Search Results for: blog springtime in chicago

Having Fun in Chicago

My family always has fun during our trips to Chicago. The Windy City offers dozens of kid-friendly attractions that are as educational as they are fun-filled. If you have never visited the Midwestern metropolis or you are returning sans wheels this spring, then consider taking advantage of one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Chicago Neighborhood Tours allows you to sit back and let someone else do the driving while you enjoy the sights on themed bus rides. This year the city’s Office of Tourism has added several new themed half-day bus tours to its offerings. Take a look: HYDE PARK … Continue reading →

Chicago on a Shoestring

This is it. The countdown to my favorite event of the summer is on and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Soon I will enjoy an entire day where I don’t count a single calorie or contemplate what a combination of deep-fried pickles, Pad Thai, a Flintstones-sized BBQ turkey leg, alligator nuggets, and chocolate-dipped strawberry cheesecake on a stick will do to my digestive tract. If you too dream of experiencing the epicurean delight, also known as The Taste of Chicago, but your budget is far smaller than your appetite, check out the following Windy City travel deals: A Taste of … Continue reading →

End of the Year Travel to Chicago

I realize some parts of the country are just barely showing signs of spring, but there are some people who are already making their travel plans for the fall and winter. (I know because I am related to some of them.) With the price of gas nearing record highs and the cost of air travel soaring it might not be a bad idea to secure tickets while the prices are still reasonable. I have always maintained that Chicago is a destination for all seasons. No matter what time of the year you plan to visit there is something to keep … Continue reading →

Cruising Chicago and the Caribbean

If you are looking to take to the seas on a Caribbean cruise booking early will allow you to save a ton of money in the long run. Right now Orbitz is offering a great deal on an eight-night Caribbean odyssey from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Thomas for $3,298. (That’s a discount of 40 percent.) The price might sound steep but the ultra-luxe Seabourn Legend is an all-suite ship and your journey will include stops in Grand Turk Island; St. John on U.S. Virgin Islands; Gustavia on St. Barths; Marigot on Saint Martin; Virgin Gorda; and Charlotte Amalie on St. … Continue reading →

Reasons to Visit Chicago During the Summer Months

So, now that you know why visiting Chicago in the spring is such a great idea let’s turn our attention to what the Windy City has to offer during the rest of the year. In the month of June Grant Park becomes a mecca for blues fans. The hugely popular (and always jam packed) Chicago Blues Festival takes place the first weekend in June and the best part—–it’s free! June is also the month when the most decadent food festival in the country takes place. Taste of Chicago runs for 10 days from late June through the July 4th holiday … Continue reading →

Springtime in Chicago

I just returned from a family trip to Hawaii, which included connections at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. While there my 3-year-old daughter paid her dinosaur pal a visit in Terminal One and once again ran her little legs off at the “Kids on the Fly” play area. The 2,000-square-foot indoor playground features a two-story control tower, airplane with interactive cockpit and cargo hold, luggage slide, a ticket counter, a helicopter, and my daughter’s favorite feature a pint-sized ice-cream stand where tots can scoop their own mock sweet treats into paper cones. We had more than two hours to kill between … Continue reading →

How to Score Free Day Trips

Need some fun getaway ideas? How about scoring a free day trip? It isn’t as hard as you might think. 1. Check out national parks and museums Many national parks and museums are free to the public. You can donate any amount you wish to help support the museum or park, but what you pay, or even if you pay at all, is up to you. Out of 397 national parks, 264 for them never charge a fee. The others offer “free admission days” to visitors. The same goes for private museums. Take a look at the websites for your … Continue reading →

Spring Forward

With the price of gas soaring like a bar-headed goose on the loose, you might consider sticking closer to home this spring break. Of course, hanging around in your own neck of the woods doesn’t have to be a death sentence. After all, the United States offers a slew of exciting travel attractions during the first season of the year that your entire family will love attending. For example: Chicago: During the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration the local plumber’s union dyes the Chicago River green. The event is followed by the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Grant Park. … Continue reading →

Where to Embrace Your Inner Dragon

It’s Day Four of Chinese New Year and I still keep writing 4709 on all of my checks. Oh, I kill me. Four down, 11 to go. Lunar New Year 4710 celebrations get bigger and better as the days progress. If you haven’t had the chance to immerse yourself in the pomp and pageantry of the Year of the Dragon, check out these travel hot spots where the 15-day celebration is in full swing: CHICAGO On Sunday, January 29th get up-close and personal with dancing lions, elaborate floats and a myriad of marching bands at the annual Chinatown New Year’s … Continue reading →

Spring Fling for Kids

Who says the only place you can hang out with the Easter Bunny is at the mall? Peter Cottontail is hopping into several towns before he makes his mad dash around the world on Easter Sunday. Take a look at just some of the places your kids can party with the holiday rabbit before he hits the bunny trail: PENNSYLVANIA You and your kids can ride the rails with Peter Cottontail on the Great Easter Bunny Train Ride in Strasburg. The Strasburg Rail Road is letting the Easter Bunny play conductor on a steam train that chugs through the Pennsylvania … Continue reading →