We arrived at the Hilton Chicago around noon. Our room wasn't quite ready, but the front desk promised us a lakefront upgrade if we agreed to check in after four o'clock. It worked out beautifully, as we had the chance to do some sightseeing before unloading the car.
With our bag filled with a few necessities (diapers, water bottles, etc) we walked through Grant Park and headed over to the Museum Campus. While it was less than a mile from the hotel, we didn't fully appreciate how hot it was (nearly 100 degrees) so we were exhausted by the time we made it to the lake front.
We waited nearly an hour in line, but it was well worth it once we made it into Shedd Aquarium.
The boys were excited to see sharks, while Dan and I were grateful for the air conditioning. Anthony and Jim checked out the fish, posed for a few photos, and used up quite a bit of energy exploring the various exhibits. This museum is perfect for kids of all ages because many of the exhibits are lower, meaning Jimmy could check out the sea life without needing our help. There were also plenty of hands on activities, and museum staff to created learning opportunities near many displays.
After a few hours in the aquarium, we braced the heat and headed back for the hotel. Not only did we end up with a beautiful view of Lake Michigan, we also enjoyed once of the newly renovated rooms, which was quite family friendly, as there was plenty of floor space for the boys to play.
Once our bags were inside and we ate a few snacks, we headed down to the pool. I'm (not surprisingly) a scatterbrain, and I completely forgot to pack my bathing suits, so I chilled out in a lounge chair while Dan swam with the boys. An hour or so in the pool wore everyone out, so we headed up to our room to rest up for our (only) full day of sightseeing.
Day Two
We woke up to weather reports that included "heat advisories" and "excessive heat warnings." By the time we hit Michigan Avenue at 7:15am the temperature was well over 90 degrees. In spite of the heat, we trekked over to the Skydeck at Willis Tower. There was some confusion over the sight's holiday hours, as the website indicated they opened at 8am, but there were no staff members on sight until just before 9am, so there were nearly 100 patrons waiting somewhat patiently out front. Fortunately the boys were in good spirits, and kept us all laughing.
Once we were inside the view from 103rd floor was tremendous. You could see the entire city and beyond throughout the exhibit. Stepping out into the Skydeck itself was unnerving, though Jimmy didn't hesitate to look down at the action happening on the streets below.
During our (long) wait outside, I chatted with another mom, so once our families made it to the top of the (former) Sears Tower, we made sure to take family photos for each other. I'm so grateful for this, because it was one of the few (good) pictures we have with all four of us.
After we finished our tour of the Skydeck, we headed out of the building over to the river, where we caught a water taxi over to Navy Pier. Because temps were nearing 100 degrees, we only spent a bit of time. The boys were able to enjoy a bit of ice cream and ride the carousel before we needed to cool off at one of the restaurants.
Our initial plan was to take the bus from Navy Pier back to our hotel, but it was so hot we splurged on a cab, and the boys got to experience their first taxi ride through a big city.
After a quick dip in the pool, and a (beautifully) long nap, we dragged ourselves back outdoors and walked a block to one of Chicago's famous pizzarias, Lou Malnati's . Lauren's boyfriend suggested we visit the pizza place, and many, many online reviews confirmed his recommendation, but also warned that it took at least an hour to prep and cook the pizza. With that in mind, Dan came armed with a few restaurant toys and a bag of jelly beans to keep Anthony and Jimmy occupied while we waited for our meal. The boys were unbelievably patient, and the pizza was well worth the wait.
We initially planned to walk from the restaurant on State Street to Millenium Park for a Fourth of July concert, but the heat was still so intense that we changed our itinerary. Instead, we visited Buckingham Fountain, which gave the boys a chance to run and play while Dan and I enjoyed the cityscape. After a (minor) injury, we headed back to our hotel room.
Though it was the Fourth of July, and we were less than two miles from a tremendous fireworks display at Navy Pier, we opted to watch the event from our hotel room. We shuffled a bit of furniture, and settled in to watch the show from our (air conditioned) loveseat. It was a bit non-traditional, but awesome nonetheless.
Day Three
Again, the excessive heat changed our plans. By the time we were ready for an adventure at 7:30am, it was over 100 degrees and the weather forecasters called for a heat index near 120. In fact, a road near the hotel buckled and was impassable because of the hot weather.
Before we melted into the sidewalk, we opted to pack up the car and check out of the hotel. Before we headed for cooler temperatures in Cleveland, we walked the boys down to Millenium Park and let them play in the Crown Fountain. It gave us once last chance to enjoy the skyline (and stay cool) before we headed home.
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