Planning a Trip to ChicagoFor Spring Break 2014 we took the kids on a mini-vacation to Chicago for three nights and four days. We crammed as much fun as we could into those four days and had adventures all over the Windy City. For our next trip, we may even take a trip to Linclnwood, as we had so much fun in Chicago this time around.

Sometimes travelling with kids can be stressful, but when everything comes together, you’ll realise that it was all worth it to have the family together. I shared our adventures in a series of installments over the past year. I’ve finished writing the series about our Chicago vacation, and to sum it all up, we all agree that we had a most EXCELLENT trip! While we didn’t get to do everything we wanted, such as the great cooking classes chicago has to offer, we still really enjoyed our trip and I can’t wait to share it with you. In this post, you will find information about where we stayed, as well as a roundup of all of the posts I wrote about the places we visited while we were on our Chicago vacation. I hope this helps your family plan a fun Chicago vacation!

Where we stayed, played and dined in Chicago ::

Our Hotel: We stayed at the Embassy Suites Lakefront Hotel on Columbus Drive, right downtown in Chicago. It was a fabulous hotel and I’d highly recommend it to anyone staying in Chicago, though I would also understand if people would want their own place. Some people prefer to browse here and rent something more private, but the hotel worked for us. We were within walking distance to so many shops, restaurants and places to sight-see. And what places we were not within walking distance of we were within a short cab drive to them. The hotel was clean, the staff was friendly, and the views were magnificent. My favorite thing about staying in an Embassy Suites hotel is that you get a nice sized suite that can accommodate my large family PLUS they offer complimentary happy hours each evening, as well as a free breakfast buffet for guests. This is a time and money saver when you are on vacation! We would hfave a big breakfast and then be on our way for some sight-seeing. If we ever go back to Chicago the Embassy Suites Lakefront will be where my family stays again….it’s a fantastic hotel!

Embassey Suites Hotel Chicago

Downtown Chicago: We spent a lot of time dining downtown and walking around. The kids loved walking down Michigan Avenue, and of course Ella had to make a stop at the HUGE American Doll Store at the Water Tower shops.

American Girl Store

Chicago Lego Store

Chicago Michigan Avenue

Chicago Michigan Avenue 2

Our Chicago Adventures:

The Art Institute

Field Museum of Natural History

Museum of Science & Industry

Navy Pier

Shedd Aquarium

The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows

Where We Dined