Chicago Trip Guideline.

 

Rank                                              1
Location Brookfield Zoo
Website www.czs.org/czs/Brookfield/Zoo-Home.aspx
Phone (708) 688-8000
Address 3300 Golf Road , Brookfield, IL 60513
El stop metra or parking
Xmas Hours 10-5pm
Sat Hours 10-5pm
Sun Hours 10-5pm
Cost $8 (3-11), $12 adults
Directions
Notes It has a lot of different animal houses that are very naturalistic

Rank 2
Location Shedd Aquarium
Website www.sheddaquarium.org
Phone 312-939-2438
Address 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL
Xmas Hours closed
Sat Hours 9-6pm
Sun Hours 9-6pm
Cost $17.95 (3-11y), $24.95 adults

Rank 3
Location Lincoln Park Zoo
Website www.lpzoo.org
Phone 312-742-2000
Xmas Hours 10-4:30pm
Sat Hours 10-4:30 5-9pm zoo lights
Sun Hours 10-4:30pm
Cost Free (zoo lights from 5-9pm)

Rank 4
Location Willis Tower Skydeck (formerly Sears Tower)
Website www.the-skydeck.com/
Phone 312-875-9447
Address 233 S. Wacker Drive , Chicago, IL
Xmas Hours 10-8pm
Sat Hours 10-8pm
Sun Hours 10-8pm
Cost $10.50 3-11/ $14.95 adult

Rank 5
Location Maze at Navy Pier
Website http://www.amazingchicago.com/hours/
Phone 888-893-7300
Address 600 East Grand Ave.   Chicago, IL 60611
Xmas Hours closed
Sat Hours 10-10pm
Sun Hours 10-10pm
Cost $9.95 5-12/$10.95 adults

Rank 6
Location Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier
Website www.navypier.com
Phone 312) 595-PIER
Xmas Hours closed

Rank 7
Location Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier
Website www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org
Phone (312) 527-1000
Address 700 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago IL 60611
Xmas Hours closed
Sat Hours 10-5pm
Sun Hours 10-5pm
Cost $10 everyone

Rank 8
Location Transporter FX at Navy Pier
Website www.navypier.com
Address 700 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago IL 60611
Xmas Hours closed

Rank 9
Location Safari Land Indoor Amusement Park
Website www.safarilandfun.com
Phone 630) 530-4649
Address 701 W. North Avenue, Villa Park, IL
Xmas Hours closed
Sat Hours 11-12:30am
Sun Hours 11-10:30pm
Cost reasonable price per ride
Directions http://maps.google.com/maps?q=701+W+North+Ave,+Villa+Park,+IL+60181&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=41.904673,-87.994094&spn=0.022039,0.065103&om=1

Rank x
Location Wonder Works Childrens Museum
Website www.wonder-works.org
Phone 708.383.4815
Address 6445 West North Avenue, Oak Park, IL
Xmas Hours closed
Sat Hours 10-5pm
Sun Hours 10-5pm
Directions http://www.wonder-works.org/visit/index.html

Rank x
Location The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Website www.chias.org
Phone (773) 755-5100
Address 2430 N Cannon Dr Chicago, IL 60614
Xmas Hours closed
Sat Hours 10-5pm
Sun Hours 10-5pm
Cost $6 (3-12)/$9 adults
Directions across from lincoln park
Notes not impressive looking

Rank x
Location Dupage Childrens Museum
Website www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org
Xmas Hours closed
Cost 8.50 for everyone
Directions don’t worry about this one

Location Leaning Tower of Piza
Address YMCA on Touhy Blvd, Chicago, IL

Location Bahai Temple
Address Chicago IL

Location Six Flags
Address Six Flags Great America
1 Great America Parkway
Gurnee, IL 60031

http://www.navypier.com/visit_us/pdf/trolleystoproute.pdf
http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/fare_information/Chicago_Card_Sales_Outlets_updated_9_16_09.pdf
I suppose you could park in Hinsdale (the next town over) and take the Metra train in to Chicago or drive to the end of the Blue Line El in Forest Park (about 20 minutes away) and park there.
It passes through the west side of chicago but it should be fine.  Otherwise I would park in the garage under Millenium Park/Michigan Ave and then jump off from there.