Plan Your American Girl Doll Store Visit in Chicago

The original American Girl Doll store, The American Girl Place - Chicago, focuses on providing little girls with a special retail experience and focuses on making millions of happy memories for little girls.

The Chicago store opened in 1998 and has since spawned 8 other American Girl stores around the country due to it's success. Ten years after it's opening, the store was moved to it's current location at Water Tower Place in 2008.

Chicago is an ideal location to visit when considering which American Girls store to visit. There are lots of hotels offering American Girl Stay packages, plenty of other entertainment and tourist activities, and lots of other shopping available.

Here you will find information about American Girl Place Chicago, and information about the surrounding activities, hotels, and restaurants.

• Shopping: There are 2 floors of American Girl products to browse through. You will be able to find all of the American Girl dolls here. If something is not out, there are usually many salespeople on the floor waiting to be asked a question. You can even arrange for a Personal Shopping Assistant (free of charge!) to help you with your in-store experience.

• On the First Floor you will find the Bookstore along with the Historical Characters and their outfits, and accessories. The Photo Studio and Bitty Babies are on this floor as well.

• The Second Floor features My American Girl dolls and their accessories. You will also find the Pet Shop, the Doll Hair Salon, Creativi-Tees, Souvenir Displays, Doll Hospital and the Cafe on the floor.

• Dining:
  
• Dining at the American Girl Cafe: On the Second Floor, there is a restaurant that serves brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. The Cafe can also host special parties here. The AG Cafe does a really good job of making this dining experience special. They provide Treat Seats for your child's doll to sit at the table with you, and lots of other little extras. TIP: You can purchase these treat seats at the store, but they are not available to order online. So if you want one, buy it at the store!
  
  
• Call 877-247-5223 to make reservations ahead of time as this is a very popular thing to do when visiting the store. If you don't make reservations, you can always check at the desk to see if there is room available.
• Brunch starts around 9:30am and is $19 per person.
• Lunch seatings begin at 11:00 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. It runs $21 per person.
• Afternoon tea is at 4:00 pm, cost is $17 per person.
• Dinner is at 5:30 pm or 7:30 pm with a cost of $22 per person.

There are only three American Girl Cafe's. One in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Other cities either don't have a dining option, or have the American Girl Bistro.

• Photo Studio: The American Girl Photo Studio is the place where your daughter will really feel like a star for the day. Here she has the opportunity to get her picture taken with her doll and then have it put on a souvenir issue American Girl Magazine Cover. She even gets to select the background! The Chicago store also has the only Celebration Screen. This allows your daughter to have unlimited photo shoots throughout one year.
  

  • These packages cost around $22.95–$34.95.
  • The Celebration Screen package is $5.
    
  • Parents and friends are not allowed to take personal photos.
  • No reservations are accepted, so it is strictly on a first come first serve basis.
  • The images are not stored, so you can not order more pictures at a later date. Be sure to order the images that you want when you are there.

• Doll Hair Salon: At the American Girl Doll Hair Salon, your daughter can choose from a few different pampering options. Choose from a menu of hair designs - from the double half-ponytail braid to the double flip twist - for her to select. Keep in mind that every hairstyle is not available for every doll. It depends on how long their hair is, but the Doll Stylists will help you with your selection if needed. Another service that the salon provides is Doll Ear Piercing & a Pampering Package.

  • The cost for the hair styling runs between $10-$20.
    
  • The American Girl Doll Ear Piercing costs $14, and includes the classic silver earring collection so she can change the earrings to suit the outfit!
    
  • The other add-on package available at the Salon is the Pampering Plus Package. Here the stylist will give your doll a facial scrub and a set of nail decals to take home. This package is $5.
  • This is another popular activity so if this is on your to-do list, be sure to get in line and drop your doll off at the beginning of your shopping trip. After you pay for the service, your doll will be put in line to have her hair done. They will give you a time to come back to pick her up.
    
  • If you want to learn how to recreate these hair do's on your own, there are Special Event classes that will teach you and your daughter just how to do that.

• Creativi-Tees: This is a fun experience! Your daughter gets to choose from a bunch of designs and graphics, then select the style and color of the t-shirt for her doll. This is a great activity that is only available in the Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, and New York stores. My kids loved this!

You can't order these kinds of experiences from the American Girl Catalog, so take advantage of the opportunity when you are in the store.

• Doll Hospital: Perhaps your daughter already has a doll, or is receiving a doll that is being passed down. If her doll is in need of some repair and TLC, you can drop her off at the Doll Hospital. If you do, be aware that she will need to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks and when she is all better, they will send her back home to you.
  

Each hotel offers slightly different American Girl Stay Packages, but they are all fun! Most include a bed for your doll that you are able to take home with you. They also usually include a snack or movie and a few other extras. Some include breakfast or a discount for a meal.

• The Drake Hotel
• The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers
• Best Western River North Hotel
• Wyndham Chicago
• Intercontinental Chicago
• Embassy Suites Downtown Chicago
• Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
• Omni Chicago Hotel
• Four Points Chicago
• Ritz-Carlton Chicago *In the same building (Water Place Tower) as the American Girl Place.
  
• Affinia Chicago
• The Sutton Place Hotel Chicago
  

Portillo's Hot Dogs - This place is full of ambiance and cheap food. Kids love it just as much as the adults do.

Giordano's - The best Chicago style pizza around! You may find a line at the door, but the wait is worth it!!

Ed Debevic's - If you know before you go that the waiter's will try to insult you, you will have a good time.

Rainforest Cafe - If you've never been, your child will love eating here. Lots of atmosphere, but the food is sometimes found lacking.

Foodlife Food Court @ Water Tower Place - In the same building as The American Girl Place, this ain't your usual food court. This is sort of an upscale multistation food court that serves up made-to-order food.

Feed - A rare gem of a restaurant to find in the city. Comfort food & burgers are what it's about here.

Greek Islands Restauant - What kid won't love a flaming plate of food delivered with a "Opah!!"? A lively family friendly place with fabulous Greek food.

Original Pancake House - Need a yummy breakfast to get you started before shopping all day? This is the place! Try the Dutch Baby.

Dave & Busters - If you don't have a D&B where you live, it is a nice place to combine dinner and entertainment. It is a restaurant with a huge arcade that will suck lots of dollars out of your pocket - but you'll have a good time.

Molly's Cupcakes -Very highly rated for their confections. If you are close to the Lincoln Park Zoo, stop in for an afternoon snack.

Chicago is full of things to do. When she is finished playing with her American girls dolls, check out this list of some of the popular things to do and see in Chicago ...

• Shedd Aquarium
• John Hancock Observatory
• Sears Tower
  
• Children's Museum & Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier
  
• Lincoln Park Zoo (Free!)
  
• Take a Neighborhood Tour by a Chicago Greeter
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Bobby's Bike Hike
• See the show Wicked
• Go Ice Skating at Grant Park or Millennium Park
• Try a Museum Scavenger Hunt