Category: City Vacation

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Indigenous People in Philadelphia

This year, my kids’ fall break fell on the same weekend as Columbus Day, a holiday dedicated to the memory of a guy who, by all accounts, was a jerk. Regardless, we have gotten in the habit of using this long weekend to explore some of America’s greatest cities. This year, we set out for Philadelphia.

This was the first time in a while that we flew on an airline other than Southwest, and since Southwest cancelled like a billion flights, it was fortuitous. It was also the first time that we’ve ever flown on Frontier. The overall experience was positive. The flights between New Orleans and Philly were direct, which was great with a 15 month old, and super-cheap. That said, Frontier charges extra for just about everything. We prepaid for three carry-on bags (not included in the price of the flight), and we had to pay to pick our seats. Even with these extras though, it was still about $400 cheaper than the other options, and the experience, while not the best I have ever had, was perfectly satisfactory.

We landed pretty late, after 9 pm local time, picked up the rental car and headed for the Holiday Inn Express at Penn’s Landing. This wasn’t our first choice of hotel, but it was in a cool spot, and again, the price was right. Since we planned to spend little time in the hotel, it was an easy choice.

On our way in, we stopped at a hole in the wall burger place in East Passyunk (everything in Philly has an unpronounceable name) call P’unk Burger. Frankly, it wasn’t anything special, but it was open, on the way and had milkshakes, so we were all happy enough.

The next morning, we woke early (well, the baby woke us early), ate breakfast in hotel, grabbed our passport books and headed northeast to the Valley Forge National Historic Park. Less than an hour outside of Philadelphia proper is the location where General Washington and Continental Army wintered in 1777-1778. This was a critical turning point in the American Revolution in terms of confidence and morale, and in getting foreign support for the cause of colonials.

The site is vast and very inspiring. The Visitors Center is nice, but many of the displays were closed due to COVID, and the area in general seems like a great place to bike or run. We booked a guided trolley tour which hit all the main spots and stopped at some of the replica huts and Washington’s headquarters. The guide was knowledgeable and charming, and it was a really nice way to see the entire Park and learn about its history all at the same time.

The trolley passed by the Memorial Arch, but did not stop, so afterwards, we made our way back and spent a few minutes exploring what I felt like is the best part of the site. If you have time and are in the area, Valley Forge is an important landmark in American history, and the site has been very well preserved.

On our way back to town, we stopped for lunch at a brew house called Puddlers, where they serve high quality bar food and beer from the Conshohocken (pronounced ‘I don’t know’) Brewing company. The restaurant offers great outdoor seating area on the Schuylkill (pronounced ‘I don’t know’) River where Clara could run around without bothering anyone. The beer and food were as good as you’d expect from a local brewery, and we felt right at home.

That afternoon, we parked at Franklin Square where Eileen and JR took Clara on her first carousel ride, an important milestone in the life of every human child. After that, we played a round of mini-golf, which always brings out the best in the older kids, and got ice cream. Franklin Square is one of the original squares planned by William Penn, and was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

We went from there a few blocks over the Betsy Ross House. This is one of the places she lived, and it is really well-preserved. The house itself can be toured in about five minutes, but it is another interesting part of American history. I wouldn’t say this is a ‘can’t-miss’ part of the Philadelphia experience, but if you’ve got the time, it’s an interesting place in a cool part of town.

In fact, it is only a few blocks from Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously lived in residential street in the country. There is a small museum on the block, although it was closed at the time of our visit, but simply walking this area is enough to get an idea as to what life was like as America began to develop as a nation.

We also had tom to swing by the Betsy Ross House, which is a small but unique museum. It did not blow any of us away, but if you have an extra 30 minutes, it is worth your time.

My older brother lives in Jenkintown (JTP!), PA, so that evening, we drove to their house and met he and his wife, daughter and son for dinner. Fun fact, my brother’s house is actually on the same block upon which Adam Golberg grew up, so that was an unexpected, added bonus.

We ate dinner at a nearby bar called The Drake (got to love the Drake). It has a nice menu and is kid friendly, and provided a good opportunity to reconnect with my brother. Since the pandemic has been raging, we have not gotten to see his branch of the family for almost two years. While this had little to do with our plan to visit Philadelphia, it was definitely an added bonus.

