Chicago questions with little kids

In My Humble Opinion
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Part II of the Summer Road Trip.

I am going to Chicago with two small-ish children (7 and 11). We have two full days in the city, 3 nights at our hotel in Oakbrook. I know there are multiple very helpful threads on the Windy City, but I have some of my own questions.

Our basic itinerary is the Loop one day, north of the River on the next. Very flexible, though. Our favorite thing is to wander and (for me) take pictures.

Day One will be Shedd, Sears Tower, Grant/Millennium Park, and exploring the Loop (Marshall Fields, Picasso, Architecture Center, Buckingham Fountain, etc).

Day Two will be a River & Lake Cruise (thinking Wendella, but open to recommendations), window-shopping on the Magnificent Mile, Water Tower, Navy Pier.

My usual disclaimer applies: I’m an unpretentious tourist, so I’ll prefer experiencing nearby Gino’s East than trying to find a “more authentic” pizza place in Alsip. But I’m not a total newbie, I did refer to Marshall Fields and Sears Tower above.

So onto my questions:

I think we’re going to drive into Chicago both days, a Thursday and Friday in July. I know ahead of time I’ll probably be paying $30-$40 for the day. But figuring 4 paying people, that’s about $40 R/T on a Metra from Oakbrook to Union Station, plus the walk from Union Station to the attractions.

That said: Any recommended parking places for each of my days? I think I want to start my days at the Shedd and Wendella Boat respectively.

Vetting all the museums, my family picked the Shedd Aquarium. How much time should I allow there? We plan on getting the full package with the Beluga Whales, but probably not the online advance ticket with the movie and dolphin show. Will the line be terribly long on a summer weekday? We plan on getting there early when it opens.

We are going to be there during Taste of Chicago, so that means everyone will be out eating and partying, ignoring the aquarium, right? :wink:

Is the Shedd too far a walk if I park in the Loop, say, close to Marshall Fields or Millennium Park? Would it be better to park at Shedd early, then find parking in the Loop after (perhaps surrendering Early Bird rates).

My kids love trains. Is there a way to just take a spin around the Loop on the El? I figure a complete O-shaped round trip isn’t possible, but is there a line I can take in a C-shape and get off before it branches out?

Do we have to pay a fare for 7-year-old on the El?

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Use spothero to find reasonably priced parking.

If you want to go around the Loop on the train, just board the Brown Line at any station on the elevated structure, then ride the train to the Merchandise Mart station, cross to the other side and ride back to wherever you boarded. By the way, the “El” is in New York, the ‘L’ is in Chicago.

Here is a nice map of downtown Chicago (drawn by one of our very own board members) that shows you where all the buses and trains are. Here is the downtown tourist map (also drawn by the same person) that goes into more touristy stuff.

I can easily walk from the Loop to the Aquarium, but I don’t have two children with me. It is a big of a long walk. I suggest you take the 146 bus, which runs down State Street in the Loop. It will take you right to the Museum Campus. It’s fast and easy. Don’t be scared to ride a bus.

Yes, you have to pay a fare for a 7 year old (but not a 6 year old). 7 thru 11 year olds are allowed to pay a half fare. On the bus it’s easy: Just drop the cash into the fare box. On the train, it’s very difficult to pay half fare. While the fare vending machines make it easy to pay a full fare, they don’t dispense any tickets specific to reduced fare patrons. What you need to do (in order to pay a reduced fare), is buy a Ventra Card ($5) from the machine. Then add cash (called “transit value”) to the Ventra Card to cover the fares. Once you have your Ventra Card loaded, you have to find a station attendant (not always easy) and tell them that you have half-fare children with you. Half the time the attendant will just tell them to crawl under the turnstile, but what they are supposed to do is walk over to the turnstile with you, swipe the attendant’s card, then you swipe your Ventra Card, then the child goes through the turnstile. Up to 7 people may share a Ventra Card, so you will only need one card for the both of them.

If you go home and go on the internet and “register” your Ventra Card, a $5 credit will be applied to your card which you can use for paying fares.

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Always delighted to help when people have specific questions.

