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With so much to see and so much to do in the Greater Chicago area, it is really difficult to plan a trip for less than a week in the windy city. Depending on what your families interest is and the time of year that you are going, will have a lot to do with what you may want to see. Chicago in the winter is cold. That is not always a bad thing, but it will definitely limit the amount of outdoor activities that you may want to do and see. There is always plenty to do inside where it is nice and warm.

The city starts to have beautiful weather in late April and early May. This is the time of year to begin to explore the outside parts of the city, it is not cold for a lot of walking but not too hot either. Your family may enjoy visiting to the two zoos in the area during this time of year. Both the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo is an enjoyable way to spend the day.

No matter when you choose to visit make sure that you set your Alarm systems before you leave home. You will want to ensure that you will return home and find everything safe and sound.

The Navy Pier is a popular destination for families and couples in Chicago. It is a beautiful pier overlooking lake Michigan and is a great place to take a lazy afternoon walk. The Navy Pier is host to a number of fun attractions, including shops, an IMAX theater, a stained glass museum, a children’s museum, and a beer garden. The Navy Pier also hosts a number of events through out the year, including fire works and live bands.
In the (more…)

DePaul University is a private university dedicated to higher education and research. Located in Chicago, IL, DePaul University was founded in 1898 by the Vincentians. The university was named for Saint Vincent de Paul, a French priest from the 17th century who placed a high value on philanthropy.

DePaul is the largest private university in the state of Illinois with 25,150 students in total. It is also the largest Roman Catholic university in the United States. A non-profit university, DePaul ranks in the Top Tier of national colleges according to the (more…)

Downtown Chicago, better known as ‘The Loop’ is famous for its historic skyscrapers. It is the second largest business district in the United States, consisting mainly of commercial buildings. Nonetheless, The Loop has something for everyone.

In addition to spectacular views of Lake Michigan, the Navy Pier offers much in form of dining and entertainment, catering to both adults and children. The Children’s Museum features an urban garden area, an art studio, and a mock fire station. River cruises, park rides, bike tours, and the Funhouse (more…)

Yes, it’s winter as we write this and we know that thoughts of visiting a zoo are sometimes the furthest thing in people’s minds as chills descend with a freezing thud around us.But in the case of the Lincoln Park Zoo, the winter months can be equally enchanting as other months with less severe weather so we encourage you to venture out and see the wildlife in ways that not many get to experience.The zoo is housed on 35 acres and home to a vast array of animals totaling around 1,250 (depending on birthing seasons, etc.).If you love “all things” about Chicago you’ll definitely love the fact that the zoo allows visitors to see animals in a very natural habitat with the beauty of the city as its backdrop.In fact, you can watch gorillas as they climb trees and see Sears Tower looming in the distance!Exhibits and animal houses at the zoo include:

Antelope and zebra areaBlum-Kovler Penguin-Seabird HouseFarm in the Zoo presented by Jon DeereFlamingo habitatHelen Brach primate houseHope B. McCormick Swan poolKovler lion houseKovler sea lion poolMcCormick bear habitatMcCormick bird houseNature boardwalkPritzker Family children’s zooRegenstein African journeyRegenstein birds of prey exhibitRegenstein Center for African apesRegenstein small mammal-reptile house

Entrance to the zoo is free; and for those of you who would like a little trivia in advance of your visit, famed host of the television show Wild Kingdom Marlin Perkins was the director of the zoo from 1944 until 1962 at which time he left to work on the show which aired from 1963 to 1988.

