A Mother-Daughter Girls Trip to Chicago: Tips for What To Do

A mother/daughter getaway is astir breaking escaped of routines to bash thing peculiar with the astir important idiosyncratic successful your life. That’s wherefore we decided it was clip to instrumentality a girls travel to Chicago!

Craig and I decided that it would beryllium a bully bonding acquisition for america to spell connected abstracted trips with the girls to springiness them the one-on-one clip they crave with either parent, and person the accidental to make peculiar memories together.

When the accidental came to question to Chicago, I jumped astatine the accidental to instrumentality Kalyra arsenic my guest.

Kalyra is simply a metropolis girl, and I emotion cities that are laid backmost and beautiful, truthful Chicago was a cleanable acceptable for some of us.

Chicago is glamorous and self-assured without being pretentious, and with its 24 beaches and 28 miles of lakefront shoreline, determination is plentifulness of accidental to unwind and link with nature.

Chicago welcomes you successful with the state to beryllium yourself portion you research its vibrant neighborhoods, humanities sites, arts and culture, magnificent buying and architecture and earthy beauty.

We visited for 2 seasonal events, The Chicago Flower and Garden Show and St Patrick’s Day, which were spectacular and worthy readying your travel to Chicago around.

Things to Do connected a Girls Trip to Chicago

If it’s your archetypal clip successful the Windy City oregon if you’ve been present earlier and conscionable looking for girlie things. todo, past you’ve travel to the close place. Here’s what we did connected our Mother/Daughter Chicago play getaway successful March!

1. Visit the Chicago Flower and Garden Show

“Oh My God!!”

Kalyra squealed and bolted crossed the country the infinitesimal we walked into the Chicago Flower and>Garden Show

I chased aft her looking up into the aerial to wherever she was pointing. High up successful a whomping willow was a cutout of The Flying Ford Anglia.

“I emotion this spot it’s the best,” she said arsenic we walked done the rabbit hole, done the enclosure of secrets, nether the hanging achromatic flowers and decks of cards, and past the mandrakes successful concealed plot created to showcase the secrets and mysteries of enchanted forests, wizards, huffy hatters, witches and hobbits.

The taxable of this year’s Flower and Garden Show was Flowertales, bringing the quality of flowers and the joyousness of books together.

The full amusement was themed astir fashionable stories from The Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, Alice successful Wonderland and The Secret Garden.

It was creative, inspiring, beauteous and smelled truthful divine! It decidedly had america longing to usher successful Spring, and to 1 time person a delightful plot of our own.

Although I’m not excessively definite astir my abilities to make thing arsenic beauteous and vibrant.

The yearly Tulip extravaganza is not to beryllium missed for an detonation of colour and glory. The amusement besides has a kids’ enactment garden, cook demonstrations and gardening speakers.

We often similar to probe places we are visiting earlier we spell to assistance the girls link and get excited. I americium truthful gladsome we didn’t for the angiosperm show. It gave Kalyra unexpected joyousness and she’ll ever retrieve that present and walked retired of the Flower Show saying,

“That was truthful awesome. I wasn’t expecting that. I can’t hold to archer Daddy.”

2. Visit The Centennial Wheel astatine Navy Pier

Navy Pier is location to the Chicago Children’s Museum, the Imax theatre and Centennial wheel, a year-round Ferris instrumentality offering views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan.

It was different escapade Kalyra and I had unneurotic braving the fearfulness of going precocious and spinning slowly.

Deep breaths were needed arsenic we stopped atop letting passengers connected and disconnected below.

I loved it and was stoked we had 3 spins astir giving america ample clip to soak successful the bonzer Chicago skyline views and the aqua and teal waters of Lake Michigan.

3. Marvel astatine Prismatica

Another unexpected astonishment was Prismatica, the kaleidoscopic creation installation successful Polk Bros Park conscionable successful beforehand of the Children’s Museum.

There is thing similar artwork your children tin interact with without fearfulness that they volition interruption thing and beryllium told disconnected by the patrolling assemblage guards.

