Allegro – A Kid Friendly Chicago Hotel

Last weekend, we ventured down to Chicago for LJ’s annual birthday weekend.  This started a few years ago when LJ decided that Chicago is (in his words) “The coolest place ever!”.  Since then, a weekend trip to the Windy City has become a birthday tradition.


This year, we were thrilled to be guests of the Allegro Hotel – a Kimpton Hotel.  The Allegro is a great place to stay with kids as they have their signature “Kids Rule” program.  Upon checking in, LJ was given a special bag with all kinds of goodies to keep him entertained while at the hotel.  He had a blast playing with the yo-yo and cards while Jay and I got ourselves settled.

Jay and LJ clown around in the provided animal print robes.

Not long after checking in, we heard a knock at the door and a goldfish (aptly named Roofus Jr.) was delivered to keep us company while Roofus Sr. spent some quality time with Nana and Pop Pop.  If we had wanted to bring him along, it wouldn’t have been a problem as the Allegro does allow pets.

Roofus Jr.

We had a fun day running around the city and even visited the Federal Reserve Bank.

This? Is what a million dollars looks like.

At the end of the day, we wandered down to the Allegro’s lobby where they have popcorn, lemonade, and Wii games for kids hour from 4 – 5 pm. 

 Happy hour is from 5 – 6 pm and includes wine, sangria, and some of the best passed appetizers around!  And did I mention that all of this is complementary?  We had a blast!  We headed out to grab an authentic Chicago deep dish pizza before turning in for the night.

We were greeted by this treat when we returned – plus a credit to the mini bar!!

The next day, LJ and Jay headed to the Science Museum while I attended a local blogging conference. We met up for a celebratory birthday dinner at South Water Kitchen.  The food was amazing and the service was absolutely top notch!  (The mac and cheese is not just for kids at South Water Kitchen!)  We finished up with a birthday cake and called it a night.

Sunday was spent at Millenium Park and since the temperature was quickly climbing, the Crown Fountain Spitting Giants were the perfect place to stop.

We had a quick lunch at the Park Cafe and headed back to Wisconsin.

We love this rest stop as it hangs out over the highway!

A huge thank you to The Allegro and South Water Kitchen for making our stay such a lovely one!  We will definitely be back.


The Allegro and South Water Kitchen generously provided us with all of the goodies mentioned above including food and lodging. All opinions expressed are our own.