Chicago Trolley Tour & Al Fresco Lunch Along Michigan Ave.

With 4th of July being a Thursday, Doug and I made it a long weekend by taking Friday off. We swam in Grandpa's pool on Independence Day, went downtown on Friday, photographed a wedding at the Chicago History Museum on Saturday and went to the beach on Sunday. Ooooowheee! It was a fun holiday weekend!

Originally, Doug wanted to do a double decker bus tour through downtown Chicago. But at $80 for two adults, that was too expensive for us! Especially because we both work downtown and walk through the loop every day. Since Mia was bummed she couldn't go on the post-ceremony trolley with Daddy at his best friend's wedding, we decided to take her on a trolley tour instead of the bus tour. After looking for Groupon's, we found a $35 deal (for all three of us!!) through Millenium Trolley Tours to use just a few hours later.

We hopped on the trolley near the DuSable/Michigan Ave. Bridge where the iconic Wrigley, Tribune, Trump and Marina City buildings overlook the River.

It was a relaxing hour and a half tour through our beloved city of downtown Chicago. Mia {3 years old} didn't lose interest and with only two other people on board, she happily exclaimed "I took a picture there!!!" at every landmark she recognized from her DIY Good Night Chicago book. I would recommend this Groupon if you're looking for something to do in Chicago.

Mia's first picture here was when she was just eight months old - nearly three years ago, when I first starting blogging!

After getting dropped off where we started, we took a short walk across Michigan Ave. to the Tribune Tower to have lunch at the newly opened Howells and Hood. While service may be spotty, I love love loved our al fresco lunch here! The restaurant's large outdoor patio (5,700 square feet with 300 seats!!) complete with sleek tables, banquettes and tables, over-sized umbrellas, lush greenery, and expansive tap offerings outshines any other al fresco dining option in Chicago.

We didn't have to wait at all on a Friday afternoon (and a holiday weekend!). Our fish tacos and lobster roll came out quickly and tasted so so light and delicious! Mia enjoyed a super cheesy grilled cheese on Texas Toast from the kids menu. Since our server did not bring my raspberry ale out in a timely fashion, she was quick to take it off our bill. From surrounding patrons, we did witness two salads get sent back to the kitchen and two tables go ungreeted for an unacceptable amount of time. Lucky for us, we had an amazing al fresco dining experience. You can't go wrong with a quick and delicious meal outside on a summer day with historical buildings towering over you, and a free beer! I can't wait to get back to Howells and Hood!

After napping on the train ride back home and waking up to a cold ice cream treat, we played at our park to top off our family day out. I'm pretty sure this girl had a good day!

Who doesn't love summer in Chicago!?