Chicago Day Trip
 

Planning a trip to Chicago for a day. Any fun things to do with kids?? We are planning on checking out Buckingham Fountain, the Lego Store, American Girl Store and the Tribune Building.
Any suggestions on other things to do and see. Also looking for a neat place to eat.

Thanks!!!

what ages are your kids? the shedd aquarium is awesome...also, the Lincoln Park Zoo is free

Also, when will you be here? Buckingham Fountain normally opens in early April, but there has been an ongoing restoration project which has made the operating season shorter the last couple years.

The Museum of Science & Industry was always our favorite.

The museum of Science and Industry is one of the best hands on museums. My kids always loved it and still do (now grown). The Lincoln Park zoo is free(parking $$$ but it helps support the zoo). Don't forget to stop at Milleneum Park and see the "bean" and the "faces". Navy pier is a bit over rated. The kids also might enjoy Shedd Aquarium

When my kids were little, they loved the Shedd Aquarium and the Sea Dog boat ride (open only during warm weather). As they got a little older, we started going to the Adler Planetarium and the Museum of Science and Industry as well as the Art Institute. Yes, don't forget to see the "bean" at Millenium Park.

Will second the Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry, both excellent and kid-friendly, and also suggest the Field Museum of Natural History. krisan26's recommendation of Millennium Park is also good, a fun place to walk around. Haven't been to the zoo, but have mostly seen good things about it.

There's also a Chicago Children's Museum (never been). The Adler Planetarium might also be of interest, but only if your kids are really heavily into astronomy -- otherwise, it's a lesser attraction.

Not sure I agree about Navy Pier being overrated, though. There are scads of shops and places to eat, plenty of great views of the skyline, lots of boat tour departure areas, and a terrifically good stained glass museum (not sure if this last will have kid appeal, but so be it). And at night in the summer, there are fireworks. Depends on your interests.

Kids love seeing thier reflections in "The Bean"(Cloud Gate) sculpture and wading bewtween the two photo fountains in Millennium Park too.

<<<Not sure I agree about Navy Pier being overrated, though.>>>

We went to Navy Pier when my kids were about 13 and 11, and they were bored to death. The did enjoy the Shedd Aquarium and the boat ride over to Navy Pier, though. IMHO, Navy Pier is highly overrated, not just "a bit".

I haven't been in Chicago in a few years - do they still have the sculptures on Michigan Avenue (once it was the cows, another time it was decorated mannequins, etc.)? My kids loved those.