Mom and Dad 2 girls traveling in August Need to see american Girls Store, LIncoln Zoo and Navy Pier also some trade show for work. We'll being staying at Amerisuites, do we need are car? What is this shopping mile thing we see references to also. I guess I'm just really trying to decide on the car rental or not. Thanks ahead of time

Which Amerisuites are you staying at? I believe there are about 10 in the Chicagoland area but I did not think any of them are downtown. With 4 people, it might be worthwhile to rent a car. I do not know how at ease your children are with public transportation.

American Girl Place is just off the Magnificent Mile (111 East. Chicago), which is the shopping area that you are seeing references to. Navy Pier is not far from there and is walkable - it is just under 1 mile from AGP to the Pier. If you are going to spend the day downtown, you could drive and try to get an early bird parking special (usually less than $20 and can be low as $10).

The Lincoln Park Zoo has a parking lot ($9). The zoo is located at 2200 North Cannon Drive (at Lake Shore Drive and Fullerton). Public transportation to the zoo is possible but it would cost you more than driving. Traffic in Chicago can be very bad. I do not know what you are used to. I would be happy to provide you with more specifics. For info on Chicago's public transportaton see www.yourcta.com (buses and the el) and www.metrarail.com (commuter line).

I forgot to mention that in the summer, Lincoln Park has a free trolley - check their website for details.

http://www.lpzoo.com/index.html

As a life-long resident of Chicago I would recommend that you DO NOT rent a car. Since you will be doing most of your activities downtown it will be much easier to walk, take the bus, a cab, or the free trolley. The weather is usually beautiful here in August and you will enjoy walking around without the hassle of a car. The best way to see any town is on foot. And the parking is very expensive and at times very difficult to find.

Do not rent a car. Everything you want to see is walkable and if you get tired jump in a taxi. Make sure you make reservations at American Girl Doll Place if you want to have either lunch, tea or dinner. There is also a show. Check where your hotel is, you don't want to be outside the city. If so check out the Embassy Suites, we have 2 one on the lakefront and both ahve pools. Michigan Avenue (the Magnificent Mile) has all the upscale shopping you could possibly want on one sreet. The kids will love Navy Pier. Try to book a lunch or dinner cruise on the "Ugly Duck" lots of fun for the kids (DJ, hula hoop contests, etc)Buffet and great skyline views.

The Magnificent Mile is that stretch of Michigan Avenue (also referred to as Boul Mich) that runs from Oak Street on the north to the Chicago River on the south. It's chockablock with high-end shopping, as well as restaurants and hotels. Hopefully, if you are already locked into the Amerisuites, it is near public transportation - the 'el.' First poster's remark about "how comfortable" your kids might be with public trans is a puzzler. Travelling on Chicago's el/subway system into the Loop would be part of the big-city experience for your kids...not to mention, kind to the budget. And I hope you can heed the warnings NOT to take a car into the city - it will add lots of $$$$ to your expenses, plus the expressway traffic can be extremely congested at just about any hour of the day (another plus for the public trans idea).

Sorry if my remark was puzzling but I do not know how old Laurie's children are or how experienced they are with riding on trains/buses, etc... Being 29, I have tons of friends with small children and it is not always a fun experience for them to take their children on public transportation. Sometimes it is more convenient just to drive. And, with 4 people, cabs, the el, etc... can add up fast in price. When my family visits, I drive them everywhere. But, anyway...

I second the Ugly Duck suggestion - lots for children to enjoy. I think you can book online:

http://www.duckcruises.com/home.html

American Girl Place is: 1-877-AG-PLACE