Chicago, things to do with 13 year old
Jul 20th, 2005 | 08:33 PM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2004
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Chicago, things to do with 13 year old
Hi! My husband, 13 year old son and I will be coming to Chicago the 2nd week of August. None of us have ever been to Chicago and I'm looking for some suggestions for things to do. My husband will be at a conference at the Allerton Crowne Plaza, so for most of the time it will be my son and I. We want to (ok, I want to) spend sometime shopping. On our list is a visit to Navy Pier, possibly the zoo, but am looking for other suggestions. There's no way I talk the son into any museums, so that's out. I would like to take a boat tour, but the architectural tour I know wouldn't appeal. Is there another, more teen friendly boat tour? Also, is the Second City show appropriate for him? Is there a online discount ticket vendor for Chicago theatre tickets like there is for New York? We definitely want to experience the perfect Chicago food, but I've seen that addressed other places. Lastly, we will be driving at the end of the week to Holland, MI and I'm wondering if there is anything that is a must see between Chicago and Holland. Thanks so very much!
Jul 20th, 2005 | 08:40 PM
#2
Joined: May 2003
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Hi Denise,
The first two things that popped into my mind for a 13 y.o. boy...
1) A baseball game
and
2) The aquarium, even though he may do an eye roll at the aquarium, I think once you got there he would really enjoy it, it is incredible!
Also, I think he would dig (no pun intended) the Natural History Museum, but I know, I know, you said no museums, lol!
One thing is for certain, Chicago has great food, really fantastic museums, and rock star baseball!
Sorry I can't answer your other questions. Enjoy! Tiff
The first two things that popped into my mind for a 13 y.o. boy...
1) A baseball game
and
2) The aquarium, even though he may do an eye roll at the aquarium, I think once you got there he would really enjoy it, it is incredible!
Also, I think he would dig (no pun intended) the Natural History Museum, but I know, I know, you said no museums, lol!
One thing is for certain, Chicago has great food, really fantastic museums, and rock star baseball!
Sorry I can't answer your other questions. Enjoy! Tiff
Jul 20th, 2005 | 09:15 PM
#3
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,499
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Denise, first the Chicago suggestions:
1. Go to the Museum of Science and Industry website online and show your son what's happening there. If he has any interest in all in seeing what his insides look like, dodging enemy fire in a virtual WWII German U-boat (or going into a real one), going to a coal mine, seeing the newest innovations in games, travel down the Nile in croc-infested waters, seeing the workings of a jet or seeing one of the largest model train lay-outs hereabouts, he and you should visit.
2. Bobby's Bike Hike around town
3. OR take a Segway tour.
4. Teens like SeaDog - fast!
5. Go up the John Hancock or Sears Tower.
6. Take the El (Red Line) up to Wrigley Field - maybe you want to go to a game? If you are in on August 6, there is a tour of Wrigley Field you can take (advance registration required).
Trip to Holland:
1. At the Chesterton, IN exit (either I94 or the Toll Road), go north of Chesterton on #49 2 miles. The Indiana Dunes National Park is there. If you don't go quite that far, take US #12EB about 1 mile past the Dune Park train station (on your left) and you will see a sign for Kemil Beach - there is a left turn lane at the intersection you want. Turn left and you will first go through a canopy of trees then the road curves to the right and travels along the beachfront of Lake Michigan. Kemil Beach is about 1/4 mile east.
2. When you get into Michigan, instead of taking I-94 up all the way, cut over to New Buffalo and take the Red Arrow Highway north. It goes through several small towns with specialty shops, art galleries, etc. You can then go back to I-94 at several places along the Red Arrow.
3. Warren Dunes and Warren Woods.
4. South Haven
5. Saugatuck and Douglas - you can go on dune buggy rides there.
6. For you and your hubby, there are several wineries in that area. Several have tasting rooms in these smaller towns.
Have fun!
1. Go to the Museum of Science and Industry website online and show your son what's happening there. If he has any interest in all in seeing what his insides look like, dodging enemy fire in a virtual WWII German U-boat (or going into a real one), going to a coal mine, seeing the newest innovations in games, travel down the Nile in croc-infested waters, seeing the workings of a jet or seeing one of the largest model train lay-outs hereabouts, he and you should visit.
2. Bobby's Bike Hike around town
3. OR take a Segway tour.
4. Teens like SeaDog - fast!
5. Go up the John Hancock or Sears Tower.
6. Take the El (Red Line) up to Wrigley Field - maybe you want to go to a game? If you are in on August 6, there is a tour of Wrigley Field you can take (advance registration required).
