Great Things to do in Chicago: The Swap-O-Rama Flea Market in Alsip, Illinois

Posted on January 11, 2012

Everyone who comes to visit Chicago wants to get the most out of their vacation, but that doesn’t mean that they’re willing to break the bank to do it. For Chicago visitors who are looking for a lower-cost tourism option during their stay we recommend stopping by the Swap-O-Rama Flea Market in Alsip, Illinois. This event is the largest indoor/outdoor permanent flea market in Chicago with over 800 individual booths of merchandise where visitors and residents can get some great deals on a variety of types of merchandise. The market runs on Saturdays & Sundays from 7:00 am until 2:00pm and is conveniently situated less than 5 minutes from our Alsip hotel: The Days Inn Alsip.

There are many things to do in Chicago for discerning bargain shoppers and tourists, but this event will definitely please them all. Every visitor will all enjoy stopping by the Swap-O-Rama Flea market for lots of great browsing and some great finds for gifts and souvenirs. The admission fee to the market is $1.00 per person which gives you access to hundreds of stalls (selling new and vintage items), plenty of food options (from breakfast items to snacks) and best of all, free parking!

There are plenty of types of items for sale at the market including:

Furniture
Household items and wares
Clothing
Crafts and artwork
Books
Ceramics and glassware
Produce

Our biggest tip for the market is that the sellers are usually willing to bargain, and the deals get even better towards the end of the day. If you’re looking for other things to do in Chicago and great prices for the entirety of your trip, why not stay at our Alsip hotel, where we have the best prices for accommodations in Alsip, Illinois? Our Days Inn Alsip hotel is located near many of Chicago Southland’s best tourist hot-spots and our experienced staff can help you get the inside scoop on the best places to eat and play in Alsip.

Family-Friendly Christmas Events in Chicago Southland: Presents, Reindeer and More!

Posted on December 9, 2011

Alsip, Chicago is a great place to bring your family over the holidays. With plenty of family-friendly Christmas events going in and around the Alsip hotel area, it’s the ideal location to stay when visiting Chicago this December. Our Days Inn Alsip is conveniently located near all of the Christmas events listed below. Why spend your entire vacation in the car when you can take advantage of these great family-friendly Christmas events right near Alsip?

Santa’s Breakfast at Odyssey Fun World , December 18^th – Every year Odyssey Fun World (an extremely popular attraction in Tinley) hosts a breakfast with Santa, which is guaranteed to please younger children! The breakfast (which is located just 20 minutes from our Alsip hotel) lasts from 8:oo am – 11:00 am and costs $15.00 which includes $5.00 worth of tokens for indoor game play at the facility. While the breakfast is only three hours, your family is sure to find plenty of things to do for the whole day with their other indoor attractions including:

A 4-story tall soft play structure designed for children age 1-10
Indoor rides including a ferris wheel and roller coaster.
Bumper cars
Laser tag
Arcade

This is a great way to beat the cold weather during your Christmas visit to Chicago, and keep your family happy at the same time.

Family-Friendly Christmas Events Near in the Chicago Southland Area

The Holiday Celebration at Oak Lawn Children’s Museum, December 10^th – The Oak Lawn Children’s Museum is situated just 10 minutes from our hotel and is a great place to educate your kids, while keeping them entertained. On December the 10^th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm the museum will be hosting a crafts day where children can make presents for family members, meet Santa, watch a holiday puppet show and enjoy getting their face painted. This family-friendly Christmas event is suitable for children ages 10 and under.

Tree Lighting Ceremony in Oak Forest, December 10^th – The City of Oak Forest (just 10 minutes from our Days Inn Alsip hotel) is hosting a tree lighting ceremony on the 10^th and is a fun local display for all ages. Join the city’s mayor and Santa Claus as they start the holiday season off right, by lighting the Tree, hosting a parade, offering prizes to the best tree-decorators and providing refreshments for visitors.

