Travel advise for Milwaukee/Chicago area

[SaraJayne]

If you are looking for Hamptons in the Milwaukee/Gurnee area, I've stayed at the NW Milwaukee, Airport and Gurnee locations. All have been fine. If you want to take the train to downtown Chicago the station is right outside the MKE airport. Also if you are going to EAA this coming weekend and staying in the area (June 26) Country USA is in Oshkosh June 22-26. You may need a reservation to find a room in the area.

Also, just FYI ~ EAA is right across the highway from Country USA, so you're going to run into traffic on the highway.

So be prepared for it to take a little extra time.

Oshkosh also has an outlet mall (directly across from EAA), but it's usually jammed during Country USA. And Gurnee Mills has much better stores.

 

[Peter Pan's Girl]

There is a fun family/ waterpark hotel next door to Gurnee Mills and Six Flags, it is called Key Lime Cove, we have been there many times and had lots of fun (kiddos age 4-14). On the weekends they also have some fun family activities for free (cupcake decorating, Kareoke, etc). We just recieved a code in the mail KLCVIC valid sun-thur 5/10 to 6/30 for $129.95 per night. Feel free to use it!

 

[ckrum]

We ate at Smoque last summer. It was very good. But, you might have to stand in line for a while. It was worth it to us though.

 

[sbgb]

Check the website for Smoque and call ahead so you don't have to wait in line for food. You just go to the counter for your pick up order and grab a table.

 

[moniot]

If you are looking for Hamptons in the Milwaukee/Gurnee area, I've stayed at the NW Milwaukee, Airport and Gurnee locations. All have been fine. If you want to take the train to downtown Chicago the station is right outside the MKE airport. Also if you are going to EAA this coming weekend and staying in the area (June 26) Country USA is in Oshkosh June 22-26. You may need a reservation to find a room in the area.

I think we will stop at the EAA either on Friday on our way down or on Monday on our way home. I am checking out the Hampton in Gurnee.
Thanks for the tip.

 

[moniot]

Also, just FYI ~ EAA is right across the highway from Country USA, so you're going to run into traffic on the highway.

So be prepared for it to take a little extra time.

Oshkosh also has an outlet mall (directly across from EAA), but it's usually jammed during Country USA. And Gurnee Mills has much better stores.

I didn't think about traffic. Maybe stopping on Monday would be better. I think we will stay away from the Mall there also. Thanks.

 

[moniot]

There is a fun family/ waterpark hotel next door to Gurnee Mills and Six Flags, it is called Key Lime Cove, we have been there many times and had lots of fun (kiddos age 4-14). On the weekends they also have some fun family activities for free (cupcake decorating, Kareoke, etc). We just recieved a code in the mail KLCVIC valid sun-thur 5/10 to 6/30 for $129.95 per night. Feel free to use it!

Thank you. I will check into that. Maybe that would be a fun thing.

 

[moniot]

We ate at Smoque last summer. It was very good. But, you might have to stand in line for a while. It was worth it to us though.

Check the website for Smoque and call ahead so you don't have to wait in line for food. You just go to the counter for your pick up order and grab a table.

Since Smoque appears to be farther then we thought from The Field Museum I think we will find some place else. Get me in and out of Chicago, traffic makes me nuts. I come from a town that has no stop lights!! Good thing my DH does all the driving. Also with a baby I don't want to have to wait in line forever after a day at a museum.

 

[sbpebbles]

The Field Museum is not just for little kids. You'll love it.
The Jelly Belly place in Pleasant Prairie is a distribution center. They do have a little tour on a tram, but IMOH your teenagers would be bored to death. They'd like the outlet mall though! Another Diners, Drive-ins and Dives restaurant close to the outlet mall(about 10 minutes) is the Shanty in Wadsworth, IL.
In Milwaukee, Sprecher also does free brewery tours....all you can drink rootbeer, etc for the kids when you enjoy your brew.

Just a heads up here: Sprecher Brewery Tours are NOT free, they are $4 for adults and $2 for anyone under 21..and you need to make reservations ahead of time for them..their websites states this:

Call 414-964-2739 between 11am-6pm CST the week of the tour to make a reservation.

We made the mistake during spring break and thought we could go the same day we called and that is not the case..just wanted to give you fair warning..we had a GREAT time when we went so I'm sure your family will LOVE it..we ended up buying a bunch of their products after our tour.

 

[moniot]

Just a heads up here: Sprecher Brewery Tours are NOT free, they are $4 for adults and $2 for anyone under 21..and you need to make reservations ahead of time for them..their websites states this:

Call 414-964-2739 between 11am-6pm CST the week of the tour to make a reservation.

