Chicago during Democratic Nat'l Convention - bad idea?

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 10:58 am

Chicago imamothers - do you think that the DNC will impact our ability to have a fun trip to Chicago next week?

Will the impact be mostly in the part of downtown near the United Center, or will the entire metro area be flooded with traffic, subject to road closures, and so on?

Are there fun museums and places we can go that will be out of the way of the DNC? Kids are ages 4-11.

Didn't realize that it was going to be DNC week when we planned it. Really don't want to cancel, but will if it sounds really bad.

mha3484 ↓

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 11:06 am

What kind of activities do you want to do. I personally would avoid the downtown area like the plague which is where a lot of the brand name activities are but if your open to staying in the suburban areas you can find stuff to do.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 11:09 am

mha3484 wrote:

We are open minded to any activities that can be done with our kids' ages. Would prefer to do things that are somehow special to Chicago, as opposed to random indoor stuff that is the same in every city, like bowling, ice skating, trampoline park. But we like large cool playgrounds, museums, fun parks, could do mini golf, stuff like that.

amother

Mulberry

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 12:53 pm

I’d stay away from downtown. Supposed to be lots of pro Palestinian protests also. Maybe Kohl’s museum? Lincoln park zoo? Skokie sculpture park?
ETA museum of science and industry?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 12:58 pm

amother Mulberry wrote:

I’d stay away from downtown. Supposed to be lots of pro Palestinian protests also. Maybe Kohl’s museum? Lincoln park zoo? Skokie sculpture park?
ETA museum of science and industry?

Is the museum of science and industry area considered downtown? I see the aquarium is there too.

↑ mha3484

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 1:01 pm

I was going to suggest Kohl Museum but an 11 year old may be too old

If you don't mind a little driving we love Cantigny. Its one of the few activities my kids 3-13 all like. Its an outdoor tank park that your kids can climb on take pictures etc and there is really cool museum older kids may like.

The Chicago Botanic Gardens are beautiful

The grove in Glenview has beautiful walking paths and a historical house you can go in if your older kids like to see what life was like in the 1850s

The Hyde park area where the museum of science and industry, the planetarium and the aquarium are is around 20 minutes south of where the action is and may not be as congested. Also the Lincoln Park Zoo is 20 minutes away from the united center and may not be as bad. I would avoid the actual downtown like the bean, the sears tower, the loop etc.

I cant predict what the area will be like. My guess is the people who want to protest and make trouble will do it in front of the United Center not 20 minutes at the science museum but I just dont know.

Last edited by mha3484 on Thu, Aug 15 2024, 1:02 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 1:03 pm

mha3484 wrote:

Thanks so much, this is very helpful!