for that tip, Ryn..) The boys loved the penguins the most, I think. It was neat. I'd love to go back there sometime and actually read the information they have at each exhibit. After the aquarium we walked along the Lake toward the planetarium because our van was parked back there. We could see Navy Pier. There is just so much to do in Chicago! Hopefully we'll get to go again. I'm sure we will. Kansas City is really not that far away. (in the grand scheme of things....) Hope you have fun this weekend! |
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