Chicago sunset from Lake Michigan. Credit: Bert Kauffmann.
By Emmy Conway
Chicagoans don’t waste one second of summer. After months of dealing with chapped skin and icy roads, the locals spring from their down coats into public parks, street fests and that gorgeous lakefront trail. Head to Chicago hotels for a memorable summer vacation. You’ll soon see that it ain’t no Second City.
Guests easily drift off to dreamland thanks to the pillow menu at Chicago's Swissotel.
By Valerie Moloney
In honor of Mother’s Day, I thank my mom for the little things – like how to apply lip liner, for example — as well as the big stuff, from outfitting my first apartment to calling me nightly after leaving home for good. Returning to my childhood address, I recall what I miss: her bank of perfumes, her prized pageant photo and the multiple pillows – overstuffed and fluffed – atop her California King.
Whether I picked it up subliminally or she voiced it out loud, one of mom’s lessons was never to ruin a good night’s sleep with a crappy pillow. (more…)
Visiting Chicago's T. Rex, Sue is worth the trip alone. Credit: adactio.
By Carmen Madrid
What is it with kids and dinosaurs? The same child who’s terrified of moths and won’t sleep without a monster-repellent stuffed animal will correct your pronunciation of Ankylosaurus before detailing its eating habits. But there’s good news for dino-challenged parents planning family vacations: dinosaurs seem to be everywhere this year! And, much as I love Walt Disney’s rendition of the prehistoric beasts, these newer versions leave Disneyland’s animatronic giants looking a little, well, ancient.
With baseball's opening day just days away, sports fans may be thinking about a Chicago vacation. Here are some tips about where to stay and what to do — whether you're a Cubs fan or a Sox fan.
Cubs
Where to stay: For die-hard fans who want to stay close to the Friendly Confines, there are several Chicago hotels in the Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park neighborhoods.
Fan hangouts:
Other activities:
Don't miss some of the city's other highlights on your Chicago vacation. These spots are all an easy walk or cab ride from one of the above-mentioned Chicago hotels. The Lincoln Park Zoo is a great (and free) family destination. Play a round of golf at Waveland Golf Course right on the lake. Get your dose of Chicago Blues at Kingston Mines or B.L.U.E.S.
White Sox
Where to stay: While there aren't any Chicago hotels immediately surrounding U.S. Cellular Field, the Red Line "el" stops right next to the stadium. So fans can stay in the heart of downtown, and be an easy train ride from the action.
Fan hangout:
Other activities:
When the game is over, take some time to appreciate the city's cultural offerings. You've got plenty of options — all close to your downtown Chicago hotel. Kids and adults will appreciate the exhibits at the Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum. Millennium Park is a treat for all the senses, with world-class public art, a restaurant and plenty of guided tours and concerts. Several companies offer boat tours along the Chicago River and the lake for a unique perspective of the city.
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By Dannelle Sibley
There are lots of indoor water parks in the Wisconsin Dells, just 3 to 4 hours from Chicago. But we decided to stick closer to home for our family vacation and visit CoCo Key Water Resort, which bills itself as Illinois’ largest indoor water park.
The water park is attached to the Sheraton Chicago Northwest in Arlington Heights, less than 30 miles from downtown Chicago. By staying overnight, we were able to request early check-in, and overnighters are allowed to visit the water park starting with the time you check in until the water park closes. Then the next day, you get to visit again from open to close (at no extra charge), so we got two days of water park fun.
With in-and-out privileges, we were able to take an afternoon break to let the kids eat lunch and take a nap. After nap time we played in the arcade and then hit the water park again. On the first day of our family vacation we went to the water park three times. The kids wanted to visit Parrot’s Perch — an interactive area with slides and a huge bucket that dumps hundreds of gallons of water every few minutes — one more time before bed. This was great because we didn’t have to worry about whining, fussy kids protesting to leave to go home — we just went upstairs to our room.
The next day at the crack of dawn, the kids were up and ready for breakfast. The hotel offers breakfast, and booths are equipped with TVs. After breakfast we hit the water park. Since we arrived at 2 p.m. the day before, going in at 10 a.m. was an added bonus. We were the first to arrive. I must say that comparing the 2 p.m. arrival to the 10 a.m. arrival was about the same in terms of cleanliness and maintenance. Everything was clean and shiny, and the staff was great. I wasn’t worried about the safety of the kids in the water. I fell into the water while trying to get into my inner tube, and I was immediately surrounded by four lifeguards. (The kids thought that was extra funny.)
At the CoCo, CoCo Cabana
Also, by arriving at 10 a.m., we were able to get a cabana. It had room for up to six people and included tables, chairs, a TV, phone, wireless Internet and a safe — ours for the entire day at the water resort. This is a great perk to have on the day that you check out. It's the perfect place to relax when the kids get a little tired or take a break for a quick meal. Prices for the cabana range from $50 to $200, depending on the day of the visit.
