Museums and views in Chicago

[caption id="attachment_4602" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Us at Millennium Park[/caption]

As you will know if you read the blog posts by Jess and Robert, we spent a wonderful week in Chicago this summer. They have both written posts on what they particularly enjoyed and now it's my turn!

It seems pointless to go over the same ground that my children did! After all, I too loved the Escape Room (which Robert writes about in detail in this blog post) and the brilliant Chicago-themed Mini Golf. And, although I'm not a teen, I especially loved the bike tour which Jess describes, the trip to the beach and comedy at Second City. But there was also a lot more that we did, and which I am going to share with you here.....

A city of beauty

Chicago is, as both my children said, beautiful. It's a gorgeous place for a city-based holiday, and enhanced by the fact that it has extras you would never normally connect with a bustling metropolis - like its own beaches. It's also blessed with magnificent museums and other must-dos.

And fabulous views

I always love a view when I visit a city and in Chicago, we found that the best viewing point was the Skydeck at the Willis Tower (once known as the Sears Tower) which is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,353 feet. We headed there after a busy day out, doing our cycling tour, and a quick walk along Navy Pier, which is also great for views of the city (and snacks!).

We arrived at the Willis Tower as the sun was starting to go down. We headed up to the 103rd floor via a speedy lift, before walking around and enjoying the views of the city from up high. We decided to queue up to wait to use one of the glass bottomed viewing panels - called "The Ledge"  - which are basically boxes which take you about four and a half feet from the Skydeck, and were blessed with some wonderful views and colours as the sun went down. We had to wait around 30 minutes and I'm not sure if I would have done this if I had been with young children. However, it was absolutely worth it for us as I loved walking onto the platform and soaking up the views.

Amazing art (and architecture)

I knew that Chicago was home to some terrific art and, if you have any interest in art or architecture, this is a brilliant place to visit. The buildings are stunning and we would recommend a guided boat trip to fully immerse yourself. We used the Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Tour and had a wonderful 75 minutes relaxing on the Chicago river while our guide, Kyle, told us everything we needed to know. It was absolutely worth doing - and we learnt a lot.

[caption id="attachment_4600" align="alignnone" width="1024"] One of the amazing views from the Chicago architecture boat tour[/caption]

We also visited the Art Institute of Chicago - and it is mind-blowing. Not only does it host such world-famous paintings as American Gothic and Nighthawks, but it also has some incredible Impressionists (it hosts the largest Impressionist collection outside Paris) and modern art, not to mention some beautiful Chagall paintings and much, much more, including whole galleries on ancient Greece and Africa. Its collections cover hundreds of years of art, and I would have stayed longer but my children had had their fill after a couple of hours!

[caption id="attachment_4601" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Brian by the "Bean" in Millennium Park in Chicago - as recommended by all guide books![/caption]

The Art Institute is right near Millennium Park, which is huge and wonderful. Do go there to visit Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate (known more colloquially as "the Bean") as it's really a must-do and a wonderful piece of art. In fact, there is art that you can just come upon across the city, including a mural by Chagall and other works by Miro, Calder and a wonderful piece which spurted out water called Crowne Fountain by Jaume Plensa. We discovered many of these on a terrific Chicago Greeter guided tour with a wonderful man called Bill. These tours (on any kind of topic you like)  are all free and organised by the city. Bill wouldn't even take a tip!

And natural history and science and industry

Another museum I would highly recommend was the Field Museum, which is Chicago's Museum of Natural History. This is brilliant for kids and adults, and unlike its equivalent in London, it wasn't too manic or chock-full of guests.

The museum has so many things for you to do - we visited the "brilliant bugs" exhibit and glanced at a number of others, including the hall of gems (which was very impressive). But what was really amazing was the dinosaurs, as this museum hosts SUE, the biggest and most complete T-Rex skeleton in the world! It is really astonishing, and the whole exhibit is done brilliantly, with many other fossils, dinosaur skeletons and excellent explanations which take you right through history.

[caption id="attachment_4605" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SUE - the skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex[/caption]

The final museum we visited in Chicago was the Museum of Science and Industry. We had heard great things about this place and it was highly recommended by my friends who live in the city.

