A train to Chicago
I had to go to Chicago this summer to work so I thought I’d take the kids along and make it a long weekend. Like most little boys G loves trains. I’d been wanting to take the kids up on the train and this was the perfect opportunity.
It’s about 5 1/2 hours on Amtrak from St. Louis to Chicago’s Union Station by train– about the same as driving. Plus, you can’t beat the price– sometimes no more than $23 bucks and 1/2 that for each child! (That is less than the gas it takes or a cab fare from the airport if you fly.) Even without kids I like to take the 4:35am train that arrives into Chicago around 10. I thought that would be a good choice with the kids. I envisioned them going back to sleep as soon as the train started moving but they were so excited they didn’t go back to sleep until about 45 minutes before we pulled into Chicago. What a terrible miscalculation! They each had their backpack packed with a blanket, bobbleheads or cars, notebook, crayons, water bottle and snacks. That stuff, games like I spy and the changing view from the windows kept them entertained. The best decision I made though was to sit in a car with a handicap accessible restroom. It was huge! Big enough for us all to fit and not touch anything unnecessary. What I appreciate most about the train is that the kids didn’t have to be strapped into a car seat for hours on end and could even get up move around. They enjoyed their train ride and often ask to do it again. My father wants to take them on an overnight train adventure. I think they’d love it.
Our time in Chicago:
We stayed at the W– Lakeshore. The location was great as were the views. We had wanted a suite but that didn’t work out so we just had a typical king room. Turns out that worked perfectly because of the big daybed by the window. The housekeeper gave me sheets and pillows and we turned it into a bed for the kids. Housekeeping even made it up everyday when they cleaned the room. Service was great. My only complaint was that we were charged full price for a 3 and 5 year old for Brunch on Sunday– ridiculous in my opinion considering what they ate. The other annoyance was the location of the elevator. It’s right by the front door and although there are plenty of cars, the hallway to access them is so narrow that there always seemed to be a bottleneck with people getting on and off.
The hotel is almost right across the street from the Ohio Street Beach. The kids could see it from the window and that is all that they wanted to do. We went the first day and I couldn’t get them to leave. It turned out that was good because it became rainy and unseasonable cold later in the weekend. I wasn’t expecting to spend so much time there– I wish I had brought some sand toys. Luckily they met some local kids who were willing to share. The water was a bit chilly but the kids didn’t care. There was a bit too much trash and broken glass on the beach for my taste so while the kids played and dug holes with their new friends I collected broken pieces. I was not alone. Many other parents were doing the same thing, so after awhile I felt a bit more confident that my children were safe barefoot. During our stay we came back a couple more times for shorter stretches.
Also in walking distance was Chicago’s Navy Pier. We could have spent most of a day here taking boat rides, going to shows, eating at different restaurants or going on rides at the mini amusement park. Instead we just walked around a bit, did some people watching and ate.
We ate at a couple random little restaurants but the kid’s favorite was the Rainforest Cafe. It’s full of automated animals hanging from the ceiling and tucked into the walls in their “habitats” complete with sound. There are also big fish tanks all over the place. The kids were delighted to sit next to the elephant family and cheered every time they snorted. Food is typical: burgers, salads, chicken tenders, etc…
There are two other places we ate that I would recommend:
Big Bowl: 60 E Ontario, Chinese and Thai. It was good, but it was also reasonable, really fast and kid friendly.
Kamehachi: 240 E Ontario, Sushi. Although we did not eat in one, they do have little private rooms that can be a lifesaver with kids. It is certainly a more adult place but they do have highchairs and our waitress was happy to banter with the kids. There were other families there with small children but the majority we couples or groups of friends. I’m not a sushi lover but I was with someone who is and he really enjoyed his meal.
One of the cold days we went to Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park. It took quite awhile to get though the gates so once we were in the kids were kind of over it. They were momentarily revived when they found an inflatable ball, a dusty field and new little girl to get dirty with. That gave us a chance to listen to some music. It also gave us a chance to get a restaurant recommendation from the little girls parents. After walking around the rest of the grounds we walked to Wishbone (1001 W. Washington) to eat. It’s “southern reconstruction” and very kid friendly– a good choice.
Another day we did get a chance to meet an Aunt at the Museum of Science and Industry. They had gone to see the Harry Potter exhibit. We opted out of that but had fun exploring everything else. G and ES were excited by all of the choices and had fun wandering through the many exhibits. We spent a long time watching the model trains weave through their little cities, and watching the little chicks hatch from their shells. ES and G enjoyed every moment. They were propelled though the place by the possibilities of the next room. It was fun to see. Thirty-five dollars well spent.
We had a great weekend. We’ll definitely do it again.
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