We’re so happy you’re coming to our wedding! You know what else we’re happy about? That you’re coming to Chicago! For those that have visited us in the past, you know how much we love this city, and love to show it off. But it’s going to be difficult to give a personalized tour with so much to do over the weekend, so we put together this page as a warm-up for your next visit. Enjoy!
Most of these options are kid-friendly, but for places made especially for kids, see below. If you’re staying for more than just the weekend, make sure you check out four more recommendations at the very bottom of the page.
Priority #1: Chicago Architectural Boat Tour We don’t care what you’ve been told, before you plan anything else with your free time, do this, and be sure you go with the Chicago Architectural Foundation (accept no imitations). There are tours every hour, but remember, there’s a big music festival in town over the weekend, so you might want to book early.
Priority #2: Take a Stroll or lounge at the Oak Street Beach: Once you’re done with the boat tour, visit other Chicago wonders you can’t see from the river, like Millenium Park or Daley Plaza. Download and print one or more of these maps, complete with walking routes and details: 1) Oak Street Beach, Gold Coast, and Michigan Avenue; 2) Millenium Park, The Lakefront, and Museum Campus; and 3) Loop Architectural Walk. If you don’t feel like walking that much, hop on one of the free Chicago Trolleys. The closest stop to the hotels is at Water Tower.
Priority #3: Once you’ve taken in the sights, or it’s time for a break from the beach, we highly recommend The Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago History Museum (a short walk north).
For Kids and the Young at Heart:
Lincoln Park Zoo is a short cab ride from the hotel and always free!
The Museum Campus is right along the lakeshore with plenty of park for playing and picnicking. Once you’re there, the Field Museum (BIG dinosaurs) and the Shedd Aquarium are a short walk from each other.
If you’re staying for more than just the weekend, here are four more HIGHLY recommended activities (all of these are popular attractions and require purchasing tickets in advance):
1) Catch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field – a.k.a The Friendly Confines – a.k.a The most beautiful ballpark in the world.
2) Catch a show at Second City – the improv comedy theater that spawned Saturday Night Live and the careers of John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and Chris Farley, just to name a few.
3) Take the Green Line out to Oak Park to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio. There are many homes he designed within walking distance.
4) If you listen to NPR on Saturday mornings, you’re probably a fan of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!” – the NPR news quiz. Well, the show is taped in downtown Chicago on Thursday evenings and tickets are sold to the public here (yeah, we’re dorks).