The first thing to say about it is that it is absolutely huge! There is masses to see, and there are also a number of extras (many of which cost more money) such as a coal mine or 4D films. I have a feeling that this is a museum which you would need to visit over and over again, but we were impressed (although many of the exhibits did seem dated).

[caption id="attachment_4606" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A newborn chick which we saw hatch![/caption]

The genetics section, where you could see chicks being born was amazing, while we also enjoyed the "Science Storms" section - watching tornados blow up around you was an experience. Seeing a real u-boat was remarkable (we didn't pay extra to go on, just looked from the outside) and we enjoyed the Mirror Maze and "You the Experience" too, although not all of the objects worked properly. I also explored Colleen Moore's fairy castle, which is like something you'd see in Las Vegas (I said it was a museum with lots of different parts!).

There are loads more museums in Chicago and also loads more to do overall. We had planned a visit to the Shedd Aquarium, but in the end we simply ran out of time, what with all the other places we went to, and the endless eating and general exploring. It is a beautiful place, which offers so much to people of all ages. We'd highly recommend a holiday there!

Disclosure: We were gifted a CityPASS for Chicago which gave us free entry into the Skydeck, Art Institute, Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry. CityPASS had no input whatsoever into this blog post, but we did think it was great having a pass which meant we could skip queues and visit places we might not have considered otherwise (like the Museum of Natural History). A CityPASS lasts for nine days and can also be used for the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium. It costs $108 per adult and $89 per child, which works out as a lot less than if you visited the attractions and paid at each one individually.

Don't forget to read Robert's post on Chicago and Jess's on what's best for teens.

 

5 things to do with teens in Chicago

By Jess, aged 17:

Over summer, our family spent the most amazing week in Chicago. Though very full on, we all had a fantastic time, and there is not one activity which I didn't enjoy. Chicago is a genuinely beautiful city; busy but not too loud or congested. There were things to do for all the family, and here are my highlights from the trip, which I think teenagers would particularly enjoy.

Baseball

I had really wanted to go to a baseball match as I felt it was a typical American thing to do. Instead of watching the more famous Chicago Cubs, we opted for the White Sox, and I had a really fantastic time. Unlike football games in the UK, the atmosphere was much more relaxed, with people walking around the whole time. I definitely enjoyed this, as I can get very stressed when watching live sports!

[caption id="attachment_4559" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] We really enjoyed watching the Chicago White Sox![/caption]

Despite never playing baseball before, the people sitting around us were more than willing to explain what was going on, and I found myself getting very engaged with the game. The experience felt very American, with an audience cam, lots of adverts for pizza, a fill in the song lyric game, and everyone standing up and singing "Take me out to the ball game" between the seventh and eight innings.

There were other activities in the stadium as well, such a speed pitching test and a free interactive centre for kids. Mum and I collected free badges and certificates to commemorate our first visit to the stadium, and the people sitting behind us were generous enough to give us White Sox temporary tattoos and t-shirts.

I would definitely recommend baseball games to people visiting the US - not only was the game exciting, but I loved getting a taste of what it's like to be a real American. Mum says that it was expensive though - and we were all shocked by the cost of the food and drink inside the stadium (a bottle of Pepsi was over $6!)

Our tickets to the baseball cost around $50 (they were more expensive because we chose to be under cover - a good decision, as it was very hot!).

Second City

Second City is a famous sketch and improvisational comedy troupe, known for producing stars such as Tina Fey and Steve Carell. I am a huge fan of SNL, and it was especially exciting spotting lots of famous names in the programme we were given. Our family saw a production named "Grinning from Fear to Fear", which included two sets of sketches and an improvisational section.

I thought the production was hilarious, and unlike anything I'd seen before. Ranging from meeting your girlfriend's parents to sleepless late night anxieties, the production was very well done, and I laughed more times than I can count. They also used a lot of suggestions from the audience and even brought people up onto stage.

This was definitely one of the highlights of my holiday.

Second City is not for younger children - the show we went to started at 8pm and didn't finish until nearly 11 and there was quite a lot of swearing in it. Tickets cost $52 each.

