Staycation Ideas in Downtown Chicago with Kids
It’s so easy to plan a staycation when you live in or so close to such an amazing city as Chicago. I find it somewhat difficult to plan other city vacations, because there are so many kid-friendly activities and attractions already at our finger tips here at home.
Unlike my other travel itineraries, this blog won’t have specific daily plans; rather, I will include lots of ideas for fun things to do with kids, no matter if you go for the day or stay the entire week!
My fun staycation ideas include:
Popular and unique museums
Tourist attractions
Outdoor parks and beaches
Exploring broadway theater
Restaurants & dessert shops
How to get around the city
Our favorite hotels
Seasonal holiday fun
Take some, leave some, spread it out over more days, or look up other attractions that I may have missed! Either way, you’re guaranteed to have the perfect staycation with your kids.
Photo owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
Visit a museum.
There is no doubt that Downtown Chicago has some of the best museums in the country. From the aquariums and zoos, to art, history, science and space, you are bound to find something of interest for all of your kids.
Museum Campus has the most popular museum attractions, with the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and Adler Planetarium all in one area, and along the lakefront with a gorgeous view of the skyline. But my favorite city museum to visit is actually a little further south at the Museum of Science & Industry.
But in addition to these popular attractions, you MUST look into some of the more unique museums downtown too! Mindworks on Michigan Ave, the Chicago Maritime Museum and the Busy Beaver Button Museum are just a small sampling of additional places to enjoy in the city.
For a full list of museums in the city [and the suburbs], you can check out my blog post below:
Immersive & Interactive Museums
Nowadays, there are so many museums with a full immersive experience, which make it so much more enjoyable for kids. My favorite one that we’ve brought our kids to is the Sloomoo Institute. It’s the perfect type of place to get down and dirty, but where you don’t have to clean up the mess! For a full review about our experience at Sloomoo, check out my blog post below:
Photo at the Sloomoo Institute owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
A couple other immersive museums we’ve taken the kids to are the WNDR Museum, where there is plenty of interactive and multi-sensory experiences coupled with art installations, and the Museum of Ice Cream, where you can enjoy unlimited ice cream, learn all about the history of ice cream, and play in the sprinkle pool.
Additional immersive museums in downtown Chicago include:
Color Factory Chicago
320 W Jackson Blvd, LL 2
Chicago IL 60606
CAMP Chicago
647 W North Ave
Chicago IL 60610
Museum of Illusions Chicago
25 E Washington St
Chicago IL 60602
Be a tourist.
Photo of TILT via 360chicago.com
What better way to truly explore the city, than by doing all the touristy-type attractions! Enjoy the breathtaking views atop the 360 Chicago Observation Deck at the John Hancock Center, where you can also TILT out over 1,030 feet above Chicago; or head over to the Skydeck at the Sears Tower [ahem: NOT Willis Tower], where you can go out onto The Ledge: 1.5” of glass that is perched 4.3ft outside of the Tower, hanging above 103 floors.
For those with younger kids, plan ahead and make a full day experience at the American Girl store! Located in the Water Tower Place, your child will absolutely love the different activities they offer, such as cookie decorating or crafts in the park; or make a reservation at the salon for both your child and their doll, dine at the delicious restaurant on site or celebrate with friends with an in-store party!
Enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
Navy Pier
Navy Pier is such a staple of downtown Chicago, with the iconic Centennial Wheel peeking out in the skyline. Between the indoor marketplace at the front of the pier, to the hallways lined with shops and restaurants, you can easily spend a whole day here.
But did you know that Navy Pier is also now home to Pier Park, which has a wide variety of rides, games and amusements? In addition to the Centennial Wheel, there are also a couple of drop rides, tea cups, a swing ride and a carousel.
Also outdoors on the pier are a plethora of boat cruises and tours venturing out into Lake Michigan. There are many to choose from, but one of my favorite boat tours to take the kids onto is the Seadog Lakefront Speedboat Tour.
Chicago Riverwalk
One of my favorite places to walk outdoors downtown is the Chicago Riverwalk. You wouldn’t think a short stretch of sidewalk could bring so much joy, but it is definitely my happy place when I’m in the city. Walk up and down the riverwalk, stop for a bite to eat at any of the great restaurants and wineries, grab delicious gelato at Sweet Home Gelato, and then do my favorite thing to do on the riverwalk: people watch.
Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park
Start at Millennium Park where you can easily spend over an hour walking through the gardens, listening to music at the amphitheater, dipping your toes in the fountain and looking for yourself in the famous Bean— all for free!
When you’ve exhausted your time there, take the beautifully designed BP Pedestrian Bridge across Columbus Dr and into Maggie Daley Park, where you can walk the gardens, have fun at the many playgrounds and play structures, have a picnic, climb the climbing wall, play mini golf, cool off at the splash pad and so much more.
Buckingham Fountain
A short 15 mins walk from the above outdoor attractions, Buckingham Fountain is located in Grant Park, producing beautifully run water displays for 20 minutes, every hour on the hour, between 9a and 11p daily, from early May through mid-October [weather dependent]. Stop by to watch the show, where the center jet shoots water to a height of 150ft in the air!
Spend some time at the beach.
Photo via UIC Tutorium
Honestly, as I keep writing this blog post, it reminds me how underrated Chicago can be! On top of all the attractions I’ve already listed, downtown Chicago has some breathtaking views, including the beaches.
You can’t beat 26 miles of scenic lakefront, along Lake Michigan. Public parks and gardens, motor water activities, food & drinks along the waterfront and an 18-mile Lakefront Trail are just a handful of ways you can enjoy the public beaches.
