Indoor Fun For the Whole Family

INDOOR FUN

FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

By Leentje De Leeuw & Maria Garcia As our winter months can get pretty cold, it isn’t always easy to come up with fun things to do without turning into Frosty. Here are some recommendations for the entire family.

NAVY PIER

By far Chicago’s most popular family-friendly attraction, Navy Pier has so much to offer, every day of the year. Of course there’s the iconic Centennial Wheel: open 7 days a week and with the option to book a VIP gondola for your family. It is an absolute must if you want to see both the city and the lake from a unique perspective. Inside Navy Pier you will find games for kids of all ages, including AmazingChicago’s Time Freak Game, Funhouse Maze and Atomic Rush. And then there is the Children’s Museum of course: three floors of fun for kids and their families. Open on Fri-Sat-Sun only for now. As all of these activities tend to build up the little ones’ energy, blowing off some steam by taking a brisk walk outside could be helpful! Continue your day with some shopping at one of the various Navy Pier shops or check out the sports and movie memorabilia at Harry Caray’s. We heard the food isn’t too bad their either!

iFLY

Indoor skydiving may seem like a contradiction in terms, at iFly it is definitely a possibility. iFLy’s state-of-the art wind tunnels are designed to provide a safe flight experience while creating memories that will last a lifetime. The best news: everyone aged 3 to 103 can do it! Whether you are an absolute beginner or a seasoned pro: people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities can take flight.

Punchbowl Social

What was once a meatpacking factory of 30,000- square feet is now remodeled into a playground for adults, but still enjoyable for the whole family. Family-friendly activities include karaoke, bowling, and table games such as giant scrabble, ping pong, billiards, bonzini, foosball. Board games, card games, and Giant Jenga are free. Don’t forget the arcade. If you get hungry, there’s a vast selection of food items to try: sriracha peanut fries, chips and guacamole, cauliflower nachos, and much more.

Five Iron Golf is an indoor golf experience, bringing the most experienced golfers to the ones that just started together to play golf. Five Iron hosts in-class simulators, access to teaching professionals, lessons, and practice times. But there’s more than just golf: why not try one of the other games: ping pong, shuffleboard, pool, and more. Thirsty? There’s full bar service available. Hungry? The Five Iron menu includes appetizers such as waffle fries or 5i wings. Going for the green? Then you can opt for the classic Caesar salad or the Chicago chopped salad. Classics include a Chicago-style hotdog or an Italian Beef sandwich. Reservations are required for groups larger than 8 people.

Pinstripes

At Pinstripes you enjoy a game of bowling or bocce and tasty family-friendly Italian and American food. Weeknights (Monday through Thursday) are kids nights at Pinstripes. Kids 12 and under can enjoy a Kids Meal for just $5 and only pay $1 for an hour of Bowling or Bocce. Reservations are highly recommended!

Brooklyn Boulders

Instead of driving you up the wall: join your kids and climb that wall together. Brooklyn Boulders has two locations in Chicago and offers rock climbing classes for all levels. A 60 minute introduction class is probably the best way to start.