Chicago has popped up in so many motion pictures, a go to virtually seems like seeing an outdated buddy – and with so many issues to do in Chicago with children, how way more tempting do that you must e book?
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The largest metropolis in Illinois, it was voted finest massive metropolis within the US three years in a row – hardly stunning when you think about the improbable museums, its well-known skyscrapers, plus loads of inexperienced house and its setting on Lake Michigan.
So whether or not you’re wanting ahead to seeing the world’s largest dinosaur, making an attempt some deep dish pizza, exploring the Chicago river or taking part in along with your reflection within the Bean, I’ve acquired 23 of the perfect issues to do in Chicago with children to begin you off.
If Chicago is your place to begin for a terrific street journey, see my suggestions for Route 66 household sights, in addition to a Lake Michigan street journey with children or a Midwest street journey with children
The Area Museum of Pure Historical past
Residence to world well-known 40ft T-Rex skeleton Sue, the expertly curated collections on the Area Museum are unmissable for anybody visiting Chicago with children.
When you’ve stated good day to the 67 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus, essentially the most full T-Rex exhibit on this planet, it’s also possible to see the biggest dinosaur that ever lived, Maximo the Titanosaur.
Then take a stroll to see the mummies and hieroglyphics of the Inside Historic Egypt exhibit, earlier than travelling to the 1800s to go to the Pawnee Earth Lodge, or one of many short-term exhibitions.
Little ones will love the Crown Household Play Lab (open Thursday to Monday). Geared toward children aged two to 6, they will find out about science by means of play whereas dressing up as animals and uncovering fossils.
Purchase skip-the-line tickets to the Area Museum with free cancellation, together with the prospect to go for a one-hour VIP tour and ticketed exhibitions
Museum of Science and Trade
Fancy making a tidal wave, seeing the beginning of a twister or climbing inside a Second World Conflict submarine? A visit to the Griffin Museum of Science and Trade in Jackson Park is a memorable option to get palms on – together with getting blown away by a Tesla coil!
Purchase tickets to the Museum of Science and Trade with free cancellation right here
Science and historical past apart, you’ll discover pop-up displays showcasing pop-culture favourites – earlier ones have targeted on Harry Potter and the Marvel Universe, full with unique costumes – plus exhibits on the Big Dome Theater.
However don’t miss the classics just like the chicks at The Hatchery and bringing maths to life within the Mirror Maze – to not point out the museum’s first exhibit, descending into the actual Coal Mine.
One of many largest science museums within the US, you’ll additionally discover interactive displays filling three complete flooring, so it’s finest to plan an entire day right here.
Purchase a Chicago Metropolis cross to get entry to 5 main Chicago sights, with an possibility to go to the Museum of Science and Trade and several other others together with the Area Museum, as nicely the Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago
Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium could not be the biggest aquarium on this planet, nevertheless it held that title for years and continues to be probably the most spectacular with 32,000 animals inside the aquarium partitions.
You received’t simply see fish, there are displays with birds, snakes, amphibians, together with sharks. The Amazon Rising Exhibit has glass home windows proper all the way down to the ground, so it’s straightforward for youthful children to see what’s taking place, from electrical eels and frogs to small monkeys.
Or drop by the Abbott Oceanarium exhibit to witness dolphins and beluga whales frolic and play, earlier than heading to the Wild Reef Exhibit beneath for beautiful corals, sharks and stingrays.
The Polar Play Zone is the right place for little ones to let off steam whereas taking part in gown up and faux (as penguins, after all)! Don’t overlook to go to the contact pool to see what starfish and stingrays really feel like too, plus you’re proper by the lake shore too.
Get discounted tickets to Shedd Aquarium right here
Adler Planetarium
Take a peek at Chicago’s evening sky, hint the historical past of stargazing over the ages and enterprise into house to see how completely different planets search for shut on the fantastic Adler Planetarium.
It’s excellent when you’re visiting Chicago with children, with a lot that’s palms on: take pleasure in leaping on exploding stars or go searching house through laptop on A Stroll By means of Area and Time.