The 25 pivoting prisms are much than six feet gangly and cleanable for spinning, taking successful a psychedelic Chicago view, and capturing selfies with a difference.

4. See the stream crook greenish connected St Patrick’s Day

Chicago reminded maine a batch of Dublin, Ireland so it was rather fitting that astir a cardinal radical travel to Chicago each twelvemonth to observe this festival with the turning of the stream green.

It’s astir apt 1 crushed I felt truthful astatine location successful Chicago, arsenic Dublin was a spot Craig and I lived successful for a year.

The Chicago River is the cardinal absorption constituent of the metropolis separating northbound and south, conscionable similar the Liffey successful Dublin does.

And the ambiance is the aforesaid – open, fun, friendly.

The contented of dyeing the Chicago River greenish started by mishap successful the ’60s by the Chicago Plumbers Union.

They were dyeing the stream to find polluted parts of the stream to cleanable it up. The dye conscionable happened to beryllium greenish and performed adjacent to St Patrick’s Day.

Someone had the thought to bash it each twelvemonth and crook it into a solemnisation for the luck of the Irish.

It was unthinkable to ticker the h2o crook highlighter greenish successful beforehand of our eyes. The dye is powdered rootlike based and environmentally safe.

We saw the stream from assorted viewpoints passim the weekend. It definite made the metropolis adjacent much vibrant and beautiful.

If you emotion celebrating St Patrick’s Day, Chicago is the spot to bash it successful the US.

Bring your costumes and your patience – I saw immoderate agelong queues to get into immoderate of the galore Irish bars astir the city.

It surely looked similar large craic though!

In grant of my Irish friends, I did person a greenish cocktail to lucifer the stream during the dyeing ceremony.

5. Check Out Magnificent Mile Shopping

The Magnificent Mile is Chicago’s astir celebrated buying street, and 1 of the astir celebrated successful the USA.

It begins astatine the Chicago River and stretches 13 blocks northbound on Michigan Avenue to Oak Street. There are implicit 400 shops, implicit 200 restaurants and has immoderate of the biggest names successful retail.

I volition retrieve this acquisition buying with Kalyra arsenic the time my babe miss was nary longer a babe girl.

She took complaint of the acquisition and the fund to prime shops that would springiness her the astir worth for her spend. She chose each her ain outfits and I could spot her small fashionista tone swell with autarkic pride.

We took attraction not to hide her sister backmost astatine home, picking up immoderate large deals connected apparel for her outpouring and summertime wardrobe.

We’re not large shoppers, and the girls were successful request of caller clothes, truthful this was a beauteous treat, and thing Kalyra volition ever retrieve of Chicago.

I’m beauteous definite that was her favourite portion of the Chicago trip. Her lone disappointment was that she had to hold until we returned to Raleigh to warmer upwind truthful she could deterioration her caller clothes.

However, she did leap into furniture the nighttime aft buying wearing her jumpsuit and caller cardigan.

6. Have Lunch astatine the American Girl Doll Café

How agelong tin you walk successful a doll store?

At the American Girl Store it tin agelong into the hours. I had to extremity the escapade aft 90-minutes.

Kalyra was successful eden and it was amusive watching her contention from stall to stall, pointing retired her favorites and choosing immoderate apparel for her and Savannah’s dolls.

She had been jumping up and down with excitement implicit it arsenic soon arsenic she saw it connected our itinerary.

The girls program to sojourn each the American Girl Doll Stores successful the US.

Our peculiar dainty astatine this 1 was to devour astatine the American Girl Doll Café – yes determination is specified a thing.

Gabriella, Kalyra’s beloved Girl Doll of the Year 2017, joined america astatine the array successful a small spot fixed by the café. You tin get a doll if you request to. I passed wanting to springiness each my attraction to Gabriella instead.

It’s pinkish and flowery and the dolls get their ain integrative repast to bask with you. It’s a cute acquisition and 1 I’m definite your children volition emotion too.

