3 Days in Chicago: A Guide for Bringing Baby

Exploring Chicago with a 12-month-old

Chicago – the land of baseball, wind, stunning architecture, and deep dish pizza. It also happens to be just an 8 hour drive from Kansas City, which made this destination even more appealing to us! This was Baby “C’s” first trip to a big city, so I was a little apprehensive about the transportation situation and if she would tolerate the walks between attractions. It turns out Chicago is a wonderful place to bring small kids – there is so much for them to do! With the hustle and bustle of city life, there is also no shortage of good people-watching, which may have been her favorite part.

Accommodations:

We chose to stay at Hotel Lincoln, which is included in the World of Hyatt program. This hotel is directly across the street from Lincoln Park and has an attached coffee shop (which we visited daily)! Staying near Lincoln Park became my favorite feature of the hotel – we could grab our morning coffee and meander along the walkways. One day we even happened upon the Farmers Market, which was a nice surprise! Something else I liked about our accommodations was that our 1-bedroom suite included a small living area that was separate from the bedroom. This was the perfect place to set up “C’s” Pack n Play because it gave us the freedom to stay up and watch a show (and eat snacks!) without waking her.

Overall, we were very satisfied with our hotel stay; however, there were a couple drawbacks that we will keep in mind for future travels. One was that there weren’t many “quick” food options nearby. There were several great restaurants close, but when we had used up our stamina for the day and just wanted to grab something before heading back, we had trouble finding much. A second drawback was its location. I know, I know… I just said how much I LOVED being within walking distance to the park. However, most of the museums and attractions are further south, which required multiple stops on the “L” and walking.

Transportation:

Although we drove to Chicago, once we arrived, our car stayed parked pretty much the entire time. Our primary method of getting around was the Chicago “L” (short for elevated), which is the city’s metro system. We purchased one 3-day pass for all three of us for $5 a day and we had unlimited rides during that time. It took a minute to figure out the map system and which stops we wanted, but once we did, we felt like locals! Something to keep in mind is that not every stop is the same. Because it is an elevated train system, you need to climb stairs or take an elevator to reach the stop. Our closest stop had an elevator, but I cannot speak for all the others. Also, when entering and exiting, you must pass through turnstiles. Portions of the stop would have a handicapped option we could wheel the stroller through, but others did not, and we were forced to take C out of the stroller and collapse it to fit it through. Needless to say, we were happy we brought our collapsible umbrella stroller on this trip!

Activities:

Skydeck at Willis Tower

Our first activity in Chicago was visiting the observation deck, called Skydeck, at Willis Tower – the third tallest building in North America. We pre-purchased our timed tickets prior to arriving, which guaranteed availability to visit. Once we arrived, we entered an elevator which took us up (and up, and up, and up) to the Skydeck. The bird’s eye view of Chicago from that level was incredible! It was also a fun way of getting oriented to the city. While there, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to step out onto the “Ledge” – a glass floor balcony. Apparently, “C” doesn’t have a fear of heights because she was as happy as she could be looking down upon the city below!

Millenium Park

Millenium Park was one of our highlights while in Chicago. Seeing the iconic Cloud Gate Sculpture (aka, the “Bean”) up close was so cool! Its reflective surface shows off the beautiful surrounding skyline and green space, and it was fun to walk under and see our reflections.

Also within Millenium Park is the Crown Fountain – a reflecting pool with two tall towers on either end displaying moving images of the faces of Chicago citizens. Kids were having a blast splashing in the water, so “C” had to try it out as well. She found it equally as fun!

From the Crown Fountain we walked to Lurie Garden, a beautiful 2.5-acre garden filled with a variety of flowers and walkways to stroll through. As we continued walking, we found the BP Pedestrian Bridge – a large, stainless steel walkway that connects Millenium Park to the Maggie Daley park. Maggie Daley Park is not to be missed if you are with kids – it is amazing! There are SO many different play structures, splash pads, and areas to explore. With such a variety, all ages can enjoy this park.

Navy Pier

Riding the iconic Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier was high on our Chicago bucket list. We purchased tickets from a nearby kiosk then hopped on our own enclosed gondola. The views of the skyline and Lake Michigan were incredible! Also at Navy Pier was the “Illuminarium” experience. I happened to receive an Instagram ad for this the day before (and once again, it got me), so we decided to try it out. I’m so glad we did because this turned out to be one of the best surprises of the trip! Illuminarium is an immersive show where you are surrounded by the sights and sounds of a given experience – ours was “safari” and “space.” C LOVED seeing the animals and there was so much room for her to move around, which was necessary after so much stroller time! Navy Pier also had other rides and miniature golf, but due to her age we will probably save those for a future trip!

Lakefront Trail

This paved pathway runs north and south along Lake Michigan for a total of 18 miles, and is a popular place for walkers, joggers, and bikers to get active. After leaving Navy Pier, we walked the Lakefront Trail back to our hotel, where we passed beaches (including Oak Street Beach and North Avenue Beach), restaurants, and parks. It was a very scenic alternative to taking the “L”!

Lincoln Park Zoo

The Lincoln Park Zoo is a small, but very nice zoo. And best of all, it is completely free to see! In addition to the traditional zoo animals, there is also a farm section with an indoor kids exploration area. The zoo was less than a 10 minute walk from our hotel, so I envisioned us visiting it multiple times on this trip, but of course, time got the better of us!

Magnificent Mile and Riverwalk

Also high on our bucket list was the Magnificent Mile and Riverwalk. The “Mag” Mile is located in downtown Chicago and is brimming with restaurants, stores, hotels, and entertainment. While there, we visited Starbucks Reserve, the world’s largest Starbucks, and explored floor after floor of coffee, bakeries, food, a bar, and merchandise! From the Mag Mile we continued to the Riverwalk – a pedestrian-friendly pathway along the Chicago River filled with restaurants, bars, and the most beautiful view of Chicago’s architecture. This is also the site of many river cruises.

Field Museum of Natural History

Before entering the Field Museum, I was on the fence about whether “C” would get much out of the experience. I shouldn’t have worried, however, because she LOVED it! The exhibits we found particularly interesting included the Animal Hall, which contained hundreds of taxidermized animals, and Inside Ancient Egypt, where we saw human mummies and 5,000 year-old hieroglyphics! The museum also had an area called “Play Lab,” where “C” could move around and get some hands-on, interactive experiences.

Eats:

We didn’t even come close to eating our way through Chicago, for there are so many delicious options! When traveling with our one-year old, we keep things pretty casual. Our favorite dining spots we enjoyed on this trip include:

Giordano’s

There are multiple locations across the city, so it’s easy to plan your activities around this delicious deep dish pizza!

Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe

This yummy brunch spot is near Millennial Park. We worked up an appetite after all the walking and playing, and the portions did not disappoint! I highly recommend the strawberry-colada smoothie – it really hit the spot.

Brauer Patio

This restaurant is located at the Lincoln Park Zoo. It has a lovely patio and it was a great place to enjoy an Aperol Spritz!

Lou Malnati’s

Also with multiple locations, but we enjoyed our experience near the Magnificent Mile.

Garrett’s Popcorn

An obligatory Chicago snack!

Things we Missed:

Time did not allow us to fulfill our complete Chicago bucket list, so the next time we visit we plan to add in these experiences:

Help us out for our next trip – what are your recommendations for what to eat, where to stay, and what to do in Chicago?

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