One of my favorite beaches to take the kids at is Ohio Street Beach, just a quick walk from Navy Pier. Because of its location along the Oak Street curve, the 1/2 mile of shallow water makes it ideal for young kids to swim in. There is also a nice little cafe right on the beach called Caffè Oliva.
For more of our favorite beaches in the city, check out my blog post below:
Watch a theater show.
Musicals, plays and other broadway shows— Chicago has some of the best theater life in the country. To stay up-to-date on what’s playing, you can check out chicago-theater.com or theaterinchicago.com.
One of my favorite permanent shows that my kids absolutely loved going to is Blue Man Group. Its home has been at the Briar Street Theater for over 25 years, performing and entertaining audiences of all ages. There is not one bad seat in the house, so if you do have really little ones with you, it might be best to sit towards the back if they are are bothered by loud noises. However, they also lend out complimentary noise-canceling headsets at the door!
Eat out and grab desserts.
Here are a few of our favorite restaurants and dessert places to take the kids to when you’re downtown:
Pinstripes
435 E Illinois St
Chicago IL 60611
Ed Debevics
159 E Ohio St
Chicago IL 60611
Hard Rock Cafe
63 W Ontario St
Chicago IL 60654
The Cheesecake Factory
875 N Michigan Ave
Chicago IL 60611
The Dearborn
145 N Dearborn St
Chicago IL 60602
Best place before or after a show!
Billy Goat Tavern
Multiple locations through the city
Roots Handmade Pizza
1924 W Chicago Ave, Chicago IL 60622
744 S Dearborn St, Chicago IL 60605
Eleven City Diner
1112 S Wabash Ave
Chicago IL 60605
The Original Rainbow Cone
600 E Grand Ave
Chicago IL 60611
Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop
400 N Michigan Ave, Ste 100
Chicago IL 60611
Molly’s Cupcakes
Multiple locations throughout the city
JoJo’s ShakeBAR
23 W Hubbard St
Chicago IL 60654
Kid-Friendly Downtown Hotels.
During the summertime, my favorite downtown hotel to stay at with kids is the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. We pay a little more for the balcony room, which the kids love, but it’s definitely not necessary. No matter what kind of room you get, you’ll have access to the rooftop pool, which has a gorgeous view! There is an outdoor lap pool, hot tub and a smaller pool off to the side, and then another indoor lap pool. In addition to the rooftop pool, there is also a beautiful rooftop courtyard, an outdoor running track and a fitness room with a half-size basketball court.
Photo of the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
During the holiday season, we really enjoy staying at the Loews Chicago Hotel. It’s tradition for us to go downtown the weekend of the Mag Mile Parade and Lights Festival and watch the fireworks from our room or in the lobby. During the holiday season, Loews offers a Gingerbread + Breakfast Package, which includes a gingerbread cookie decorating kit, an in-room movie, books from the holiday bedtime story cart, a tent set up in the room and so much more!
To read more about our holiday stay at the Loews Chicago Hotel, check out my blog post below:
Our Festive Stay at the Loews Chicago Hotel
And keep reading below for more downtown hotels that are decked out during the holiday season!
Need more hotel ideas for overnight stays with kids?
[Warning: the price tags are not for the faint of heart!]
Embassy Suites, River North
600 N State St
Chicago IL 60654
Embassy Suites, Magnificent Mile
511 N Columbus Dr
Chicago IL 60611
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
505 N Michigan Ave
Chicago IL 60611
Omni Chicago Hotel
676 N Michigan Ave
Chicago IL 60611
Swissotel Chicago
323 E Wacker Dr
Chicago IL 60601
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
120 E Delaware Pl
Chicago IL 60611
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
160 E Pearson St
Chicago IL 60611
The Royal Sonesta Chicago River North
505 N State St
Chicago IL 60654
The Langham, Chicago
330 N Wabash Ave
Chicago IL 60611
The Peninsula Chicago
108 E Superior St
Chicago IL 60611
How to get around downtown.
No matter how you get downtown, once you’re down there, it’s probably best to use public transportation to get around: flag down a cab or ride share, take an L train or use the CTA bus. The mode of transportation you use, really just depends on where you are and where you want to get to. When I travel, I like to use the website Rome2Rio to help me figure out the best way to get around.
An alternative option to public transportation is to just walk! Chicago is a really walkable city and all of downtown is on a grid system, so it’s easy to get around and know where you’re going. It’s pretty amazing too, how on one block you can be strolling through the city sounds of traffic, and then just another block over, you’re in a quiet park or listening to the waves on Lake Michigan along the Lakefront Trail.
Want another unique way to get around downtown? How about a Water Taxi! Take the Water Taxi down the Chicago River from Ogilvie and Union Station to Michigan Ave, or further south to Chinatown.
Holidays in Chicago.
Photo of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting via Getty Images
Sure, Chicago winters are brutal, but don’t let the bitter cold stop you from enjoying the holiday season downtown. The city gets so festive with bright holiday lights, decorated hotels and trains, magnificent displays and events, holiday markets and theater shows, and so much more! See my blog post below for a larger list of downtown Chicago activities during the holiday season:
Earlier in this blog post, I talked about our favorite overnight hotels in the city; but during the holiday season, there are even more amazing hotel options to choose from, that have extravagant holiday packages, gorgeous festive decor and special events to make your stay even more special. Check out some of these decked out hotels below:
13 Decked Out Hotels in Chicago
Need more ideas of festive holiday activities and events during the winter season?
For more vacation itineraries or travel tips, be sure to check out my travel page.
All photos in this post are owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow, unless otherwise noted.
*All opinions in this blog post are my own and I’ve received no incentives*
It’s so easy to plan a staycation when you live in or so close to such an amazing city as Chicago. Between the world-class museums, popular tourist attractions, outdoor parks and beaches, broadway theater and so much more, you will never come up short of ideas for the perfect staycation!