We recently travelled to Chicago on a family vacation and had the BEST time! If you’re looking for culture and fun activities for the kids, I highly recommend it!
My husband and I lived in the city of Chicago for about ten years, when we were in our 20’s, and we had the time of our lives. Our daughter was born there, but we hadn’t been back with the kids since we moved out to Colorado in 2012. It was time to get back and show them this amazing city!
This is Part One of the Chicago Family Travel Guide, stay tuned for the rest of our trip next week! This week's review includes a review of our stay at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar, our visit to the SkyDeck, and some of the restaurants we ate at during our trip.
Kimpton Hotel Palomar
There are so many hotels to choose from in the city, and I honestly didn’t know where to start. But I’m so glad that we ended up at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar!
The hotel is super close to so many of the downtown attractions, including Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue, the lakefront, Willis Tower SkyDeck, the Art Institute and Millenium Park. It was the perfect home base for our family. Plus, if your kids aren’t worn out enough from being tourists, they have a gorgeous pool with amazing city views!
When we came into the hotel after a long morning of travelling, the kids were treated to backpacks with lots of fun little toys. This kept them busy while we were getting checked in, and while we were getting setup in the room. I LOVE it when a hotel thinks about those little things to keep families happy.
Speaking of keeping us happy, if you stay, don’t miss the signature hosted wine hour nightly from 5:00pm – 6:00pm, such a nice perk!
We’re out of the baby stage, but if we weren’t, I would have used the Palomar Baby Butler! The Palomar Baby Butler is a complimentary service for parents aimed to lessen their load by fully stocking their guest room or suite with all the disposable baby essentials for their trip. They can also provide a few non-disposable essentials you are welcome to borrow (upon availability): Humidifier, Sound Machine, Baby Bath Tub, Nightlight, Outlet Covers + Toilet Latches. How easy is that!
If you’re heading out on a Chicago trip with your family, as a couple, or with the girls – the Kimpton Hotel Palomar is an amazing place to stay!
Willis Tower SkyDeck
Looking for a thrill? Hang out in a glass box at 1,353 feet in the air! Yikes!
Willis Tower (previously the Sears Tower) is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Hop in the elevator that will take you up 110 stories in 60 seconds, and you’ll be on the top of the world. Needless to say, the views from the top are incredible!
Once you’ve gotten your fill of views in all directions, head to the Ledge to take a look 1,353 feet down.
I’m not very comfortable with heights, but I’ll tell you this was still a fun experience, and the kids LOVED it! Each group gets 90 seconds on the ledge, and some of this time is taken up with pictures, but then you can just stand there and feel this crazy experience. We went out about six times, and each time the kids found something new to look at.
This is a popular attraction for tourists from all over the world, so the lines can get long, really long in the summer. The Fast Pass was a HUGE perk for this visit. We went straight up in the elevator, and then skipped the line at the Ledge. It does add up fast, but it will make your visit so much more enjoyable.
If you’re looking for the best price, check out the Chicago CityPass, it includes a lot of the local attractions, and you’ll get in for a fraction of the price.
Our Fav Restaurant Stops
 | Purple Pig We never ate at this restaurant while we lived in Chicago, but we had tried a couple times and couldn't get in! Now they have a larger space and we grabbed a seat at the bar with the kids for lunch (who loved watching the kitchen!) Food and wine was delicious! |
 | Xoco We are a huge fan of Rick Bayless and his food, and this is his sandwich restaurant. The sandwiches are amazing, but we stopped by for the churros, which were delicious as ever! |
 | Eataly Chicago I visited Eataly in New York a few years ago, and it was an Italian magical wonderland! So many amazing things to see and eat, and so little time! The Chicago Eataly isn't quite as large as the one in New York, but it's still a wonder to see it. It's a good thing we don't live in Chicago any more, because I'm pretty sure we'd be at that place every day! Our favorite things we picked up were simply the foccacia and fresh prosciutto! |
 | Frontera Grill Another Rick Bayless restaurant, this time the casual restaurant famous for margaritas! I made reservations here months in advance, so if you're planning a trip, make that one of the first things you do! We love to get the guacamole, ceviche and platains (covered in a creamy sauce that are to die for). I changed up my margarita this time to a champagne margarita and it was SO GOOD! We'd never been with kids before, and were pleasantly surprised that they have incredibly affordable kids menus. They each got a big bowl of guacamole and a quesadilla, and they were in heaven. It's a great place to take kids, it was pretty loud already so they didn't bother anyone. |
Want more family-friendly travel ideas? Check out our Family Travel Guide!
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