Chicago family vacation ideas

Chicago Family Vacation Ideas

Tips to help you plan a trip to Chicago with kids in tow
By Katie Sagal

Heading to the Windy City for a vacation? We've got everything you need to keep kids and adults entertained. Read on for our top tips for Chicago family vacations.

We’re sure you’re just as excited about visiting Chicago as we are about having you here in this amazing city. However, it’s not always easy to know what to do with kids when you're visiting for the first time.

If you’re planning a perfect family vacation, we’ve got some suggestions to help you out, curated by locals and industry experts who know what it’s like to have families in Chicago. Our favorite Chicago family vacation ideas include:

  • Shedd Aquarium
  • 360 Chicago
  • Field Museum
  • Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Tour
  • Museum of Science and Industry
  • Adler Planetarium
  • Navy Pier & Centennial Wheel
  • Chicago Children’s Museum
  • LEGOLAND Discovery Center
  • Brookfield Zoo
  • Millennium Park & Lurie Garden

Shedd Aquarium

shedd-aquarium-chicago

One of Chicago's best family-friendly attractions is the Shedd Aquarium, one of the top-rated aquariums in the country. It's the perfect place to spend a day with the kids! Filled with tens of thousands of fascinating marine creatures, there is no end to the wonders you’ll discover at this attraction. Exhibits include the fascinating Waters of the World, the festive Caribbean Reef, and the delightfully kid-centric Polar Play Zone.

360 CHICAGO

aerial-image-chicago-illinois-skyline

Get away from it all on the 94th floor of the Hancock Building. The 360 CHICAGO observation deck is the perfect place for panoramic views of Lake Michigan, the bustling city below, and even glimpses of the Illinois plains. Kids and parents alike will enjoy the chance to be 1000 feet above the city, and there are plenty of interactive and educational exhibits for the children to enjoy. Not to mention how many photo ops you'll have with such a breathtaking view!

360 CHICAGO also has another attraction at the top. TILT is an all-glass, moving balcony that extends out from the side of the observation deck. Once you step onto TILT, the deck will move slowly to give you new vantage points of the city. Its convenient location on Michigan Avenue (the Magnificent Mile) also makes it easy to build a visit here into a broader itinerary.

Please note: TILT is separately ticketed.

Field Museum

Field Museum

Part of the famed Chicago Museum Campus, The Field Museum is one of the best institutions for children and adults. You’ll find that their endlessly intriguing collections have much to offer, from Maximo, the largest Titanosaur ever discovered, to minerals and gemstones to an extensive collection of ancient Chinese art and artifacts.

The kids will love learning in the DNA Discovery Center, playing in the Underground Adventure, and exploring our Evolving Planet. Your pass gives you a general admission ticket and also includes a special exhibit.

Big Bus Chicago Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

Whether you’re a first-time visitor to Chicago or a returning veteran, sometimes all you need is a good bus tour to get you going. Join Hop On Hop Off Big Bus on their informative and entertaining tour of Chicago, which covers many of the major highlights while traveling between 14 different stops. Get off where you’d like to explore further.

You can even use the bus to get to attractions like those at Museum Campus (although do be aware that traffic may get in the way of arriving at any place in a timely manner). This double-decker bus tour will be perfect for you and the family to see all of the city and get an overview.

Museum of Science and Industry

museum-science-industry-chicago

Head to a new area of Chicago with a visit to Hyde Park on the South Shore. The Museum of Science and Industry will more than make your transit time worthwhile! This kid-centric museum is filled with educational exhibits, interactive spaces, and hands-on activities. Some of our favorite attractions within this museum (the largest science museum in the country, by the way) include a real German submarine from WWII, an Illinois coal mine, and a challenging mirror maze.

Kids will adore the Pixar-inspired special exhibit, "The Science Behind Pixar". They can get a unique look at the process behind some of their favorite characters, learn about the technology, and see how these movies get made!

Adler Planetarium

adler-planetarium-located-downtown-chicago

Another star of the Museum Campus is the Adler Planetarium. A longtime family favorite, this stellar attraction is the place to explore everything from the surface of the moon to the furthest reaches of space. Your all-access pass includes exciting exhibits like Mission Moon, Planet Explorers, Our Solar System, and many more.

You’ll also get access to the historic Atwood Sphere, Chicago’s oldest and most storied planetarium. Plus, get to see unlimited shows like the new Planet Nine.

