Chicago Trip - Museums, Parks, and Walking

Doing - Museums. This trip we went to Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, which i had not been to in many years. It is located about 10 miles south of the Loop in Hyde Park (Hyde Park Community) (an easy trip on the LSD or take the Metra Electric train from Van Buren Station. Metra / Electric Line Schedules) Did I mention you can ride Metra all weekend for five bucks American?

The Museum of Science and Industry is the "granddaddy of interactive museums" and excels for kids of all ages. The Coal Mine is a classic - go there first thing to avoid the lines. Likewise the the U-505 German sub that was captured in 1944 (this is the real thing). A special exhibit is the Smart Home: Green + Wired, which requires a separate ticket with timed entry. (A separate post is coming for that). Our scheduled tour was delayed because the President of the museum was taking some VIP on his own tour. As we waited I looked out the window and saw that the VIP was hizzoner da' mayor, little Richie Daley!

LSD :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicagopedia Exploring Hyde Park For a neat sidetrip head over to the The University of Chicago campus and the Robie House.

I would rank the MSI third in my pantheon of Chicago museums behind the Art Institute of Chicago (www.artic.edu) and the Field Museum of Natural History. I like the John G. Shedd Aquarium, but went there at least three times on middle-school field trips (that will scar you if you don't have earplugs).

Some places and trips that are going my list: Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago ArchiCenter Museum/Attraction Review Chicago, and Shoreline Sightseeing and their Architecture Cruise.

Shoreline's water taxi is a fun cheap way to get from Navy Pier to the Chicago Museum Campus - Chicago Attractions - Chicago Museums.


Doings - Parks and Walking

Do not miss Millennium Park. If you do, turn around and go back. Then there's Grant Park, Chicago home of the big festivals and the Clarence Buckingham Fountain. I like to stay in the South Loop for easy walking access to these parks and the museum campus. (The Lincoln Park Zoo is pretty cool (and free), but it's hard to justify a zoo trip on limited time.)

Walking in downtown is a great way to see the city and the people-watching is first rate. The top of the class is the Magnificent Mile, Chicago on N. Michigan Avenue. Be sure to stop at the Chicago River Michigan Avenue bridge. Admire the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Building. The shopping is rich. On a late August Saturday afternoon, the crowd was almost overwhelming - made it hard to stop and look. A side trip to tiny Seneca Park was a wonderful break - shady and quiet and amazingly just a block off Michigan Avenue east of the Old Water Tower. Chicago Park District: Seneca Playlot Park.


That's all for now. I hope to post some pix later.

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