Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places in Glen Ellyn

"The Field Museum is hands down one of my favorite museums of natural history in America. No matter what decade you grew up in, kids will always have an interest in dinosaurs—even before there were large, marketable cartoon franchises on the extinct reptile. You will be happy to know The Field Museum is home to “Sue”, one of the largest and most-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex specimens in the world."

"Now openOne of Chicago’s most beloved institutions, the Field Museum showcases everything from ancient cultures to the latest scientific discoveries. Visitors can meet the largest dinosaur to ever walk the earth, mummies in their tombs, giant-sized bugs, the most complete T.rex ever found, and more."

"If it’s your first time visiting Chicago, I’d recommend my two favorites: The Field Museum and the Art Institute. You can certainly pick between the two, but they’re both just THAT GOOD – that you should try to squeeze both in if you can!"

"Museum Campus/South Loop, Chicago—10 minutes from the Loop More than 32,000 aquatic animals are on display at this lakefront museum, giving visitors the chance to see fish, sharks, whales, and more from all over the world. The centerpiece of the Shedd Aquarium is the Caribbean Reef, a 90,000-gallon circular aquarium with 360-degree views of sharks, parrotfish, sea turtles, and rays. Around the reef, several hallways extend where visitors can explore sea life from different regions, from nearby rivers and lakes to the Amazon to polar areas."

"The Polar Play Zone is designed with littles in mind, which means kids have the run in the penguin play place, submarine and touch tanks with real starfish and stingrays. Visit the Amazon Rising and Wild Reef exhibits, see an aquatic show with dolphins, ask questions during an animal chat and watch a 4-D movie. Also, do not miss seeing the live diving and feeding at the Caribbean Reef."

"Shed Aquarium is located on the edge of Lake Michigan and is home to over 30,000 aquatic creatures. Various exhibits showcase marine and freshwater habitats from all over the world, from a Caribbean reef to North America’s very own Great Lakes. Learn all about the diverse diet of a shark or the aquarium’s rescue and rehabilitation program of sea otters."

"If you’re not in the mood for shopping, check out Navy Pier which is a Chicago Landmark and offers a variety of attractions for all ages to enjoy. If you’re interested in learning about science, I recommend visiting Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, which is the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere."

"Head over to Navy Pier to go up on the Centennial Ferris Wheel!. A fun way to get an amazing view of Chicago and the lakefront. You can get tickets through the Go Chicago Explorer Pass or check with the Loew’s hotel – they sometimes have specials going where you can get tickets with your stay."

"Take pleasure in the Navy Pier atmosphere without spending money. Pack a lunch for the family to eat on the dock. As you stroll along the pier, people-watch and take pictures of your family in front of a beautiful Lake Michigan landscape."

"Compromise on Italian without spending too much by going to Pizza Rustica. This cozy BYOB feels just like an Italian trattoria and serves huge pizzas with doughy crusts featuring toppings like Italian sausage, mushrooms, pineapple, artichokes or spinach. Salads are heading and pasta is made by hand."

"Strollers are aplenty along Southport Avenue so it's no surprise that Crosby's Kitchen is a haven for tikes in this Lakeview neighborhood brimming with young families. The best part is that it's not just friendly for the young ones, it's also great for older kids and adults dining sans kids, complete with a wine menu. Order yourself a Bloody Mary and the table some monkey bread to start and choose from a kid's menu or the regular menu for brunch, lunch or dinner."

"Restaurants American Lake View. This ultra kid-friendly restaurant in the Southport Corridor caters to parents in every way possible with wide doors that fit your stroller, a stroller valet and step stools in the bathroom. Your little ones will undoubtedly want the ice cream-topped skillet cookie for dessert—so be a sport and help them indulge."

"This family-friendly diner offers Midwestern-inspired comfort food that’s sure to please. The staff are very accommodating to children and work hard to make sure they have a good time. You can’t go wrong with their dinner menu, and definitely give brunch a try—no one can get enough of their signature monkey bread!"

"Weekly Gospel Brunch at Norman’s Bistro is a lively and fun Sunday brunch buffet. Weekly Gospel Brunch includes warm sweet potato pancakes, tasty barbecue spare ribs, extraordinary fried chicken, fresh house-made pastries, a fully loaded omelet station, a great carving station, and non-alcoholic beverages. Weekly Gospel Brunch offers the added pleasure of live music."

"With a capacity of 35,000 people, the Petrillo Music Shell is one of the largest amphitheaters in both the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois as a whole. As you might expect, it hosts a lot of concerts. Its stages have welcomed everyone from indie folk bands to massive pop stars."

"Hannah's serves creative sandwiches for all meals, from breakfast through dinner, all available on freshly-baked pretzel bread (the “bretzel” in the name, naturally). There are also wraps, soups, salads and fruit dishes available, as well as organic desserts and kid’s meals. And did we mention the wall of chocolate with bars from over 24 national and international brands?"

"Each sandwich starts with an organic pretzel roll, followed by free-range chicken or wild Alaskan salmon, lastly local white cheddar or fresh mixed greens to make every layer of this lunch good for you."

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"If you don’t want to bake, or fry in this case too, then decorate with DIY cookie and doughnut kits ($14) starring colorful icing and sprinkles. You may find inspiration in the bakery’s smiley face cookies and Easter lamb cakes, wearing icing medical masks. Owner Can Lao, who revived the historic bakery in the Bridgeport neighborhood back in February, recently added Chinese egg tarts, plus a few staple items like paper towels, gloves, milk and Yakult, the yogurt-like drink."

"If you’re wondering what happened to Bridgeport Bakery 1.0, it closed. But thankfully version 2.0 has the same delicious treats as the original. And while they have a lot of baked goods besides donuts, we like coming here for their long johns and bismarks."

"This sophisticated cake shop in Chicago claims to be the only company in the city using organic butter & eggs. Their cakes are guaranteed to taste as good as they look!. Choose from a variety of flavors, buttercream, and fillings including Belgium Chocolate, White Chocolate Italian Buttercream, or Creme Brulee."

"You can mix and match a wide variety of Nigerian stews, starches, meats, fish, and mollusks at Iyanze – a staple of Uptown’s West African food scene. The food at this restaurant in Uptown is prepared from scratch daily and served cafeteria-style. Get whatever looks good to you that day, and a couple of extra scoops in case you can’t make a decision."