On Sunday morning, we enjoyed a church service at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the cede of the archdiocese of Philadelphia. This church is beautiful and awe-inspiring, and Alyson was able to purchase a great rosary from gift shop, her favorite souvenir. This blog is not meant to be a review of different church services, but this one was mediocre. The priest’s homily went on for a good 20+ minutes, primarily saying the same thing over and over. My youngest brother is currently studying to become a priest, and I reiterate to him whenever possible that 8 minutes is where you want to live. Once someone has been speaking for over 8 minutes, 75% of the audience stops paying attention. The statistic is one of which the priest on this specific Sunday, evidently, was unaware.

Despite the long winded-ness, we had plenty of time to find brunch before our next scheduled excursion. We stopped a great cafe called Sabrina’s, which had a menu that everyone enjoyed, and the portions were absurd. Of all the meals we ate, I think Alyson and I agreed that this was our favorite.

Following brunch, we walked to the ‘LOVE’ sculpture so that Eileen could get a picture for her Instaface account, then walked over the Franklin Institute. Not to be confused with Franklin Square or the Franklin House (evidently, someone important named Franklin did something important at some point in Philadelphia), the Institute is a very interactive science museum with exhibits for kids of all ages.

The elder two really liked the sports-science section, and a Gallagher-esque live show where a big hammer smashed a bunch of smaller items. The baby really liked a show put on by two oddly dressed characters who claimed to be from the future (although JR seemed skeptical). We spent about two hours in the institute, but could easily go back for two more and experience a whole set of exhibits that had to skip our first time through.

Still full from our first meal, we drove from the Franklin Institute to the Museum of the American Revolution. My brother, having never been, met us here with his two kids, and we spent the next two hours exploring. When you first enter, there is a great video that gives a succinct, twelve minute recap of the war. It obviously does not dive too deep, but it was a great overview for the kids.

The museum has an area dedicated to younger learners, and several exhibits one can tour chronologically to get a great idea as to how the war progressed. At the end, there is another video, which finishes by revealing the actual tent that George Washington used during the war. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip, and a museum that rivals things like the Smithsonian and World War 2 museums.

After that, we went to the Franklin Fountain (I’m not sure for who this is named) and go the kids milk shakes. We said good-bye to my brother and his kids, and headed back to our hotel to relax.

At one point, we were planning to eat at either Pat’s or Gino’s, but it didn’t work out this time. Years ago, I ate at Pat’s, so it would have been nice to try Gino’s for comparison, but the weather at the time was mediocre, so we decided to eat someplace with indoor seating. That said, Eileen wanted another picture for her Snapbook, so we we drove over and grabbed a few photos.

We ended up eating at Oh Brother Philly, where we got two wiz and one chick steak. It was way too much food, and it is really hard to judge where it actually ranks in terms of cheese steaks, but I really enjoyed it and would definitely go back if we were in the area again.

We flew back Monday, but our flight was not until 1 pm, so in the morning we visited the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. All of us, aside from Clara, had already visited, but none of the kids had gotten their books stamped, and JR was too little to remember. The Liberty Bell is really cool, and the approach to it has a lot of great information about more than just the bell.

Independence Hall is also really cool, and has been well-preserved. Our tour guide, Larry, was very informative and seemed to really enjoy what he was doing.

That said, this was by far my least favorite part of our trip. We have visited over 60 National Park sites and plan to visit many more, and this was the first where the park rangers were specifically unpleasant. Our guide, Larry, was great, but everyone else was rude, short and in more than one instance, downright mean, especially in regards to our one year old.

I am not going to go too greatly into detail, but it is hard to find someone who is willing to act like an @$$hole to our youngest and hard to find rangers that are more into themselves than they are into providing visitors with great experiences. It might have just been a bad day, so I will dwell no longer, but it was a very unfortunate experience.

Despite all of that, our family had a great trip. Philadelphia is so robust that we could go back and do a completely different set of excursions, and still have a great time. In terms of great American cities, Philadelphia is definitely at the top of the list. I would recommend it to anyone, from young to old, foreign or indigenous, it is a great place to visit.

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Rocky Mountain High

This summer, we followed suit and joined the crowds at one of our country’s most visited National Parks, Rocky Mountain. I could make the argument that crowds are following us, as we’ve been going hard on the NPs for the past three years, but what’s the point in that?

