Chicago · With kids
WITH KIDS
Three heavyweight museums on one lakefront campus, a free zoo, and wind that decides your day.
Shedd Aquarium
Beluga whales, an Amazon gallery and a stingray touch pool on the Museum Campus. Ages two to ten; timed tickets keep the queue outside manageable.
Field Museum
Home to a mounted Tyrannosaurus and a titanosaur that fills the main hall. Ages four to twelve, with a dedicated crawl-through play area downstairs.
Museum of Science and Industry
A captured U-boat, a working coal mine and a baby chick hatchery, in Hyde Park. Ages five to thirteen, and easily a full day.
Navy Pier
A 200-foot wheel with enclosed gondolas, a children's museum, boat rides and summer fireworks. Ages three to ten, and mercifully close to the free bus.
Wind, beaches and free days
The lake wind is the real weather — pack layers even in July. North Avenue Beach has calm water and lifeguards, and children under seven ride the CTA free.