5 Family-Friendly Activities in Chicago

If you’re heading to our August 2015 Chicago CME conference and are looking for family-friendly activities in Chicago, we’ve got some great recommendations for enjoying the Windy City when you’re not attending conference seminars. Let’s look at some of the ways you can turn your next conference trip into a family vacation in Chicago!

1. Navy Pier – At the Navy Pier, you can enjoy live music at the LandShark Beer Garden along with daily sightseeing and dinner cruises around Lake Michigan. The Navy Pier also has an IMAX theater that will be showing features including “Tornado Alley 3D” and National Geographic’s “Pandas: The Journey Home” the weekend of the conference. Stop by the Chicago Children’s Museum to experience “Boats” with the kids for a fun, realistic boating experience including the Captain’s Jacket, sails, steering wheels, buoys and more. The Navy Pier is located at 600 E Grand Avenue, 60611.

2. Museum of Science and Industry – Blow your kids’ minds with the amazing science experiments at the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere! Your kids can learn about airplanes, robotics, mathematics and the power of natural phenomena including tornadoes and avalanches with the museum’s interactive exhibits. This museum houses a model railroad, a German submarine captured during World War II and the Apollo 8 spacecraft that carried the first astronauts who orbited the moon. The Museum of Science and Industry is located at 5700 S Lake Shore Drive, 60637.

3. Lincoln Park Zoo – Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in America – and it’s free! It is the home of two newborn red panda cubs and their mother, Leafa. Other recent additions include a baby black rhino and two African lion sisters. The zoo is open daily with special events including nighttime tours of the park and parties on the patio with live music and drinks from Next Star Vodka every Thursday night. The Lincoln Park Zoo is located at 2001 N Clark Street, 60614.

Segway riders at the Adler Planitarium

4. Adler Planetarium – The Adler Planetarium is one of the first planetariums ever built in America. The Adler Planetarium allows you to learn about space with exhibits celebrating the first telescopes and missions to the Moon. With a VIP pass, you also get access to the Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, 360 CHICAGO or the Museum of Science and Industry. The Adler Planetarium is located at 1300 S Lake Shore Drive, 60605.

5. Chicago Riverwalk – The Chicago Riverwalk is a riverfront walkway on the south bank of the Chicago River in the downtown area. The Riverwalk has been recently extended to include another nine blocks, linking six different civic spaces together. The Riverwalk provides a unique and sprawling view of Chicago with restaurants, retail shopping and park benches for relaxing on the banks of the river. Free music concerts will be held every weekend until the end of August. The Chicago Riverwalk is located at E Upper Wacker Drive, 60601.

These are just a few of the top attractions in Chicago you can visit with the family while attending our 2015 Chicago CME conference this month. What are some of your favorite places to visit while in Chicago? Share your thoughts in the comments section!