101 Family Day Trips from Chicago | Kids Out and About Chicago <

101 Family Day Trips from Chicago

 

**COVID UPDATE: Maybe you've had to cancel that big vacation you've planned. Or you just want to dream up all the fun outings that the future holds for you and your family. One place to get started is our big list of day trips. Now, not every place will be open or operating quite as it usually does, but it's a quick link over to learn the details directly from the destination.
 
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Chicago. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!

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Get Wild on a Hike

 

  Waterfall Glen
  Fullersburg Woods
  Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
  Maple Grove
  North Park Villiage Nature Center
Shabbona Lake State Park
Starved Rock Lodge

 

Time Travel Today 

  Chicago History Museum
  Illinois Holocaust Museum
    DuPage County Historical Museum
   Trailside Museum of Natural History

 

Splash into Some Water Fun

Buckingham Fountain
Skokie Water Playground 
  Montrose Beach 
  Great Wolf Lodge 
  Pelican Harbor Aquatic Park 
Grand Bear Resort 
  The Water Works 
  Wheeling Park Family Aquatic Center
Timber Ridge Lodge

 

Parks and Rec

Millennium Park
The 606 
  Maggie Daley Park 
  Oz Park 
  Grant Park 
  Chicago Riverwalk 
  Lakefront Trail 
  The Loop 
  Knoch Knolls Park 

 

Spend the Day at a Museum

  Field Museum
  Museum of Science and Industry 
   Art Institute of Chicago 
   Chicago Children's Museum 
   Chicago Sports Museum 
   Bronzeville Children's Museum 
   Kohl Children's Museum 
   Wonder Works Children's Museum 
  Adler Planetarium

 

All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)

  Illinois Railway Museum
   Volo Automobile Museum
   Dad's Slot Cars
   Chicagoland Speedway
   Chicago Water Taxi

 

Grow Some Fun at the Farm

  Lambs Farm
Blackberry Farm
The Children's Farm
  Forest View Farm 

 

Play Ball!

  Chicago Bulls
  Chicago Bears
   Chicago Blackhawks 
   Chicago Cubs
   Chicago White Sox
   Chicago Red Stars
    Chicago Fire FC

 

Treat Yo' Self

  Donut Vault
  The Original Rainbow Cone 
   Homer's Ice Cream 
   Lickity Split Ice Cream 
   Candyailty 
   Little Popcorn Store 

 

Connect with Nature

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Garfield Conservatory
  Chicago Botanic Garden 
  Urban Adventure Quest 
  Lincoln Park Conservatory 
  The Morton Arboretum 
   The Sky Deck
    360 Chicago Observation Deck

 

Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks

  LEGOLAND Discovery Center
  The Forge
   Nickle City 
   Six Flags
   Santa's Village
   Pirates Cove
   Bellaboos
    Centennial Wheel
    Navy Pier

 

Talk to the Animals

  Lincoln Park Zoo
  Shedd Aquarium
  Brookfield Zoo
  Randall Oak's Zoo

 

Get Active Indoors

  Hot Ground Gym
Skokie Park Exporitorium
  Little Beans Cafe 
  Purple Monkey Playroom 
  Kidville Playpark 

 

Challenge Yourself

  Kids Science Labs
Ultimate Ninjas 
  Windy City Ninjas 
  iFly 
  Gather 
  Brooklyn Boulders 
  Glazed Expressions 

 

Cultivate Some Culture

Chicago Children's Theatre
Blue Man Group 
  Playmakers Laboratory Theatre 
  CSz Theater 
  Muntu Dance Theater 
  Chicago Magic Lounge 
  Hubbard Street Dance

 

Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us!


Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown Chicago. For those that are a bit farther away:

             = Less than 1 hour away

          = 1 to 2 hours away

       = 2 to 3 hours away

   = Just over 3 hours away