hoopsgalore

Traverse City, Saugatuck, New Buffalo, Sturgeon Bay, Bailey's Harbor are all great options for Lake Michigan.

You can swim, yes, but only "allowed" when a lifeguard is on-duty. There is a pretty steep drop in Lake Michigan, so there are designated zones. The most popular beaches are Ohio Street Beach, North Ave Beach, and Montrose Beach. My favorite of the three is Montrose because the beach is expansive and The Dock is a fun beach bar with live music.

I'd still recommend going to the Dunes if you can. Several different beaches to choose from, but you also won't be completely free of potential restrictions you see in Chicago, as well. Lake Michigan is a tricky one.

Renovations should not affect either visit. Especially for Shedd at this point, your visit should be totally fine. They'll be completely done next year. My understanding is last year was a little more difficult.

Someone linked my guide, which should be a good start. However, here are more direct recommendations for anyone visiting w/ kids:

- Parlor Pizza has three locations. Wicker Park is most family-friendly and my preferred recommendation. West Loop and River North may be closer, but West Loop can get a little wild and River North is stale. Couple other kid-friendly pizza ideas will be Paradise Park (Wicker Park), Homeslice (Lincoln Park), Happy Camper (Old Town and Wrigleyville), Stopalong (Bucktown and Logan Square), and Pizza Lobo (West Loop, Logan Square, and Andersonville). Nice thing about these place is they're definitely "bar-forward." While great for kids, equally as good for adults that want to have a drink in hand and watch sports, etc. If I had to choose one or two for you, go with Homeslice or Paradise Park.

- Breweries are an obvious node for families, as well. Malt Row is an exceptionally popular cluster of breweries in family-oriented neighborhoods of North Center, Ravenswood, and Lincoln Square. Well worth a go if you're light on plans. So many families at each. Here is a link to see the different options: LINK.

- Chicago's street fest calendar is the most popular aspect of summer for people that live here. Unsure when you're visiting, but here is the list: LINK. All are family-friendly and completely free, despite the ask for a suggested donation. Bunch of food and drink vendors in each. If you give me a weekend, I can let you know if the fest is worth it.

I have plenty more recommendations if you need, but this is the best balance of keeping you and kids engaged.

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1. Gene and Georgetti - we wanted to go somewhere that felt local. I am glad we went, but would likely not go back. The old fashioned was excellent. The food was good, but not great.

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River North and 'local' is an oxymoron. I'm being somewhat hyperbolic, but it very much is a neighborhood dominated with tourists and recent transplants that want a high-rise for a year or two.

That said, I have recommended several River North restaurants in my Chicago thread, including Indienne, Crying Tiger, Tzuco, Bavette's, and Gus' Sip & Dip.

Next time, take the Blue Line to Logan Square or Avondale - Two of the better restaurant neighborhoods outside West Loop.

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2. Gibsons Italia - this restaurant is incredible. Should be at the top of anyone's list.

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Completely agree - For Italian fine dining, Gibsons Italia and Tre Dita set the stage for an incredible ambiance.

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1. Sushi San - great sushi spot. wife didn't want to drop straight into a pizza place off the bat. it was good, but would likely try a different place since there are so many options.

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Sushi-san is fine, for sure. Like you said, plenty more out there, including Noriko, Sushi by Scratch, Kyoten / Kyoten Next Door, KAI ZAN, Jinsei Motto, and Omakase Box. Omakase Box, in particular, may be the best value in the city.

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2. Lou Malnati's - great pizza spot. Would recommend going for the nostalgia. I would try other spots out for same reason as others

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I'm partial to Lou and, admittedly, my wife and I order it once each year or so but a couple other pan / deep dish spots: Milly's, Pequod's, and Labriola are all worthwhile.

Thin crust reigns supreme for everyone that lives here, though - Michael's, Novel, Frank's, Phil's, Pat's, Zarella, Danny's, Palermo's of 63rd, Vito & Nick's, PIZZ'AMICI, etc., etc. The list goes on.

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How about stuff within the city? We aren’t that adventurous

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Casco Viejo is worthwhile for shops, restaurants, and bars. It's very safe with a good amount of police enforcement, but be sure to stay on the 'red brick road.' Gets dicey quick if you venture off. First time I was there with friends, we got a little too drunk and ended up in a not-so-great situation because we didn't know where we were going :lol:

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Any food recs for picky kids (they could live off pizza and hamburgers) would be great, especially for atmosphere.

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The bar forward pizza places are always loaded with kids - Stopalong in Logan Square, Paradise Park in Wicker Park, and Homeslice in Lincoln Park are spots you can hang at for multiple hours.

Guess my question is, with the way thread title is worded, are you planning to just choose one or the other? Most people visit both w/ some stops between (e.g., Camden, Freeport, etc.).

We did Grand Teton the weekend after Memorial Day. Weather was fantastic and, while crowded, was told it was significantly less than the prior weekend.

One of the better day drinking days I've had. It's a ton of fun. Hope you make it!

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All I said was I wanted to see a proper Irish league soccer match, and I've got that part planned

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If you have an opportunity to see a Hurling match, as well, do it.