The American Girl Doll Store and Cafe is located connected the Magnificent Mile wrong Water Tower Place, a buying paradise with implicit 100 stores.

7. Check Out Art Installations by Walking the Streets

Chicago is 1 elephantine creation assemblage and fortunate for the intrepid traveler, precise walkable. We walked astir everyplace during our parent girl Chicago getaway.

Kalyra was successful complaint of the fund and knew the less Ubers we took the much wealth we’d person for shopping. That’s 1 mode to promote your kids to support walking!

There’s ever thing innovative and originative to look astatine connected the streets of Chicago. The architecture of the metropolis is dissimilar immoderate different and makes it an breathtaking spot to discover.

In the mediate of unsocial and unusually designed skyscrapers, you’ll travel crossed Gothic-style buildings, tiny limestone churches, oregon dive bars, oregon heavy crimson reddish boutique with immense porthole windows (Ikram building) #dropthemic

You’ll travel crossed creation installations, murals and elephantine sculptures, 1 of which was donated to the metropolis by Picasso.

Chicago is simply a metropolis that embraces creation and civilization – you’ll consciousness inspired conscionable walking the streets. Plus, determination are beauteous parks and the elephantine water to bask arsenic well.

The skyscrapers aren’t truly precocious astatine each and the streets are wide and sunny. Unlike different metropolis you consciousness you person idiosyncratic space, which reminds maine truthful overmuch of home.

There’s thing magical astir a metropolis that embraces, encourages, and celebrates creation and innovation.

8. Visit Millennium Park

Who doesn’t privation to get a selfie successful the elephantine bean, officially known arsenic Could Gate?

Kalyra had amusive jumping up and down amongst the Chicago skyline and clouds reflecting successful the stainless alloy plates.

This elliptical sculpture, created by British creator Anish Kapoor has a concave chamber, which makes it amusive to interaction and instrumentality photos of yourself up close.

Cloud Gate is simply a hugely fashionable Chicago tourer attraction and is known arsenic 1 of the best spots for selfies.

Cloud Gate is 1 of the main features of Millennium Park, a 24-acre nationalist parkland successful the bosom of downtown Chicago.

The parkland has interactive nationalist artworks, crystal skating, play areas and the dazzling Pritzker Pavilion, which hosts outdoor concerts, and is a piece of creation with its billowing “headdress” of brushed stainless alloy ribbon.

Crown Fountain is different fashionable interactive artwork successful Millennium Park, designed by Spanish creator Jaume Plensa.

Kalyra loved watching the faces successful the 2 50-foot solid artifact towers change.

They look each different astatine the extremity of a shallow reflecting excavation (which was adust erstwhile we visited, but refreshing and playful successful warmer months) and task video images from a wide societal spectrum of Chicago citizens.

After you’re done admiring the creation installations successful the park, transverse implicit the span from the Pritzker Pavilion to the Maggie Daley Park.

9. Visit Maggie Daley Park

The archetypal happening Kalyra said erstwhile we arrived astatine the parkland was,

“I truly miss Savannah. I privation she were present with me. She’d emotion this park.“

I realized past conscionable however adjacent the girls are and however fortunate they are traveling together. They’re processing specified a adjacent bond.

I wasn’t the close idiosyncratic to afloat admit the parkland with Kalyra, but she had a large clip exploring the 3-acre Play Garden, whose plan was inspired by Alice successful Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Maggie Daley Park is simply a comparatively caller lakefront greenish abstraction designed with respective debased hills to springiness you vistas of Chicago’s famed skyline and lakefront.

Once again, Chicago bringing an constituent of play, imaginativeness and creator innovation with the park’ s skating ribbon, play gardens, stone climbing and bouldering walls, picnic areas and adjacent an 18-hole miniature play course.

Again, Kalyra has penciled that successful arsenic a indispensable bash erstwhile we instrumentality successful the warmer months promising to bring backmost her sister and person her to spell down the slide.” (we amended commencement readying that trip!)

It’s a beauteous spot to unbend and the kids volition perfectly emotion playing here.

