| upgraded rooms add whirlpool tubs. kids age 15 and under (2 per room) stay at no extra cost with a parent. parking is free. check-in time: 6:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. within 5 minutes' walk of eateries, this modest budget hotel along highway 50 is 11 miles from the museum of science and industry. accessed by exterior entrances, the unpretentious rooms feature complimentary wi-fi, flat-screen tvs and minifridges
O'Hare International Airport 40 min
Adler Planetarium (30 min)
Interactive exhibits & high-tech sky shows entertain stargazers, lakefront views are a bonus. Cloud Gate (32 min)
Huge outdoor sculpture shaped like a bean & allowing for views from its many mirrored sides. Frederick C. Robie House (34 min)
Notable 1910 Prairie-style house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, offering tours five days a week. Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (31 min)
Sprawling, hands-on museum full of informative, child-friendly scientific & industrial exhibits. The Art Institute of Chicago (31 min)
Renowned art museum holding nearly 300,000 works from all over the world, spanning many centuries. Brookfield Zoo (27 min)
Lions, tigers, dolphins & more frolic in natural indoor & outdoor settings at this wildlife park. Buckingham Fountain (29 min)
Among the world’s largest, Grant Park’s 3-level rococo fountain (1927) offers light & water shows. Grant Park (26 min)
319-acre centerpiece of Downtown housing some of the city's busiest attractions. Crown Fountain (31 min)
Public sculpture with a pair of 50-ft. LED towers & a reflecting pool, by Jaume Plensa, a Catalan. Chicago Cultural Center (32 min)
Free art & shows in an 1897 Beaux-Arts building with vaulted lobby, mosaics & 2 stained-glass domes. Jay Pritzker Pavilion (33 min)
Designed by architect Frank Gehry, this bandshell in Millennium Park hosts various musical events. Skydeck Chicago (33 min)
103rd floor of the former Sears Tower with clear observation boxes & views extending to four states. Shedd Aquarium (29 min)
State-of-the-art indoor aquarium, famous for its variety of habitats & views of Lake Michigan. Millennium Park (31 min)
24.5-acre green space with a video display, the reflective Bean sculpture & an outdoor theater. Field Museum (28 min)
State-of-the-art museum of science & invention, with the world's largest Tyrannosaurus Rex. | 
