Don’t let the Windy City’s reputation as a formidable business center fool you. Families can find all sorts of exciting things to do here, whether it’s learning about the city’s culture or simply discovering new things at Shedd Aquarium or the Children’s Museum. Staying at hotels in downtown Chicago makes all these attractions and more only a few steps away.

But what exactly can your family find on a trip to Chicago? A walk around The Loop downtown will give you a clear idea of the many amazing things your family can find in the city.

A good place to start exploring would be the Chicago Cultural Center. Aside from housing a Visitor Information Center where you can find out all the events currently happening in the city, the Cultural Center also hosts the free LunchBreak programs. This noontime program features different music genres every weekday, from Classical Mondays to Acoustic Café Fridays.

Would you want to get your kids to appreciate art? The Loop is also home to Daley Plaza, where you can find Pablo Picasso’s untitled sculpture. A work of art that has come to be one of the city’s familiar icons, it isn’t just a pretty sight-in fact, kids are allowed to slide down the steep part of the sculpture, which proves that art is truly meant to be enjoyed.

You can also find Millennium Park close to hotels in downtown Chicago. Here, you can take the kids to explore the Cloud Gate or see the clowns, jugglers and stilt walkers roving around the park. Millennium Park has its own share of surprises for families, too.

Crown Fountain is practically a water park featuring two 50-foot tall towers, where the water cascades from. That isn’t all, though. The Crown Fountain is also an interactive work of art, featuring the faces of a thousand Chicagoans. Watch out when the faces pucker up, though! You can expect to get really wet if you get close enough to them.

These are just a few of the things you can find close to many hotels in downtown Chicago. There are still more things for kids to discover and enjoy, such as annual events like the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival or year-long attractions like Shedd Aquarium’s 4D theater and the Chicago Children’s Museum’s daily discoveries. The best part about these is that with a stay at a hotel in downtown Chicago, especially one with an indoor pool, you won’t need to worry about traveling far to take your kids back to the room at the end of a fun-filled day.

Have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of by celebrating it at one of the best hotels in Chicago. Aside from allowing you to enjoy the convenience of having your wedding and reception in a single venue, some of the hotels in the Windy City offer personalized wedding packages that aim to satisfy your every whim.

Whether you’re inviting just seventy-five of your closest friends and relatives or over five hundred guests, wedding receptions at Chicago hotels let you to celebrate it in a beautifully decorated venue. This kind of setup is truly convenient because planning is a breeze, and you are given the opportunity to have the festivities held indoors in a grand ballroom or even outdoors overlooking the Chicago River. At the same time, you and your guests get to enjoy a delicious menu prepared by award-winning catering and culinary professionals.

Prime hotels in Chicago offer customized menus for weddings of any size, whether you’re planning to have a traditional, all-American four-course dinner or an elegant Kosher menu paired with fine wine and spirits. Before you decide on which dishes should go into your final menu, you and your groom can enjoy a complimentary tasting to make sure that everything is made according to your preference and meets your approval. You can also choose from a wide selection of wedding cakes and desserts prepared by master pâtissiers, and let guests enjoy a sweet ending to the wedding celebration.

It’s the extra touches that really matter because they’re the ones that make the biggest impression, and nothing leaves a greater impact on your guests than the wedding reception’s décor and setup. Why hire a wedding planner, when you can celebrate your special day at a Chicago hotel where a professional wedding specialist can make sure that your big day is truly memorable?

Wedding packages offered by hotels in Chicago often include concierge and wedding planning services that allow you to decide on the level of involvement you wish to have in the preparations. Accommodating hotel staff will allow you to choose from different kinds of table settings, specialty linens and chair covers, as well as elaborate floral displays and centerpieces for your reception. You can even be given access to a wedding website where you can monitor your RSVPs, and out-of-town guests can reserve their hotel rooms for the big day.