On the road: Your love is lifting me higher

Chicago

All the right moves

Have kids move their entire bodies instead of merely their texting digits by visiting an active new exhibit at the Chicago Children's Museum. Children ages 1 to 10 will dig “Move It,” where they can climb, crawl, jump, balance and bend while building an extreme play space out of huge, movable apparatus. The unstructured physical activity cannot only cultivate kids' cognitive and social development, but also save a bit of your sanity as they burn energy that might otherwise go toward working your last nerve.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays now through April 19. Admission is $14 for adults and kids ages 1 and up, and $13 for seniors. Target Free Family Nights are Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. ChicagoChildrensMuseum.org or (312) 527-1000.

Food, glorious food

When the winter gets tough, the tough get eating, and the eighth annual Chicago Restaurant Week is two weeks of heavy training. More than 250 restaurants in the city and suburbs participate in the celebration by featuring special prix fixe menus starting at $22 for lunch and $33 and/or $44 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). You know you'll be taking photos of your foie gras, so you may as well post those meal pics to Instagram for possible prizes.

Friday, Jan. 30, to Thursday, Feb. 12. Reservations strongly advised. For a complete list of participating restaurants and to make reservations, visit eatitupchicago.com. Visit ChooseChicago.com/CRWContest for contest details and official rules.

Sky's the limit

He makes you walk on air, and she keeps your head in the clouds, so book the #8220;Love is in the Air Romance Package#8221; at Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort Conference Center. On Valentine's weekend, the Illinois property will convert into a skyway for lovers, as private helicopter rides depart from hotel grounds for a 20-minute charter ride for two by SunAero Helicopters, Inc. The package includes an executive king suite, amenities upon arrival such as chocolate-covered strawberries and a bottle of bubbly, and breakfast in bed. The helicopter will travel around surrounding suburbs, and passengers can suggest fly-by destinations (perhaps your home or the spot where you first laid eyes on each other).

Friday and Saturday, Feb 13 and 14. The cost for the package is $1,000, and rooms can be booked on either the night of Feb. 13 or 14. Helicopter times are based on availability between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. February 14th (or February 13th upon request). Reservations for Love is in the Air must be made by calling Ashley Johnson at Oak Brook Hills at (630) 850-5546. For info about the resort, see oakbrookhillsresort.com.

Midwest

Jubilee of Schnee

Snow-sculpting demos, a kids ice cube hunt, wine tasting, live music and a warming chili cook-off are all on the menu at Schnee Days in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Schnee (or #8220;snow#8221;) Days festival in this east-central Wisconsin town once settled by Germans includes a hunt for colored ice cubes, free ice skating, a pool tourney, pub crawl and waiter and waitress races.

6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23; 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Jan, 24; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, in downtown Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. For details. contact the Elkhart Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at (877) 355-3554 or go to elkhartlake.com.

Regal eagles

All eagle eyes will want to point the vehicle toward Utica, Illinois, for an excellent Eagle Watch Weekend at Starved Rock State Park. Hosted by the Illinois Audubon Society, the event offers free lectures and exhibits on wildlife photography, Native American dance and birds of prey programs. Bring binoculars to view eagles from the lodge's veranda, and plan to visit some activities for your young eaglets, too. The Starved Rock Trolley Shuttles will run both days with stops at Starved Rock Lodge, the Starved Rock Visitor Center and the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to Sunday, January 24 and 25. Starved Rock Lodge, Routes 178 and 71 in Utica, Illinois. (800) 868-7625 or starvedrocklodge.com.

Frigid air in Amana

Beat the blues with a trip to Iowa's Amana Colonies during Winterfest, which offers activities from the sublime (wine walk) to the ridiculous (ham-tossing contest and the best beard competition). Enjoy breakfast the way it used to be at the Amana Communal Kitchen. Then it's time for a winter wreath toss, ice skating, sledding and snowshoeing to burn some calories. Kids will go for icicle decorating, make-your-own snow globes and chocolate dipping. The Winterfest shuttle whisks visitors from eagle-watching to the log-sawing competition. Knitting, spinning and quilting demos and live music round out the long list of things to see and do. Lodging in the Amana Colonies ranges from quaint BBs to full service hotels and condos.

9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, throughout the Amana Colonies, Amana, Iowa. festivalsinamana.com or (800) 579-2294.