Lyn

Hello, hubby and two children ages 9 and 14 are flying into Chicago for 10 days in mid-April (spring break). We are thinking of spending 4 or 5 days in Chicago and renting car and touring surrounding area rest of the time.
Any suggestions as far as which direction we should head? We have heard southern Wisconsin is scenic. Is there a ferry that would take us and our car across Lake Michigan? We like scenic, natural areas.
Also, how cold/how much snow can you expect to see in that part of the country in April?
(We're from the south).
Finally, can anybody recommend a family-friendly hotel close to Michigan Ave. area for less than $150 per night.

patg

It's not the best time to visit. Chicago's April weather is really unpredictable. It could be 70 degrees, or it could snow. Most likely it will be chilly (45-55 degrees) and rainy.

This could put a damper on your outdoor plans. We live for the moment here, and seize the good-weather days when they come. Try to be flexible, and have a backup set of indoor plans.

Renting a car is not necessary for your days in the city - public transportation is pretty convenient, and even taking cabs will be less than parking and renting a car.

Southern Wisconsin does have some nice areas - try the Wisconsin tourist board www.travelwisconsin.com
for more information. You could easily take a trip with Madison as your destination and visit a number of interesting sites on the way.

The Lake Michigan ferry sails southeast from north of Milwaukee to Ludington, Michigan. It isn't really convenient to Chicago. Most people just drive from here to harbor country (southwestern Michigan).

I suggest you also take a look at visiting the area around Starved Rock State Park, which has good hiking and biking trails, and the lodge has an indoor pool. It's very convenient to Chicago. Search for Illinois State Parks for more information.

mike

check into the homewood suites which is owned by hilton.. we stayed there last spring.. just off of michigan ave.. within walking distance of most everything.. rooms have a fridge and stove and microwave.. plus a decent continental bfast is offered.. very close to disney quest.. espn zone.. and one of the deep dish pizza places.. pizzeria uno or due??

Jay

Lyn,

Some thoughts ...

Get to Chicago's Navy Pier and take one of the various boat tours.

The Morton Arboretum is outstanding, as is the Chicago Botanic Garden -- both a 30 to 45 minute drive.

I would then consider Galena, a "cute" town in North-West Illinois. From their I'd tour through South-West Wisconsin with the intent of spending 2-3 days in the Wisconsin Dells.

I'd then drive down (South-East) to Milwaukee to see a few sights. Then back to Chicago for a great dinner and the flight home.

Have a great vacation!

Jay

Jay

Lyn,

By the way, the weather in April is, as noted, highly variable. Average highs and lows are 58.6 and 38.6 respectively, with roughly 3.6 inches of rain. It's Spring, and it's great.

Jay

JC

Just a note about Wisconsin Dells - I'd skip it in April since many of the tourist attractions are still closed for the season. Unless you are interested in going to one of the area hotels that has a huge indoor waterpark - that might be fun for the kids. Devil's Lake (near the Dells) is a beautiful hiking area with lots of cliffs. The whole ground will probably not be covered with snow, but it's likely you'll still see some traces of it around.

Jim Lloyd

The Homewood Suites by Hilton in Chicago is a great hotel to look at. It is located right near Michigan Ave. I personally haven't stayed here although their web site:

www.homewoodsuiteschicago.com

Another hotel you might want to consider is the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel Chicago Downtown. This hotel features large suites and has a indoor pool as well. The Doubletree Hotel's web site is:

www.doubletreehotels.com

I was recently out in Chicago and I actually stayed out in the suburbs due to a convention downtown. I stayed out in Lombard/Oak Brook at the Embassy Suites hotel and found it very nice, however you will have to either drive or take the train from the hotel to downtown. By the way Chicago has some great restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory, or a deep dish pizza restaurant, which I don't have the name of although if I do I will let you know.

Have a great trip!

Kay

My grand-daughter (11 yrs) and I visited last June. She liked the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. They are side by side and conveniently reached by water-taxi from Navy Pier. We were their a week and did not rent a car--did quite well.
Good luck on the weather!!

Nen

Be sure to check out the "help with holiday palns" post. There are a lot of good ideas for car trips to Michigan.
If you plan to drive up to Wisconsin, I would recommend going towards Milwaukee instead of Madison since there is more to do on the way. Madison is a great town, but I think Milwaukee has more to offer kids. If you like hiking, you can walk around Lake Geneva from Fontana. Some of the homes are really beautiful.Wear boots or old shoes since people don't always maintain the public walkway. Check out the WI Dept of Natural resources website for things to do at the state parks. We tried skiing by candelight this winter, and they had a really nice setup.I am sure there are outdoor things to do in April.
Chicago has a ton of great museums to visit. Purchase a museum pass for discounts if you plan to visit more than one. As a HS teacher, I found the kids liked the Museum of Science & Industry the best. The Field Museum of Natural History has a great exhibit on dinosaurs and movement coming in April in addition to their permanent "Sue" exhibit. Also check out the aforementioned Shedd Aquarium. Your younger kid might like the Children's museum at Navy Pier, but your teen will probably be bored. If you like baseball, see if the Cubs or Sox are playing one afternoon. Mercifully, the Bulls play their last game on the April 13th, but you know you can easily get tickets to see them!
There is a TON of childrens theater companies that appeal to all ages. Check out metromix.com.
I hope some of this helps.