SAVORING THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER!

The kids may be back in school, but the calendar (and meteorologists) still say IT'S SUMMER! We have 3 glorious weeks left until the official first day of Fall (September 22) and there may even be some sleeveless, warm temps thereafter. One can hope...so I thought it would be fun to pull together a list of things our family loves to do anytime it's warm outside!

Because we love spending as much time in the city as we can, some of my suggestions are downtown - but there are a handful of suburb spots too. This pic above was taken on my birthday where we had an awesome meal at Formento's. Highly recommend! 

I hope you'll find this list fun and that you and yours might try one of these things if you haven't already!

And speaking of getting back into the swing of our fall/winter routines, just a reminder that our booking calendar is open through 2024 and we'll be opening 2025 in September. When you’re ready, book your party online or call us to get started at 708-286-6747. 

And don't forget that we have open play Monday-Friday from 9 am - 5 pm (fun regardless of the temps outside) and on weekends if we don't have a private party! Call ahead or check our social channels for updates. 

Lastly, don't forget to book your storytime with us! The September lineup is now live and can also be booked here. 

More to come! But until then, I hope you enjoy reading about our favorite summer spots + activities!

XO,

Nina 

Beach Day!

The temps are still going strong, and will be for another month or so! One of our favorite things to do in the summer is to go downtown and spend a couple of hours at the lake. Our favorite area to lounge is right next to the restaurant called Whispers at Oak Street Beach. 

I love this spot for a few reasons, 1) it's next to a restaurant HELLO! So if I don't feel like packing up a bunch of food and we get hungry, boom it's right there. 2) It's so close to easy parking. We usually park on one of the streets near The Drake (pay at the box on the app) or there's an easy garage just a few paces east of Doc B's on Walton.  Also an amazing fam-friendly yet cool restaurant BTW.  Once the car is parked, we cross the street and take the underground walkway right to the sand. It's so close and convenient! Don't forget the sunscreen!

PIZZERIA PORTOFINO

OK. Very few places in the city make you feel like you're literally on vacation like Pizzeria Portofino. Nestled right on the river, the vibes are so on point you won't want to leave to come back to the states (or in this case the suburbs.) Pizzeria Portofino prides themselves on fresh & imported ingredients from the Mediterranean. It's part of the RPM restaurant group (oh hey, Bill and Giuliana Rancic) which, if you know, has some of the prettiest places in the city. Between the atmosphere, yummy food, views of the water and cocktails, our circle rates this place a 9.9/10. (The only reason it's not a 10 out of 10 is because I'm bitter I'm not in Italy RN...)

Mario's Italian Lemonade

A summer staple we could NOT leave off this list! From May to mid-September you will most certainly find a line of customers eager to get their Italian ice fix at this family-run lemonade stand that's been around since the 50's. I have such fond memories of coming down here as a kid with my folks.

What's also amazing is that they're open from 10 am - 11 pm 7 days a week! Trust us, it’s worth the wait and super refreshing! We love the classic lemon but also watermelon and pina colada. Plus the place is really cute and makes for a great picture backdrop. (And if someone in your party likes Italian Beef, Al's across the street is the best in the city!!!) 

Mini Golf at Wilderness Falls

Located at 145 Clow International Parkway in Bolingbrook, this is a mini-golf course like no other! The whole family will enjoy competing for the top spot through Big Foot’s cave, a 40-foot mountain, and big blue waterfall. It's a bit of a drive for us but so worth it once you get there. I also love that they play 80's music over the loudspeakers. And there are 2 courses to choose from so you can change it up each time you go. And they have a little snack shop if you want to make a pit stop between courses. Highly recommend!!

Michigan Avenue Stroll

We NEVER tire of looking at the tall buildings and shops along Michigan Avenue. Another fave pastime of my childhood, cruising the “Magnificent Mile” is therapy for me. It's home to more than 50 historic landmarks and more stores than you can count. Farmers markets...food trucks..sightseeing tours..there’s always something going on to entertain the family. Or just walk and admire the buildings and windows which, let's face it, are beautiful any time of year. 

If you're feeling like the walk alone wasn't city fix enough, and you aren't quite ready to go home yet, take a Wendella Boat Tour. They have different options throughout the day and we've never had a problem hitching a ride even if it's last-minute - although I definitely recommend booking ahead! And they have wine and beer for purchase on board for those of you who would like to toast the town :) 

Farmers Markets

We can’t get enough of these in the summer and fortunately, many of them continue well into fall. Farm fresh foods and plants and flowers and honey and coffee and so on, and supporting small businesses right in our own backyards. This is such a perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon with your kids, parents, friends, fill in the blank. They'll all love it. Make it extra fun by going in with a recipe in mind or in hand that calls for fresh produce and have the kids help you pick it out. 

Towns will host them on all different days of the week so just look up a few neighboring areas to see what works best for busy schedule. We love the one in La Grange which is on Thursday mornings from 7 am - 1 pm (also a really fun morning at WL!) and the Brookfield Market on Saturday mornings 8 am - 1 pm. 

Lincoln Park or Brookfield Zoo

I mean - nuff said right? Who doesn't love exploring and learning about animals while also getting some steps in? When we need our city fix we go to the Lincoln Park Zoo and when we feel like staying close, it's Brookfield for us. What's great is both are open year-round and what's even better is the Lincoln Park Zoo is FREE. The Brookfield Zoo can get a bit pricey especially if you have a big family in tow, unless of course you are a member! In which case you can save a lot of money! 
Another bonus about LPZ, the photos are just amazing - set right in the heart of the city, tons of weddings happen here and there's a reason why. The energy and atmosphere can't be beat, especially in the summer! 

FESTIVALS

No they're not just for summer! We love fests. Of all kinds and yes, while most happen in summer, there are still some into September and October and beyond! In September, we LOVE Taste of Greektow on Halsted, German American Octoberfest (Lincoln Square) Taste of Chicago (Loop) and Festival of the Vine in Geneva. In October, West Town Artwalk, Boo at the Zoo, Scarecrow Fest (Highland Park). I love WTTW for the main list. So check that out if you are interested in seeing the full list!