A Quick Trip to Chicago

I haven’t spent much time in Chicago, so I was glad I got to go to the annual Parenting Media Association conference this past weekend. It’s been held in Chicago the past couple – or few? – years. However, I hadn’t been able to attend since 2020, when it was held in lovely Tampa, Florida. Our hotel was downtown, within walking distance of countless restaurants, shopping experiences, etc. We didn’t have much time to do anything apart from the conference, but we did manage to squeeze in some fun.

And even better, Joss got to come, too, and hang out with his father while I was busy working! So he got to go on his second plane ride, first train rides and spend some time in the big city! He did very well, especially considering we had to wake up at 3 a.m. for our flight from Tulsa to Chicago.

Here are some highlights.

Goddess and The Baker

When I first went to Chicago (on a layover), the one thing I wanted to do was visit an Intelligentsia cafe. Somehow, my mom and I managed to hop off the train from the airport right across the street from one! Whew. This time, I hadn’t done any cafe research. However, our hotel was about a block and a half from Goddess and The Baker. They had a nice display of pastries and some truly over-the-top drinks. Mine even had a cookie tucked into the whipped cream!

I can’t judge the quality of the coffee because mine was heavily flavored with caramel and banana (delicious but very sweet!). But if you like fun seasonal drinks, give them a try if you’re in the area! I also ordered a coconut chia seed pudding, which was much lighter and delicious.

Joss insisted on ordering their famous rainbow cake. He didn’t eat much of it, but in fairness, the slice was huge!

Navy Pier

Navy Pier was about 1.5 miles from our hotel. Because the room wasn’t ready when we got there, we walked down to Navy Pier (after Joss was handed off to his father – I don’t think he would’ve been up for a three-mile round-trip walk!). Here, you’ll find a beautiful view of the water and skyline, and lots of fun family activities. These include the Chicago Children’s Museum, a Ferris wheel, carousel and teacup rides, boat rides, shopping/dining options, a theater, etc.

Sadly, we basically had to turn around and walk back to the hotel for lunch as soon as we’d gotten there so didn’t have time to explore these fun attractions. But I’ve heard from a couple people now that the architecture boat tours are really good!

The Chicago Children’s Museum is located inside the Navy Pier building and down the hall from the check-in counter. So we didn’t see much. But it’s got an impressive array of exhibits for babies on up, including an art studio, kids town, tinkering lab and more. Check those out at chicagochildrensmuseum.org/exhibits. If you click on each exhibit, you’ll see a description of that exhibit along with some suggestions for how adults can “support playful learning” in that section. Neat!

Mercadito

By happy accident, we ended up dining at Mercadito the first night. We’d attempted to get reservations at Rick Bayless’s Frontera Grill, but were unable to do so. My coworker Amanda did some Googling, and we were able to get a reservation at Mercadito. It’s homepage bills itself as “Chicago’s Best Mexican Cuisine.” I have no means of comparison, but I will say that the food was fresh, authentic and very tasty!

They had multiple salsas and guacamoles to sample, which was a treat. Dinner items (tacos and main plates) range from about $20 to $48. The only negative was that it was very loud, so if you like a quieter dining experience, there may be a better fit for you!

Joss’s Adventures

While I was busy, Joss had a ton of fun. His main Chicago must-do was to see “The Bean” at Millennium Park, which he did enjoy seeing.

He also got to explore Chinatown! He got a yummy-looking yogurt drink (possibly from or at least similar to Big Ying Yogurt). And they visited the tokidoki store as well. Other Chinatown attractions include The ART Gallery and Ping Tom Memorial Park.

Next time Joss gets to visit Chicago, they may do the Shedd Aquarium or Lincoln Park Zoo. So many options!

What are your favorite places to do or eat in Chicago? Let me know because I may be back next year!