Chicago winter break with teenager, how to amuse her?

There are excellent museums in Chicago.

Son't miss the Museum of Science and Industry.

You are so sweet to want to do things with her--for her.

Take her to an Oprah taping one day--you might win something or see somebody cool

A punk show would be great.

Some of this may be young for her--but maybe you'll get one good idea.

Well, I have a 15 year old daughter spending her break in Chicago too. We love the Art Institute (Tuesdays are free), shopping on Michigan Avenue or State St., Navy Pier, the Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium (the last three have free days, but I'm not sure which days). These are my recommendations.

This is from my daughter: Take her to The Alley (on Clark and Belmont) for the best punk shopping in the city. It covers most of the block. The neighborhood around The Alley is punk central in the city, lots of shopping, music, hangouts.

edit: If you want to do something "tall", I'd suggest the John Hancock Center over Sears Tower which is very expensive and has two hour plus lines. The Hancock Center is the second tallest building in the city and has the world's fastest elevator

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/music/29730,0,4903173,events.location?&page=2

Here are some concerts in Jan. at the Metro. Some might be up her alley. If not this site can give you some other venues to check out.

Thanks, everyone. There are some good ideas there. (I expect most of the time will be spent in stores, spending my money.)

Thanks again.

All of the museums have free days Mondays and Tuesdays September through March, with some exceptions. I seem to remember that right around Christmas the free days are suspended for a lot of places.

OK, Field Museum free days start again in January:

http://www.fieldmuseum.org/plan_visit/discount_days.htm

The Shedd is very cagey about their free days:

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/vis_visit_info_2.html

(Last paragraph.) I think that they do start again in January, though. Worth contacting them to find out.

The Brookfield Zoo has a bunch of free days in January -- the usual Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then also Saturdays and Sundays just in January and February:

http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/0.asp?nSection=2&pageid=111&nLinkID=2

Also free days in December, didn't say anything about Christmas exceptions.

Anyway, absolutely tons of stuff to do. You'll have a great time! :-)

The Museum of Science and Industry used to have christmas trees decorated from many different countries. I don't know if they continued that practice, but that used to be a special exhibit there every christmas.