SpotHero and ParkWhiz are good ways to find (and prepay) parking spots. I see signs for $11 all day in the Printers Row area (Clark & Polk, or 8th & State)—but during Test of Chicago, those disappear and $25 Event Parking signs go up instead. That’s a mile from the Shedd, though. It’s one thing to head there in the morning; another thing to drag back afterwards. I’d allow 3-4 hours at the Shedd. There are long lines in the summer, but being there right at opening time will help somewhat. Some folks find it worthwhile to buy a membership that lets you skip the line.

Shedd is about 1.5 miles from Field’s or Millennium Park. There are meters out near the aquarium. There’s no train station in Oak Brook; you’ll have to try to find parking in Hinsdale or Elmhurst, or have the hotel van take you to the train. (There are some other options involving suburban buses and riding the L downtown; ask if you want to know more.)

No train just loops the Loop, but you can board a Brown Line train anywhere on the Loop and ride it to Merchandise Mart. Go up and over to the opposite platform and catch a train back south to where you started. You can do the same thing on the Orange Line to Roosevelt (close to the Shedd). The 7yo needs a ticket or pass on the CTA. You can use a single Ventra Card (with sufficient stored value) to pay everyone’s fares. Just hand it back at a train station turnstile, or tell the bus driver how many you’re boarding and she’ll push a button and have you swipe it repeatedly.

Don’t overlook Chicago buses, which are an integral part of the network. The 146 links the aquarium, South Loop parking areas, Marshall Field’s/Millennium Park, and the Mag Mile. It runs every few minutes all day, with the big, articulated buses that bend in the middle. Bus 130 links Union Station to Sears Tower to the Museum Campus. Here’s a map I drew that should help.

You have some pretty full days planned, but a circle trip I sometimes recommend for those who want to ride the L is to take the Brown Line to Belmont; transfer (same platform) to the Red Line to Berwyn; then go downstairs and board a 146 bus to come back downtown via Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue. That takes about 110 minutes all told, but can be done on one fare with transfers.

Happy to answer followup questions.

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As for boat tours, there are tours operated by Wendella and the Chicago Architecture Foundation. People usually recommend the CAF tour. But I’ve been on the Wendella Lake and River Tour and loved it.

The Lake and River Tour takes you through the locks where the Chicago River joins Lake Michigan and for a quick ride up and down the coast on the lake (in addition to going down the river). I don’t know if the CAF tour also goes through the locks and on the lake.

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We did a similar trip last summer with my girls who were 7 and 10. There is a great playground called Maggie Daley park that is between Millennium Park and the lake, just north of the Art Institute. Highly recommended by my kids!

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We did a Chicago trip when my kids were about that age or a little younger (7 and 9 I think). We walked from our hotel just north of the river down to the Field Museum and back so I don’t think walking to the aquarium from the loop would be an issue. We did a leisurely walk, though.

Just be warned that if you walk by Crown Fountain in Millenium Park your kids WILL want to splash around in it and they WILL get soaking wet . You have been warned. :slight_smile: It was one of the highlights of the trip for my kids though!

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Sounds like you have a couple pretty full - but not undoable - days planned. I worked downtown for 25 years up until 5 yrs ago, so my info may be dated. (In fact, right now I’m working in Oak Brook. Which hotel you staying at? Not much to see or do out here.)

I’d just park at one of the lots near Millennium/Grant Parks and let the car sit for the day instead of trying to move it. Sure, it is 1.5 miles from one end of your day to the other, but only 1/2-3/4 mile legs in between the various stops. You’ll be walking back and forth through Grant Park, and up and down Michigan Ave - arguably the best views Chicago has to offer. You can cut down on various legs by taking the water taxi between Navy Pier and the Shedd or up and down the river, the bus up and down Michigan, cabs, Divvy bike rentals, or as suggested above - one el line one way and another back. Heck, might want to figure out how to work in an el ride up to Addison, to look into Wrigley (or is there construction on that line?)

The loop is extremely walkable. I never thought twice about walking from near the Sears to near the Hancock and back. Walking along the river, up Michigan, or along the lake is like a vacation in itself. But I didn’t have young kids with me. Whatever you do - don’t rent one of those 4-wheeled family bike-mobiles. I always used to see sweaty, unhappy families in those, getting the clear impression that it looked like a good idea until they actually got in the damn thing and started trying to pedal and steer it. :smiley:

I used to run along the lake over lunch. In summers, the line for the Shedd used to get astoundingly long. No idea if they have changed their ticketing to address that. Personally, Taste in Grant Park is my idea of hell on earth, but so long as you know what you are in for, have at it and let the luchre fly!

