Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Blast in the New Year at Buckingham Fountain

On New Year's Eve, spend the day at Grant Park learning about art and culture, and then welcome in the New Year at night with a fireworks spectacular at Buckingham Fountain. A variety of activities are taking place during the day at museums in Grant Park, which is referred to as Chicago's front yard and located less than two miles away from the Chicago Radisson Hotel and Suites. At night, see Chicago all lit up when the New Year bursts in at Buckingham Fountain.

On Dec. 31, go to the Art Institute at Grant Park and listen to talks on the Institute's highlights and the 'Masterpiece of the Day,' the Shiva Nataraja. In addition, artist-in residence Yang Hui Tang will be on hand to discuss her Silk Road landscape paintings.

New Year's Eve is also the next-to-last day that the 'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' exhibit will be displayed in Chicago before leaving for Philadelphia. Come to the Field Museum and see how the Boy King lived.

Or, dip into Shedd: the World's Aquarium and visit some of the 22,000 animals that live there. At special exhibits, visitors can learn about the Caribbean, get up close to sharks or take a virtual travel tour through the world's waters.

No matter how you choose to spend your New Year's Day at Grant Park, make sure you go to Buckingham Fountain at night for a fabulous fireworks display. They'll be a huge display of color and light as fireworks choreographed to music go off. Look up to see them or view their reflections in Lake Michigan.

Information on Fireworks at Buckingham Fountain
December 31
Free
Music at 10:00 p.m., Fireworks begins at 11:40 p.m.
Buckingham Fountain, 337 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60611

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Up For A Treat? : Chicagoween

September 8, 2006
posted by: Verne
Email: info@chicagohotelandsuites.com

Every city has Halloween, but only the Windy Cindy celebrates Chicagoween, a two-week spookfest during which Daley Plaza is turned into Pumpkin Plaza. Over the last weeks of October, you and your family can come to this haunted village every day and decorate pumpkins, hunt for monsters and listen to creepy tales.

If you’re feeling brave, take a ride on the Haunted ‘L’ and see ghostly sites along the Loop. If you just want be mystified, marvel at the Fountain, which will be fire orange. And if you are up for a spectacular show, watch the Midnight Circus perform. They’re a local troupe of artists and acrobats who specialize in presentations that combine the best elements of Theatre and the Circus. Their special guest this year is Liquid Soul, a musical group that performs an eclectic mix of jazz and urban dance music.

Anytime of the year, a trip to the Richard J. Daley Center is awe-inspiring. The 648-foot, thirty-one story building is considered to be one of Chicago’s architectural highlights and is a must-see for any fan of design. It’s only a mile away from Radisson Chicago Hotel and Suites, so you can easily return to a relaxing spot after a scary excursion out.

Details

Chicagoween
October 13-31
Pumpkin (Daley) Plaza, Washington and Dearborn Streets
Free Admission

Saturday, July 8, 2006

Take to the Air and Sea this Summer

People are often surprised at how many interesting festivals happen in Chicago every summer. It’s funny because most people think of the snowy Chicago winters – but forget that we have beautiful summers filled with cultural and sports activities. A perennial Chicago favorite is the Annual Chicago Air and Water Show, which is on August 19th and 20th this year (2006). During these two days, Chicago is home to an exciting array of air and sea activities. That’s another thing people forget about Chicago – the beach from Lake Michigan!

Headlining this year are the Navy’s Blue Angels and the Army’s Parachute Team Golden Knights. If you’ve never seen them in person, trust me, there’s nothing like it. Television just can’t give you the full experience of the Blue Angels. When you see how closely they fly in formation and how fast they move – it’s just amazing. The event is the oldest air and water show in the country and the admission is free, so it’s perfect fit for any family vacation – no matter what your budget.

The daredevil and death-defying action is sure to please kids and those who are children-at-heart! The water events kick of at 9 a.m. each morning at North Avenue Beach and run until 4 p.m.. The air show starts at 11 a.m. and also runs until 4 p.m. both days. While the main action takes place at North Avenue Beach it also runs from Fullerton to Oak Streets.

Details
48th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show
August 19 -20, 2006
Cost: Free
North Avenue Beach
Great for kids and families!

More information about the 48th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show:

Saturday, May 6, 2006

Blockbuster Summer

Chicago is a great movie town. The Blues Brothers is probably the most recognizable filmed in Chicago, but there are dozens of others. This summer many families are working hard to find an affordable vacation. With the rise in gas prices, the cost of travel by air, sea, and land has gone up too. Local travel is the way to go this summer. One great thing families can do is create their own themed vacation – like movies!

Imagine taking your kids to those places they saw in the movies. That’s why we’ve created the Summer Blockbuster hotel package. It’s a great way for a family to explore Chicago. From the Blues Brothers to the John Hughes films of the 1980s there’s a great movie adventure for everyone. Creative vacations can stretch your dollars and provide lasting memories. Be sure to start by exploring our interactive movie location map!

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

Family-Friendly Chicago

I'm always asked to make recommendations for good places to go with kids. Chicago is a very family-friendly vacation destination, and many people are surprised by that. Here are some of my recommendations for sites to see with your children.

CHILD-FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS: Bubba Gump’s Seafood, Buca di Beppo, Carson's Ribs, Cheesecake Factory, Ed Debevic’s, Gino's East Pizza, Giordano’s, Grand Lux Café, Hard Rock Café, Maggiano’s, and Rainforest Café.

AMERICAN GIRL PLACE: 111 E. Chicago Avenue
World-famous dolls and accessories, high tea are all part of the fun for children 7 and up and their families.

BLUE CHICAGO
536 N. Clark
Authentic Chicago Blues club where children are welcom on the weekends when accompanied by a parent.

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Located on Navy Pier, only one mile from the Radisson Chicago Hotel & Suites. Hands-on fun for children aged 3-12. Exhibits, toys, games and mazes will keep children’s interest as they learn.

DAVE AND BUSTERS
1030 N. Clark
Fun for the whole family until 10 PM featuring skeeball, arcade, pinball, shuffleboard and virtual reality games as well as dining.

ESPN ZONE
64 E. Ohio
Cheer on your favorite sports team in the bar and restaurant, and let your kids (7 and up) enjoy the arcade and virtual reality games.

LANDMARKS/MUSEUMS
Chicago is famous for beautiful parks and monuments such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, Millennium Park, and Buckingham Fountain. Families will enjoy visiting one of Chicago’s many fabulous museums.

LUCKY STRIKE BOWLING ALLEY
322 E. Illinois
This Hollywood import has state of The art bowling lanes, 22 big screen plasmas. Under 21 until 9 PM.

NAVY PIER
Navy Pier, only one mile from the Radisson Chicago Hotel & Suites, features a Ferris wheel, the Children's Museum, IMAX Theatre, shopping, dining, virtual reality rides, seasonal boat tours and the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Museums in Chicago

There are many world-class museums in Chicago, which you'll find listed on any tourist brochure. But we also have many quirky, niche museums that are worth visiting.
These are few of my favorites that you probably won't find listed anywhere else;

International Museum of Surgical Science opened it’s doors to the public in 1954. Aside from books and artwork, the museum has surgical exhibits from around the world. Guided tours of the museum are available on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.. Be sure to make a reservation.

The Museum of Holography is dedicated to educating visitors about holography (holograms) and promoting it not only as research and teaching tool, but also as a form of art.

The Peace Museum is a very unique museum that uses art to explore war and peace. The museum has a large permanent collection comprised of art and artifacts, and also presents a variety of temporary exhibits that are both compelling and educational.