How to Spend a Day in Chicago with Kids
If you only have one day to explore Chicago with kids, here are a few ideas on how you might want to make the most of your day.
Observation Decks
With two observation decks in Chicago, you can visit one or both as each has a different attraction to take in the panoramic views of Chicago.
- 360 Chicago is located in the John Hancock Building on North Michigan Avenue. Here you can try the Tilt experience on the 94th floor.
- The Skydeck is located on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower and is where you can step out onto the glass balcony known as the The Edge.
Navy Pier
There’s plenty of attractions for kids at Navy pier so this is a must do stop when exploring Chicago. Popular attractions include the Centennial Wheel & Pier Park, Chicago Children’s Museum and Amazing Chicago.
River Tour
At Navy Pier you will find plenty of choices to take a boat tour of Lake Michigan or the Chicago River. We chose the Seadog Cruises 75 minute River & Lake Architectural Tour. This tour combined a speedboat thrill ride on the lake with a leisurely look at Chicago’s most well-known buildings and unique architecture along the river.
Millennium Park
Kids love to visit the mesmerizing Bean at Millennium Park in Chicago. It is a real vibrant and lively park with beautiful gardens, family activities, concerts and tours. Millennium Park is located right in the heart of the city and is a definite must do with kids.
Dylan’s Candy Bar
If you are looking for somewhere to stop to eat or drink that the kids will love, pop into Dylan’s Candy Bar located at 445 N.Michigan Ave. Not only is it a huge candy shop, they have a great food and drink menu as well.
More Suggestions
While we managed to visit all of the above comfortably in one day, there were still a few attractions we didn’t get to that we would definitely like to visit next time in Chicago including;
We can’t wait to return and explore a bit more of Chicago with kids again.