We made the mistake during spring break and thought we could go the same day we called and that is not the case..just wanted to give you fair warning..we had a GREAT time when we went so I'm sure your family will LOVE it..we ended up buying a bunch of their products after our tour.

This is good to know. I will give them a call before we go and make all our plans. Thank you!

 

[Wis2InTink]

I've stayed at the Hampton Inn airport on S. 13th & College Ave. There is also a Country Inn & Suites next door. They are quite a few hotels in this area and actually still just a few miles from the airport; on the south side of the city, and easy access to I-94. A fairly new Staybridge Suites is a little further south, on S. 27th and Ryan Road, less than a mile to I-94. This is an easy route to Kenosha, Chicago etc. I traveled south (back to IN.) on the 17th and there was a lot of construction on I-94 in the south, but 2 lanes were open and it's never as bad as in IL. So many choices. . . Have a wonderful time!

 

[JenniJ]

Didn't read this entire post, so sorry if I repeat what someone else sad.

Grew up in Chicago and went to the Field all the time when I was in college. (You get good deals to museums when in school) Now that I am out of school, went there for mother's day trip. DD17 loved going there with me when I was in school so I thought.... DS2 would love it too.... well I was WRONG! If you have a child that likes to do more interacting with the exhibits this is not the place, at least not for a 2-3 yrs old. We take my son to the Children's Museum all the time. I think he thought ALL museums would be like them, very hands on, touchy feelie.
If your children like history and cultures then the Field is the place. You chose your level depending on what extra exhibits you would like to see. The base ticket price gets you in the door, but if you want to see the baby mammoth you have to pay extra. There are only 2 places to eat, McDonalds (prices are higher than out side the museum) or Corner Bakery. When we went there was a hot dog vendor right outside the museum selling hot dog chips and drink for about $5. We ended up just walking along the lake front after about the 4th meltdown from DS2. He just couldn't understand why he could touch everything or why if you pressed a button some guy in a mono-tone voice talked about something he could care less about. Needless to say my DD17 was upset. She really LOVES cultures and history....

I think there is some Chicago pass citypass.com Go to explorechicago.org lots of great things to do on that site. This site has coupons chicagoofficeoftourism.org It also lists days that the museums are free!

Not sure about food to eat in the area. Restaurant change so much that what was good last week is gone today. If your in the area of Ontario and LaSalle street, eat at Portillios, it's a Chicago area restaurant chain. We love the food! Or try Uno's for pizza, also a Chicago exclusive, was stared on Food Wars: Pizza New York vs. Chicago. lol

Let me know iuf you need any other advice or suggestions. Happy to offer!

 

[moniot]

Didn't read this entire post, so sorry if I repeat what someone else sad.

Grew up in Chicago and went to the Field all the time when I was in college. (You get good deals to museums when in school) Now that I am out of school, went there for mother's day trip. DD17 loved going there with me when I was in school so I thought.... DS2 would love it too.... well I was WRONG! If you have a child that likes to do more interacting with the exhibits this is not the place, at least not for a 2-3 yrs old. We take my son to the Children's Museum all the time. I think he thought ALL museums would be like them, very hands on, touchy feelie.
If your children like history and cultures then the Field is the place. You chose your level depending on what extra exhibits you would like to see. The base ticket price gets you in the door, but if you want to see the baby mammoth you have to pay extra. There are only 2 places to eat, McDonalds (prices are higher than out side the museum) or Corner Bakery. When we went there was a hot dog vendor right outside the museum selling hot dog chips and drink for about $5. We ended up just walking along the lake front after about the 4th meltdown from DS2. He just couldn't understand why he could touch everything or why if you pressed a button some guy in a mono-tone voice talked about something he could care less about. Needless to say my DD17 was upset. She really LOVES cultures and history....

I think there is some Chicago pass citypass.com Go to explorechicago.org lots of great things to do on that site. This site has coupons chicagoofficeoftourism.org It also lists days that the museums are free!

Not sure about food to eat in the area. Restaurant change so much that what was good last week is gone today. If your in the area of Ontario and LaSalle street, eat at Portillios, it's a Chicago area restaurant chain. We love the food! Or try Uno's for pizza, also a Chicago exclusive, was stared on Food Wars: Pizza New York vs. Chicago. lol

Let me know iuf you need any other advice or suggestions. Happy to offer!

I won't have to worry about the touchy stuff The older two know better and the little one is to small.

