Chicago has a reputation for being the Windy City. While that is true, it is also a city of culture, outdoor parks that are just waiting to be explored and interactive museums. The shoreline along Lake Michigan is great for walking and jogging, and in summer the water is warm enough to swim. You can fish in the shadow of the Chicago skyline in warm weather or ice skate on a man-made pond in the midst of winter. The possibilities for an active, fun vacation are seemingly endless.
Yoga at the Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is one of most visited urban park zoos in the United States. Not only does visiting the zoo give families the opportunity to learn about the natural world, it is a fun way to get some exercise as you wander about the park. During the summer, the zoo offers Yoga at Lincoln Park Zoo. Stretch those limbs on the zoo's South Lawn with the echo of lion roars and monkey chatter as a backdrop. Professional instructors from the Chicago Self Centered Yoga studio lead you through your routines.
Strolling Northerly Island
Put on your jogging shoes or grab that bicycle and head out to Chicago's Northerly Island. Featuring 91 acres of open green space on the shores of Lake Michigan, this park is latticed with walking, jogging and biking trails that offer views of the Chicago skyline. Open play areas invite an impromptu game of catch or provide a place for kids to burn off some excess energy. Grab a rod and fish Lake Michigan from the shoreline. On the northern end of the park is the Charter One Pavilion, the site of concerts and family events.
Exploring Millennium Park
This 24-acre park is a magnet for the citizens of Chicago and for visitors lucky enough to discover it. Once a neglected bit of land next to Lake Michigan, Millennium Park is now an energetic, all-season family destination. Summer music festivals are held in the outdoor Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Concert goers often bring a picnic and a blanket and get comfortable on the great lawn. Trails lead throughout the park's sections, including the Crown Fountain, the Lurie Garden and the Wrigley Square and Millennium Park Monument. Bicycles are available for rental in the warmer seasons. In winter, rent ice skates and take a spin or two at the McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink.
Exercising Young Minds
Located at the end of Navy Pier, the Chicago Children's Museum gives kids a chance to exercise both body and mind. Visit the Dinosaur Expedition and learn to dig for dinosaur bones. The Inventing Lab encourages children to build their own gadgets. Even smaller children, those age 5 and younger, can visit the enchanted forest at the Treehouse Trails exhibit. Climb trees, fish in make-believe rivers and explore a cave. The whole family can get together and climb the rigging of the Kovler Family Climbing Schooner, a three-floor challenge that takes you from the ocean bottom to the crows nest.
Historic Walk
Walking about in downtown Chicago gives you the chance to explore the city's history while getting in a bit of exercise. You can shop at Macy's along the way, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and gaze at works of Gauguin and VanGogh. The Chicago Tribune Tower, a work of history in its own right, is covered with rock fragments from famous places, such as the Colosseum, the Alamo and the Great Wall of China. A moon rock is part of the collection, but that is safely kept behind a glass window. If you happen to be downtown on St. Patrick's Day, you can watch as city crews dye the river green.
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