Navy Pier & Centennial Wheel

daytime-photo-navy-pier-centennial-wheel

The centerpiece of your family vacation to Chicago really should be a visit to Navy Pier. This delightful wonderland is filled with exciting attractions and things to do for families with kids of all ages, with options like theater performances, bike rides, boat cruises, museums, and many more.

One of our favorite things to do is to hop aboard the famed Centennial Wheel – Chicago’s signature Ferris wheel (which you can also spot from 360 CHICAGO). You can also dine, shop, and people-watch to your heart’s content.

Chicago Children’s Museum

If you’re stringing together an itinerary from our ideas, the Chicago Children’s Museum is conveniently located right on Navy Pier. Primarily designed for younger and middle-grade children, this educational institution is all about creative thinking and interactive fun. Exhibits are geared towards teaching children an important skill or set of information while remaining entertaining.

Dinosaur Expedition, for example, allows kids to dig for 'fossils' while learning about a real prehistoric creature, paleontology, and about natural history. As a bonus, they have extended hours in the summer, too, so there will be more time to explore with the kids.

The Escape Game Chicago

Take the clan along to The Escape Game Chicago and put your teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test. There won't be any time to argue, as you'll have just 60 minutes to solve the challenge and escape before it's too late.

This activity is perfect for any weather and there are several themed challenges for you to choose from, including The Heist, where you’ll recover a stolen painting using the help of an intelligence agent, and Mission Mars, where you’ll work together to repair a spaceship.

The Escape Game Chicago is recommended for ages 13 and up, but younger players are allowed in if accompanied by an adult.

Brookfield Zoo

giraffes-brookfield-zoo-suburb-near-chicago

What’s not to love about Chicagoland’s largest and most popular zoo? Brookfield Zoo is a bit of a drive from downtown Chicago but is a delightful place for families to visit in the summer. You’ll get to encounter some of the world’s most amazing animals right in America’s heartland.

Dive deep into the oceans and watch the dolphins at Seven Seas, get eye-to-eye with grizzlies, and learn more about the intelligent primates of the rainforest at Tropic World.

Millennium Park & Lurie Garden

skyline-millennium-park-downtown-chicago-illinois

Another must-visit on your trip to Chicago is Millennium Park. The heart of downtown Chicago, this massive urban green space is filled with fun things to do, like the Art Institute of Chicago, another great family attraction for art lovers. There are sculptures to see including the Bean, and interactive art pieces to enjoy – the Crown Fountain is a favorite in the summer.

You can also roam the Lurie Garden, a free outdoor botanical garden that grows beautiful plants year-round. It’s a great place to learn about nature, and makes for some fun photos, too!

Save on family-friendly vacation ideas

There you have it: some of our best recommendations for a family-friendly trip to Chicago. Many of these attractions are close to each other, so it's easy to use this as an itinerary or pick and choose to create your own!

With Go City®, you can explore big-name landmarks, local hotspots, and epic tours, all on one pass, all for one price. Not only that, but you'll enjoy savings of up to 50%, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.  

☀️See all Chicago attractions ☀️ – 🌏 Explore other destinations 🌏 – ✈️ Buy a Chicago pass ✈️ 

Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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bucktown
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Things to do in Bucktown, Chicago