How much time should we plan on (remember the 4 month old is in a stroller). We will have to look at the extra exhibits and see what we want to look at. My DH and DS will probably enjoy it all while my DD..... well we will see. I have set aside a full day for this museum with an hour drive to and from. We are thinking about staying in Gurnee and most likely eating in that area also.

Thanks for all your advise and will take any more ideas you have.

 

[imsayin]

We are thinking about staying in Gurnee and most likely eating in that area also.

Thanks for all your advise and will take any more ideas you have.

FYI - Most of the restaurants in Gurnee are chains, but there are a lot of them - Olive Garden, Chipotle, TGIF's, etc. If you like Thai food, there is a good place across the street from Great America & down the street from the mall called "Royal Thai".

 

[moniot]

To much info to process and decisions to make before we go on this trip. We are postponing it until the end of July or the first part of August. Thank you everyone for the infomation. I will use it all to plan a fantistic trip.

I hate spending more then I have to and with more time I think I can make it work for alot less.

 

[Psychodisney]

If you're planning on staying/eating in Gurnee, restaurant.com has Timothy O'Tooles, an Irish sports pub. Decent burgers and such. The Shanty is good and 5 minutes from Gurnee. Hurricane Harbor(Six Flags) is fun too if it's hot.

 

[wdw_girl_18]

I have set aside a full day for this museum with an hour drive to and from. We are thinking about staying in Gurnee and most likely eating in that area also.

It will take more than an hour to get from Gurnee to the field museum. Probably about an hour & 1/2 on a weekend or if you go on a weekday 2+ hours depending on traffic and the time you leave in the morning.

 

[nunzia]

In Milwaukee we did the Miller tour, (really neat! Your kids should like it even though they can't drink)..also wandered around the stadium, and did Summerfest..a HUGE festival that would be OK during the day..right on the lake. At night it got a little nuts. They have a very nice zoo in Milwaukee also.

 

[Zoma]

You will love Frank's Diner! The PP was right about it being crowded though. Mornings especially can be really crazy but, that is because their breakfast is so good They are famous for their Garbage Plate(warning, DO NOT order a whole, it is massive!) but, they have other tasty options as well. We also love their cinnamon roll french toast, pancakes and homemade toast. We've only had lunch there once, the burgers were really good.

In our experience the best times to go are off peak eating hours. It is a very popular place for local business men, retirees and college students who seem to be there earlier in the morning or the standard 12-1 lunch hour. My DD and I pop in at 9 or so and get seated fairly quickly. I don't recommend sitting at the outside tables, the atmosphere is just not the same and the tables are right by the street(car exhaust and eggs don't mix). BTW, they are cash only as the PP mentioned. A full menu with prices is on their website.

While you are in Kenosha you can pop by The Civil War Museum($5) and The Kenosha Public Museum(free). You could also take a ride on the trolley and walk along the harbor. All together they won't take long, maybe 1 1/2 hrs?

As others have said, skip Jelly Belly unless you are a HUGE fan. Seriously. If you do feel the need to go skip the tour, you'll see some video clips and lots of storage shelves(a trip to Costco or Sams would be more entertaining).

Enjoy your trip

 

[erincon23]

Have you checked out the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago? I have kids about your older children's ages, and they much prefer MSI. (actually, my DS17 could be dropped in any gallery of any museum and enjoy it, but he does like MSI better lately) The Field is interesting, but can be very dry. I'd suggest that you at least check out the website for MSI -- msichicago.org. We were there just last weekend with a 17 yr old boy, and 15 and 18 yr old girls -- and they had a blast. There's a coal mine tour (not an actual coal mine, but you definitely see what it's like), a real WWII submarine to tour, a miniature fairy doll castle built by a '20s Hollywood starlet, an IMAX theatre (right now showing something about the Hubble space telescope and a second movie about waves in Tahiti), a very interesting interactive exhibit about -- I'm trying to figure out how to describe this -- people? feelings, reactions, nutrition, etc., and MUCH more. There's an oldfashioned ice cream parlor and a large food court. It's $15 for adults, add $8 for the IMAX. If you're able to figure out the museum membership that may get you into other museums, I'm pretty sure MSI is on all those lists of reciprocal museums. It's south of the city near the University of Chicago campus, which is beautiful -- there's the Oriental Art Museum there, Rockefeller Chapel, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House (open for tours most days) is on the campus as well.

The CityPass that people have mentioned is $65 and gets you into several museums -- probably not what you're looking for.

Have a great trip!