I’d probably can the lake cruise, but I’m a lifer, not a tourist. I’d probably try for an architecture boat tour. Even young kids could appreciate the Art Institute if you approach it with the right attitude. It is right there, and IIRC was recently named somewhere as one of the best museums in the world.

You are going to be driving in and out the Eisenhower. You realize that is hell going in in the a.m. and out in reverse. I don’t know how it works with the parking (how early or whether the lots fill up), but I’d probably plan on driving in after 9, and then staying downtown until 7 p.m. or so. Put a cooler, swimsuits, picnic blankets, change of clothes, etc in the trunk of your parked car, and use it as a refueling station throughout the day.

Oh yeah - before you come, rent Ferris Bueller, and the Blues Brothers. Your kids will get a kick out of walking around what they saw on TV.

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Thank you all for the advice. I’ve been to Chicago before and read through previous threads, so that’s why I went specific rather than “Anything to do in Chicago?”

That Spothero app is terrific, I’m able to find places in both Philadelphia and Chicago. Who wants my referral bonus? I’m prepared to spend $30-40 for the day in parking, figuring that’s the same as taking a R/T train for a family of four (our hotel does offer a free shuttle to Metra’s Western Springs). But now I’m seeing places for $25 for the day. Hooray!

I never think about taking the bus on vacation, usually opting for trains and subways. But thanks to Mr Downtown’s map, the bus looks like a good idea as I’m planning on parking close to Marshall Fields.

Thanks for the Brown Line idea. We’re thinking the easiest thing is get a refillable card to share, and not care if we don’t pay half-price for the kids. Seems like a lot of hassle for $1.50 savings on a single ride or two.

I’m reading a lot about the lines at Shedd Aquarium. Maybe I should just buy the Total Experience package online. I’m not too interested in a dolphin show (I live in Hawaii), but it may alleviate some of the PITA factor of waiting in line a long time. Plus my son likes the Mosasaurus from Jurassic World, so that 4-D movie about Sea Monsters might be cool in its own right.

Finally, I know people hate this question, but is there a certain time of night I should clear out of Grant/Millennium Park (if parking there) or Union Station (if via train)? I figure the Loop and Michigan Avenue areas are well-policed, I keep hearing how the murder rate is up and the police aren’t as aggressive. Other than a midnight stroll through Englewood, we won’t be up too late.

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Just FYI, kids aged 11 and under ride free on Metra (not CTA) from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Limit 3 kids per fare-paying adult. Hotel shuttle bus drivers usually expect a tip.

All Chicago parks officially close at 11:00 pm.

With Taste of Chicago going on, there will be lots of people hanging around pretty late. (Taste officially closes at 9:00 pm.) If you mean hanging around inside the park itself, I would be gone by 10:00. If you mean the garage probably by midnight, but it’s really not all that dangerous. The area around Union Station is not dangerous, but it gets kind of lonely at night. I’ve walked there after midnight with no problems, but I know the exact directions and don’t have kids with me. If the crowds from Taste have cleared out, you might want to take a bus or cab after 10:00. If crowds are still streaming that way, no problem.

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Perfectly valid question. And back in the 70s I would have told you to consider heading out with the commuters. But these days, not a worry at all. (Well, I’d imagine more sit would be likely to happen around 3 a.m. than 3 p.m., but I assume you are not talking about that late.) Up to midnight in well travelled places should be no concern. If you are at all the nervous type, bump that back to 9-10, and have no worries. You realize it won’t even really get dark until 9.

If concerned, take a look at the various things going on at various times. AD gave the taste/park closing times. I’ve never stuck around Taste til close (hell, generally avoided it like the plague at at any hour!), but it’s gonna take some while to clear those folk. What’s going on at the theaters, up where you’ll be parked? Pleanty of bars and restaurants these days. There will be plenty of street traffic in the central district, from Clark to the Lake.

