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Crowded secret spots 🏞️
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Here’s what to do ✈️
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10 tips for your visit
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Author: Emma Marie
Traditional bathhouses are an essential part of contemporary Korean culture. Literally “heated rooms,” these jjimjilbang (찜질방) are where locals come to unwind, hang out and engage in a whole host of health and beauty rituals that go far beyond a quick soak.
A Korean bathhouse attracts grandmas and young couples alike. It wouldn’t be odd for a group of friends to meet up at a jjimjilbang on a Friday night. Call it a spa date, but a surprisingly affordable one. Entrance usually costs between ₩7000 and ₩20,000, with smaller, neighborhood jjimjilbang being the cheapest options. Most places have different day and evening entrance rates, with the latter being just a little higher. The more elaborate joints have restaurants, outdoor swimming pools, hair and nail salons, and karaoke rooms in addition to the usual baths and saunas.
These spas have an unspoken code of manners and customs, which can make a first-time visit intimidating for foreign travelers. Read up on the towel techniques and Korean bathhouse etiquette to experience the jjimjilbang like a local.
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The first thing you’re likely to see when you walk in the door is a wall of small lockers. These are for your shoes: slip them inside and take your locker key to the front desk. Pay up (the price should be posted at the reception desk) and hand over your shoe locker key.
In exchange, you’ll be given a new locker key for the changing room (sometimes the first key is used for both), a towel and a pair of cotton pajamas. Many jjimjilbang use electronic keys, which double as your tab; otherwise, the staff will note your locker key number if you add any services inside (such as a scrub or massage) to bill you at the end. The front desk staff should point you in the direction of the appropriate gender-segregated changing room. If not, it’s nam (남) for men and yeo (여) for women.
The key in your hand should have a number on it – that’s your locker, where you’ll store your clothes and anything else you’re carrying.
Most jjimjilbang have two distinct areas: the baths, which are same-sex only, and the sauna areas, which are communal.
Whichever you want to visit first is up to you, but most people prefer to wash up before sweating it out (and then wash up again). If you’re going to the baths, you need to remove all your clothing, bringing only a small towel and toiletries with you. If you’re going to the saunas, change into the pajamas. Wear your locker key on your wrist.
The cardinal rule here is that you need to wash before getting into the baths. There will be rows of washing stations and piles of plastic stools; grab one and pick a faucet. There will be soap, but there isn’t likely to be shampoo or conditioner, so you’ll need to bring your own (most convenience stores in Korea sell little single-use packets of various toiletries, and jjimjilbang usually sell them as well).
You don’t have to wash your hair, but if you don’t and it’s long, make sure to tie it up so it doesn’t trail in the bath. Once you’re nice and clean, head to the tubs.
There will usually be a variety of temperatures, from about 38°C (100°F, not too hot) to about 45°C (113°F, pretty hot), and also a cold tub. In most jjimjilbang, these are indoor soaking pools, but some also have open-air baths. Bathhouse regulars have their individual routines down to a science, but in general, optimal soaking time is considered to be 20 minutes. To stay in the water this long, it’s best to keep your heart above the water.
Koreans, and women in particular, are mad about exfoliation, and you’ll see them giving themselves long and hearty scrubs (you can also buy scrubbing towels and mitts at convenience stores and markets). If you really want to up your jjimjilbang game, you can opt for a professional scrub (called seshin).
In a corner of the bathroom, there will be a few plastic tables manned by ajumma (aunties) in their underwear (or men on the men’s side) wielding scrubbing mitts. They’re generally merciless, but you will never have smoother skin in your life. You’d do this after soaking for a bit, so the steam from the baths loosens your skin. A basic scrub usually costs ₩20,000, and you can also get an oil massage here for about ₩60,000.
The most difficult part of the experience for a lot of first-timers is being naked with strangers. Fear not: Koreans consider this a normal part of visiting a jjimjilbang, and you are unlikely to be given a second glance by anyone else.
You can use your towel to strategically cover yourself as you walk around (but the towels are small, so this isn’t easy). You shouldn’t bring it into the water, but if it does get wet, a stack of fresh towels is usually waiting near the door to the changing room. The best way to keep your towel dry is to wear it on your head.
Another etiquette tip: splashing and loud talking might earn you dirty looks.
The sauna you might picture – a steaming room heated to hellish temperatures – is probably different from a Korean sauna (and if you’ve never liked saunas, you might like these). Traditional Korean saunas (called hanjeungmak; 한증막) are stone or clay kilns typically heated to between 50°C (122°F) and 90°C (194°F) and are really quite pleasant.
As you lie on hemp mats (or sometimes salt or jade crystals), the heated stone gently warms your body, and after about 15 to 20 minutes, you start to sweat. It’s easy to fall asleep, but don’t – or risk dehydration. Cap off a good sweat with a cold, sweet sikhye, a traditional fermented rice drink usually sold at jjimjilbang. You can also buy eggs that have been steamed in the saunas, called maekbanseok gyeran.