Secret Gifts and Reindeer Magic, December 17^th & 18^th – Tinley Park (just a 15 minute drive from our hotel) is picturesque village ideal for visiting during Chicago’s Winter season. On December the 18^th they’re hosting a workshop where children are able to make and wrap 4 secret gifts to surprise their family members with on Christmas morning. At the workshop they’ll also learn how to make some magic reindeer food that they can sprinkle outside their home on Christmas Eve to attract Santa’s reindeer! This unique event runs on the 17^th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and on the 18^th from 2:30pm to 4:30 pm and is suitable for children ages 6-10.

Seasonal Events Start Early in the Alsip Hotel Area

Posted on November 18, 2011

The holidays are a great time to visit Alsip, Chicago, but if you can’t make it down during December, there’s still plenty going on in November to satisfy your seasonal inclinations! If you’re looking for some entertainment for the whole family, why not stop by the Alsip Park District on November 21^st (it’s just 5 minutes from our Days Inn Alsip Hotel) for one of the first Christmas events of 2011, their Family Ornament Night where families from and visiting the Chicago area can stop by the Apollo centre and make some beautiful ornaments to use during the Park District’s Light up the Park ceremony on November 29^th.

The event, which will help get your whole family in the holiday spirit, is a fun way to help the park district decorate for the season. If you can’t help make the decorations on the 21^st, don’t worry, you can still stop by to watch them being hung up during the Light Up the Park ceremony on the 29^th. The event involves covering the giant evergreen tree in front of the Apollo Center with handmade decorations, and, after stopping to admire your work, guests are invited indoors for some carols, cookies and cocoa. This is a great way to enjoy local events in the Alsip area, without having to make a long trip!

If you’re travelling with younger children, or just feel like carrying that seasonal-feeling onward to the rest of your stay at our Days Inn Alsip Hotel, why not stop by Westfield Chicago Ridge Mall, just 10 minutes from our hotel. Not only does it have some great Christmas (and Black Friday) deals to give you a head start on your holiday shopping, but it also has some exciting seasonal events like one of Santa’s first visits to the Alsip hotel in 2011 where he is available to listen to your children’s holiday wish lists, and to take some photos starting at 10:00 am daily (with the exception of Thanksgiving Day on the 24^th).

Visiting Alsip, Chicago during the Holiday Season? Contact our Days Inn Alsip Hotel reservations team to make sure that you get the best deal on your stay, so that your holiday vacation is just a little bit brighter.

Alsip Hotel Events at Orland Square Mall

Posted on November 16, 2011

It’s not always easy to find something the whole family can enjoy doing when on vacation. Often, parents want to shop and sightsee while kids don’t always enjoy the same things. That’s the reason why one of the things we recommend is stopping by Orland Square Mall if you’re staying in the Chicago Alsip area. Located just 15 minutes from our Days Inn Alsip hotel, the mall puts on a large number of great monthly events and deals and is the perfect place to bring your family to keep everyone entertained.

One of the largest, most upscale malls in Chicago’s southern suburbs, Orland Square Mall has hundreds of stores (as well as a large children’s play area and an Island carousel) to make sure you won’t run out of things to do and see. Staying at our Chicago Alsip hotel in the near future? Make sure you stop by to check out the mall’s many events this month including free birthday portraits at the JC Penney studio, an event in Pottery Barn dedicated to helping parents master the basics of holiday entertaining (from Thanksgiving to Christmas to everyday buffets), as well as an upcoming beauty pageant from one of the premier beauty pageants in the country.

We think the mall is a perfect place to spend a day on your next visit to Chicago and, If you’re thinking of stopping by, don’t forget to check out the mall’s “Deals” page, updated frequently with the newest promotions the mall has to offer so you can get the most out of your visit. This month’s deals include the many specials in place to help support the fight against breast cancer since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Visiting with the whole family? Make sure you stay in our pet-friendly Alsip hotel location.

For many families, a visit to Chicago isn’t complete without their favourite furry companions. We understand, and that’s why we allow all the members of your family (even the four-legged ones) to stay with us.

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