Summer is here and we’re so excited! But it’s hard finding new and interesting things to do with kids home from school. These are the unique Chicago summer activities that I’m hoping to check off our to-do list this season.
Brand New: Great Wolf Lodge Summer Season Pass
This is going to be the hottest ticket in town this summer. For the very first time, Great Wolf Lodge is offering a Summer Season Pass! This allows guests to visit as much as they’d like from May 1 through August 31. This is an enormous value!
The passes pay for themselves after a few visits, the variable being the pass level you purchase. With how busy our weekends are, we’re leveraging the Weekday Season Pass. We plan to take off some days this summer and bring the kids for a full day of waterpark fun in the Great Wolf Lodge signature 84 degree heated pools. It’s a great way to get their sillies out during the week!
Pro Tip: Hit the road before the park opens with breakfast on-the-go and get there right when the waterpark opens. Let them play all morning, have a delicious lunch, then play some more before heading home. They’ll tire themselves out so they HAVE to nap on the way home. Then, flip on your podcast for a peaceful, quiet drive home.
Visit the Great Wolf Lodge website for more information or to purchase your Summer Season Pass. Be sure to set it to your home location before purchasing!
Super Unique Chicago Summer Activity: Tea Around Town Mobile Tea Party
We took the girls on this mobile tea party over Memorial Day Weekend and they loved it! We wore our cutest pink outfits (dad included) and boarded their flowery double-decker bus for a 90-minute tour around the city. The girls ate it up, figuratively and literally!
Aside from the bus being adorable and the food being delicious, they had SO much to see out their windows! Fountains, skyscrapers, the lake, art, and stop lights (big in our house right now). We really had tons to see!
Save 5% on your group’s booking with code ASHLEYBURKBLOG5!*
*Tea Around Town hosted me as a media guest. However I do not receive any commission from purchases made with my code. It’s simply a modest discount for anyone who’d like to attend!
Safety Town Mini Village in Elmhurst, IL
Located at 511 S York St in Elmhurst, IL, Safety Town allows young kids to learn about the real world in a safe setting. It’s one of the unique Chicago summer activities that is incredibly fun but also teaches kids valuable life skills.
Practice being a pedestrian on the sidewalks, use road safety while you ride your tricycle on the streets, and don’t forget to look both ways before crossing the railroad tracks!
Safety Town is free to visit and open to the public daily from dawn until dusk, April 1 through November 1.
Important notes from their website:
- Train arm, stop lights, and car wash are non-operational for public use
- Youth bicycles, bicycles with training wheels, tricycles, balance bikes and scooters are permitted
- Motorized cars, roller blades, shoes with skates and skateboards are not permitted
They even offer a Safety Town Camp in the summer! More details can be found on the Elmhurst Park District website.
Note: There also appears to be a Naperville Safety Town but it doesn’t appear open to the public, only summer programs. Linking their website here for more information.
Seadog Speedboat Rides
These were a staple for both my husband and myself as kids! I took a Seadog Speedboat ride every year with my summer day camp. In college, I worked at the same camp and took my own campers on the Seadog tours. A total full circle experience for me!
Take the kids on a speedboat ride and then explore the pier. There’s also a handful of restaurants right inside Navy Pier for lunch or dinner afterwards. You can easily make a morning or full day out of this!
Situated right on Navy Pier in Chicago, their docks are easily accessible to the public. You can park in one of the Navy Pier garages or find a Spot Hero in a nearby high rises just off the pier. If you’re in the city already, there are bus routes that service Navy Pier. See the CTA website for more information!
Unique Chicago Summer Activity for Kids: The Farmer’s Market
Hear me out, because this one doesn’t seem super obvious to me. A lot of these markets are either near a park or have kid-specific activities to do at them. Even if the activities themselves aren’t super unique, doing them in a new place or with new kids is fun for littles. Lots of markets have fun kid-centered weekday or weeknight events too, like Touch-A-Truck or meeting police dogs.
Visit this Chicagoland Farmer’s Market directory to find the schedule for the markets in your area. I love just walking around and letting the girls see all of the different things the merchants have to offer. Never know when you’re going to find an absolute gem or your new favorite dish!
Afterwards, grab a bit to eat with the whole family. Find your new favorite restaurant amidst my personal favorite South Suburban Chicago restaurants!
Visit the Field Museum or Shedd Aqaurium… or Become Members!
For those overly hot or rainy days, a mentally stimulating activity like visiting the Field Museum or Shedd Aquarium are fantastic. They offer free days each month and offer annual memberships (which usually pay for themselves quickly, sometimes even after just two visits). A one-day ticket is also always an option!
Afterwards, head west down Roosevelt Road and stroll through the Roosevelt Collection shops or grab a bite at one of the area eateries. Don’t forget your double stroller for the fun day out!
The South Loop area has been up-and-coming for a while, though is already full of things to do if you want to wander outside of the museum walls. Just don’t forget your carseat coolers for keeping those carseats safe and comfortable for the drive home!
Do you have favorite unique Chicago summer activities that you keep coming back to? Let me know your local favorites in the comments!