My wife’s mom planned a trip for the family to Colorado, but due to a work commitment, I was unable to join, and our eldest daughter, Eileen, was in camp in Alabama, so was also absent. For the first four days, my wife, son and younger daughter stayed with Alyson’s family in Vail. At some point, she may add a post about that, but I will pick up the story where that trip ended.

On Friday, I left work in Atlanta and was picked up by Alyson, JR and Clara at the Denver airport. From there, we headed north to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains. We initially got a bit lost, and ended up at a little used entrance to the National Park called Wild Basin.

We spoke with a few locals on the trails, who mentioned that this area was a favorite of theirs because it was generally free of tourists (aside from us). There were some great sites and trials, including a cool waterfall. It does not offer the classic, breathtaking views of the greater park, but if you have the time, it is worth trying to find.

From there, we drove up to the main east entrance of the park and started across on the Trail Ridge Road. This road is the highest continuously paved road in the country, and offers spectacular panoramics at every turn.

Our first trek from east to west took place in the evening, so we didn’t stop as much as we might otherwise have. Even so, we did run across several deer, two large herds of elk and one fearless moose.

We made our way through the park and checked into the Gateway Inn, a great lodge on the west side of the park in Grand Lake. We had a quaint room with a balcony and a beautiful view of a storm rolling in over the mountains. It also houses the O-a Bistro, which caters to bother locals and hotel guests. The bistro is nothing spectacular, but it has a nice menu and a full bar, and the staff at this hotel and restaurant are about as nice a group of people as I have ever come across.

The next morning, we got up with the baby and headed out for a quick hike to Adams Falls. This trail, like Wild Basin, is off the main road of the National Park, but is just an amazing experience. It is less than a mile round trip and the payoff is spectacular. The falls are easily accessible and incredibly beautiful. The area is minimally trafficked to the point that we basically had the falls to ourselves.

We got back to the car and headed back across the Rockies, again on the Trail Ridge Road. We made a quick stop for a picture, and for JR to record a video for his YouTube channel, at the Continental Divide, and then headed for the Alpine Visitors’ Center.

We stamped our books, got our Junior Ranger booklets and headed up the mountain. The Alpine Ridge Trail does not look all that daunting, but it goes straight to 12,000+ feet. The air thins and the legs tire, but the payoff at the top is worth the effort. The 360 degree view of these monstrous is incomparable.

Our last stop before we left the park was Bear Lake. This area is heavily trafficked, and it took us several times through the parking lot to find a spot, but it was worth the effort. From the lot, we did a two mile out-and-back hike to Alberta Falls. This is a much more heavily visited fall than Adams, but perhaps even more breathtaking. The water thunders down hundreds of feet and offers countless amazing views and photo ops of something that you just can’t find in a place like Louisiana.

I wish we had more time in Rocky Mountain, but I think we made the best of the opportunity. We plan to go back, with Eileen, at some point in the next few years, hopefully taking an RV trip all over Colorado.

We drove into Denver and checked into a Holiday Inn Express near Coors Field. We met up with a friend from St. Louis and watched the Rockies lose a 9th inning lead to the Brewers. This is the fourth baseball stadium that I have visited this summer, and while it certainly does not compare to Wrigley, I enjoyed it more than Milwaukee and about the same as Atlanta. Overall, I have nothing legitimately bad to say about our baseball experience (except that the Brewers won), and always recommend supplementing a hiking trip like this with something a little cosmopolitan.

The last day of our visit, Sunday, was Father’s Day, and we grabbed a quick breakfast at Citizen Rail at Union Station. The restaurant has a bit of limited menu, but the food was good, and I would certainly eat there again.

The last thing we did prior to leaving was visit Red Rocks. This was almost an afterthought, as we were just trying to kill time before our flight, and thank the Good Dude that we did. If you thought Red Rocks was just a great concert venue, well, you’d be correct, but you’d be missing out on some of the most amazing hiking and scenery within a short drive of Denver. We took the Trading Post trail, about a two mile, pretty rigorous loop, and what a fantastic experience.

The topography of this area is different than anything I have ever seen, including the Rockies. If you have the chance, this is a can’t-miss part of one of the most amazing states in this country.

We had such a great time in less than three full days that we are already planning a trip back. Most people visit Colorado over the winter to ski, and while that makes a lot of sense, there is so much to do year round that you cannot limit yourself to just one season. If you have any questions or want suggestions, please reach out, otherwise, we’ll see you the next time we go a-traveling.