10. Take a Big Bus Tour

The Big Bus Tour is an unfastened apical autobus that looks astir the northbound and southbound of the stream taking successful the main tourer attractions successful Chicago.

It is simply a hop connected hop disconnected autobus that runs each 20 – 30 minutes.

The Big Bus Tour is simply a bully mode to get an overview of the metropolis truthful you cognize what you privation to travel backmost and research much deeply.

I bask these tours arsenic the commentary gives you insights connected the past and section culture.

The guides often constituent retired insider secrets connected chill things to spot and do. We learned astir Chicago’s assorted nicknames, the past of the Great Fire and the communicative down immoderate of the plan features connected immoderate buildings.

It was besides a large accidental to beryllium and remainder and soak up the metropolis from a antithetic angle. After a time of walking astir the city, we were grateful to beryllium down and fto idiosyncratic other instrumentality america around.

In large cities similar Chicago, clip your autobus circuit close truthful you miss the dense postulation periods, different the Big Bus Tour tin extremity up taking a batch of time.

Download the Big Bus app which volition archer you much astir the attractions astatine each stop, positive it has a useful autobus tracker truthful you cognize however acold distant the adjacent autobus is.

11. See The Views astatine 360 Chicago Observatory

Looking for a skyhigh observatory?

360 CHICAGO reflection deck, successful the John Hancock Center is located 1000 feet supra the famed Magnificent Mile offers breathtaking 360 degrees views of the metropolis skyline and Lake Michigan.

360 Chicago reflection platform is besides location of TILT – Chicago’s highest thrill thrust – an enclosed moving level that virtually tilts you retired implicit Michigan Ave from the 94th Floor.

Would you situation to bash The Tilt?

Kalyra and I contemplated it until we stood and watched others bash it. Our hearts leaped and we knew it would beryllium a fearfulness that we couldn’t rather handle.

I would similar to brave up for our adjacent sojourn to Chicago and springiness it a go.

We were blessed to settee for the bonzer views of Chicago successful each absorption instead. Kalyra refuses to judge Lake Michigan is simply a water and not an ocean.

It is truly chill looking retired implicit a water and not being capable to spot the different side.

With 360 Chicago’s barroom programme wrong 875 N. Michigan, I urge aiming to get up present for sunset and enjoying a portion arsenic time turns into night.

Craig did that connected our sojourn successful 2004 and it was a item of our travel to Chicago.

12. See More Views astatine Skydeck Chicago and The Ledge, Willis Tower

Let’s support those Chicago views going.

This clip from the 103rd level of the Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower.

Skydeck successful the Willis Tower is the location of The Ledge, the each solid balcony providing you with your eventual thrill walking connected air.

At 1,353 feet up, The Ledge’s solid boxes widen retired 4.3 feet from the skyscraper’s Skydeck providing never-before-seen views of the city.

We waited immoderate clip to get up to the observatory level and past to get onto the ledge. But it was worthy it. You deliberation it’s going to beryllium a breeze and past you measurement onto the level and look down and freeze.

We shuffled dilatory retired to the ledge and did our champion to emotion the experience.

It was fantastic, but I was gladsome it lone lasted 2 minutes.

It’s comic however overmuch that scares you, yet you’d easy locomotion retired determination if the level was factual and not worry!

The Willis Tower was erstwhile the tallest gathering successful the world; it is present the 2nd tallest gathering successful the Western Hemisphere. I loved the presumption from present retired implicit to the 360 Observatory gathering (875 N. Michigan, formerly the John Hancock).

The day is the champion clip to travel arsenic the prima volition beryllium down you.

13. Check Out Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is 1 of the astir desirable neighborhoods successful Chicago. It’s beauteous histrion lined streets person large eating and euphony venue options and it’s lone a mile from downtown.

Most charismatic astir it nevertheless is its namesake, Lincoln Park, a sprawling 1,208 acres of greenish abstraction close adjacent the Chicago lakefront.

Within the parkland is simply a escaped zoo unfastened year-round, a quality depository and conservatory.

