Weekend in Chicago w/kids? Parking?

[LoveKermit]

But the trip from Evanston to Schaumburg (if Legoland is a must) is awful. But it is a good suggestion if it works.

 

[wdw_girl_18]

If you stay in rosemont the L(train) parking is $5 for the whole day! The L (blue line train) will take you right to downtown. You can get off at washington (millenium park, art institute area) or transfer to the red line and get off at chicago which is closer to ed's and american girl place.

 

[CoP Luv]

But the trip from Evanston to Schaumburg (if Legoland is a must) is awful. But it is a good suggestion if it works.

Good point. It is an awful drive to the Lego Place.

 

[Tam1067]

OP, if I were you and wanted a fun time in Chicago, I would drive my car downtown and pay for a hotel in the Michigan Avenue area; I would just pay the parking at the hotel--generally $45 or so a night. Then, I would walk around the city because most (not all) sightseeing you'll want to do can be done by walking.

Yes, you can get a hotel in the Schaumburg area near Lego Place, but you will not save that much money, and you will spend a lot of time trying to commute around Chicago itself. I think you'll have a better time if you stay downtown and then drive out to Schaumburg for Lego Place (and Woodfield Mall perhaps) one day.

The free busses to tourist places were discontinued, so you will not have those (unless they were reinstated--but I'm about 99% sure they're gone).

There are CTA busses that can take you around the city, but be warned--budget cuts have impacted the CTA pretty dramatically recently, or at least that's what the news reports are telling us.

There is parking at the Field Museum/Shedd Aquarium/Adler Planetarium campus area. It's not easy to walk there from the hotels, so you'd either need to take public transportation, drive, or take a taxi. But parking is expensive anywhere in the city--probably about $30 or so each time you use it.

If you want to see the Museum of Science and Industry, you will have to drive there because it's not near downtown at all. It's possible to take a Metra train there though. The museum has a very nice parking garage, so you can drive if you wish.

If you want to go to Navy Pier, you can walk there from the Michigan Avenue area. We have done it, but it's a fairly long walk, so be prepared.

Also, you should try Portillo's if you want an inexpensive Chicago meal of Italian beef and hot dogs. And of course, some pizza at Uno or Due, Geno's East, or Giordano's. All will give you the Chicago experience too.