Many jjimjilbang are open 24 hours and actually double actually double as Korea’s best budget accommodations: for a few thousand won more than the standard entrance fee, you can opt to spend the night in the sleeping room. At simpler spots, the sleeping room might just be a wide room with some thin plastic mattresses (and yes, they are thin) and squishy plastic blocks (“pillows”) on the floor.
At more sophisticated places, the sleeping rooms resemble capsule hotels, with two levels of cubbyholes, which offer a little privacy. Some have separate rooms for women and snorers (regardless, earplugs are a good idea). Some also have blankets to loan or rent, though the rooms are usually heated – traditional under-floor ondol style – such that they’re not necessary.
There are also usually big common rooms where people congregate to watch TV, sit in massage chairs, snack and generally hang out. These areas are mixed and non-naked, so make sure you wear the pajamas provided. Some of the fancier jjimjilbang, such as Dragon Hill Spa in Seoul, also have outdoor swimming areas, hot tubs and entertainment zones like arcades to keep sauna-goers busy, sometimes throughout the night.
This part’s easy: hand your locker key to the front desk staff, and they’ll present you with a bill if you’ve racked up any charges inside. Once you’re paid up, you get your shoe locker key back, and you’re good to go. Most jjimjilbang expect you to stay no more than one night, though some may allow you to negotiate a stay of multiple nights. You just might find yourself wanting to come back.
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Chicago is practically tailor made for family getaways, offering a wealth of interactive museums, fabulous parks and jaw-dropping architecture.
From tots to teens, there’s something for every child in the Windy City – without the aloof attitude or supersized footprint that make some big cities feel like no-fly zones for tiny tourists. Research the many kid-friendly happenings in town at Chicago Parent and Chicago Kids. Discovering the city as a family is easy on the budget, too: children under age 7 ride free on the L train and public buses, while those ages 7 to 11 pay a reduced fare.
Ferocious dinosaurs at the Field Museum of Natural History, an ark’s worth of beasts at Lincoln Park Zoo, lakefront boat rides and sandy beaches are among the top choices for visiting Chicago with kids. Add in magical playgrounds, fun tours and family-friendly food, and it’s clear that Chicago is a kid’s kind of town.
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An up-close encounter with Chicago’s legendary architecture is a can’t-miss for visitors of all ages. Wee daredevils will delight in the city’s pair of high-altitude viewing decks: 360° Chicago on the 94th floor of the 875 N Michigan Ave building and the 103rd-floor Skydeck at the Willis Tower. As if the observatories’ heights weren’t dizzying enough, glassy viewing alcoves reward brave little ones with the sensation of being suspended over the city. Not sure which to pick? Skydeck scores points for sheer loftiness, while lakeside 360° Chicago has the edge in the panorama department.
For a ground-up view of the skyline and a fun boat ride to boot, treat tweens and teens to the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s river tour, which delivers an overview of the city center’s most important buildings from aboard a double-decker cruiser. If your children are too young to know their Burnham from their Mies, forego the formal tour and hop on the Shoreline Sightseeing water taxi. In addition to serving up spectacular lakefront scenery, the service links two of the most popular ports of call for visiting families: Navy Pier and the Museum Campus.
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Over at the Art Institute of Chicago – free for under-14s – a real-life audience with some of the most recognizable paintings in the Western canon (think American Gothic, Nighthawks and A Sunday on La Grande Jatte) may stir your child’s inner Picasso. Dollhouse fans will be enchanted by the tiny universe of the Thorne Miniature Rooms. The Ryan Learning Center provides art-making activities and interactive games, such as puzzles featuring famous works. Even the most jaded teen will crack a smile for selfies with the iconic stone lions that stand sentry on the museum’s front steps.
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Bring on the dinosaurs. The sprawling Field Museum of Natural History captures little imaginations with colossal fossils. The Crown Family PlayLab on the ground floor lets kids excavate bones and make loads of other discoveries. The Field Museum houses some 30 million artifacts – beetles, mummies, gemstones, Bushman the stuffed ape – all tended to by a slew of PhD-wielding scientists (the Field remains an active research institution). The collection’s rock star is Sue, the largest Tyrannosaurus rex yet discovered. (She even gets her own gift shop.) The museum is vast, so get a map at the desk and make a plan of attack before you set out.
For an interactive experience to suit a broad range of ages and interests, it’s hard to top the Museum of Science and Industry. Families could spend a week here and not see it all. Big kids will get a kick out of descending into a coal mine, transmitting secret messages in the whispering gallery and playing astronaut at the Henry Crown Space Center, while little ones will love peeping at the adorable hatchery chicks and catching their reflections in the mirror maze.
Wildlife enthusiasts are in for a treat at Lincoln Park Zoo, where chimps swing from the trees and Japanese macaques chill in hot springs. With its relaxed pace, the adjacent Farm-in-the-Zoo is geared to the littlest visitors. Be sure to stroll the boardwalk that links the two, where you’ll find an otherworldly honeycomb-like pavilion that makes the ultimate Chicago family photo op. Perhaps best of all for parents, the whole experience is free – even parking, if you’re lucky (or patient) enough to score a spot on Stockton Dr, just steps from one of the zoo’s main entrances.