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Memories in St. Louis

This Memorial Day, my family and I took a quick trip to Missouri to spend the holiday weekend with my parents, brothers and their families. We all grew up in St. Louis, and it is always nice to all go back together, as none of us currently live in the area.

We flew up early on Saturday morning and met my family at the National Museum of Transportation. This is a site that I visited many times as a child, and offers a lot for kids of certain ages. It has a great old car museum, multiple old train cars that you can tour, and a train ride around the entire park. It is definitely geared more towards kids younger (or older) than ours, ideally the 4 through 7 ages, but we enjoyed it.

We went to the Corner Pub and Grill for lunch, which has a vast menu for just about anyone, but is nothing spectacular, then went to relax at my parent’s house. After we unpacked, we went with my brothers to the O’Fallon Brewery. My middle brother, in particular, is a big fan of breweries, and this was a nice way to spend the evening.

The following day, we really kicked off our trip. This was Sunday, and the family decided to head about an hour south to Hawn State Park. This is another location that we visited a lot as kids, and it offers several really interesting hikes.

As my family, in particular, is big into getting our National Park passport books stamped, we left a bit early and took a little detour. In 2018, the Ste. Genevieve Historic Park became a part of the National Park services. Ste. Genevieve is the site of the first permanent European settlement in Missouri and is one of the newest sites designated by the Parks services.

It is so new in fact, that they are still building out the area. The Visitors’ Center offers some very cool scale models and a very informative video. In addition, there are several buildings that are part of site that date back to the late 1700s. The kids got their books stamped and did the Junior Ranger packets, and we pressed on. This is currently not a site that you would want to spend more than an hour or two at, but if you are in the area, it is pretty interesting.

When we arrived at Hawn State Park, we met my family at the Pickle Creek Trail and headed out. This trail follows a very scenic river about a mile deep into the park. While the entire trail is pretty impressive, the end offers several natural water-slides upon which the kids can play. The water was a little cold, but it is a lot of fun for the kids to have something to look forward to at the end.

The park has multiple trails that seem pretty worthwhile, but as we had the baby with us, we decided one good hike was enough for us. The baby fell asleep in the car on the way home, so after we ate and changed, we headed back into town and spent the afternoon at the City Museum.

If you have kids between the ages of 6 and 16, I would call this perhaps the number one ‘must-do’ in St. Louis. While it says museum in the name, there is very little educational about this attraction. The City Museum consists largely of repurposed architectural and industrial objects through which the kids crawl, climb and tunnel. It is hard to do this museum justice in print, but it is the first place that Jonathan and Eileen ask to go every time we are in St. Louis.

We went to the City Museum without the rest of our family, as my brother’s kids are just a bit too young for the experience, but we all met back at the house for Imo’s Pizza. If you watch Jimmy Kimmel, you may have heard one of his rant against Imo’s, but if you are from St. Louis, like Jon Hamm, you understand that this pizza isn’t just from St. Louis, it is St. Louis. There is nothing in the world that takes me back to my formative years than eating one of these thin, provel-covered delights.

The next day, we hit the Zoo, and while I have been there many times, it never fails to impress. The St. Louis Zoo is regularly ranked as one of the top five in the country, but perhaps the most attractive feature is that the zoo is free. Our zoo in New Orleans, which is fine but nothing special, costs almost $20/person. Getting to see fantastic zoo with great animals and enclosures, for free, is a reason to go to St. Louis in and of itself. My kids, who only go to St. Louis once or twice a year, have probably been a dozen times, and it never gets old.

We left the Zoo and headed to The Hill for lunch. The Hill is an old neighborhood in St. Louis that was settled by Italian immigrants. While it has produced some notable people, like Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, the best product of The Hill is the food. There are bakeries, delis or restaurants on every corner, and this time around, we picked Joe Fassi’s. Joe offers about 20 different sandwiches, and while they all sound good, I cannot never pass on the salami. If you are visiting St. Louis and looking for a really unique, high quality restaurant, I recommend just about anywhere on The Hill.

