Hyde Park is just fine for a family of four. I lived there for years and my Mom still lives there along with many friends of ours. My family is Hyde Pk/U of C from way back and I've known the neighborhood for years (eep - was even born there!). We visit a few times a year, children and all. I've taken my kids to the beach there, walked all over the neighborhood with them, and we've waited on plenty a bus. My over 80 year old Mom waits for busses there all the time. The worst that happened was a pigeon dumped on my sister's head one time, when she was waiting for a bus.

We've even stayed at the Wooded Isle Suites when there was a wedding and my Mom had no room for our family.

You're missing out if you haven't enjoyed the Museum of Science and Industry or the waterfront parks there; or visited the Oriental Institute, or the U of C campus. The university has good theater and films. The original Powells Books is on 57th Street in Hyde Park (Portlanders will know what I'm talking about) There are new gdns on campus, too, which I toured when I visited this spring. The midway is flooded for ice skating in the winter.

The Dixie Kitchen restaurant is great. Also La Petite Folie is a good restaurant choice. There's an interesting ice cream place under the train tracks on 57th Street, too. (another transportation option)

Just to the north and really part of Hyde Park is the Kenwood neighborhood, with its amazing old mansions that were built by some of the most important industrialists and businessmen of the day. They are still lovely. Some are B&B's but you'd have to ask the university about staying in one of them. They are run privately and are used by visiting professors, etc....That is, by the way, another resource - university housing at the U of C. You'd have to sweet talk them, but it would be worth a try. We've stayed in one of the B&B's, too, when we had another big family deal with more people than could stay at my Mom's. It was really grand.

All that said, I wouldn't stay at the Hilton or whatever the bigger hotel is in Hyde Park. It's pretty dumpy looking. You have to pick and choose, but Hyde Park is a great neighborhood.

Tall Ships week begins August 4th through the 10th combined with the great weather,King Tut at the Field Museum....well, you can understand why a room is difficult to find.

Sorry but the thought of staying in Maywood( you got to be kidding?),Downers Grove, Hinsdale,etc.is ridiculous!Part of the charm of Chicago is staying IN the city and wandering the different parts of it. The suburbs you mention would make it time consuming,expensive on the train (although on the weekends it is about $5 a person)and basically make you feel as though you could be in any city other than Chicago.If you must come that weekend, then do OHare area only as that will be quicker into the city. Unfortunately, Chicago's summer weekends are filled quite quickly but I do agree with others that I would call them directly as you never know. Good Luck!

It wasn't until I read dutyfree's post that I realized someone had recommended Maywood (had to go back and reread the posts as I'd missed it the first time). I know rph326 has decided on the O'Hare area. But, in case anyone else reads this looking for ideas, Maywood is <b>not</b> a good tourist destination!

hi CAPH--I did *not* mean it as a tourist destination, but only as a place that is close and would have good public transportation into the city. Is there something about it that is dangerous? My husband went there to consult at Loyola University Medical School and said it was a very quick trip from the Michigan Avenue area to the Maywood campus....

socialworker:

Maywood is near the top of the list when it comes to suburban Chicago crime rates. It is generally accepted that there are about 200 suburbs in the Chicago area soooo...That is really saying something.

I would NOT advise anyone to hang out there at night and to certainly not make it their tourist HQ.

Socialworker, Maywood is definitely not an area I would recommend. I see that placeu2 has already done an excellent job of explaining why.

try having a look at the following link:
http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels--i...erica/33131/en
these guys have a really widerange so i'd be surprised if you didnt find anything