I Just Don't Know...
...how to do vacations where you sit around and watch TV most of the time.
We "partied" at Uncle Stevie's house, and most of The King's family proceeded to get very drunk and make some great plans for today.
Two problems with that:
1) No one remembers the plans that they made.
2) Even if they do remember, they are too drunk to execute the plans that they made.
We are sitting around and watching TV. And I am bored.
I could pull out my computer and happily entertain myself, but then I am "not with the family." Frankly, I don't see the difference. (Why am I posting then? 'Cause The King pulled out HIS computer in an attempt to find something for us to do... and I hijacked it.)
So, um, today is kind-of boring. I really don't have a problem with boring days - but I think I got myself psyched up for a fun day, and now, well, it's just not.
Serves me right for listening to drunks.
I like the idea of Chicago at night. Thanks "Old Man" for the suggestion. I am going to go do some research on it now, and maybe we can bust this joint for a few hours this evening.
I think I am declaring Monday a sight-seeing day because we have really got to get out of here and do something. The girls are really bored.
posted by Queen Karana @ 1:44 PM
3 Comments:
Our next vacation will be just the 4 of us alone. There will be NO family on either side to disappoint us. I hope this is acceptable, because I don't know if there's anything else I can do.
The previous post was made by me.
1. Museum of Science and Industry, south side of town, just past the University of Chicago campus. Don't miss the real honest-to-goodness German U-boat on the front lawn. Hands-on exhibits, great for adults, children, and even little kids. This would be my #1 thing to do with kids in Chicago.
2. Shedd Aquarium, on the lakefront just south of Grant Park. Fantastic aquarium, great for all ages, too. See sharks up close and personal!
3. Hayden Planetarium... good star show, program aimed primarily at ages 8 and up, but the littler ones might find it interesting, too. Next door to the Shedd Aquarium, but may be closed on Mondays.
4. Miracle Mile, a 1-mile stretch of Michigan Avenue, featuring fantastic architecture ("Look, kids, at that building... what is that all over the windows? Look at the statues over the doors! Do you think that's real gold on the corners? Look at the fountain in the courtyard! Look how high those buildings are! Have you ever seen a red skyscraper? Look, here we go across this bridge! Why do you think this bridge was built to look like a castle? Look at the yachts going underneath the bridge. Listen, the sirens mean the drawbridge is going up!") Chicago's famous "water tower" is in a square at the north end, just by the Hancock building. The Wrigley Building is a must-see, and the Tribune Building was once called "the most beautiful building in the world". Free.
5. John Hancock observatory: already mentioned. Good any time of day or night, but specacular at night.
6. Navy Pier, a half-mile south of the Hancock Building, over on the lakefront. A permanent festival, great for kids, plenty of popcorn and hotdogs, and a continuously moving ferris wheel. It's a boardwalk: Coney Island without the rides. Plenty to keep the kids attention occupied. Not much shade, so on a hot day, bring the sunscreen. After dark, it's crowded, mainly with families with kids.
7. Brookfield Zoo (a few miles west of downtown in the village of Brookfield), or the Lincoln Park Zoo (in Lincoln Park, on the lakefront north of downtown) www.lpzoo.org
8. A quick ride on the el-train, or a subway. Also a quick ride in a cab or on a city bus. Or you might take a quick ride on a commuter train, say, out to Naperville and right back again -- simple minds like simple pleasures. Both Union Station and Chicago Northwestern Station have commuter trains, which are a lot bigger and nicer than the subways and el-trains... and you can walk up to the locomotive while the train is still in the station and wave at the engineer. Best part: you can walk in, see the trains, wave at the engineer, admire the architecture, and leave without having to buy any tickets or anything.
A quick stroll on the lakefront is also a nice "free" activity, depending on the weather. Buckingham fountain is always a hit with the younger crowd ("look kids, have you ever seen such a huge fountain?")
The above are some sights for the kids. If the adults want some grown-up things to do, there's a separate list available, including the Berghoff lunch, the Chicago Art Institute, the state government building plaza, a Cubs game, the main lobby of the Palmer House hotel, the Sears Tower observatory (not as good as the John Hancock because with John Hancock, you can see the whole city, whereas in the Sears Tower you are surrounded by city, but the Sears Tower is a few feet taller, the tallest building in the U.S.), etc.
BTW, look up all these on Wikipedia. I enjoy them all. (Been there, done that...)
Enjoy!
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