Chicago is All about YOU and Hotels Sleep a Family of 4 from $129/N

Chicago, Illinois is enjoying a buzz these days from a famous citizen who's helped the world see his adopted hometown for the great American city it is. But I think this city has always been great, and some of its attractions, like the exalted Museum of Science and Industry, have long made it a must-see destination.

The museum's "YOU! The experience" will fascinate kids and adults alike. It's an extraordinary 15,000-square-foot space that is an exploration and celebration of the human body, mind and spirit. It explores our personal health and well-being and showcases the amazing workings of our bodies, the choices we make, the environment in which we live, and the role of medical technology in our lives.

The highlights include a truly Giant Heart, a 13-foot-high, 8-foot-wide, working, pumping three-dimensional model of the heart. By grasping a sensor, a viewer can watch the heart beat in sync with his or her own. Viewers can select different views of the heart and highlight the electrical signals triggering its function; your kids can pick an exterior view, an interior view and more.

Eight different sections of the exhibit explore aspects of body and mind. The structure of the human body is explored with a dramatic fully-exploded body, with all body parts exposed. There are actual full-length, one-inch cross-sections of a real corpse (having been frozen, sawed through, and then preserved).

It’s far from gross, as some kids might imagine, and is absolutely fascinating. In the same area, a Vein Viewer illuminates your veins when you place your hand under an infrared camera. An Interactive Prosthetic Arm allows you to operate the hand functions as if it was your own bionic arm. There is a "Human Patient Simulator" that is a full-size, computer-controlled mannequin which simulates both natural bodily function and a body in extreme crisis situations. It’s normally used for training medical personnel and kids will find it very educational.

You can go inside a human-size Hamster Wheel, run on it and monitor your bodily responses to the aerobic challenge. In the "Get in the Action" area, a virtual coach helps you learn hip-hop dance, basketball or tai-chi, as you watch your silhouette on a giant screen next to the projection of the coach. And you can compete with Mom or a friend to move a ball across a table with your mind, with movements determined only by the state of relaxation of your mind. It’s like, but isn’t, telepathic control.

Adults, you can line up first to watch a computer simulation of your face as it might age over different life stages. You can enter your diet into an interactive screen and see an analysis of its impact on your health.

And there is more to see beyond the new YOU! Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has many educational, interactive exhibits that give you a first person view into science and technology. Please plan to spend the day at MSI and allow the family to take their time absorbing all it offers. This is what lifelong memories are made of.

Go down a mine shaft with the Coal Mine exhibit; see how toys are made with "ToyMaker 3000: An Adventure in Automation" and see the world's largest pinball machine in the "Swiss Jolly Ball" exhibit. A new "Smart House" built on the Museum grounds is a showcase of green technology and building techniques. See the Genetics exhibit, watch baby chicks being hatched, experience "Networld" as your own avatar, and more.

My don't-miss, maybe favorite display: the U-505 submarine, a 250-foot-long, WW II German sub housed inside the museum. To see "YOU!" general admission is $13 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $9 for children 3-11; toddlers under 3 enter free. For more information about the Museum of Science and Industry go to www.msichicago.org.

If you're planning to go back a few days in a row (I recommend that, too) and are looking for a hotel, here's a great deal for families. The luxury Hyatt Regency Chicago is offering the best rates through spring, because the city hosts a multitude of holiday activities and events for individuals and families. Hyatt Regency Chicago’s winter special offer gives visitors 25% off the hotel’s best available rate, providing rates from $79/N. This special offer is based on availability through April 30, 2010.

After you've seen the museum show (and I don't know if you can ever see it all), you should explore this great city. A few of the many upcoming events within walking distance of the hotel include Christkindlmarket Chicago at Daley Plaza (through December 24), the Chicago Sports Festival at McCormick Place (December 27-28), Snow Days Chicago in Grant Park (January 29 – 31), ice skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park (through March 14, 2010), and as always, world-class shopping on Michigan Avenue and State Street every day.

The Hyatt Regency Chicago has 2,019 family-welcoming guest rooms, each with a 37" plasma TV and big Chicago skyline views. Parents of infants will appreciate the special baby service called Babies Travel Lite, which delivers baby supplies to your hotel room, and the hotel can have a crib set up upon request.

For more information about the Hyatt Regency Chicago visit the website or call 312/565-1234. You must use the special offer code FUN25 when making your reservation.

For more ideas on family-friendly fun in Chicago, check out FTF's Chicago with Kids Attraction guide. 

Photograph courtesy of the Museum of Science Industry; photographer: J.B. Spector