manor1859

Where in Chicago or near Chicago would be the best place to stay for Christmas eve and day? Need a festive atmosphere and activities on the 24th and 25th appropriate for a child, including restaurants that are open both days.

wsoxrebel

Traditionally Marshall Fields on State Street has the best seasonal buzz, but I read that it is closing. I don't know what their Christmas 2005 status will be.
City of Chicago has free/almost free public ice skating across from the store. If you have your own ice skates, there may not be a charge.
Navy Pier will be decorated as well. They used to have a free children activity area (coloring, santa, etc) They also had roaming costumed adults singing holiday tunes.
American Girl store is a phenomenon all to itself.

cfntmpn

I wanted to offer my experience in the past with staying downtown Chicago during Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's usually very quiet - (i would definately call any restuarants that you are considering to see if they will be open). I have spent a both holidays downtown over the past 10 years and love it because it is so relaxing.

Also - I don't know what your intentions are for hotels, but they are generally EMPTY and you can get screaming deals on priceline. Last year we spent Thanksgiving and New Years downtown and grabbed The Westin (4*) for $70 per night both times. Any 4* on Priceline is going to be in very close proximity to Michigan ave.

Another tip - The Drake has the best holiday buffets ~ not your traditional buffet. Alot of people are turned-off by the idea, but The Drake's is beautiful - very upscale and tasty. However, be sure that you make a reservation far in advance and confirm the reservation several times. (get the person's name who makes the reservation for you.) I have shown up not once, but twice with a missing reservation. The Drake made everything ok - wine while I waited and one of the best seats in the house - along the window looking out onto Lake Shore Drive.

Also - you can find restaurants and their holiday menus on www.metromix.com ~ though I doubt if they are listed now - you'll probably have to wait till closer to Thanksgiving.

Cadgirl

The Marshall Fields State Street store is NOT closing. They have been bought by Federated Department Stores and early next year all Marshall Fields will be Macy's.

That said, its a wonderful place.

wsoxrebel

Cadgirl, that is good news. I am glad I was confused on that one. For manor1859 do you know if Marshall Fields will still have the santa pictures and big tree this year?

jlm_mi

No reason to believe that they won't. Macy's brand doesn't even take over until next year, but I would imagine that they'd want to maintain the big traditions anyway.

The tree is discussed on the Field's website, with no indication that they won't have it this year:

http://www.fields.com/common/special_events.jsp

JJ5

As of a last year dining by the tree in the Walnut room was "no reservation" and waiting only during month of December. The food isn't the best in Chicago, but not bad and the mood is traditional and festive- absolutely unique.

Marshal Fields has more than just a Santa to visit. Every year is a bit different, but this year may be special just because of the change. Cozy Cloud Cottage is Santa's home and everything a home has, he may have. Uncle Mistletoe, Mrs. Santa and numerous other characters and the elves have still been around- and hopefully you will be able to see more than just a place for your child to talk to Santa.

Of course, we all know that the Marshal Fields Santa Claus is the REAL Santa Claus and all the rest are just his helpers.

So true that the pricing may be superb if you bid for those two days.

Retired_teacher

I would recommend staying along the Magnificant Mile for location, location. Free activities appropriate for a child that you might want to consider (and that have not been mentioned previously) would include seeing the display windows on State Street (especially the ones at Marshall Fields) and strolling through the Zoo Lights Festival at Lincoln Park Zoo. For the price of admission, your child might enjoy the Children's Museum at Navy Pier or the Museum of Science & Industry's Christmas trees from around the world exhibit (Jackson Park area). Though rather pricey, your child would probably never forget taking a carriage ride at night along the Magnificant Mile where all of you could marvel at the city lights while snuggled under a thick blanket. Whatever you decide to do, bring along plenty of warm clothes for the wind chill off the lake can put a damper on outdoor holiday fun that time of year!

patg

Zoolights will be closed on December 24 and 25, but I believe the zoo will be open both days until about 5 p.m. All other museums are closed on Christmas. It is, as cfnt posted, a very quiet day downtown and on North Michigan. How about the zoo, a movie, pool time at your hotel and dinner in Chinatown?
BTW, metromix.com is a great source for restaurant and other tourist info.

aschie30

I also recommend going to Marshall Field's for the Christmas decorations and to see the Walnut Room. I also recommend staying in either the Loop or near the Mag Mile. While the Loop *may be* less lively on the 24th and 25th, it is still easily accessible to the Mag Mile by foot, so it's not a big deal. (The Mag Mile - Michigan Ave. above Wacker and below Oak St - is almost always busy.) I would not rule out the Loop as a place to stay because some properties there that are more cozy and festive than your average chain Marriott or Hyatt located near the Mag Mile.