Cycling food tour

Cycling isn't something we do very often, so I was somewhat terrified at the prospect of cycling around busy Chicago streets. However, I shouldn't have worried: our Bikes, Bites and Brews tour with Bobby's Bike Hike was great. Our guide Ro was extremely friendly and enthusiastic, and she toured us for 13 miles across Chicago.

[caption id="attachment_4560" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] We loved all the food on our cycling tour with Bobby's Bike Hike, and the views were great too![/caption]

We sampled pizza, cupcakes, hot dogs, and drinks from all across Chicago, learning a lot about the city in the process. A particular highlight was eating delicious deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati's, and spending half an hour cycling down a cycle path right next to Lake Michigan. The views were brilliant, and it was very relaxing. The tour was both interesting and exciting, and we definitely wouldn't have had the confidence to ride around Chicago without a guide. The city was easy to ride around and the views were gorgeous.

I would definitely recommend cycling around Chicago, and there are lots of places to rent bikes from. Though we wouldn't have been able to navigate the streets by ourselves, the cycle path by the lake boasted brilliant views and was easy to make our way around.

This Bobby's Bikes, Bites and Brews cycling tour costs $66.75 for adults and $61.75 for students (Mondays to Thursdays) and lasts four hours. 

Disclosure: We were gifted the opportunity of taking part in Bobby's Bike Hire, the Bikes, Bites and Brews tour, in order to write about it. However, the company had no input whatsoever into this blog post.

Escape room

Our whole family loved going to an escape room at The Escape Game Chicago. Though only an hour long, our experience probably provided us with the most fun of anything we did over the holiday. Our challenge was called "The Heist", and our challenge was to retrieve a painting from the office of a man accused of stealing it.

[caption id="attachment_4557" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] We were pleased to find the painting with only two minutes to go![/caption]

I've been to three other escape rooms before, but this one was definitely the best. It was so well maintained, and some of the parts were genius. It was very difficult, but definitely not unmanageable or frustrating, and we were pleased to escape with two minutes remaining!

Escape rooms can be found all over the world and there are a copious amount in the UK alone, but I would recommend doing this one if you're in Chicago. We all had a fantastic time.

Read Rob's post on the Escape Game (he really loved it too!)
The Heist at the Escape Game costs $35.99 per person.

Beach

Chicago is particularly special as it is on Lake Michigan, so there are a copious number of beaches to relax on. We were all struck by the sheer size of the water - it seemed unfathomable that it was only a lake and not the sea! We went to the North Avenue beach, which was great as it was quiet, and there was a lot of space to sit down and unwind.

[caption id="attachment_4561" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Looking out to Lake Michigan on North Avenue Beach[/caption]

The water was ridiculously cold, but we appreciated that it wasn't salty like the sea. It also didn't get deep quickly, providing ample space for wading in the water and swimming. Chicago's beaches are especially notable as its gorgeous skyline is behind the lake, leading to gorgeous views wherever you look.

Overall, Chicago is a perfect place for teenagers, and I honestly enjoyed every aspect of the trip. Aside from these five highlights, there were so many other fantastic attractions, making the city perfect for all the family. I enjoyed incredible views of the city at the top of the Sears Tower, saw chicks being born at the Museum of Science and Industry, and looked at the largest T-Rex ever found at the Field Museum. Even activities which sounded boring, such as an architecture boat tour, were fascinating!

It may not a common holiday destination for those of us in the UK, but our trip to Chicago was great - both for the adults and the teens.

Read Rob's post on his two favourite activities: 

We also found useful information on the Choose Chicago website and the Enjoy Illinois website.

The best ever escape room and mini golf in Chicago

[caption id="attachment_4568" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Success![/caption]

By Robert, aged 14:

During the recent summer holidays my family and I decided not to exercise and get a typical summer body. Instead we opted to go  to America so our physique could resemble the jellybeans we learnt about on the Jelly Belly factory tour in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin (about an hour and a half from our base in Chicago). But whilst we gained pounds (and lost them at the currency exchange), the week we spent in Chicago was brilliant. I’ve been asked the question “What was your favourite bit?” multiple times since we got back from and every time I’ve replied with the same answer: “The escape room.” 

