Adler Planetarium

An aquarium built around a touch pool where small hands are actually welcome, plus a dolphin show big enough to hold a kid's attention for a whole hour.

A sprawling natural history hall where a five-year-old can stand nose to nose with a dinosaur skeleton, and a side room built just for toddlers means the day does not end at the first meltdown.

One of the world's largest fountains, in the middle of Grant Park, with a light-and-music display after dusk. Free to visit, though it runs only from early May through October and wading isn't allowed.

A South Loop, old-school Jewish-style diner with a kids' menu alongside its deli classics.

A 1910 landmark hotel on Michigan Avenue's Cultural Mile, directly across from Grant Park and walkable to Millennium Park and the Art Institute.

A South Loop playground in the Dearborn Park area, donated to the Chicago Park District in 1990.