Chicago Trip

The Hop On Hop Off Trolley and Upper Decker Tour allows you the chance to get on and off the Trolley Bus or Upper Decker in order to visit the Field Museum of Natural History, the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute and other famous city attractions such as the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Tower, the new and fascinating Navy Pier, the North Pier, Water Tower with its famous shops and many other highlights. Passengers have 8 hours to enjoy this hop on/hop off feature.

This tour is available with both one and two day ticket options. Trolley begins at 9:30am.

TOUR DEPARTS FROM FOLLOWING STOPS:

1. Sears Tower: Jackson and Wacker
2. Palmer House Hilton Hotel: 55 East Monroe Street
3. Art Institute: Michigan & Adams
4. Navy Pier: Main Entrance
5. Water Tower: Michigan and Pearson, SE Corner
6. John Hancock Tower: Chestnut and Michigan
7. Hard Rock Cafe McDonalds: Clark and Ontario
8. Wrigley Building: 410 N. Michigan Avenue
9. Fort Dearborn: Wacker & Michigan Avenue

The hotel is only a few blocks from the Palmer House stop. It costs $30 for two days if I purchased it seperately from the GO CHICAGO card. I could easily spend $30 in one day on trains, buses, or taxis.

The Art Institute is $12 admission. I may want to go twice. I may need to leave and come back. Violet may be fussy.

Brian and I want to go on the Chicago Skyline Architectural Cruise Boat Tour, which is $24 per person. My admission would be included and Violet would be free with the GO CHICAGO card.

I want to go to both the Sears Tower and the Hancock Tower to see the views, despite my fear of wide open spaces. This costs $15 and $12. Again, I may end up going twice if Brian can take some time off of work, or go after work.

I am a huge architecture fan and would love to see the Frank Lloyd Wright House and Studio and also the house he designed, the Robie House. These cost $12 each.

We are going to Navy Pier at least once. Most of the rides are $11 each. I may take a trip on the ferris wheel if I can.

The Wright Houses and the Navy Pier attractions are included in the GO CHICAGO card.

There are also 2 other bus tours and a boat tour that are included. The admissions to the following museums are also included:

The Field Museum  (General admission, plus admission to Underground Adventure) This museum is home to endless discovery. Meet "Sue," the world’s largest T-Rex! Then enjoy over 35 other world-renowned exhibitions, with underground adventure, man-eating lions, and plenty more.

The Art Institute of Chicago  Get inspired at one of the world’s greatest art museums, displaying over 5,000 years of expression. Journey through Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas’ unique creations and timeless visions.

The Notebaert Nature Museum  Discover the secrets of our natural world with these hands-on exhibits. See 75 species of butterflies, learn about the importance of waterways, and marvel at learn the Mysteries of the Marsh.

Chicago Children’s Museum^#  Three floors of hands-on exhibits, performances, and workshops offer hours of learning adventures for the family. Scale a towering schooner, splash into WaterWays -- even dig for dinosaur bones!

Museum of Contemporary Art  Embrace the art of our time. This museum showcases some of the most thought-provoking exhibits of living artists created since 1945 and is a great choice for first-time Chicago-goers.

Museum of Science and Industry  Skip the Ticket Line! Fun and science team up at the Museum of Science and Industry. In this 35,000-square-foot exhibit, you’ll see more than 200 artifacts. And you can test your very own craftsman skills!

I may want to ad the Museum of Contemporary Art or the

Shedd Aquarium  (Free All Access Pass!) Skip the Ticket Line! Dive into a world of wonder at the world's largest indoor aquarium, with over 20,000 animals. Get close with sharks at Wild Reef, and view a coral reef through floor-to-ceiling windows.

If I add up just the minimum things I would like to do I came up with a cost of $130. That would still be more expensive than the 5 day pass. If I don't get the pass, I also wouldn't have the flexibility to leave and come back to an attraction if Violet needed some extra attention.

The most expensive things to do are always the tours. They are the easiest to do when you have a baby and want a nice overview of a new city. I would normally just splurge on one, but I have so many to choose from with the GO CHICAGO card, I may do them all!

The other benefit of spending $119 on attractions is that I would feel guilty about NOT using the card. I would make me want to get out there and do things. I will be out exploring with Violet only most days. I am adventurous, but could easily see myself getting stuck in the hotel if I wasn't feeling guilty about wasting money. :) 

Chicago is one of those cities that I have a huge list of things to do. Having a baby along for the ride has actually motivated me to try and do MORE things.

I am also going to go to Millenium park, but since it is free I can fit it in anytime!