Having said that, I would recommend for hotels (you don't give a budget, so I'll give everything from moderate price and up): Near the Mag Mile, The Peninsula (amazingly luxurious) and the Park Hyatt (definitely not your average Hyatt, way more luxurious, Bono stays here), and the Drake (not the best anymore, but very Christmas-y). For Loop hotels, I would recommend the Hotel Burnham (smaller boutique, quaint), Hotel Monaco (great location, also more intimate) and the Palmer Hilton (Grand dame, Waldorf-Astoria style, and likewise a tad faded but Christimas-y).

Although the Walnut Room in Field's is a tradition, if you don't want to deal with the lines, I suggest making brunch reservations at The Atwood Cafe across the street in the Hotel Burnham. The Hotel is very vintage and decorated very nicely for the holidays. I don't think you'll miss the Walnut Room's atmosphere and the food is excellent - loads better than the Walnut Room.

As for the "Macy's Effect" (we're very upset here about the change in name of Marshall Field's), I was just there today during lunch - maybe it's just me - but it doesn't look like the Christmas decorations are coming together as nicely this year as they have in other years.

I also second the Drake Christmas buffet - when I was there a couple of years ago, they had a little Christmas parade that would periodically run through the room. I would check with the hotel that they still do this buffet as the Drake's restaurant is now a steakhouse called Drake Bros.

Another Christmas-y place to eat around the Mag Mile is Bistro 110- it's a French restaurant that's very pretty - nicely done up for the holidays.

BUT, my personal favorite place to eat around the holidays is RL (adjacent to the Ralph Lauren store on Michigan Ave.). It serves very good classic American dishes like Dover sole and Shrimp de Jonghe and the room is very cozy and feels like you're eating in someone's study.

Now, I'm not sure if any of these places are open over the holidays. I would narrow down your choices and call them.

Also, when it gets closer to Christmas, start checking the Chicago Tribune's website. Every year the dining critic, Phil Vettel, posts a list of restaurants that are open for the holidays. You could even search their website to try to find last year's list and use that as a rough guide.

manor1859

Thanks for all the good tips! Still thinking The Drake would be the best all-round place to stay with a child. Plan to do Marshall Field's and the Walnut room on the 23rd (the zoo lights that night?). Maybe the Atwood Cafe for Christmas eve dinner and the buffet at The Drake on Christmas day. Any more ideas? Thanks

exiledprincess

Manor1859, there are a few choices of Chicago traditions for 12/24 which I'll mention:

The Bailiwick has an annual production of "The Christmas Schooner" (a holiday musical) at the Theatre Building on Belmont.

The Music Box's annual Christmas sing-a-long with Santa. Shows the Crosby-Kaye "White Christmas" and "It's a Wonderful Life" double-feature (although you can go to only one feature if you wish) with a sing-a-long led by Santa (organ accompaniment) during the intermissions. A couple of year's ago, I went on Christmas Eve - there was a smaller crowd on that date, not packed like some evenings.

The Goodman's "A Christmas Carol". Wonderful performance and venue.

The Joffrey's Nutcracker Ballet. What else can you say...it's magical.

And for Christmas Day, you might want to check out ice skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink in Millennium Park. Not sure what their holiday hours are, but check their website (you might want to also call about Christmas Day itself).

Kristi

If you are planning on doing the Walnut Room on the 23rd expect a really long wait, last year we went that week and it was over 3 hours!!!!! I ate there last week and I have to say the food is nothing special, people go for the idea of sitting under the tree. The Atwood Cafe, which has already been recommended, is a great alternative, make sure you have reservations as it is a small space.

My recommendation is to go take a look at the tree (decorated in Swarovski crystal this year) from the floor above, check out the windows (Cinderella this year), visit Daley Plaza to see the tree. It looks like the Christkindl Market, also in Daley Plaza, will already be closed by your visit.