You know those summer days when it’s so hot that the very idea of adventuring outside makes you sweat? When you want to beat the heat, entertain the kids, and get out of the house, you need a few tricks up your sleeve. We’ve come up with the best ways to keep the family cool in Chicago. We’ve included city and Chicagoland activities and tried to find a good mix of free, budget-friendly, and celebratory events!

Things to Do in Chicago with Kids When it’s Really Hot

Outdoor Activities

Go to the Beach: The 31st Street Beach, Foster, or Montrose are our favorites because they are less crowded, have great views, bathrooms, and are easy for families (and free!). Weekdays are always best, but parking is easy at all three if you go early! Check out my travel essentials, including beach bags and toys, here. Tip – Montrose Beach is a great place to watch the Air and Water Show practice – they fly right over the beach without all the Air and Water Show crowds 🙂

Go to the Pool: We love to take advantage of the Chicago Park District pools! They’re free and we can choose from 50 outdoor and 27 indoor pools! The best ones we have been to are Wrightwood Pool, Avondale, and Portage Park. Wrightwood is great for kids, it’s small but does the job! Portage Park has two pools, a splash pad, diving boards, and a toddler pool with a slide! All CPD pools have different hours and lots of rules, but again, they are free and worth it!

Ride a Boat: There are plenty of options for architecture and history tours on the river; some even take you out on the lake! The 90-minute Chicago Architecture Boat Tour and Chicago Fire Boat Tours are on sale on Groupon right now!

Drive a Boat: My friends and I rent an e-boat every summer! Last year, we did it with the kids too. It’s so easy and a great way to get on the water. The Electric Boat Company offers different size boats and different dock locations, we love the Rockwell location because it’s less crowded. It’s BYO food, drinks & speakers, drive yourself or rent a captain.

Cold Treats

There’s no shortage of ice cream shops and other cold-treat spots in Chicago! Our favorites are:

• Scooters Frozen Custard in Lake View
• Margie’s Candies in Bucktown
• Eli’s Ark in Wicker Park
• Shawn Michelle’s Homemade in Bronzeville
• Mario’s Italian Lemonade in Little Italy

Music and Performances

• Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! The Musical at Marriott Theatre (closes Aug 11) – This is a great budget-friendly show! This would make a great day trip to catch a matinee and lunch. See my reel here!
• Second City now has an improv show just for kids. We’re going soon to check it out so I’ll share my full review soon!

Museums and Exhibits

• 007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond at the Museum of Science and Industry (open through October 27, 2024) – This new exhibition delves into the science and technology behind the iconic James Bond film series. It showcases gadgets and props from the movies, including real-life inventions they inspired!

• National Mexican Art Museum – it’s free to get in, there’s a playground next door, and then you can explore Pilsen! You can see some ideas here.

• Unseen Oceans at the Field Museum – The latest exhibit, “Unseen Oceans,” showcases undersea life with life-sized projections of sunfish and other creatures. It’s very cool and the kids loved it!

• Niyah and the Multiverse at the Adler Planetarium – Follow Niyah, a Chicago pre-teen, on an Afrofuturist journey through the multiverse. She explores space, time, and the multiverse with the help of a special mask and encounters her future self as an astrophysicist.

• Circusville at Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier – Step right up and join Circusville for a fun and imaginative experience under the big top. Children can play various roles like acrobat or ticket taker, encouraging self-expression, imagination, skill exploration, and embracing challenges.

Play spaces and Experiences

• Flyover Chicago at Navy Pier – I am OBSESSED with this Flyover experience! It’s so fun! Highly recommend!

• Stay and Play Game Cafe – My family loves playing games here and everyone can play games for under $12.

• Museum of Illusions – always a hit, even with older kids!

• Wonderverse at Oak Brook Center – play games based on iconic movies!

• Sky Zone in Evanston – this recently opened ninja course + jump place is an indoor playground near the movie theatre downtown. You could make a day of it – play, eat, and catch a flick!

• Altitude – you can’t go wrong with getting a long jump session in to tire out your kiddos. 

• Whirlyball – I love Whirlyball because they also have bowling and dining!

• Diversey Bowl – Tuesday and Thursday they have $3 deals!

Please keep us in the Loop and share your favorite discoveries with us! I hope you find this guide helpful and have a wonderful summer! If you’re also looking for some summer date ideas, I’ve got a roundup over here!

Christine