So for those of you outside of Chicago, the Chicago Air and Water Show is big deal around here, especially on the 60th anniversary. All of the fighter jets and speed boats perform tricks all along the Chicago-coast of Lake Michigan. Crowds of people pour onto the beaches and shoreline for this all-day event, and since my husband always loved the Air and Water Show when he was growing up, we decided to try and take the kids this year. ETA: We’re going again! But we’ve learned from last year. So we’re doing things a bit differently.
How we did it 2018:
Since the kids were so little we wanted to experience it but on a smaller scale than most people. We drove down to Montrose Beach around 10:30 am. It’s one of the recommended beaches to get a good view of the show. We unloaded everyone from the car and into our stroller. People really go all out for this. We saw full-size Weber grills, tents, sets of tables and chairs and more. We knew that sitting in the middle of a huge crowd would be a bit overwhelming for my kids, we walked across the street to the marina side vs. the beach side, and we found a nice shady tree to sit under.
ETA: It was SHMOILING last year! You can tell by the pictures. We were all roasting! I hope it’s less hot this year!
Where we watched 2018:
This spot was perfect. My kids aren’t old enough to care about speed boats and tricks yet. They were just happy to have a front row seat to the marina where all of the boats were docked and people were loading up to go out on the lake, where the real party was happening. Even though we weren’t right near the main part of the show, airplanes were still flying overhead, and it was incredibly loud. Azi and Miri didn’t like the noise, so we gave Miri some noise cancelling headphones, and I put my hands over Azi’s ears. I think if we had been any closer or more “in the action” it would’ve been way too much for them.
We had a picnic lunch, and after about 1.5 hrs we decided it was time to pack up and head home. The planes were starting to fly overhead more frequently, and the crowds were really starting to pack in. Maybe in a few years, we’ll be able to fully enjoy all of the festivities, but this was the perfect introduction for our littles to the annual Air and Water Show.
Our Plan for 2019:
Adam has to work in the morning, so the kids and I will go pick him up downtown at noon. We plan to park at his office, which is a few blocks away from Millennium Park. We’ll walk down there and see what we can see without being on the beach.
After attending the show last year, and learning more about my kids over the past year, we decided to purchase hearing protection headphones to help with the loud noises. In fact, Azi loves his so much, he’s been wearing them around the house. He is especially sensitive to loud noises, so these seem to help him a lot.
We’ll bring lunch, snacks, sunscreen and plenty of water. Basically, we’ll bring everything I keep in my pool bag. We’ll also bring a big picnic blanket in case we need a place to sit down! Tune into IG stories to follow along the day. The kids and my husband have been talking about it all week, so I hope it lives up to their expectations. Either way, I’m sure it’ll be a day to remember.
Other places to watch:
- The views are supposed to be great from Montrose Beach (where we went last year), Oak Street Beach and 12th Street Beach.
- Sky Deck Chicago in Willis Tower – 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago
- Miller Lite Beer Garden at Navy Pier – 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago
- Chicago360 – 875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago
- Milton Lee Olive Park – Right next to Ohio Street Beach might be a good option if you don’t want a beach day. East Ohio Street, Chicago
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