Coming to Chicago from October 29^th through to the 31^st, LEGO KidsFest is a combination of an educational, interactive and creative event. Located at McCormick Place, the exhibit will feature large scale LEGO constructions as well as building zones for creating your own LEGO masterpiece.However, there are other features for the KidsFest. At the Cool Creations showcase, LEGO fans can view the creations of other LEGO designers. Meanwhile, at the incredible Creation Nation exhibit, families build their own mosaics to add to a gigantic map of the United States. In-fact, the map is so large it reaches the size of a basketball court. (more…)

Lollapalooza starts in Grant Park, Chicago today and runs through Sunday, and alternative rock fans around the world are breathing a sigh of relief.When Jane’s Addiction launched Lollapalooza as their farewell tour in 1991, there was no way of knowing the lasting success the tour would have. After its inception, the festival grew to encapsulate the alternative rock scene of the 1990s, including subgenres like grunge. The cancellation of the show in 1998 was seen as a major indicator that alt rock was past its prime. In 2003, a new iteration of the show toured before being cancelled again the next year. Then, in 2005, Chicago provided the birthing place for the new era of the festival. No longer a touring show, the festival is now scheduled to be held at Grant Park until 2018.Headliners for Friday night include Lady Gaga, The Strokes, the Black Keys, and Hot Chip. Classic post-punk group Devo will also be going on at 4 P.M. at the Parkways stage. Overall, there are 8 different stages, with artists from all across the popularity scale. Festival-goers are sure to find someone new during their visit. For those who can’t make it, there’s a Live Webcast available at the official website from 2 P.M. 10 P.M. each day.Festival goers are encouraged to go green as they rock out, by using public transportation or riding a bike. For food, they can visit Chow Town, consisting of booths from Big Star, Bleeding Heart Bakery, Kuma’s Corner, and more, all overseen by chef Graham Eliot. Alternatively, there’s the Green Street Farmer’s Market, featuring plenty of fresh fruit, smoothies, and organic espressos. And if you have a young rock star you want to bring along, you’re in luckchildren 10 and under get in free with an adult.

When most people hear ‘Chicago’, they think ‘The Windy City’. When sports fans hear Chicago, they think of the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately, one of the Cubs most notable features is that they haven’t won a Championship game in 102 yearslonger than any other major North American professional sports team. Wrigley Field, the ballpark the Chicago Cubs call home, is the second-oldest ballpark in the majors (behind Boston’s Fenway Park). The history of Wrigley field also manages to expand beyond Chicago in the form of songthe famous ballpark tune “Take me out to the Ballgame” was made famous by broadcaster Harry Caray during a the seventh inning of a Cubs game in the 1990s. (more…)

Like any big city, the streets of Chicago are overflowing with places to eat. Unlike the other big cities, the restaurants of the Windy City are blessed with culinary genius. You don’t have to go to a five star restaurant to get great food in Chicago. In fact, their two biggest delicacies are hot dogs and pizza. Chicago Style pizza is a must while visiting the city. For the best authentic Chicago pizza, try Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria or Gino’s East of Chicago.Once you’ve tried the all-American classics, it’s safe to move on to some of the diverse dining options Chicago has to offer. Restaurants in Chicago’s 77 diverse neighborhoods range from African, Asian, Caribbean, Chinese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Moroccan, Thai, Vietnamese, and everything in between. The best Italian can be found in the Little Italy neighborhood, the west side is famous for its Greektown restaurants and cuisine, and Devon Avenue in the northwest is the place for Indian and Pakistani food. (more…)

This fun filled boardwalk is not only the number one tourist attraction in Chicago; it’s one of the top attractions in the entire Midwest. Complete with a 150-ft Ferris wheel, boat and segway tours, and hundreds of shopping and dining options, the Lake Michigan Navy Pier is a great destination night or day for both visitors and locals.In terms of things to do at the pier, your possibilities are endless. At Pier Park, you can choose between the Ferris wheel, an 18-hole mini golf course, a musical carousel, an old fashioned wave swinger, remote control boat driving, or a 13 foot light tower ride. There’s also a children’s museum your kids will love and a 4000 square foot Funhouse maze with distorting mirrors and dizzying spin tunnels. For a panoramic view of the bustling streets of Chicago and the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, take a ride 35 stories into the air in the Navy Pier AeroBalloon. The only view that might rival the AeroBalloon’s is the collection of gorgeous stained glass windows in the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. (more…)