Before we headed for the airport, we made a quick stop at Ted Drewes. I feel like, aside from the Cardinals who were on the road at the time, we really hit all the St. Louis classics. Ted Drewes is an old drive-in/diner-style frozen custard shop. Their specialty is called a concrete, which is reminiscent of a blizzard, from DQ, but so much better. It is hard to choose, but I think I have to recommend the Oreo concrete; it may well be the best desert I have ever enjoyed.

Since my parents live their, we visit St. Louis a lot, but we try to do something different every time. I think we hit the nail on the head this Memorial Day, and the kids really seemed to enjoy. If you are going sometime soon, please reach out as I would be happy to give you suggestions for families of all shapes and sizes.

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Mother’s Day on the Bayou

Since we got our passport books in Hot Springs, AR in 2018, we have been doing our best to collect as many stamps as possible, and visit every National Park site we can. This year, for Mother’s Day, the Traveling Igoes decided to knock off some of the low-hanging fruit.

There are two site within a few minutes of where we live in Louisiana, the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park and the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve. The Jazz Heritage Site has been closed since COVID began, but Jean Lafitte has recently become very accessible, and has a whole lot to offer.

We woke up early and headed down to French Quarter for brunch, where we at the Red Fish Grill. The restaurant is actually on Bourbon Street, just inside the Quarter, and is a great option for families. The food is extraordinary, but the atmosphere is very casual, and they offer a very diverse kid’s menu.

Afterwards, we wandered the Quarter for a bit, including Jackson Square and the riverfront, we made our way back to the car, changed into our hiking gear and headed south towards the tip of Louisiana.

The Jean Lafitte site is about 30 minutes outside of New Orleans, and for those visiting the city with kids, it is a good option. New Orleans offers far more adult attractions than it does for the younger members of the family, so having a National Park Site within half an hour at which you can spend an entire day is a nice option.

The park actually has six sites scattered across South Louisiana. Each location is unique in its focus, and they all reflect a place where traditions can be generations old, but the ground under your feet can change with the weather. The focus of this adventure was the Barataria Preserve.

The 26,000 acres include swamps, bayous, marshes and forests, and is crisscrossed by boardwalks that are frequented by humans, snakes and gators alike. When we arrived, we hit up the Visitors’ Center, got some info from the ranger, a few Junior Ranger Packets and headed out along the Visitor Center Trail.

This is only a 0.25 mile boardwalk near the Visitors’ Center that we were actually planning to skip, but the ranger told us that a mating pair of alligators were basking near the end. As usual, the ranger was telling the truth, and less than five feet from the boardwalk were two good looking gators. We saw several alligators in the wild at the Everglades, but it never gets old, and getting up close and personal is a bit exhilarating.

From there, we got back in the car and drove to the Bayou Coquille trailhead. There is a boardwalk connecting the Visitors’ Center to the Bayou trail, but, according to the ranger, it is not at all shaded, so we skipped the Palmetto Trail. Perhaps if we return at a cooler time of year, we will give it a go, but from April to September in Louisiana, it can be very unpleasant to walk 0.9 miles in zero shade, 90% humidity.

The Bayou Coquille Trail is an eerie trek through a Louisiana bayou that might have been pulled from a storybook. Within five minutes, we saw a small gator swimming up the bayou, leading to a baby gator sunning itself on an island. This trail is about half a mile, and in that half mile, we also ran across three harmless, but nonetheless creepy, snakes.

This trail dead ends at another trail, the Marsh Overlook, where we found a clearing overlooking a lily-filled marsh. On this portion of the walk, we came across two more alligators, culminating in a large gator resting in the marsh itself.

Most of these hikes are along boardwalks and are well tended, and the walk itself is relatively easy, to the point that we were able to do it with a stroller. There is no denying that we were sweaty by the end, but it was a great two-mile trek.

It is also worth noting that the Junior Ranger packet was relatively easy. Those of you that have gotten multiple badges know that some are very straight forward while others can actually be a pain in the ass. This packet was appropriate to the level of the park, and was easily completed in one day.

If you are visiting New Orleans, either with or without kids, and you want an excursion that will take you out of the city for a few hours, Jean Lafitte is a great option. If you want a longer excursion, there are several companies that offer airboat tours of the area as well.

Prior to going, I was optimistic that perhaps one day, this site might get re-designated as a Louisiana’s first National Park. Having visited, it seems unlikely to me, as the potential activities are a bit limited. That said, if you are in the area, I highly recommend you take the time to experience this beautiful cross-section of our underrated state.

