Chicago – Page 9 – Travel Smart With Jodie

A hotel room with pure air is not just a dream

Imagine going into a hotel room and liking it a lot – not just for the décor and view but also for the air. That’s room air, not the breeze blowing outside.

By the end of 2010, all the Hyatt Hotels in the US will have some rooms that have under gone a treatment to make them hypo-allergenic. As of mid-October, 65 of the chain’s hotels have some guest rooms that have undergone a hypo-allergenic treatment.

The Hyatt Regency downtown Chicago has some hypoallergenic rooms where the air is pure and bacteria are not allowed

It’s great news for people with asthma or who are allergic to dust and fragrances. It’s also good news for travelers who simply appreciate breathing in pure air.

The treatment includes a special attachment on the room’s heating-air conditioning system and a separate purifying filter in the room.

It also has undergone a special cleaning of all surfaces which are then sprayed with an anti-bacterial “screen” so that bacteria cannot adhere to them.

The room is zapped to kill any other organisms still lurking. A special protective casing is put on the pillows and mattresses.

A card left on the room’s desk says it is Pure Room certified and explains what that means.

The decor of the Chicago Hyatt Regency's hypoallergenic room is the same as its other rooms. But it is what is below the surface and unseen on the surface that is different

Hypo-allergenic treatment is performed by PureRoom, a Buffalo, NY based company that has partnered with Hyatt. Rooms are checked and re-certified every six months.

I recently stopped at the Chicago Regency Hyatt to check out a PureRoom.

News such as this is really welcome to someone who is allergic but has to travel for work.

I start sneezing when any dust is around though I don’t have asthma. My nose clogs and my eyes water when sitting in a theater next to someone wearing perfume or in a hotel room where someone used a hairspray or cream that was not odor free.

All a guest will notice in a Hyatt hypoallergenic room is a room purifier in a corner and that the air seems particularly fresh

I was told that even if someone did use something with a fragrance the purifier in a PureRoom would have gotten rid of its scent.

The air quality was excellent.

As someone who is often checking into a place eager to relax but finds the room has stale air, I love that a hotel chain understands about people with allergy problems to help them breathe easier.

The Hyatt charges an extra $20 to $30 for these rooms but this traveler thinks the benefits are worth the price.

Play with penguins

Sometimes the smart travel idea is not a city destination but a special museum experience

You can get up close and relatively personal with penguins at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. By registering before visiting the aquarium, guests can sit with and even pet some of these cute aquatic creatures.

Shedd Vice President of animal collections and training Ken Ramirez answers guest questions while trainer Lana Vanagasem quietly talks to a Magellanic Penguin

The program began midsummer 2010 as a training aid, according to Ken Ramirez, executive vice president of animal collections and training.

“We want them to be accustomed to strangers,” Ramirez said. He explained that the penguins saw their trainers daily but not their veterinarians.

The surprise to strangers is that the encounter room is warm, not wear-the-coat cold. Visitors are told that the Shedd’s penguins come from moderate climes.

On a recent Penguin Encounter, marine mammal trainers Lana Vanagasem and Maris Muzzy brought up two 14 month-old Magellanic Penguins. Named for Ferdinand Magellan, the penguins typically are found around Argentina and Chile.

Shedd trainer Maris Muzzy and her Magellanic Penguin are both curious about the guests at the other end of the room

Born and being raised at the Shedd, these two penguins started out a bit shy. “They are wary of potential predators,” Ramirez said. But he added that they are also naturally curious.

To protect from sharp beaks curiously exploring our feet we donned high black rubber boots. We were also told the penguins were used to watches but were attracted to shiny, dangling objects so other jewelry was best kept away from a penguin’s reach.

When the penguins seemed comfortable with strangers in the room, the trainers moved the birds from their laps to an Astroturf type of floor covering that was scattered with colorful toys.

The penguins seemed more interested in their guests than their toys

Just as good as watching the birds check out the playthings and our benches, was the chance to pet them. Visitors don’t touch the penguins until the trainers hold them and give the OK.

The “penguin encounter” lasted about 30 minutes, not counting hand-washing and boot preparation or instruction time which added another half hour. Our group would gladly have spent more up close time but it was an experience we won’t forget.