Of course, ugly shit could happen any place. You could run into a crazy street person at noon on Mich Ave, or catch a stray bullet on the Eisenhower. Or you could get hit by lightning…

Man, if you are from Hawaii, do you really want to hit the Shedd? Don’t get me wrong - when I was young, it was my fave. But it seems like there are aquaria in every mid-sized city. I’d think the Field/Art Inst might be cooler/more uniquely Chicagoan. I usually don’t watch movies at museums, but the Field does have its share of dinos. Just my $.02. Enjoy.

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There are, but the Shedd is consistently rated as one of the best in the US. It’s worth the trip. Plus it has the advantage of being “doable” in under a day whereas you could spend the entire day in the Field or Art Institute. I think they want to pack more into their trip than a solid day at the museum.

If you’re going to be at Water Tower anyway, consider walking over to the Hancock Building and having lunch at the Signature Room lounge. It’s free to enter (though obviously buying food/drinks is polite) and offers a great view of the city from up top. Even if you’re doing the Sears Tower, the Hancock gives you an alternate view (and one including the Sears in your photos). During the day, it’s family friendly and casual dress. In the evenings it’s a more traditional bar serving the restaurant so go during the day.

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Your Day One is crazy busy. Shedd alone can be an all-day event. If you really pack it in, you could do Sears and Shedd, and Millenium Park and a little exploration in the evening, but don’t expect to see everything in the loop. Those kids are gonna be wiped out!

Now your day two, maybe your kids are more shopping-friendly, but my kids (also age 7-11) would be bored out of their mind with a day of shopping and a boat ride. I would recommend the Museum of Science and Industry for the bulk of your day. Then take a bus up to the Michigan Ave/WaterTower area in the evening.

Have fun!

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I remember little of my first trip to Chicago when I was around your kids’ age, but the part I do remember was the Museum of Science and Industry. It was by far the highlight of anything I saw or did there as a kid.

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I took my kids - then 8 and 12 - to Chicago for a couple of days 2 years ago. We took a water taxi from Navy Pier to Shedd, which was a nice way to get there. However, Shedd itself was not a particular winner for us. We paid a small fortune to get in and the kids were done in an hour.

We spent a lot more time than I would have expected looking at the bean in Millennium Park. It’s surprisingly cool.

I did not feel unsafe walking around with the kids around 9pm. We didn’t stay out any later than that.

Have fun!

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Yeah - not to turn you off the Shedd if you think that is really what you and your kids want to see. Like I said, as a kid it was my fave. But the last time I went - with MY kids, I was very underwhelmed. The shows and many exhibits are aimed at being very “educational” - which is probably better for the animals, but may not be full of thrills.

I know my kids preferred the Field or MSI.

IMO don’t even consider the Adler, unless you or your kids are MAJOR space geeks.

Enjoy the trip.

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We vetted all the museums, and time was one of the factors that helped Shedd. I like to explore cities and want my architecture photos, so I didn’t want to go anywhere where’d I’d get all fidgety to go out. Field and MSI would definitely cause those conflicts.

Waikiki’s aquarium is very tiny, maybe three rooms. They’ve resisted expanding it, since, like you said, every city has sizable aquariums with tropical fish. Just put on a snorkel if you want to see them, right? Maui, however, has a very nice Maui Ocean Center. Besides, one could say living in Hawaii made the kids more interested in seeing fish over planets.

For my part, I pushed the Art Institute, but it turned out Beluga Whales are more appealing to the little ones than La Grande Jatte. Philistines, the lot of them.

Our actual 2 days are flexible. My A-list is a museum, the boat ride, and Sears Tower. So, some stuff may necessarily be moved around. Like the Michigan Avenue day can probably be cut down: we have Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, etc in Honolulu. I’d rather explore the State Street Marshall Fields.

I imagine Sears Tower gets really busy with the crowds in the ledge. We were thinking of later in the day, before sunset, when the western sun is shining on the buildings and lake. Is there a less busy time to go, or just pony for the express tickets?

I like the idea of lunch at the Hancock Tower. Even if it’s for a drink for us, and dessert for the kids. I assume we shouldn’t have too much trouble getting past snooty waiters. We sometimes find playing the “We’re from Hawaii” is a great conversation starter and can excuse some naïvety :wink: