A trip into the city was just what we needed to kick start the beginning of lazy days and care free summer schedules.  I sometimes forget just how easy it is to hop on the train and spend a few hours exploring the parks and taking advantage of the great people watching. Our plan was simple and the main goal was to walk Madison street all the way to Millennium Park.

Like any well planned trip we had to make multiple pit stops before the real fun could be found. 3 blocks into our arrival someone was hungry = a stop at Pret A Manger. Someone had sore feet = a stop at CVS for Advil. Someone was cold = stopping at 4, yes 4, different stores until we could find sweatpants that fit.

My kids love the sights and sounds of the city.  We always play happy tourist and take pictures and capture the moments of the day.

The Lyric Opera House has always been a favorite.  It amazes me that it was built just 22 months after it was planned! Start to finish! And I love that every seat has been refurbished to its original 1929 elegance.

Everyone was excited to head (no pun intended) to Crown Fountain and see the faces. I did a little research and found out there are over 1,000 Chicagoans whose faces appear on the video towers. The School of Art Institute Chicago put out a call and asked for people to come have their pictures taken.  And Voila! They have become the most famous faces of Millennium Park.

The next stop was The Bean!  This is a family favorite and never gets old. We love watching everyone there WATCH themselves.  You can’t help but love a 110 ton kidney bean structure that gets polished several times a day. It’s a Chicago must see.

Beyond the Bean was the real destination! Maggie Daley Park was top on our list that day.

It’s the creme de la creme of playgrounds! Plus the views are spectacular.  Here is a link to FAQs http://maggiedaleypark.com/about/faqs/

After all the fun was had the kids were starving and we had a train to catch.  Dinner at Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta on Madison street was the perfect stop.

It was a great day and the kids loved living it up in the city for a few hours! So, the next time your kids say they’re bored pack up some snacks, Advil and sweatpants and hop on the train!