A&A Takes Chicago!

A little while back, Aiden and I ventured to Chi-Town and played tourist for a few days. In addition to a new scooter and a new video game for his Nintendo 3DS, I got the kid a plane ticket to Chicago. Because he talked about visiting there quite often and because I believe that experiences outweigh things. Any day. Everyday.

All up in the clouds

Excitement on Michigan Ave.

And, thankfully, the Windy City did not disappoint. From Giordano's deep dish delicious pizza to the sites and attractions to easily navigating the city on public transportation, Aiden and I proved that you could have a great family-friendly vacation that doesn't require a beach.

After arriving early in the morning, we found a map, braved the cold, and took the train and bus to the downtown area, which is where our hotel was located. We stayed at the Hilton Chicago Magnificent Mile Suites, which was right in the center of pretty much everything. I loved that the hotel had an indoor pool, which was the place to be after a long day of doing touristy things. I also loved the suite-style rooms, partially because, for the very first time in seven years, Aiden had his own TV in the living area and I had my own TV in the bedroom. Nice!

The down side? The hotel did not have free wifi, which completely sucked considering that I needed my laptop and the internet in order to plan out our days. But... the concierge was really warm and friendly and helped me with directions whenever I needed it. (Aiden and I literally took public transportation everywhere, even to and from the airport.)

At. 3rd Coast. Cutest date ever!

One afternoon, we ventured out on a walking tour of downtown and stumbled upon a quaint little restaurant tucked away in a residential neighborhood, 3rd Coast. It was so warm and homely and the brunch was delish.

Other places that we loved? Ice skating at Millennium Park, window shopping on Michigan Ave., ooh-ing and aah-ing at The Bean (I loved it so much that I went back at night just to check it out.), riding the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier, and spending the day at The Chicago Children's Museum.

Chicago is a busy city, but it feels a lot less busy than NYC, which is exactly what I needed at the time. Being able to chill out, spend quality time with Aiden without the pressure of school, work, and other obligations was so great. We woke up, planned out our day, enjoyed new experiences, and loved up on each other.

Oh, and we ate good pizza. Really, really good pizza.

"NYC does not have pizza like this." ~Aiden

We loved Chicago (how could we not?!), but since we've been enduring this brutal Winter in NYC, I'm itching to plan our next vacation. On a beach. In the tropics. Where there's sunshine. And sand. And aqua water.

Aiden seconds my sentiments. "I liked Chicago, but... too cold. Let's go to California or some place warm next time."

That's already in the works, kiddo!