Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Built into the rise of an ancient sand dune -- once the shoreline of Lake Michigan -- Chicago's newest museum bills itself as "an environmental museum for the 21st century." While that might sound fairly dull, most of the exhibits here are very hands-on, making this a good stop for active kids. Shaded by huge cottonwoods and maples, the sand-colored exterior with its horizontal lines composed of interlocking trapezoids itself resembles a sand dune. Rooftop-level walkways give strollers a view of birds and other urban wildlife below. Paths wind through gardens planted with native Midwestern wildflowers and grasses, and trace the shore of the newly restored North Pond.Inside, large windows create a dialogue between the outdoor environment and the indoor exhibits designed to illuminate it. Don't miss the Butterfly Haven, a greenhouse habitat where about 25 Midwestern species of butterflies and moths carry on their complex life cycles (wander through as a riot of color flutters all around you). Another top exhibit is City Science, a 3,000-square-foot, two-story "house" with functional rooms where visitors can view the pipes and ducts that connect our homes with power sources miles away. Water Lab is a model river system demonstrating the uses and abuses that a waterway undergoes as it meanders from rural to urban environments. It's probably safe to say that the Children's Gallery is the only place in town where kids can clamber in and out of a model ground-squirrel town or explore a beaver lodge from the inside.The sunny Butterfly Cafe offers fresh, healthy meals cafeteria-style. In summer, get there early to enjoy coffee and a muffin -- and the lovely surroundings -- with joggers and other locals.Allow 1 hour.

Chicago Botanic Garden
Despite its name, the world-class Chicago Botanic Garden is located 25 miles north of the city in the suburb of Glencoe. This 385-acre living preserve includes eight large lagoons and a variety of distinct botanical environments -- from the Illinois prairie to an English walled garden to a three-island Japanese garden. Also on the grounds are a large fruit and vegetable garden, an "enabling garden" (which shows how gardening can be adapted for people with disabilities), and a 100-acre old-growth oak woodland. If you're here in the summer, don't miss the extensive rose gardens (just follow the bridal parties who flock here to get their pictures taken). The Botanic Garden also has an exhibit hall, an auditorium, a museum, a library, education greenhouses, an outdoor pavilion, a carillon, a cafe, a designated bike path, and a garden shop. Carillon concerts take place at 7pm Monday evenings from late June through August, with a preliminary hour-long tour.Every summer, the Botanic Garden stages a special outdoor exhibition (one year giant animal-shaped topiaries were placed in unexpected locations throughout the grounds; another year, model railroads wound through miniature versions of American national parks). Check the website or call for event schedules.Allow 3 hours.

The Spirit of Chicago
This luxury yacht offers a variety of wining-and-dining harbor cruises, from a lunch buffet to the "Moonlight Dance Party." This can be a fairly pricey night out if you go for the whole dinner package; the late-night moonlight cruises are a more affordable option for insomniacs.

The Wheeler Mansion
Style and elegance abound at the Wheeler Mansion Bed and Breakfast. Just a walk to McCormick Place Convention Center. All of the modern conveniences of a contemporary Hotel in a very special setting. Be inspired by its beauty, pampered by its comforts, and amazed by its elegance. Offering such amenities as complimentary parking, complimentary gourmet breakfast, turndown service, and pressed Egyptian cotton sheets, our all-inclusive rate makes your stay even more enjoyable. ...

Hotel 71
Overlooking the Chicago River just off Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive, Hotel 71 is a destination for those looking for an alternative to the mainstream four-star hotels. Travelers enjoy a unique and memorable experience melding style, comfort, functionality, and a high level of service and breath-taking views of Chicago without sacrificing a single amenity. With its central location on the Chicago River on Wacker Drive just off Michigan Avenue, Hotel 71 breaks with ordinary ...

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites CHICAGO-DOWNTOWN
Our recently renovated boutique style Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Chicago Downtown is conveniently located in the bustling West Loop area. Just blocks away from Sears Tower, Amtrak/Union Station, Greek Town, Little Italy, University of Illinois Chicago Campus, UIC Pavilion, Rush Presbyterian Medical Center, Chicago Board of Trade, McCormick Place, Civic Opera House, Grant Park, Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, Art Institute, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Navy Pier, ...