To add to the experience, some of us went downstairs where the penguins swim and hang out behind a glass enclosure.

Extend the penguin experience by enjoying them in their Shedd habitat

Opposite the real thing is a wall with pictures and identification of what kind of penguins are at the Shedd.

We did not have any children in our group but if we did they probably would have enjoyed the penguin costumes they could have put on opposite the enclosure.

Penguin costumes hang opposite the habitat, ready to be tried out by humans

Penguin Encounter switches from daily to weekends and holidays after Labor Day. Cost is $25 a person. Children must be at least age 4 to attend and ages 4-10 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information or to register call 312-692-3355 and visit Shedd Aquarium Extraordinary . The Shedd Aquarium is on the Museum Campus opposite Soldier Field at 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605

Use free museum days to cut trip costs

Worries about jobs and the economy have people spending smarter. With discounts offered by the travel industry and tourism destinations there are savings to be had whether at a nearby attraction or further away. Freebies and cost-cutting passes exist if you know where to look.

Travel Smart is searching them out starting with Chicago.

Aside from its reputation as the “Windy City (it’s politicians, not the lake, really), Chicago is known for having world class museums such as the Art Institute. If your dates are flexible try visiting your museum of choice when the admission fee is waived. Just know that free admission is entry to the museum building, not to special exhibits and shows although the latter may be discounted on free days.

Free museum days remaining in 2010 as of Aug. 18

Chicago’s Museum Campus of The Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and The Field Museum (natural history) stretches out into Lake Michigan from South Lake Shore Drive and Roosevelt Road.

Chicago's skyline is picture perfect from outside the Adler Planetarium. All photos by Jodie Jacobs

For one of the best views of the city’s skyline without going out in a boat, walk east to the planetarium at the end of the road without looking back then turn around (bring the camera). The view is worth the walk even on a blustery day.

The Adler Planetarium, 1300 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, 312-922-7827.

General admission is $10 adults, $6 children. The Adler does not have any free days in August but does the rest of the year as follows: September 7, 13-17, 21 and 28, October 5, 12, 19 and 26, November 2, 9, 16 , 23 and 30 and December 7, 14 and 21.

On free days, the planetarium also offers discount show tickets: Theater -$7, Historic Atwood Sphere Experience – $3, Special Guided Tour – $3.

The Shedd Aquarium, 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, between The Adler and The Field, 312-939-2438. Shedd pass $24.95 adults, $21.95 ages 3-11 and 65 and older. The Shedd does not have any free days in August or December but does September through November as Community Discount Days.

General Admission is free: September 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28, October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 and November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30. Admission does not include the Oceanarium, Wild Reef and Polar Play but those attractions are discounted on free days.

T-Rex Susie and other dinosaurs live at the Field Museum — T-rex Sue and other dinosaurs live at the Field Museum

The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, 866-343-5303. Regular general admission: $15 adults (all show and exhibit access pass $29), $10 children (all access pass $20). Free days, including Target Free 2^nd Mondays: August 24, September: 13, 15-16 and 21-22, October 5-6, 13-14 and 19-20, November 2, 3, 10, 16-17 and 30 and December 1, 7-8, 13 and 15-16.

The Museum of Science and Industry, south of downtown at 57^th Street and Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60636, 773-684-1414. General admission $15 adults, $14 seniors, $10 children. Free days August 30, September 7-14, 20, 21, 27 and 28, October: 4-6, November 11 and December: 6.

A City Pass helps the budget when free days don’t fit the schedule. Chicago’s City Pass is a discounted way to see the Adler, Shedd, Field Museums and the Museum of Science and Industry plus the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) or the John Hancock Observatory)at half price. Regular combined admission to these popular attractions would be $134.62 adults and $114.50 for children ages 3-11. The City Pass cost is $69 adults and $59 children.

Art Museums

Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603, 312-443-3600

General Admission: $18 adults, $12 children and seniors 65 and older. Free admission every Thursday 5 to 8 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day) Times are subject to changes so please check ahead.

Visitors from across the globe put The Art Institute of Chicago on their go-to list

Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, 312-397-2660.

General admission: $12, students with ID and seniors $7, free to children 12 and under. MCA has free Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. year-round.