Chicago area Imas: need lesser known activities

amother

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:30 am

I am taking my kids to Chicago to visit my husbands grandparents over mid-winter vacation.
Does anyone have any ideas of things to do with my kids? When I google "chicago activities for kids" - its all the typical stuff shedd aquarium, museum of science and industry, field museum. I can't imagine that these places are going to be interesting for my kids for more than 20 minutes (and they are very similar to the museums we have at home).

are there any more interesting/non-typical museums? (ie cars, fire trucks, planes)?

are there any factory tours that might be appropriate?

anything in Milwaukee or nearby Indiana that they might enjoy?

any nice places to go ice skating or snow tubing (or similar winter sports)

amother

DarkViolet

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 1:50 pm

amother OP wrote:

There is a train museum in the suburban area. DH took some grandkids there and they enjoyed it. I don't have any information though, you'd need to Google it. Also, our Museum of Science and Industry is in a class of its own compared to other cities and is enjoyed by all ages.

amother

Midnight

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 1:58 pm

Kenosha, Wisconsin has a submarine museum. I think you can go into a submarine if you are 4 feet tall.
Another vote for Science Museum of Industry. We went there multiple times as kids and never got bored.

amother

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 3:52 pm

this is really helpful, thank you everyone!
I found this train museum- I'm guessing this is what you are talking about: https://www.irm.org/exhibits/-- it looks great, and only about an hour and 20 minutes from the grandparents.

regarding a submarine museum, the only one I found is not in Kenosha, but someplace else, much further north (like 3 hours from Chicago): wisconsin maritime museum. Amother midnight, do you know the name of the place in Kenosha?

please keep the ideas coming.

has anyone gone to willis tower recently? I think I went on a date there like 15 years (Sears tower) ago with my DH. I think I was too nervous to enjoy it.