Trip to Holland:
1. At the Chesterton, IN exit (either I94 or the Toll Road), go north of Chesterton on #49 2 miles. The Indiana Dunes National Park is there. If you don't go quite that far, take US #12EB about 1 mile past the Dune Park train station (on your left) and you will see a sign for Kemil Beach - there is a left turn lane at the intersection you want. Turn left and you will first go through a canopy of trees then the road curves to the right and travels along the beachfront of Lake Michigan. Kemil Beach is about 1/4 mile east.
2. When you get into Michigan, instead of taking I-94 up all the way, cut over to New Buffalo and take the Red Arrow Highway north. It goes through several small towns with specialty shops, art galleries, etc. You can then go back to I-94 at several places along the Red Arrow.
3. Warren Dunes and Warren Woods.
4. South Haven
5. Saugatuck and Douglas - you can go on dune buggy rides there.
6. For you and your hubby, there are several wineries in that area. Several have tasting rooms in these smaller towns.
Have fun!
Jul 20th, 2005 | 10:18 PM
#4
Joined: May 2005
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Hello -- I just hosted a 13 year old nephew about two weeks ago...we did Wrigley Field for a Cubs game and that was a hit -- just about any given day either the sox or the cubs are in town.
Navy Pier is cool for the views and I agree with the earlier poster that SeaDog is a speed boat tour on the lake and the river that leaves from Navy Pier.
Lincoln Park Zoo is free and an easy cab ride from Michigan Avenue or take the a bus.
I agree with the earlier poster that the Aquariuim is less museum and more sea-worldish -- kids love it -- and while the museum of science and industry and field museum are both great museums, they are definitely museums and if he is down cool with those i would skip.
Does he like sports? A trip to the ESPN Zone right off Michigan Avenue might interest him or the Hershey Store near Chicago Ave and Michigan.
Second City probably is not age appropriate. There is a website for discount theatre tickets -- hottix.org. You have to go to a Hot Tix booth at Water Tower on Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue or the one on Randolph Street between Dearborn and Clark Streets to pick the tickets up. Wicked and Lion King might appeal to him although it is unlikely you could get Hot Tix for either of those.
How about a Carriage Ride??
Navy Pier is cool for the views and I agree with the earlier poster that SeaDog is a speed boat tour on the lake and the river that leaves from Navy Pier.
Lincoln Park Zoo is free and an easy cab ride from Michigan Avenue or take the a bus.
I agree with the earlier poster that the Aquariuim is less museum and more sea-worldish -- kids love it -- and while the museum of science and industry and field museum are both great museums, they are definitely museums and if he is down cool with those i would skip.
Does he like sports? A trip to the ESPN Zone right off Michigan Avenue might interest him or the Hershey Store near Chicago Ave and Michigan.
Second City probably is not age appropriate. There is a website for discount theatre tickets -- hottix.org. You have to go to a Hot Tix booth at Water Tower on Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue or the one on Randolph Street between Dearborn and Clark Streets to pick the tickets up. Wicked and Lion King might appeal to him although it is unlikely you could get Hot Tix for either of those.
How about a Carriage Ride??
Jul 20th, 2005 | 10:47 PM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
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Lincoln Park is a great place to hand out, especially on the weekends. You could go to the zoo (which is a great inner-city free zoo, but small compared to most zoos), then wander over to Lincoln or Fullerton, and have lunch at an outdoor cafe.
I second the suggestion on having your son check out the Museum of Science and Industry's website. My kids love that museum. On our last two trips, the special exhibits were movie-making and, before that, the Titanic. Our son loved both. In addition to the usual stuff, the submarine, the space stuff, etc.
Many companies - just head over to the Chicago River - operate boat tours up and down the river and out into the lake; you don't have to do the architectural tour (even though that one is superb).
It would be a shame to be in Chicago and not see the Art Institute's Impressionist exhibit - second only to the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Any ability to trade off kid and parent time? When we travel with our kids, everyone in the group gets a chance to choose something they want to do.
I, also, would hesitate to take a 13-year-old to Second City. In addition to the adult jokes, he just might not "get" the humor. My son recently saw Wicked, though, and really enjoyed it.
I second the suggestion on having your son check out the Museum of Science and Industry's website. My kids love that museum. On our last two trips, the special exhibits were movie-making and, before that, the Titanic. Our son loved both. In addition to the usual stuff, the submarine, the space stuff, etc.