Or within the Planet Explorers exhibit, let children burn off power by leaping, crawling, flying, and even launching a pc animated rocket ship, earlier than getting your individual artistic juices flowing on the Neighborhood Design Labs – the Neighborhood Play Lab is aimed toward children aged below six.
Even the exhibits have choices focused on the littest stargazers, together with an opportunity to hitch Huge Chook and Elmo on a visit to the moon.
Artwork Institute of Chicago
With over 300,000 works from everywhere in the world, there’s no scarcity of artwork to see on the Artwork Institute of Chicago – and no scarcity of issues to do with youngsters at this Chicago attraction both.
Within the Household Room, you can also make your individual murals and create your individual personalised household museum tour, plus common household festivals and new exhibitions. When you’re visiting Chicago with teenagers, they may love the particular audio information produced by Chicago teenagers as nicely.
To not point out up to date and fashionable artwork galore to encourage younger artists: Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Matisse, Warhol, Pollock… the checklist goes on.
Take the household on a cultural journey by means of the ages as you drop by the Thorne Miniature Rooms to take a peek at their tiny European and American interiors from the thirteenth century to the Thirties.
There’s no cost for teenagers aged below 14, so it’s supreme when you’re in search of low cost issues to do in Chicago with children as nicely.
Purchase a Chicago Metropolis cross to get entry to 5 main Chicago sights, together with The Area Museum, Adler Planetarium, Artwork Institute of Chicago and Museum of Science and Trade, as nicely the Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago
Chicago Historical past Museum
Uncover Chicago’s historical past, in addition to its place in America’s previous, on the Chicago Historical past Museum – filled with artefacts and many probabilities to get palms on.
You may see a bit of the unique Fort Dearborn and the primary locomotive to function in Chicago, uncover extra concerning the Nice Chicago Hearth, peer down from an I-beam on the prime of the sears Tower, stroll throughout the hardwood from the unique Chicago Stadium or be taught what it was like to walk down Maxwell Avenue within the Fifties.
Older children can be taught extra about every little thing from Abraham Lincoln to the Civil Rights Motion, whereas for youthful children (OK, everybody), one spotlight goes to be pretending to be a Chicago-style sizzling canine although. It’s additionally near Lincoln Park Zoo (learn on for extra particulars) when you wished to mix each.
Purchase tickets for the Chicago Historical past Museum with free cancellation
Lincoln Park Zoo
Based in 1868, Lincoln Park Zoo is without doubt one of the oldest in North America, and with 200 completely different species of animals together with birds, reptiles, fish and bugs, the zoo has a lot to fascinate children and adults alike.
In addition to with the ability to see all of the unique inhabitants, youthful children can attempt the Lionel Practice Journey, which passes forest and canyon, in addition to the endangered species carousel. It’s by no means too early to begin studying about conservation!
The zoo has additionally created a sequence of self-guided excursions that can assist you uncover the highlights. Attempt the Little Explorer Tour, which incorporates the Pritzker Household Youngsters’s Zoo, with its hands-on experiences and cattle. Or you may go for the largest sights or the bizarre creatures, amongst different choices.
It’s a improbable free day trip with children in Chicago (there’s a small cost for actions just like the practice experience and carousel).
You’re additionally near the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which can also be in Lincoln Park – there are child pleasant displays and walkways to identify some native wildlife at this museum, which focuses on the surroundings
Experience Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier
Standing practically 200 toes tall, you’ll get some superb 360-degree views throughout Chicago and Lake Michigan on the Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier – and as they’re enclosed and local weather managed, it’s nice everytime you go to Chicago.
Plus there’s a lot extra enjoyable available at Navy Pier afterwards, sitting practically a mile into Lake Michigan, with nice public artwork in addition to a string of sights.
Attempt the Wonderful Chicago’s Funhouse Maze with 4,000 sq. toes of results, splash within the interactive fountains at Polk Bros Park (all 12,500 sq. foot of them!), stroll the Crystal Gardens indoor botanic gardens or benefit from the rides, from carousel to heart-racing enjoyable.