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Baseball’s Back in the Midwest

I have said many times that the planning of a trip creates almost as much joy as does the vacation itself, and I stand by that statement. In the case of the Igoe’s recent vacation to Chicago, the planning was a multi-year process.

In early 2020, we decided to take a vacation over the Easter holiday to Chicago. As I am sure everyone is aware, only a few weeks after we planned everything out, the world went crazy and everything was shut down due to COVID.

This year, as Easter approached, we very closely watched the news, and the numbers, and all the information from the various departments of health, and when the time came, we were able to pull the trigger and take the vacation that we had been planning since 2019.

On Good Thursday, we landed at Midway Airport and drove straight to Lou Malnati’s. This is a deep dish restaurant chain that makes a great, almost stereotypical Chicago-style pizza. For those of you who have never had deep dish pizza in Chicago, it is very different than what is considered deep dish elsewhere. For one, the crust is actually not very think, but is much more like what you would see in an actual pie. The next layer on our pizza was cheese, followed by a pizza-sized patty of sausage. To clarify, I do not mean multiple chunks of sausage, but one large disc. On top of this was poured the sauce, so to most us, this is basically an upside down pizza. While I will not say that Lou’s is the best pizza I have ever had, it was a great way to wade into the deep dish pizza waters.

From there, we headed down town to stay a Hampton Inn in the Majestic building. The year prior, we had reservations at the Palmer House, but due to capacity limitations, could not get a room. While there was nothing all that special about the Hampton Inn, it was inside the loop, walking distance to plenty of attractions and more than adequate in terms of accommodations.

The next morning, we all awoke when the baby started making noise, loaded up the rental car and headed for Indiana. On the way, we stopped at Firecakes Donuts. Evidently, Chicago has become a mecca for artisan style donuts, and Firecakes was the first of the three we tried. At all three, I got a classic old fashioned, and while Firecakes was not the best of the three, it was nonetheless fantastic. More on the donuts to come…

About an hour east of Chicago is Indiana Dunes National Park. Indiana Dunes is one of the country’s newest National Parks, previously designated a National Lakeshore, to the point that they have not yet installed a permanent National Park sign. When we arrived, the kids got their passport books stamped, and we picked up three junior ranger packets. We headed into the park, straight for the Three Dune Challenge. This is a relatively strenuous hike that goes up and down three separate sand dunes. It is not easy to explain how difficult a dune can be to ascend if you have never hiked one before, but walking up hill in the sand is quite cumbersome (especially with an 18 pound butterball strapped to your stomach). The payoff was worth it though, as the views of Lake Michigan from atop each peak are nothing short of spectacular.

Indiana Dunes is far more popular in the summer time, when you can camp out on the beach and play in the water, but there is plenty to do and see, no matter what time of year you visit. It is definitely a park that you could spend three or four days exploring, but it is also one that can be adequately experienced if you only have a few free hours. Even though this was our first excursion of the trip, I think it was my favorite experience overall. If you get the chance, I strongly recommend visiting this really unique park to take in a landscape that can be found in very few other places across the country.

On our way back to Chicago, since we had our passport books, we decided to stop at the Pullman National Monument. This site memorializes a really interesting moment in Chicago history when George Pullman created a planned community in which his factory workers could live. He was attempting to keep the families of his employees from having to live in slums, but at the same time, forced them to rent from him. It was quite controversial and eventually led to significant strife.

This site was only designated a part of the NPS in 2015 and is still in development. It is really interesting, but there is not a whole lot to do as of yet. If we ever get back to Chicago, I hope to visit the monument again.

From there, we got drove to the hotel, parked the Hyundai and walked up to the Chicago River, where we got on-board a Wendella tour. There several companies that offer architectural river tours, and the one recommended to us by several friends was Wendella. At certain times of the year, they actually go into Lake Michigan as well, but for this time of year, that was not available.

Following the Great Fire of 1871, Chicago developed a very interesting and unique architectural style. Multiple skyscrapers, luxury apartments and stone buildings have gone up along the river, and this 90 minute cruise gives tourists a chance to take it all in and learn a lot about the history of the city. I should warn you that the cruise does get a bit chilly, so dress appropriately and do not hesitate to take advantage of the bar and warm yourself up with a cocktail. I believe this was Alyson’s favorite part of our trip and in terms of bang for your buck, this is a can’t miss tourist attraction.