Just up the street, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum earns high marks with youngsters for its butterfly haven, a light-filled indoor garden that’s home to 1000 winged beauties.
When the kids are looking to let loose, Chicago is at the ready with miles of lakefront and a plethora of parks. With its vertiginous crow’s nests, climbing wall and wintertime skating ribbon, the Loop’s Maggie Daley Park is a crown jewel in the city’s park system – though parents of tiny tots should note that an abundance of boisterous big kids and hiding spots can make it a bit nerve-jangling. The wide-open spaces of nearby Grant Park, best known for pretty Buckingham Fountain, may be a better match for small ones. Millennium Park, home to the super-photogenic interactive sculpture Cloud Gate (better known as “the Bean”), is a winner with kids of all ages.
Come summer, more than two dozen lifeguard-manned beaches beckon. Waves are typically pint-sized – perfect for petite swimmers. Tucked behind the Museum Campus, 12th Street Beach gets props for its manageable size, proximity to the Loop and cool view of the Adler Planetarium. At North Avenue Beach, gutsy teens can test their balance on a stand-up paddleboard. This beach is the most crowded, since its selling point is the location near both downtown and Lincoln Park Zoo. The steamboat-shaped beach house is totally kid friendly, with bathrooms and lockers plus a concessions stand serving ice cream and burgers.
When the weather tanks, Garfield Park Conservatory offers a year-round burst of balmy air and verdant greenery. Built in 1907, these two acres under glass are a lovely spot to while away a few hours sauntering around rooms of palms, ferns, orchids and koi-filled ponds. Between May and October 10 acres of outdoor grounds include a lily pool, a carnivorous-plant bog and the Monet Garden, which is based on the Impressionist painter’s flower patch at Giverny, France. Kids can get down and dirty with roots and seeds in the indoor Children’s Garden.
Amusements abound on Navy Pier, a half-mile-long wharf. Families will love the giant whirling swing, sky-high Ferris wheel, hand-painted carousel, remote-control boats, fountains to splash and more. Popcorn, ice cream, burgers and other treats add to the carnival atmosphere. The pier is also home to Chicago Children’s Museum as well as several boat-cruise operators. Polk Bros Park, at the pier’s entrance, has a fountain little ones can splash in, plus performance lawns for free concerts and movies.
Just about all but Chicago’s most exclusive restaurants will accommodate children without batting an eye, though for your family’s own comfort you might find it best to have your doggie bags in hand by 6:30pm, when dinner crowds can make maneuvering strollers and high chairs awkward. Adventurous eaters will love slurping noodles beneath the pagodas of Chicago’s Chinatown and digging into enormous dosas amid the sari shops and Indian candy stores of Devon Ave: both neighborhoods offer numerous dining spots that are casual and easy on the wallet.
Certain restaurants go the extra mile to welcome little guests. Lincoln Park’s retro RJ Grunts soothes post-zoo fatigue with kid-sized shakes and burgers along with a complimentary stroller valet, while over in hip Ukrainian Village, Quad Cities–style pizza spot Roots encourages tiny diners to play with their food, distributing dough balls to be squashed and stretched while dinner’s in the oven. Grown-up topping options like duck sausage and a lengthy Midwestern beer list will keep parents happy, too.
Kids get the royal treatment each afternoon at the Drake Hotel’s Little Prince and Princess Tea, an elaborate spread of dainty nibbles served up in the hotel’s grand Palm Court. Fanciful decorations and carolers make holiday season visits here particularly magical. Parents and rugrats alike will be sweet on the inventive ice cream at West Town’s Black Dog Gelato and the rich hot chocolate at Logan Square’s Katherine Anne Confections.
Home-sharing sites offer rental apartments scattered around Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods. If self-catering is not your family’s thing, you’ll find a bevy of boutique hotel options, as well as all the usual chain suspects, clustered around the Loop, Streeterville and River North neighborhoods – all good bases in terms of proximity to many of the city’s top kid-centric attractions.
Some hotels make a point of rolling out the red carpet for little ones. Up in quirky-cool Andersonville, the lovely Guesthouse Hotel offers spacious kitchen-equipped suites and a thoughtful menu of free-to-use kid essentials that run the gamut from car seats to sippy cups.
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Taxis and ride-sharing services are readily available – but rather than scrambling to stash strollers and secure child seats in an unfamiliar vehicle, consider riding the L, Chicago’s system of elevated trains and subways. Most major sights are within an easy walk from an elevator-equipped station, indicated on system maps by an accessible icon. Tickets can be purchased at station kiosks.
Attractions tend to be quietest first thing in the morning. Some spots, like the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History, have designated stroller and wheelchair entrances where lines are often significantly shorter. If you plan to hit more than a couple of signature attractions, consider a CityPass, valid for admission to your choice of five out of seven major sights. In addition to saving your brood a few bucks, it also includes fast-track entry to spots like the Willis Tower’s Skydeck – no small thing when little legs grow tired and crankiness looms.
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