teens in Chicago-anything new & different?
 

A friend is traveling to Chicago with her two DS & DH. Boys are 13 & 15. They have done: Navy Pier, the usual museums, aquarium. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Get Tickets for Blue Man Group - great fun show

Check 2nd City - I think some of the shows teens can go in w/parents.

ESPN Zone - food/sports/cools sports arcade....Boy Heaven

Rent Bikes/Roller Blades for some great people watching and some light exercise along the lake front

Thanks, tripled. They have opportunities to see great shows where we live so Blue Man & 2nd City are off the list. Your suggestion for bike rental was a good one and led us to check to see if Chicago has Segway tours. (they do)
Any other suggestions?

Try to take them to the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. I saw it on TV and the food looks so awesome I have been to go there since.
http://www.chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/

Forgot to mention to check out the pizza pot pies there!!!!

From a lifelong Chicagoan:

Do they like baseball? We've got two first place teams with fun stadiums. Wrigley Field is an American icon. Cellular Field has all the bells & whistles, including fireworks.

My teen loves Big Bowl restaurant. 2 locations downtown.

Is the 15 year old interested in looking at colleges yet? We've got plenty of world class universities-most have tours. Hyde Park, home of University of Chicago, boasts a beautiful campus, historical architecture, & is home to Barack Obama. He's not home much but it is fun to drive by and see the Secret Service parked in the driveway all the time. Hyde Park easily accessible from downtown via bus or taxi. Lots of colleges downtown. Evanston, a very cool college town, is home to Northwestern-about half hour from downtown-accessible via el or taxi.

Beaches. Oak St. Beach is downtown and great people watching spot. If they want to take a picnic, stop at Fox & Obel, yummy gourmet grocery store that Oprah's been known to shop at.

Millenium Park is very cool. They must check it out, especially Crown Fountain & the Bean. Good restaurant there also.

Eat at a restuarant on the river with great views. Check metromix.com for list of restaurants.

Niketown is on Michigan Ave. Fun spot for teenage boys.

They've done Navy Pier, but there are still fireworks until Labor Day. They're incredible from a boat out on the lake, which you can catch at Navy Pier.

If she's got any connections or can be very persuasive on the phone, maybe she can buy a day pass to East Bank Club. Incredible health club where the whos who of Chicago have been spotted working out, including Oprah, Obama, & even Michael Jordan.

There's a hologram museum that kids love. It's in Greektown, a short cab ride from downtown. Top off that visit with a meal at any of Greektown's awesome restaurants. (check metromix.com for list.)

I've taken boys to high tea & they love it. I think the best one in town is the Peninsula because they have unlimited food & it's delicious. Pleasant, unsnobby atmosphere. Not cheap, but definitely a unique experience.

Other fun restaurants for teens: Rock n Roll McDonald's, Billy Goat Tavern (where cheezeborger skit from SNL originated from back in the day) & don't forget Chicago style hot dogs, pizza, Italian beef & Italian ice.

How about China Town, maybe a tour and a lunch of dim sum or Devon Avenue where there are tons of Indian/Pakistani restaurants to check out...an architectural boat tour would be interesting, a food tour ( google that)is a blast too...just some suggestions.

Great suggestions!Thanks so much. I will pass them on and try to give you a secondhand trip report.

Hello!

My husband and I are taking our 14-year-old to Chicago over Labor Day weekend and I got a lot of good ideas from your suggestions. Thanks!