That night, we ate at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse. As it was a Friday in Lent, I was a little disappointed not to get to try the steak (as was the waiter), but the pasta dishes we all got were amazing. This is one of the most impressive restaurants that I have ever been in. It is basically a high-end version of a sports bar, with pictures and quotes and memorabilia everywhere. And it is not just a bunch of Cubs non-sense; the entire baseball community is represented in one form or another. We were actually lucky enough to meet one of Ernie Banks’ sons during our meal. I was quite skeptical at first, but he very quickly proved that he was, in fact, the child of Mr. Cub.

The next morning, Clara woke us up early again, and we headed for the Donut Vault. Another of Chicago’s boutique bakeries, the Vault offers the classics as well as several unique options. I got the old fashioned again, and again it was great, but it was not the best one I had over the weekend. My son got a pair of enormous donut holes that he claims were the best thing he ate all trip.

That morning we went to Field Museum, one of the city’s most diverse attractions. I visited once as a child and remember it being primarily dinosaur bones. Whether or not that is just a child’s memory or things have changed, this museum has evolved into one of the greatest natural history attractions in the country, rivaling the Smithsonian.

In addition to really impressive dinosaur skeletons, like the T. Rex Sue, the museum has amazing exhibits on the history of the planet, on the history of human beings, an impressive collection of gem stones, and then about six more hours worth of things to see for which we did not have time. They even have several virtual reality simulators that helped to keep the kids engaged throughout. I think this was Eileen’s favorite part of our Chicago adventure.

It was recommended to us that we eat at the Billy Goat Tavern. Those of you that are older might recall a classic SNL sketch based on this restaurant. It is a classic, tucked underneath the city streets that can be hard to find if you come from the wrong direction. There are a few options, but 95% of the food served are thin, grilled burgers. The food is good, but the atmosphere is what makes it worthwhile. If you have never been there before, it is important to keep in mind that even though the menu only has singles and doubles, you can order as many patties as you like. I got a triple, which ended up being the appropriate meat-to-bun ratio, but in my hungrier youth, I could easily have put down a quadruple or quintuple.

The next stop on our tour was the 360 Chicago Observation Deck in the John Hancock building. I have heard that the views from the Willis (Sears) Tower are actually better, but it was closed due to COVID, so beggars can’t be choosers. I am forced to confess that this was my least favorite part of our trip. We purchased 2 pm tickets and arrived at 1:40. When we got there, we were told it would be about an hour and fifteen minute wait. When I asked an associate what was the point of having 2 o’clock tickets if it didn’t mean we got to go at 2 o’clock, she told me that they do not guarantee anything, but that our tickets were good for a year.

As unhelpful as that was, we decided to stick it out, and made it to the 94th floor at around 2:45. Once I got over my impatience, I did enjoy the views and would recommend it, just be aware that the numbers on your tickets are basically meaningless. You step off the elevator into a room with panoramic overlooks of the city. For a little extra, you can try the tilt, where you stand against the glass and are slowly tilted out beyond the edge of the building. It is actually scarier to watch than it is to do, and it definitely makes the wait a bit more worthwhile. There is also a bar that serves drinks and gelato, so at least that is something.

As a result of the unexpected wait, we had to hurry through a bit, got back to the car and headed north to Milwaukee. I am aware that I have billed this as a Chicago trip, and that to this point, as much time will have been spent outside of Chicago as in, but due to the circumstances, we had to broaden our horizons.

It just so happens that we have all grown up as big baseball fans; the kids and I of the Cardinals, and Alyson of the Astros. While neither of those teams happened to be in Chicago or Milwaukee, both of those teams were playing at home, so on Saturday night, we drove to American Family Field (formerly Miller Park), and watched the Brewers lose to the Twins.

American Family is a nice, clean park, but it is not super unique. I suppose it was heavily limited by COVID, but it felt like we could have been watching a ball game anywhere. Even so, we all had a great time. Capacity was maxed at 25%, so we had plenty of room to spread out and there was not a bad seat in the house. The game itself was actually quite entertaining as well, for the more committed baseball fan. Both teams threw perfect games into the 5th, and the Twins pitching staff completed a really impressive one-hitter for a 2-0 victory. If you are the type of person who wants to see the greatest sporting venues this country has to offer, Milwaukee probably shouldn’t be on your list, but if you want to enjoy baseball in a nice, comfortable stadium, American Family Field will do the trick.