Chicago's your vacation destination, is it? Excellent. May we interest you in one of its many districts, Bucktown? If you don't know about it, don't worry. Sit down, be quiet, and we'll tell you all about the best things to do in Bucktown, Chicago. Including: Bizarre sports Rundown exploration Theatres Live music Restaurants and more! Get Whirly Let's get this Bucktown show on the road, with something slightly different. Whether you're a fan of sports or not, you might just love this new kid on the sporting block. What do you get if you combine lacrosse, hockey, basketball, and bumper cars? WhirlyBall is what you get. This crazy, made-up pastime combines elements of all of these into one awesome game. Get together a few friends, grab a few delicious craft beers at the bar, and try your luck on the WhirlyBall court. There are three of them onsite, along with bowling lanes, laser tag, and the aforementioned bar. Careful if you go to WhirlyBall at the start of your vacation. You may very well never go anywhere else. You're the Explorer Want to touch some grass, experience great views of the Chicago skyline, and explore some abandoned architecture reclaimed by nature? Then you'll want to check out The 606. This abandoned railway line worms its way through many of Chicago's districts, including Bucktown. So, feel free to get on at any point, explore a bit, and then 'hop off' at a different location and look around. If that wasn't enough, you'll also find a myriad of events going on there, from bake sales to outdoor yoga. Whether you saddle up or use your feet, you've got quite the adventure ahead of you. So, what are you waiting for? Showtime! How about a little theatre to dramatize your vacation? Bucktown's got a bunch of performance venues that'll happily accommodate your bum in one of their seats. Gorilla Tango Theatre is a community-led bunch that ensure every penny they make goes back into further productions. That includes sets, props, and other items that might otherwise be wasted. It sounds like a tall order, but they've already produced over one thousand awesome shows with this business model, and they have no intention of stopping. This model also allows them to give exposure to local theatrical artists, ensuring the city's scene continues to thrive. So, if you want to see what sustainable theatre looks like, go check them out! Or, if you want to see American takes on tough European plays, give Trap Door Theatre a go. They use expressionism and absurdism to recontextualize well-known works, so you'll never see a performance quite like it! Having moved around the European scene, they've not settled in Chicago, where'll they'll happily blow your mind! Gigging Speaking of performance, why don't we throw some live music into the mix? Bucktown's got its fair share of concert venues. Hideout takes its name quite literally, as it can be hard to find without a map. However, those of you with the know-how to seek it out are in for a treat. It's in the heart of Bucktown's industrial area, but you'll find nothing but country within. With a host of regular country-rockers, as well as a variety of touring artists, you'll love listening to some bluegrass twangs will sipping cheap beer and tapping your cowboy boot. Switching gears a little, Subterranean is where you'll find Bucktown's alternative music scene. With regular rock, rap, and metal gigs going on throughout the year, as well as club nights every week, it's the hip-happeningest place around. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's comics. Specifically, a great comic shop with countless issues of the best comics and graphics novels around! Challengers Comics + Conversation pride themselves on their expertise, as well as their ability to talk with their mouths. That means you can expect to get great advice on any comic or graphic novel you're looking for, or recommendations for ones you've never heard of. All that, and just some pleasant conversation to boot. Brilliant. Eats Let's move on to food now, as you're doubtless hungry after all that sweet information we've given you. As you'd expect, Bucktown has some great eateries for you to eat in, just like the rest of Chi-Town. Here are our faves! The Bristol twists American classics with a New American style. They make everything fresh, right in the kitchen, so you can expect great-tasting food all day, every day. Why not order a pasta dish with, yes, freshly made pasta, and pair it with a lovely cocktail from their menu? Want to try some Central American cuisine you may never have had before? Get Costa Rican at Irazu, and try some traditional treats in this delightful spot. Just bring your own booze if you want to drink. Don't worry; they're okay with it. Got a sweet tooth? Never you worry, friend. Margie's Candies is here for you. Inside, you'll find ice cream, sweet treats, and milkshakes, all hand-made with care. A delightful stop on your Bucktown tour if you just need a sweet fix to get you through the day. Drinks Let's end this list with a drink or two. If you're looking for a night out, Bucktown's got you covered. Here are our picks for the hottest spots to wet your whistle. Part performance venue, part drinking establishment, Gallery Cabaret has a bar rammed full of beers, spirits, and everything in between. It pairs all that with a wealth of live entertainment, from jazz music, open mic nights, and blues bands all the way to bingo. It could be the perfect night out for you, as long as you like the entertainment! Or, if you'd prefer a more standard bar experience, then check out The Map Room. This explorer-themed establishment has a wide variety of drink options from all over the globe, which is appropriate, really. Step inside, admire the decor, and then stare in awe at the massive variety of craft beers on offer. It's enough to make your head spin. And that's our list of the best things to do in Bucktown, Chicago!
Dom Bewley
Little girl on the shoulders of her dad, they are walking on the piers in Chicago
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15+ things to do in Chicago with kids for an amazing trip

Chicago offers a myriad of things to do that are fun for the whole family. From world-renowned museums to beautiful urban parks, there are plenty of family-friendly sights for you and your children to enjoy.
Katie Sagal
things to do in gold coast chicago
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Things to do in Gold Coast, Chicago

