Chicago during the Fall

Michigan Avenue

We headed to Chicago, Illinois when my son was seven months old.  We wanted to see the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Chicago Bears. We didn’t end up seeing the game because we had some problems with purchasing tickets but regardless we had an opportunity see many of the great things Chicago has to offer during the fall.

We flew from Phoenix and landed in Chicago. It was approximately a three hour flight. Our baby did very well on plane. As soon as the plane took off, he fell asleep. We had more difficult on the way back because he was so tired that it took him a little crying to fall asleep. We stayed at the Dana Hotel, a four star hotel a few blocks from Michigan Avenue.  The Dana Hotel is very trendy and targeted more towards adults than families. They have a trendy lounge and restaurant and I didn’t see many children.  The rooms are very modern and even a little “sensual.” Nevertheless, the staff was very nice and courteous to us even with baby in tow. They were very accommodating and provided us with a baby crib. It’s a great hotel with affordable rates. The location is fantastic. We were able to walk everyone, no need for a cab or public transportation (except for transportation to and from the airport).

View from our hotel

Chicago has many interesting sights and museums to visit. We visited the Art Institute of Chicago. I highly recommend that museum for those interested in modern art. They have an excellent collection. Some of their highlight include American Gothic, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Van Gogh’s Self-portrait and Bedroom in Arles. Of course we went to the Willis-Sears Tower Skydeck and visited the John Hancock Center/Observatory. We also visited Millennium Park and saw “The Bean.”  We walked around Michigan Avenue and then visited Navy Pier. That’s very fun for children. We also visited the Field Museum which I also highly recommend. It has great collections including Sue, the world’s largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex. We visited the Shedd Aquarium, the largest indoor aquarium in the world with an extensive collection of animals. I also highly recommend visiting the aquarium. Chicago offers city passes where you can visit many of their museums for a lower cost. We walked around Soldier Field because my husband is a big football fan. On our last day, we did a City Tour where we learned more about the history of Chicago. We drove by Congress Hotel, the infamous mobster hotel. We also drove by Oprah Winfrey’s loft. We visited the beautiful Michigan lakes. We ate some of the traditional Chicago food- Chicago style pizza. Not my favorite but definitely my husband’s favorite.

The Bean @ Millennium Park

Chicago is a magnificent city to visit. There is so much to do and see. It has a great history and it has done a great job at maintaining world-class museums. The people are very welcoming also- true Midwesterns. This is another great city that I recommend families to visit. It was my son’s first experience of a true city and he loved the hustle and bustle of it. He loved to see people walking down Michigan Avenue. These people were going to work, getting off work, going shopping, going out for a meal- it was a great. Besides, the architecture in Chicago is amazing. If you want your children to experience the feel of a true American city, then look no further than Chicago. Happy travels!