The next day was Easter, and since our church reservations were not until 10, and Clara woke us up at 7, we decided to go out for breakfast. Instead of donuts, we went to a restaurant called Yolk on the Chicago River. This is just simple, straightforward breakfast food with some interesting twists. My daughter got Oreo pancakes while my son got s’mores-based pancakes. Eileen loved hers but when my son started scraping off all the graham cracker and marshmallow fluff, we came to the decision that he is no longer allowed to order specialty pancakes. No matter how good they sound, all he ever wants is plain.

For Easter, we went to church at Holy Names Cathedral. A beautiful building, the service was performed by Cardinal Cupich, so it was a unique experience. When we do attend church in larger cities whilst on vacation, we always try to go the cathedral, if the city has one. These buildings are usually a sight worth seeing in and of themselves, and it helps to deepen the experience one gets in a different town.

Afterwards, we jumped on the L-train (which evidently is the same thing as the subway), and headed for Wrigley Field. The Cubs opened the 2021 season again division rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and we were lucky enough to get four of the 10,000+ tickets available, due to capacity limitations.

If you are a baseball fan, and have never been to Wrigley, this is a must visit. Contrasting it to American Family the night before, it is easy to understand how the Cubs ballpark has become one of the most iconic sports venues in the country. Wrigley is tucked into a residential neighborhood and could easily be missed if it weren’t for the throngs of fans. Every seat, including those on the roof tops across the street, is amazing, and the atmosphere is electric, even at 25%.

Having grown up a Cardinals’ fan, I refuse to say it is the best baseball stadium I have ever visited, but it is certainly up there. I will also note the while the fan base is committed, the fans in the bleachers perhaps take it too far at times, in several not particularly family friendly ways. On Easter Sunday, the Cubs beat Pirates 4-2, and while I was certainly pulling for visitors, I have to admit that I had an amazing time.

After the game, we took the L-train back to the loop, and once again, walked to the Chicago River. We decided that we could not visit Chicago without experiencing one of the almost countless Chicago steakhouses. For the meat eaters out there, this is something that everyone should do at least once. That said, be prepared to pay. We ate at Chicago Cut, and it was fantastic, but the price for four of us was well over $200, and that included two steaks, two sides and a few drinks.

The reason these meals get so expensive is that the entrees usually start at around $60. Since both Jonathan and Eileen enjoy steak, we ordered two, along with two sides, and shared everything. I am glad we did it, and if we go back to Chicago, I could see doing it again, but this type of meal is obviously geared toward tourists and business folk, not the every day Chicago resident.

The next day, Monday, was our last day in Illinois, and we had few concrete plans, other than to get a donut. On Monday morning, we hit up Stan’s, and I got my third and final old fashioned. I am glad that we stuck with it, because this was my favorite donut of the weekend. Funny enough, it was my wife’s least favorite. Of the three donut places we hit, she enjoyed Firecake’s the most, and JR and Eileen preferred the Donut Vault. It just goes to show that there are different strokes for different folks, and that the Chicago donut scene, evidently, is blowing up.

We spent the rest of the day driving around different parts of Chicago. We went to the Lincoln Park area to see the Sacred Heart school and Loyola Marymount. This is a really scenic location, and a place that I could see my daughter going for college. We also ate at Pequod’s Pizza, a great neighborhood restaurant and bar. While Lou Malnati’s is certainly more well-known, the whole family agreed that the pizza at Pequod’s was far superior.

We flew home on Southwest that afternoon, and all crashed hard. It is extraordinarily satisfying to get to a experience a new city, mostly on foot. We love trying new restaurants, seeing new parks, and who could pass on finally getting to go back to a baseball game in person. One of the great things about this trip is that while we all enjoyed every activity, we all had different favorites. I enjoyed the Indiana Dunes the most, Alyson loved the river tour, JR’s favorite part was both baseball games, and Eileen loved the Field Museum. Oh, and Clara liked laughing at inappropriate moments during the Cardinal’s homily on Easter.

Chicago is a great and unique American city, and it has plenty of family friendly activities for all ages. It is also a city that offers so much, that it cannot all be done in one trip. If you have any questions, please reach out; our family would love to help yours enjoy Chicago as much as we did.