It’s that time of year again! The Jewish holiday of Sukkot is just a week away. That means that Chol HaMoed is coming as well, and many families will take day trips during this festive time. Since I have loyal followers in both the Chicagoland area and on the East Coast, I’ve expanded my Family-Friendly Activity guide to include things to do in Chicago, as well as in the New York / New Jersey areas. Chag sameach to all those who celebrate! And if you don’t, enjoy these recommendations of activities to do with your family!
**I’ve included links to activities that have Groupons as well as free and other more expensive activities.
Family-Friendly Fall Activities in Chicago:
Museums!
Chicago has some of the best museums in the country. So if you have a rainy day or a cold day it’s no problem. The best part of the Chicago Museum System is that they offer specific Illinois Resident Free Museum Days.
Our favorite museum is the Museum of Science and Industry.
It’s great for kids of ALL ages, even parents! My husband could spend all day of every weekend there if I let him. It’s totally worth it to get a membership if you have a large (or even small) family, and you plan to go more than 2-3 times throughout the year. The membership gets you free parking, which really makes it worth it!
MSI Free Day – October 29, 2019
The Field Museum Free Days – October, 9, 16, 23, 30
The Adler Planetarium – October 7-9 & 14-16
Kohl Children’s Museum is also great. It’s in Glenview, so if you aren’t interested in driving downtown, that’s a great option. We had a membership this past year, and we used it a lot. We also had our birthday party there this past January. That was AMAZING. Check out the entire post here.
Parks and Outdoor Nature Places
These may be the last few not-freezing weeks of 2019, so if you get a chance to make it outside, here are some great parks that are worth trying out!
Chicago Botanic Gardens
The Chicago Botanic Gardens are absolutely beautiful during the spring and summer months, but they have a lot going on during the fall season as well. Specifically during Chol HaMoed they have a Night of 1,000 Jack o’ Lanterns. This could be a really fun night activity to do, and I know it will be beautiful on the grounds of the Botanic Gardens.
During the day, there is so much nature to explore, but we specifically love the Train Exhibit (it’s magical!) and the Children’s Garden. There’s something for all ages here, but I do think younger children (ages 2-5) might get the most benefit out of it.
Maggie Daley Park
If your family is looking to take a day trip to downtown Chicago, Maggie Daley Park is a great place to start. There is something for ALL ages in the Play Garden, a series of playgrounds marked with the appropriate ages for each structure, as well as a climbing wall, skating ribbon and more.
Be prepared for crowds, and there is MINIMAL shade. So if it’s a sunny or hot day, come with lots of water and sunscreen. I would say this is ideal for kids ages 4-10, but there are definitely things to do for younger and older kids. We went last summer (kids were 1.5 and 2.5), and it was a bit overwhelming for my kids. It was also EXTREMELY hot, so that was also a factor.
You can also visit The Bean and Millennium Park, as both of these Chicago Landmarks are right near Maggie Daley Park.
Chicago River Walk
My family had a blast walking up and down the Chicago River Walk during the Chicago Air and Water Show this summer. There are a lot of fun activities you can do while you’re there. From riding the Chicago Water Taxi to renting kayaks to playing corn hole and grabbing a drink, there are a lot of fun and cost-effective things to do for the whole family. When we went, we didn’t do any of these paid activities, and we still had a lovely time just walking up and down.
The 606
Morton Arboretum
Indoor Play Places
Funtopia
Ball Factory
Go Bananas
Yu Kids Island
2 Locations — Woodfield Mall and Vernon Hills
Legoland
Onto New York Activities:
Day Trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania
The Hershey Story Museum Groupon
Kosher Hershey Park (October 16-17)
Kosher Food Truck, Minyanim, Hotels in the area, sukkahs in the park and the area
Use code: GOLDWATER for free insurance on all tickets ($6/ticket)
Sesame Place
Groupon available for any two-day ticket.
Diggerland
I am DYING to take Azi here! If you have a construction-loving kiddo, I would definitely go to this!
Please Touch Museum
Jewish Children’s Museum
Empire State Building
One World Observatory
Liberty Science Center
I have heard this is a spectacular science center! Great for all kids!
Gulliver’s Gate
Gulliver’s Gate is supposed to be really amazing, but a bit expensive. I know a lot of people who have been and have raved about it!
Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum
I hope everyone has a fun fall season with their families! Take advantage of the beautiful world that G-d has given us. There are so many amazing things in our cities and our country. We just have to know what to explore! Chag sameach to all those who are celebrating this season! Happy Fall y’all.
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