Get Ready for Endless Fun at These 8 Kid-Friendly Attractions in Chicago
Why the Windy City is Perfect for Families
When planning a family vacation, you want to make sure the destination has plenty of attractions that will keep your kids busy and enjoying themselves. Look no further than Chicago, without a doubt one of the best cities in the United States to visit with kids.
Book one of the best hotels in Chicago, figure out how you’re going to get there, and then embark on the most fun part of the trip planning process — figuring out what you’re going to do while there.
Visitors will find fabulous city parks, zoos, museums and a stunning skyline. With so much to do, your itinerary will be jam packed — to your dismay, as your kids will want to spend the whole day at each of these attractions.
Check out our picks of things to do in Chicago with kids and your entire family is sure to have a memorable trip.
Adler Planetarium
The Adler Planetarium is a public museum situated on the banks of Lake Michigan on the tip of Northerly Island. It is the first planetarium in the country and has been welcoming families, tourists and locals since 1930.
The planetarium has three full-size theaters that show a variety of space-related shows throughout the year. The museum also has a range of extensive exhibitions that include antique scientific instruments, documents and a number of exhibits related to astronomy and astrophysics.
If you’re looking for free things to do in Chicago, look out for free museum days at the Planetarium.
See the City from the Water
While the typical tourist who visits the Windy City will see the sights from the back of a taxi or by walking the sidewalks, one of the best ways to see Chicago is from the river. A number of companies offer river or lake tours.
Book a Chicago architecture boat tour and hop aboard to experience stunning views of the iconic buildings that make up Chicago’s skyline. Many of the tours have guides aboard that give history of the sights.
Alternatively, you can book a dinner cruise to dine with a view. Each year the city dyes the Chicago River Green for St. Patrick’s Day and a few companies even offer exclusive St. Patrick’s Day cruises for a truly unique Chicago experience.
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The Field Museum
The Field Museum of Natural History is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. The museum features a very diverse collection of permanent exhibits. In addition they attract high-quality temporary exhibits and traveling shows.
One of the most popular exhibits for kids is Sue the T. rex, which also includes a 3D movie experience. There are a number of other dinosaur exhibits in interactive displays and landscapes.
Inside Ancient Egypt offers your kids a chance to see a re-created mummy tomb. Other exhibits that rank highly with kids include The Crown Family Play Lab, which offers tons of interactive fun, Underground Adventure, Pawnee Earth Lodge and McDonald’s Fossil Prep Lab.