The Chicago Youngsters’s Museum can also be set right here – scroll all the way down to learn extra about why this ought to be in your checklist of issues to do in Chicago with children.
Purchase tickets to experience the Centennial Wheel with free cancellation right here
Willis Tower Skydeck
The long-lasting Willis Tower – previously referred to as the Sears Tower – normally tops each traveller’s Chicago bucket checklist, and much more so when you’re visiting Chicago with children.
Standing 1,450 toes tall, its glass Skydeck observatory has unmatched panoramic views of town and 4 completely different states throughout 50 miles. There are some nice free bonuses for households too, together with a scavenger hunt and truth sheets to obtain.
Much more thrilling, head to The Ledge to expertise the exhilarating feeling of standing on high-strength laminated clear glass that juts out 4.3 toes from the 103rd flooring, so you may look straight down from 1,353 toes up within the air! It’s price understanding that your time is proscribed – 60 seconds for teams of three or much less, 90 seconds for teams of 4.
Though you’ll get nice views all through the day, the perfect occasions to move to the Skydeck are straight after opening (benefit from any jetlag and get there early!) or arrive round half-hour earlier than sundown, to look at the solar go down and see the twinkling metropolis lights at nightfall.
360 Chicago
For extra nice views of town, take a look at tickets to 360 Chicago, previously the John Hancock Constructing Observatory, 1,000ft above Michigan Avenue.
After a video and a small exhibition on Chicago historical past and its neighbourhoods, the superfast raise whisks you up 94 flooring to get a number of the finest panoramas out over the Windy Metropolis.
In addition to looking to the lake and the shore, you may see all the way down to Navy Pier, in addition to throughout a number of the skyscrapers of town’s iconic skyline.
For an added thrill, attempt Tilt (further ticket) the place the glass window tilts you slowly ahead to look down, as when you’re suspended in mid-air.
Chicago Youngsters’s Museum
This enjoyable attraction on Navy Pier is designed to let children experiment, be taught and develop their creativity by means of every little thing from play to STEM displays.
It’s laborious to beat when you’ve acquired children aged 4 to eight, whether or not they’re exploring Cloud Buster, 37 climbable toes of structural metal, wooden, wire, rope, acrylic, fiberglass, and synthetic turf. Or they will dig for ‘bones’ as they find out about dinosaurs, design skyscrapers or get palms on with some DIY together with actual instruments.
For the youngest guests to Chicago Youngsters’s Museum there are child and crawler play trails, supreme when you’re visiting Chicago with a toddler,
Older children may also love Zoom Room, letting them ship toy automobiles hurtling round a colossal racecourse, with greater than 40 tracks to mess around with. Enjoyable for even greater children too!
Kohl Youngsters’s Museum
In case your children love taking part in let’s faux, then Kohl Youngsters’s Museum is ideal. Geared toward children aged eight and below, there’s an opportunity to check out actual life on a mini scale together with the recreations of a Complete Meals Market, Fingers On Home and Play Cafe.
You’ll additionally discover music, artwork and books among the many 15 everlasting indoor areas, in addition to the Pet Vet areas for small animal lovers and enjoyable methods to find science and maths with the prospect to construct skyscrapers from blocks, play with trains and extra.
Don’t miss the Water Works station, balancing balls on water, spinning submerged gears and floating plastic jellyfish – that is at all times a winner.
Discover the parks
There are a formidable 570 parks in Chicago so it’s straightforward to get exterior and discover a inexperienced oasis within the metropolis, when you’re visiting Chicago with children.
No journey to Chicago is full and not using a cease at Millennium Park. You’ll discover exhibitions and particular programmes of occasions in addition to the stunning gardens, plus the mesmerising Cloud Gate, higher referred to as The Bean.
There are additionally public artwork strolling excursions to hitch, and drop by the Crown Fountain, designed utilizing glass and light-weight in addition to water.