So, you've chosen your vacation destination. The Windy City. Chi-Town. The real-life Metropolis, minus the superheroes. Chicago is a fantastic getaway destination, full of great food, fun nights out, and plenty of top-level entertainment. But it's a big old town, with multiple districts and areas that crisscross throughout its gargantuan layout. With so many to choose from, which one is right for you? Well, don't let choice paralysis get the better of you! We've done all the research necessary, so you don't have to. Give Gold Coast a go. It's as simple as that. With a wealth of entertainment on offer, it's the perfect vacation spot. Here are our picks for the best things to do in Gold Coast, Chicago! Including: Oak Street Beach Playboy Mansion Broadway Playhouse Washington Square Park Drake Hotel Bar and more! Hit the Beach Why not ease into your trip with a spot of lounging? After all, you've got the rest of your vacation to go see the sights. Lucky for you, the Gold Coast lives up to its namesake. Head there, and you'll find Oak Street Beach. Of course, you'll find heaps of golden sand, clean sea, and (hopefully) glistening sun - that's what the beach is all about, after all. However, Oak Street Beach is also perfectly placed to visit at any time during the day, as it's just a stone's throw from the city itself. Take a dip in the ocean, go grab an ice cream for the kids - or yourself, who are you kidding - and then check out the nearby patio bar for a cool, refreshing drink. Easily one of the best things to do in the Gold Coast when you visit Chicago. Feel like a Playboy Yes, really. Though you probably know the Playboy Mansion as the once celebrity-laded party mansion near Beverly Hills, it wasn't always there. In fact, the original Playboy Mansion was bought right here on the Gold Coast back in the '50s. The rather less impressive original is well over 100 years old at this point, and has changed hands multiple times. First, Hefner donated it to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago when he moved into his legendary LA pad. Then, the institute sold it to a redevelopment firm, and it's now been converted into condos in a rather typical fashion. However, if you want to see a piece of 20th-century American history in the flesh, you owe it to yourself to go and bask in the extravagant opulence of the original Playboy Mansion. Just don't plan on buying one of the condos, unless you've got a few mill to spare. Broadway, baby! If the weather takes a turn, or you just want a couple of hours out of the sun, why not retreat to the bright lights and comfort of broadway? Yes, even in Chicago, you can get a taste of the New York performance mile thanks to Broadway Playhouse! A stone's throw from the coast, you'll find a host of great plays and musicals being shown throughout the year, from all-time classics to the new shows on the block. You might even stumble upon a one-man show, or local play before it gathers steam. Walk in the Park Are you a fan of the color green? Do you like walking? Is the prospect of breathing in fresh air, mingling with trees, shrubs, and grass appealing to you? Answer us these questions three, and we'll give you a place you want to be. At. A park, of course! Gold Coast has you covered in flowers and grass, thanks to Washington Square Park. Go there for the giant 19th-century fountain, stay for the delightful green spaces, picnic opportunities, or simply for a stroll. So, what are you waiting for? Get Risky When you're in Gold Coast, why not grab a drink at a Hollywood monument? Sort of, at least. Featured in the '80s Tom Cruise classic Risky Business, the Drake Hotel is one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks! But we're not talking about the room service here. We're talking about the Hotel's bar, called the Coq d'Or. This lavish hotel lounge has been warming customers' cockles since the dark Prohibition days. Head inside and find a wealth of drinks, a menu to die for, and enough comfort you'll feel like a marshmallow. A pampered marshmallow. Best Pizza in town Wow, all that doing things, seeing things, and experiences must have made you hungry. Well, Chicago is famous for one thing in the food department, and that's deep dish. The Chicagoan take on the Italian classic is known worldwide for its deliciousness, thanks to its unusual sauce-over-cheese twist. So why not go get some and see if it lives up to its reputation? Lou Malnati's, right in Gold Coast, is arguably the best in town. The name is a staple of the Chicago style, having helped pioneer it in the early 20th century. So go grab a slice of delight and take your tastebuds to pizzatown. Or something. Go Shopping Let's end this list on a shopping, surely many of our readers' favorite pastimes. Thankfully, Gold Coast is full of shops of all shapes and sizes, so no matter what item you seek, you're sure to find it there. However, for those of you with expensive tastes, you'll be looking for The Magnificent Mile. Head there, and you'll find a shopper's paradise. Over 400 stores line the 'Mile', including the likes of Chanel, Louis Vitton, and Tiffany. So, if you're looking for some dear deals and have the cash to splash, you'll be right at home. On top of all that shopping, you'll also find a slew of gourmet restaurants, snug cafes, and much more. So, if that all sounds like heaven to you, go on down and see what's cracking! And that's our list of the best things to do in Gold Coast, Chicago! If you want to know about the other areas of Chicago, check out our thoughts here. Heading to Chicago at the tail end of winter? The beaches might be a no-go, but there's plenty more to do and see!
Dom Bewley

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