After sliding down tubes — and being soaked by the huge bucket of water — you can grab a bite right there in the water resort: Hot dogs, fries, pizza, root beer floats, ice cream, tropical beverages, and snacks all are available.
The best part is that we didn’t have to wait for summer to feel warm weather. The temperature inside CoCo Key is never below 80 degrees.
If you can take more excitement on your family vacation, the new LegoLand Discovery Center is just a short drive away in Schaumburg, so you can make your close-to-home getaway a splash and build a staycation that the kids will love.
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Dannelle Sibley, a member of the Orbitz Parent Panel, is a full-time working mother and wife. With an 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son, she likes to plan travel vacations that are fun and educational.
By Brooke Prewitt Vane
Who says it’s too cold to play outside on your Chicago vacation?
Grab your scarf and mittens and head out to Chicago’s Millennium Park this February 7-8 for a weekend of free fun during Frozen Fun Fest. With games, performances and interactive activities, this is a great event to include in your family vacation.
Kids of all ages can play ice games and pose for an ice portrait. There's also a kid-sized ice maze, guided winter walks and festive performances. Frozen Fun Fest will be held each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with performances daily at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m.
With plenty of indoor and outdoor attractions, it's always easy to find fun on a Chicago vacation. This weekend, bundle up your family, travel to Chicago and embrace the elements at Frozen Fun Fest.
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Brooke Prewitt Vane is a public relations specialist at the Chicago Office of Tourism.
Want to know where the celebs stay when they’re in Chicago?
Check out today’s Chicago Tribune, which offers up an extensive list of celebrities and the Chicago hotels where they’ve holed up.
A few examples: Lindsay Lohan stayed at the Hotel Sax Chicago, Julia Roberts spent the night at the Four Seasons, Halle Berry hung out at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Chicago, and Jennifer Aniston and Eva Longoria lodged at the Peninsula Chicago, according to the Trib’s sources.
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By Kate Schwartz
Break out flip-flops and reach for your sunglasses, because summer in Chicago is not over yet! Puerto Rico is taking Chicago by storm with a unique, three-day culinary adventure brought to you by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
From October 2 through Saturday, October 4, join Top Chef season three winner Stephanie Izard and Puerto Rico’s gastronomic powerhouse, Giovanna Huyke, for live cooking demonstrations in a state-of-the-art, pop-up restaurant/store located in Chicago’s Shops at North Bridge. It’s right on the Magnificent Mile, surrounded by many top Chicago hotels, stores and restaurants.
Not only will you be able to learn how to incorporate Puerto Rican flavors into your everyday meals, but you can also experience the sights and sounds of the Island of Enchantment by participating in an experiential photo booth and viewing footage of the island’s most popular sites.
With flights between Chicago and Puerto Rico on the rise, now is the best time to see what Puerto Rico has to offer! If you can’t jump on a plane this weekend for a Puerto Rico vacation, make sure to check out this innovative adventure that’s bringing a warm Caribbean breeze to the Windy City.
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Chicago no longer enjoys a monopoly on American Girl Place pilgrimages, now that additional outposts have opened up in Dallas, Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles (with new stores in Boston and Minneapolis coming soon).
But the city’s still a major mecca for doll-loving pre-teens and their parents, and it’s bound to remain that way as American Girl Place moves this week to larger digs in the former Lord & Taylor space at Water Tower Place.
The new home, surrounded by top Chicago hotels, restaurants and shops on North Michigan Avenue, is being promoted as an "experiential" store combining new attractions with familiar features from the old Chicago Avenue store.
Among the new offerings is the Celebration Screen, described as a "larger-than-life entertainment experience" where girls can share the spotlight with American Girl characters. Another new addition is an avenue of specialty shops with a variety of American Girl accessories.
American Girl Place will celebrate its grand opening with a variety of free activities throughout the weekend, including a book signing at 5 p.m. Saturday, October 4, with American Girl author Valerie Tripp.
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By Thurston Hatcher
Most of the time, it’s incredibly easy to take public transportation
between Chicago’s airports and downtown Chicago hotels, homes and
businesses.
But work on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line, connecting
O’Hare International Airport to downtown Chicago, is making that commute
a little more challenging.
Due to ongoing construction work, the CTA says Blue Line service will
be interrupted between at least two stations — between the Addison and
O’Hare stops — on most weekends and some weeknight throughout the summer.
A free CTA shuttle bus connects the stations when service is disrupted,
but getting off the train, on the bus and back on the train can add
another 30 minutes each way to the commute (which normally averages
about 45 minutes without disruptions).
The good news is that the work — scheduled for completing next fall — is designed to get rid of so-called "slow zones" and improve commuting times to and from O’Hare.
Here are a few suggestions for avoiding or coping with the disruptions on your Chicago vacation:
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We love to travel, and we love to talk about it. The Orbitz Blog is another way we can share our expertise, advice and the occasional random thought.
Check back often for fresh insight from Orbitz staff and contributors about cool places to visit, fun things to do and smart ways to save.