This family-friendly bike tour consists of Millennium Park and the Riverwalk as you attempt a number of the metropolis’s prime meals alongside the way in which, together with deep dish pizza and a real Chicago sizzling canine, or the Museum of Illusions is simply a few minutes stroll away from the park
Or head to close by Maggie Daley Park for extra adventures to fill your day. Additionally positioned within the Loop, the park has an entire string of actions that youngsters will love, from wall climbing to mini-golf, play areas, a wave backyard and slides, not forgetting ice skating through the winter.
For an additional nice day outside in Chicago with children, head to the Chicago Botanic Backyard, round a half hour drive from town itself
The Chicago Riverwalk
Heat climate within the Windy Metropolis means lengthy walks and enjoyable occasions outside, and there are few locations higher than the Chicago Riverwalk.
The 1.25 mile path has some nice views of the skyline, in addition to actions and loads of locations to seize some meals alongside the way in which – it’s additionally totally paved so excellent when you’re in search of one thing stroller-friendly.
You’ll discover extra public artwork, together with murals and sculptures alongside the way in which, or cease off on the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum to be taught concerning the metropolis’s 18 well-known bridges.
Take a ship tour
When you’ve seen town from the Riverwalk, head out onto the water itself with a river tour or some kayaking. This 90-minute structure cruise is family-friendly and departs from close to DuSable Bridge, whereas there’s additionally a 45-minute structure cruise in order for you a shorter possibility with youthful children.
We have been unfortunate sufficient to e book ours for a wet Might night, however even with the unhealthy climate, we acquired some improbable views – when the solar shines (or on dry evenings with town lit up), it’s laborious to beat.
When you choose to see town from Lake Michigan, this Lake Michigan Skyline cruise lasts 40 minutes and has a recorded commentary on town’s landmarks.
Or take pleasure in views from each the Chicago River and Lake Michigan on an City Journey River and Lake Cruise – the 90-minute daytime tour packs in a number of the structure, views of Navy Pier and the lighthouse, but additionally permits you to expertise the Chicago Harbor Lock as you enter the Nice Lake.
Take the hop-on hop-off bus
If you wish to get your bearings earlier than exploring, or need a good way to see a number of the highlights of Chicago with children with out an excessive amount of strolling, it’s laborious to beat a hop-on hop-off bus tour.
There’s stay commentary and also you’ll cross a number of the metropolis’s iconic skyscrapers, in addition to stops close to Navy Pier, the Willis Tower and sights together with the Area Museum and Shedd Aquarium.
It’s free for teenagers below two, and there’s no restrict to the variety of occasions you may hop on and off, with tickets for sooner or later or two.
Take a Chicago metropolis tour
There’s quite a bit to find in Chicago, so becoming a member of a tour is a good way to see a number of the metropolis’s highlights – take a 90-minute stroll on a Magnificent Mile Strolling Tour, uncover Chicago Chinatown Historical past and Tradition, attempt an Offbeat Guided Avenue Artwork tour or go for the Should-See Chicago: Structure, Historical past & Tradition tour.
How a couple of Downtown TV websites and film tour, visiting 30 areas which have featured in some iconic motion pictures – nice whether or not you’re a fan of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Darkish Knight, the Blues Brothers – or an entire host of TV exhibits.
When you’re visiting Chicago with teenagers who’re fascinated by town’s skyscrapers, head inside on a Secret Interiors Structure Strolling Tour which exhibits you a number of the lovely particulars contained in the landmarks in addition to introducing you to the challenges architects confronted in designing these spectacular towers.
Or find out about Chicago’s darker facet, from its gangster historical past to its ghostly ghoulish previous on a Gangsters and Ghosts guided strolling tour – open to all ages, although not advisable for households with infants (and in actuality, higher for older children given the content material).
Don’t wish to stroll? This Downtown Household Meals Tour by Bike squeezes in sightseeing between making an attempt every little thing from Chicago deep pan pizza and sizzling canines to brownies. Children over 12 also can be part of a Lakefront Segway Tour of Chicago, zipping by means of a number of the metropolis’s parks alongside the way in which.
