I am a total autumn & winter gal — but waking up today with the bright sunshine, blue skies and hearing the early-morning chirping of the birds that were out and about definitely put me in a springtime mood!
We’ve been planning some upcoming outings, especially since the wee girl has her spring break from school in a couple of weeks. They will most definitely include the Chicago lakefront & downtown areas…so many options.
We’re a short car ride or quick train ride from all the wonderful things Chicago has to offer, so we frequent this great city of ours quite regularly. Our 7-year-old has her favorite museums, zoos & aquariums & we’ve held family memberships to several of them for many years — much more cost-effective than paying the admission fees upon each and every visit. Best part is that we get the added benefit of not waiting in the long, general admission lines since we can use the “members” lines instead. It’s also super convenient that two of her favorites happen to be right next door to each other.
We typically visit the Shedd Aquarium in the morning, have lunch and then walk over to The Field Museum for the afternoon.
I’m planning to go more in-depth in future articles about the various museums in the Chicago area, but for now, here’s a taste of a few of our favorite photos from recent visits to the Shedd Aquarium & The Field Museum.
After our mornings at the Shedd Aquarium, we head next door to The Field Museum. Kids are so used to being told where to go and what to do, so we typically let our daughter guide the way during our museum excursions and decide which exhibits to see. We’ve found that this decision-making factor during our adventures has been a great way to pique her interest in the exhibits, even from toddlerhood. It’s been cool to see what she gravitates toward during each visit. I’m so glad that we’re raising a museum-lover!
Her favorite exhibit at The Field Museum is the Evolving Planet. This wonderful section takes you through 4 billion years of life on Earth and all of the various Mass Extinctions. Since she was about 18 months old, we cannot tear her away from this area.
Hope you’re planning some fun upcoming adventures with your friends & family! If you’re in the Chicago area, make sure to head to some of our wonderful museums this season. You won’t be sorry!