Many companies - just head over to the Chicago River - operate boat tours up and down the river and out into the lake; you don't have to do the architectural tour (even though that one is superb).
It would be a shame to be in Chicago and not see the Art Institute's Impressionist exhibit - second only to the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Any ability to trade off kid and parent time? When we travel with our kids, everyone in the group gets a chance to choose something they want to do.
I, also, would hesitate to take a 13-year-old to Second City. In addition to the adult jokes, he just might not "get" the humor. My son recently saw Wicked, though, and really enjoyed it.
Jul 20th, 2005 | 11:11 PM
#6
Joined: Oct 2004
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Our kids are 19 and 15. Both kids loved Millennium Park when we checked it out last summer.
We live in the Chicago suburbs and are planning to spend the 2nd week of my husband's vacation doing day trips into the city. One of the things the kids are most looking forward to is the day we have lunch at the Berghoff and go back to Millennium Park.
During that week we hope to fit in Navy Pier (we've lived in the area since '83 and I've never been!), an Architecture river tour, Museum of Science and Industry (there's an exhibit on the human body that my daughter has heard raves about), possibly the aquarium as our son has never been, Uncle Fun's on Damon as our daughter has never been, a few other neighborhoods (Roscoe Village, Wicker Park/Ukraniun Village, Lincoln Square) and we hope to be able to take them to the 95th floor of the Hancock for lunch or drinks so they can experience the view.
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Oh, I should add that I definitely agree with the ballpark suggestions. Our kids have gone to two Cubs games by themselves this summer and are going to a Sox game this Friday. As Tiff said, Chicago has rock star baseball!
We live in the Chicago suburbs and are planning to spend the 2nd week of my husband's vacation doing day trips into the city. One of the things the kids are most looking forward to is the day we have lunch at the Berghoff and go back to Millennium Park.
During that week we hope to fit in Navy Pier (we've lived in the area since '83 and I've never been!), an Architecture river tour, Museum of Science and Industry (there's an exhibit on the human body that my daughter has heard raves about), possibly the aquarium as our son has never been, Uncle Fun's on Damon as our daughter has never been, a few other neighborhoods (Roscoe Village, Wicker Park/Ukraniun Village, Lincoln Square) and we hope to be able to take them to the 95th floor of the Hancock for lunch or drinks so they can experience the view.
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Oh, I should add that I definitely agree with the ballpark suggestions. Our kids have gone to two Cubs games by themselves this summer and are going to a Sox game this Friday. As Tiff said, Chicago has rock star baseball!
Jul 21st, 2005 | 05:54 AM
#7
Joined: Jul 2005
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All the previous posts are great suggestions. Just one more to make you even more confused. On Tuesday nights in Grant Park, they show movies. There's a large outdoor screen and everyone sits on the lawn. There's no charge and it's a family atmosphere. ET- Aug 2, The Night of the Hunter- Aug 9, The Hustler- Aug 16 and Star Wars- Aug 23.
Discount theatre tickets are available through Hot Tix. They have box offices in the Water Works Bldg at Michigan & Pearson or 72 E Randolph near Marshall Field's. Check their site at www.hottix.org. If you're looking for tickets to Wicked or Lion King, I doubt you'd find them less than full price.
Have a good trip. I came to Chicago my first time when I was 13 with my parents, I'd recommend some of the places I visited but they were all destroyed in the fire.;-)
Discount theatre tickets are available through Hot Tix. They have box offices in the Water Works Bldg at Michigan & Pearson or 72 E Randolph near Marshall Field's. Check their site at www.hottix.org. If you're looking for tickets to Wicked or Lion King, I doubt you'd find them less than full price.
Have a good trip. I came to Chicago my first time when I was 13 with my parents, I'd recommend some of the places I visited but they were all destroyed in the fire.;-)
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Jul 21st, 2005 | 10:40 AM
#8
Joined: Jan 2003
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Among the other things listed by other posters, I also second the Aquarium & the Seadog (woof woof). http://www.seadogcruises.com/ Have taken my 2 boys on the Seadog when they were 11 & 14. We all loved it. We also went on the Wendella boats. http://www.wendellaboats.com/ They do specific architectural tours but also do just sightseeing tours like the 90 minute Combined Lake and River Tour. The boys also liked that but it was at a slower speed & they got abit bored near the end.