Chicago Youngsters’s Theatre
The Chicago Youngsters’s Theatre is designed for younger audiences, and these enchanting productions are an ideal option to create a memorable household journey, in addition to to spark a love of stay theatre and the performing arts.
The corporate performs unique performs corresponding to The Egocentric Big, The Hundred Attire, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, when you’ll additionally discover puppet exhibits on their schedule and performances designed to go away children feeling calmer.
The theatre additionally runs the Pink Kite Venture for youngsters on the autism spectrum, with particular programmes and initiatives to make their productions accessible to all.
See a ball recreation
The Chicago Cubs are one of many oldest Main League Baseball groups within the US (some say the oldest, however that’s an extended argument!) in addition to having the second oldest stadium at Wrigley Park so it’s a terrific place to see a ball recreation – even when you’re not a devoted fan of the game, the ambiance is improbable.
However that;’s not your solely possibility – the Chicago White Sox are town’s second MLB staff, so that you’ve acquired twice the prospect of catching a recreation when you’re within the metropolis.
The White Sox stadium (Assured Fee Area) is barely nearer to Downtown Chicago, lower than 10 minutes’ drive (though do enable time for recreation day visitors) – you should buy tickets to a Chicago White Sox baseball recreation right here.
Wrigley Area continues to be solely round quarter-hour drive from town centre (visitors allowing!) and you should buy tickets to a Chicago Cubs baseball recreation right here.
The Cauldron
Add some magic to your day trip in Chicago with children with a go to to The Cauldron, the place you may refuel with a spot of potion making.
After a welcome drink poured by magic wand, you’ll even be outfitted with a wand of your individual to brew up two extra molecular cocktails – non-alcoholic variations additionally included.
The potion making expertise is about inside a wizard-themed bar and restaurant set inside an outdated financial institution and vault – excellent for imagining you’re at Gringotts! Solely appropriate for teenagers aged 5+, particular time slots out there for households.
Take a donut tour
What’s higher than a strolling tour? A strolling tour which leads you from donut retailer to donut retailer, whereas studying extra concerning the metropolis.
The Underground Donut tour begins at Chicago’s French Market, with a minimum of 4 stops alongside the way in which through the two-hour stroll. The toughest half? Deciding which donuts you’re going to decide on.
An effective way to absorb some historical past and deal with your self. Simply be ready for the sugar rush and crash!
Chicago Museum of Ice Cream
Don’t fancy doughnuts? Who may resist the Museum of Ice Cream – positively not your common museum!
With 14 multi-sensory installations, you’re inspired to get palms on as you find out about ice cream and its historical past, tantalise all of your senses – and naturally, eat some scrumptious treats, with 5 completely different choices to decide on between.
To complete, you may play in a pool full of thousands and thousands of sprinkles or attempt a spherical of mini golf on the Putt-Putt course to burn off some sugar.
Legoland Discovery Middle
Not removed from O’Hare Worldwide Airport, the Lego-themed attraction is dwelling to rides and a 4D cinema, in addition to numerous probabilities to get constructing among the many thousands and thousands of brick fashions.
There’s an opportunity to benefit from the Chicago skyline and cityscape in Miniland, whereas children may also love coming head to head with life-size Lego animals on a Jungle Expedition on the Legoland Discovery Middle, together with a path as you go.
Or construct your individual Lego racing automobile and problem your loved ones to a race on the check observe, in addition to including your individual touches to the Lego Pals Heartlake Metropolis city.
Excellent for a wet day in Chicago with children, or when you’re visiting town in winter – however that is one household pleasant attraction that youngsters will love year-round.
For extra inspiration for a US household metropolis break, take a look at my prime issues to do in New York with children, Washington DC with children, what to do in Boston with children and the perfect issues to do in San Francisco with children
*First revealed 2021, up to date 2024*
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Shedd Aquarium interiors/360 Chicago views/cloudy river view/Millennium Park fountain copyright MummyTravels, all different photographs courtesy of Depositphotos