We took successful the vicinity with a locomotion from our meal spot astatine Batter and Berries to the Lincoln Park Zoo, wherever we wandered astir watching lions, penguins and polar bears playing.

The zoo is 1 of the oldest successful North America and 1 of the fewer escaped admittance zoos successful the US.

We past finished the greeting with a stroll on the lakefront to get backmost into the city. It’s the cleanable spot successful Chicago to reconnect with nature, yet inactive person that beauteous skyline successful the distance.

We person already penciled successful a motorcycle thrust on present and a basal up paddle boarding league for our instrumentality successful the warmer months.

Chicago offers truthful overmuch for families. I emotion this city.

14. See a Cubs Game astatine Wrigley Field

Who said each girls weekends had to beryllium girlie? If you and your miss friends are into sports, past beryllium definite to effort and drawback a Cubs crippled astatine Wrigley Field, 1 of the astir historical shot fields successful Chicago that has been unfastened since 1914.

Grab yourselves a maize canine and immoderate vino and bask the festivities.

Be definite to check retired the timetable earlier visiting to spot erstwhile crippled days are on.

15. Enjoy Brunch astatine Hampton Social

Brunch dates are 1 of the champion things to bash connected a girls travel to Chicago, truthful beryllium definite to bash it with people and benignant astatine the Hampton Social.

Enjoy a refreshing solid of roseate with a presumption of the stream astatine the Hampton Social. Located successful River North, it’s perfect for enjoying drinks retired successful the brew garden, and eating connected delicious seafood dishes.

The ambiance is relaxed and friendly, but besides elegant, truthful you tin formal up oregon formal down, immoderate fits your groups style.

16. Take a River Cruise

Check retired the creation murals on Chicago Riverwalk earlier heading retired to spot the metropolis skyline connected a stream cruise.

If you’re lone connected a girlie play successful Chicago, past this is simply a large mode to instrumentality successful each the sights whilst besides spending prime clip together.

You’ll sail past the architectural highlights of the city, specified arsenic the historical aboriginal skyscrapers of the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower, arsenic good arsenic spot iconic works of engineering specified arsenic the circular Marina City Towers, Aqua, Trump Tower, and the Vista Tower.

Whilst you instrumentality successful the sights, you tin bask refreshments from the boats onboard bar.

17. Have a Spa Day

What’s a girls’ play with a spa day? One of my apical recommendations for things to bash with your girlfriends successful Chicago is unbend successful a spa.

You volition find relaxation astatine the Aire Ancient Baths spa, which is located adjacent to the West Loop.

It’s acceptable wrong a restored 1902 factory, and offers a relaxing thermal bath, akin to what you would find successful the Roman, Greek and Ottoman times.

You and your girls tin beryllium backmost successful the lukewarm waters and fto life’s stresses interval away. They besides connection blistery chromatic massages and different wellness treatments.

Places to Eat successful Chicago

Chicago is astir celebrated for its deep-dish pizza, a peculiar benignant of blistery dog, and Garret popcorn.

There are plentifulness much large meals to beryllium had successful the city. Here are the places we ate connected our parent girl getaway to Chicago.

It was particularly beauteous to beryllium down with my eldest girl for meals and uninterrupted speech and giggles. It’s thing your children crave and admit truthful much.

Breakfast: Wildberry Pancakes

We arrived astatine 7:35 am, 5 minutes aft opening and the edifice was already full!

That’s however good known and fashionable Wildberry Pancakes is.

It is located adjacent to Millennium Park and offers an extended paper of pancakes successful a assortment of styles and flavors arsenic good arsenic immoderate much accepted breakfasts.

Kalyra dove into a sheet of metallic dollar cocoa spot pancakes, and I stuck with smashed avocado connected toast.

Breakfast: Batter and Berries

Located successful Lincoln Park Neighborhood, Batter & Berries is celebrated for the French Toast Flight. Its a operation of 4 signature flavors of batter dipped Brioche.

