A shiny giant bean, Sue the T. rex and a glass ledge 103 floors up. Here's what Chicago is like with the family, when to go and how long to stay.
Check entry rules on GOV.UK before you book.
June to September is best, with lake beaches, festivals and outdoor concerts. Winter is bitterly cold and windy, though December has festive lights and ice skating.
See yourself in the Bean and splash in the Crown Fountain in summer.
Sue, one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found.
Climb inside a real German U-boat.
One of the last free zoos in the US.
A boat tour between the skyscrapers.
A giant Ferris wheel, a children's museum and fireworks in summer.
Yes, especially in summer. The museums are excellent, the lakefront has beaches and bike paths, and it's less hectic than New York.
Four or five nights covers the museums, the lakefront and a deep-dish pizza or two.
Most British passport holders, children included, apply for an ESTA online before they fly rather than a visa. Check GOV.UK for the current rules.
Yes, at the city beaches in summer, when lifeguards are on duty. The water stays cool.
Put Chicago on standby with everyone's other ideas. You each spread your points in secret, get one veto, and the draw picks where you go.