Looking for some suggestions on what we can do in the time we have. We are planning to train into Millennium station around 10am on Wed., June 4 and train out around 10:30pm that same day. We have tickets to the 2pm matinee of Wicked, so that puts us at Ford Theater from about 1:30-5 or so (we are getting a backstage tour after the show!).

I am traveling with 6 teens, 3 boys and 3 girls. The boys have all been to Chicago before, but none of the girls have.

I am definitely open to suggestions, but here is what I have planned so far. We will plan to head down Michigan Ave. as soon as we arrive, to do some shopping/sight seeing along there. We want to eat some authenic Chicago pizza, so I am planning to hit Ginos for lunch. I might call in our order while we're walking to save us some time. I think that lunch at Gino's, walking along Michigan Ave at least to Water Tower Place, and back to the theater will take the 3.5 hours we have before the show. Does that seem about right?

After the show I'm not as clear. I have never been to Millennium Park.. is that worth some time? I am planning to take the kids to Navy Pier for at least the ferris wheel ride. We need to know how to get there (a friend mentioned the free trolley?), and I'd like to know any other suggestions for Navy Pier beyond wandering around aimlessly. I know there are fireworks there on Wed. nights so we might try to see those.

Any suggestions on where to eat dinner? Or.. should we plan something besides Ginos pizza for lunch and get an authenic Chicago style pizza for dinner?

We would have time to do the Sears Tower after the Wicked show, but the kids don't see that enthusiastic about that. Not sure we'd have time to do the Hancock Tower while we were close it to. Again, the boys have all done Hancock but none of the girls have.

We do need to be back at the train station at Millennium Park in time for the 10:30 train... is it safe to be in that park of town after dark? Maybe we could walk around the park before our train?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Karen

In the morning I would walk Michigan ave and take the architectural boat tour. You dont have a lot of time before the show.
I cant comment on safety isses at night so I will defer to someone else . Navy Pier would be convenient and then I would take a cab to the train station
I think pizza is a great idea for a meal, most kids love

PS, generally lines to get up to the Hancock observation deck or Sears tower. Your time is limited

Millennium Park is definitely worth a visit. I'm sure the teens will want to spend time at the bean and you can watch the faces change at the Crown Fountain. You may also want to walk farther south in Grant Park to see the Buckingham Fountain. (The one that was shown during the opening of Married with Children.) It has light shows at night.

You'll be fine in that area of town. There will be lots of people in the park and along Michigan Avenue.

I agree that you could do the architecture tour in the morning, then go shopping later. Take the tour from the Chicago Architectural Foundation that leaves from the SE corner of Michigan and Wacker. The tour is around 90 minutes. You could then go shopping after the show if you like as most stores are open until 7 or 8 o'clock.

The fireworks are at 9:30. Not sure if you can see them from Millennium Park but if you walk east across the serpentine bridge or anywhere along Lake Shore Drive. You can also watch them along the river or Wacker Drive east of Michigan.

Thanks for your replies.

Can you give me some suggestions on where to eat around Navy Pier?

I'd avoid the restaurants at Navy Pier as most are overpriced. If you're looking for a dinner place, there's a Potbelly Sandwich Works on State and Lake behind the Ford Center. It would be on the way to Navy Pier.

There's also Boston Blackie's on Grand east of Michigan which has great burgers.

Check www.metromix.com. You can search for a restaurant by cuisine, neighborhood or price.

While you'll be fine in the city, remember to use common sense. If you watch the fireworks from the pier, keep in mind that pickpockets like large crowds where people are distracted. Keep track of your belongings be aware of who's around you.

You might consider Ed Debevic's for dinner. There is a review on the Destinations section of this website, or go to:

http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...iew-36365.html

Another Fodorite's review is on this thread:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34837667

Definitely not a fancy place, but near the Navy Pier is Fox and Obel. We ate there last weekend and it was very good. They have a cafe which offers hot entrees, salads, and wonderful sandwiches. It is also a gourmet food store and bakery, so we spent a good 10 minutes perusing the bakery case and picking out dessert after dinner!

Don't go to Fox & Obel ---- because if you do, you'll never want to go back to shopping at your local supermarket! That place is awesome.

anywhere with 6 teens~you are VERY brave...........

If you take an architecture tour, there's one leaving from Navy Pier (I forget which company) that spends half the time on the river and the other half on the lake. It's a speedboat. You go through the lock onto the river for the architecture tour portion and then they floor it when the boat gets back on the lake. The kids would like that one.

The one that goes in the lake and river is seadog cruises. Go to www.seadogcruises.com