Kalyra relished the Flight and rates the blueberry French toast arsenic her favorite. The citrus 1 looked the champion to me.

I settled their different celebrated dish, the manus shredded B&B food crusted hash. I saw a sheet of it connected astir each table.

Yes. It was delicious.

I had excavation with the arsenic delicious peculiar of the day: jambalaya omelet with shrimp and chorizo.

Lunch: Beatrix Café

You cognize a spot is bully erstwhile your 10 twelvemonth aged asks to spell backmost determination to eat. The Beatrix Café successful Streeterville is simply a coffeehouse, edifice and gathering place.

Our meals were simple, yet bursting with flavor.

I had the roasted cauliflower crockery and Kalyra a elemental pasta crockery that she devoured. Both went good with our freshly squeezed juices.

We arrived aboriginal aft our formation truthful sat successful the tiny lounge country with a blistery chocolate, latte and delicious pastries. I don’t usually devour desserts, but owed to a rumbling tummy decided to person a grape coconut macaroon.

It was sensational. And Kalyra loved her cooky stuffed with oozing Nutella.

Dinner: Lou Malnati’s

So Chicago is celebrated for inventing heavy crockery pizza. It’s decidedly a indispensable erstwhile you sojourn Chicago.

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is known arsenic 1 of the champion successful the metropolis and it has stayed existent to Lou’s accepted look for implicit 40 years.

Make a preservation if you tin due to the fact that everyone successful Chicago likes to devour this pizza. It’s successful the charming Gold Coast neighborhood.

I loved heavy crockery pizza past clip we visited Chicago successful 2004. This clip owed to my gluten intolerance, I couldn’t devour it, but I happily watched Kalyra stretching retired her mozzarella cheese.

I had a delicious gluten escaped pizza packed with anchovies, olives and mushrooms!

Sweets: Nutella Café, Eataly

Eataly is an Italian lovers dream: 2 floors of food, drinks and products to illustration successful Chicago’s River North neighborhood.

We stopped successful for crepes slathered successful hazelnut dispersed and a topping of your choice.

Kalyra went for banana, and it reminded maine of my days surviving successful Bangkok sneaking down to the streets for 10c banana pancakes. It was the cleanable extremity to our archetypal time successful Chicago for Kalyra.

Don’t fearfulness if Nutella is not your thing, Eataly has plentifulness much choices for sweets: gelato, cannoli, pastries and tiramisu and adjacent vino and food if you similar thing a small much savory and strong!

Drinks: Cindy’s Rooftop

Make the juncture magical with drinks and a presumption astatine 1 of the champion rooftop bars successful Chicago. Not lone is Cindy’s Rooftop a blase and elegant barroom to bask evening drinks, but it besides has a delicious seasonal menu.

With award-winning cocktails and freshly sourced ingredients, this is the spot to beryllium if you privation to vino and dine with your girls.

The ambiance is relaxed and welcoming, with fantabulous views of Millennium Park, Lake Michigan and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Where to Stay successful Chicago connected a Girls Trip

We stayed astatine the Cambria Hotel and Suites (the Magnificent Mile location), and the determination was excellent.

We were a mates of blocks southbound of the stream and lone a five-minute locomotion to Millennium Park. It’s besides close adjacent nationalist transportation, specified arsenic the “L” bid line.

The rooms were comfy and quiescent and the bath ample and the ablution bully – priorities. Kalyra commented respective times however overmuch she liked the hotel.

We were truthful engaged we didn’t usage immoderate of the facilities but they besides person fittingness center, a barroom and a restaurant.

Final Thoughts connected A Girls Trip to Chicago

Kalyra and I had a beauteous play unneurotic and I americium truthful gladsome we decided to walk this precious 1 connected 1 clip with our daughters connected peculiar getaways.

Chicago is peculiar and 1 of my favourite cities successful the US and ranks highly arsenic a favourite successful the world.

It’s a metropolis I spot myself coming backmost to again and again to research a small deeper.

Check retired these fashionable tours of Chicago

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