The Escape Game 

I’d been to three escape rooms in my life previous to this Chicago holiday and I had loved going every time. The one we went to in Chicago was run by the company The Escape Game. On offer at the venue we visited were five different experiences which varied in difficulty: Gold Rush, Mission: Mars, Special Ops: Mysterious Market, Prison Break and of course my favourite of all the ones I’ve done: The Heist. Unlike any escape room that I’ve partaken in before, this one actually had a proper storyline. Before we started, we were shown a video explaining our situation (that we were proving a dodgy art dealer to be a fake by stealing a painting) and this really made the next hour more exciting and fun. 



The rooms themselves were immaculately designed, they actually looked like what they were meant to be: a gallery, an office. There were no clues or objects that seemed out of place, which really made you feel like you were in the story. Also, in the British escape rooms that I’ve been to there have been many worn out props or creased laminated pages of which their sole purpose was to be a clue. The clues and rooms at The Escape Game were all in great condition, there were absolutely no puzzles that were just simply written on pieces of paper. 

[caption id="attachment_4570" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The rooms were so intricate - beautifully designed[/caption]

 

We managed to escape the room with under three minutes to spare and having only used about six  prompts or clues – which we used almost all in haste during the last few minutes! Unlike the typical “find some numbers and open up a cupboard with a padlock” puzzles which we were used to, The Heist would reveal something after we completed a sequence. An object or clue would appear on the floor or the table without us doing anything so it was really cool. 

[caption id="attachment_4567" align="alignnone" width="1200"] We had to rescue this fake picture (it took us a while to find it!)[/caption]

Overall I thought the whole thing was genius and I ended up repeating “that was so cool” over and over for the majority of the day! The storyline and unique puzzles made the experience thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced and exciting. There were multiple times (which I can’t mention in detail or else it will spoil them) that were outstanding and we keep talking about. I hope that, without mentioning anything about the clues or puzzles, I have conveyed how awesome this escape room was as we all thought it was brilliant and would definitely go back again. If only it wasn't so far away....

The Escape Game Chicago is located in River North and costs $35.99 per player, although there are often offers if you look out for them! 

City Mini Golf 

Another unique experience that we all really enjoyed was playing a round at City Mini Golf which is located in the beautiful Maggie Daley Park. The crazy golf course started off as a popup created by school teacher Rob Long, but then it became so popular that it has now become a permanent attraction at the park and was voted Chicago’s #1 Miniature Golf Course. 

Rob - who we actually met on the day that we went to have a game - makes all the holes himself and every year he expands the designs of the less exciting one. He told us that he already has many ideas for this winter meaning if you visit it will be even better than we went – and we really enjoyed it!  The setting for the game is lovely, with greenery all around you in the park and an open view of the amazing Chicago city skyline.  

The holes themselves were extremely innovative and unique as we had to putt the ball through or around intricately made models of Chicago landmarks: The Willis Tower, China town and even a miniature replica of Picasso’s Chicago Sculpture – as well as loads more.

[caption id="attachment_4576" align="alignnone" width="1200"] You can see the new China Town hole in the background![/caption]

I’ve been to quite a few mini-golf courses in my life and I’ve got to say that the NBA themed hole at City Mini Golf was one of the best I’ve ever played. You had to hit the ball up a ramp and land it in a basketball net which dropped it into tube facing the hole, it was so cool. At the end of the 18 hole course you get to put your ball into a game and if it lands in a certain place you win a free round. Out of the four of us we actually won this once meaning it’s not that hard to get another go at an already extremely good-value attraction. The balls were colourful and painted with designs, the holes were brilliantly crafted and overall it was a great place to come and have a fun time in Chicago. 

[caption id="attachment_4577" align="alignnone" width="768"] Mum by the brilliant Chicago Bulls hole[/caption]

City Mini Golf is located in the middle of Maggie Daley Park, just five minutes from the amazing Cloud Gate (the Bean)! It is open Monday-Thursday, and Sunday from 11-8 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-9pm. It costs $11 per person, but if you live locally, you can get a whole season pass for $32!

Further reading:

NEW! Read about how we took part in a virtual escape room (but did we escape?)

NEW! Read Jess's account of our trip to Chicago, with her tips for teens.

Read about our trip to a London escape room, ClueQuest

Read about our trip to the biggest mini golf course in Europe