Winter is one of the most lovely seasons of the year in Chicago when snow lends the city an additional glitter. Enjoy the season by participating in a variety of winter activities, such as ice skating under the watchful eye of The Bean, sliding down the hill, snowshoeing along the snowy shores of the lake, or visiting many photo-worthy spots in Chicago.
The snow season in Chicago is the finest season for wandering amid sparkling holiday lights with a mug of hot mulled wine, gliding around one of the city’s numerous outdoor ice rinks, or cozying up in a museum café. Besides, everyone knows hot chocolate tastes better while strolling through snow-covered streets! Here’s a list of many things to do on a trip to Chicago in the winter.
10 Take A Trip Around "The Loop," Downtown Chicago
The Loop is a tourist and business hub that many Chicagoans avoid due to the El's round route around the city's commercial and business sector. Even so, there is rich historical and cultural backdrop there that makes exploring it worthwhile. Go to the peak of the highest skyscraper in the world (well, it was until 1998). The Willis Tower, often known as the "Sears Tower" in Chicago, is a 110-story building. Enjoy breathtaking panoramas of the city and Lake Michigan from the building's Skydeck.
9 Find A Real Christmas Market And Visit It
Chicago's two Christmas markets, which take their inspiration from European customs, are great places to experience the spirit of the season throughout the colder months. Stroll through the heart of Chicago while listening to merry Christmas music and smelling the aroma of roasting nuts while enjoying a warm cup of Glühwein and a freshly baked pretzel or sausage. Christkindlmarkts are among the finest, most authentic, and sole official Christmas Markets in the United States, so there's no need to worry if folks won't be making it to Germany this year for Christmas.
8 Spend Some Time Ice Skating At A Special Facility
Skating on the famous Millennium Park's ice rink should be on everyone's list of things to do in Chicago. One will be surrounded by stunning panoramas of Chicago in the winter, including the city's famous Cloud Gate, often known as "The Bean," covered in fresh snow. Put on your skates and go for a spin over the winding Skating Ribbon in beautiful Maggie Daley. This route is twice as long as a circuit around a standard ice skating rink where there are evergreen trees.
7 Have Some Beverages And Curl With Buddies
Take a trip to the Gwen Hotel's quaint curling rink located on the rooftop. Curling is a famous winter sport, and the iceless rink on the deck atop the building's fifth floor allows guests to enjoy this activity while sipping on a specialty cocktail. In the evenings, customers may relax in front of the fire pits on the rooftop terrace while enjoying the complete cuisine. The Kaiser Tiger beer garden is a popular spot during the course of the summer when it has bocce courts and during the colder months when it is transformed into a curling rink. There are electric heaters for the comfort of guests in between rounds, as well as alcoholic heated beverages, such as hot chocolate and coffee, to warm them up on a chilly night in the beer garden.
6 Try Out Snowshoeing And Sledding
The Soldier Field Sledding Hill, located in the parkland around the old Soldier Field (the ground where the Chicago Bears play their football), is a must for any daredevil sledders. The hill has a slope of 33 feet. When natural snowfall is in short supply, the Park District of Chicago uses artificial snow to maintain a snowy, fluffy sledding hill. There's no better place to see a birds-eye perspective on Lake Michigan than from the peak. A man-made peninsula jutting out into Lake Michigan, Northerly Island is a great place to go snowshoeing just east of Soldier Field.
5 In The Cold, The Zoo Animals Await An Introduction
The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is open every single day of the year, and admission is totally free. During the winter months, people will be able to witness snow monkeys, polar bears, and penguins engaging in playful activities outside. Get out of the cold and into the animal shelters, where people can observe creatures such as various apes, guinea pigs, and penguins as they migrate indoors throughout the snowy months. Many of the species travel indoors during this time of year.
4 Take A Picture Of The Bean In The Snow
The enchantment of Millennium Park is multiplied many times over during the winter months. The Cloud Gate, often known as "The Bean," is one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of Chicago, and it can be found right here. Visitors are advised to take their gloves off before they take a picture of themselves on the reflected surface of the ice and then proceed down the stairwell, down to the ice, a free ice skating rink that the park provides.
3 Enjoy A Drink In The Cold Weather On A Rooftop Patio
There are a lot of stunning rooftop bars in Chicago. This winter, keep toasty while taking advantage of Chicago's celebrated restaurant and pub scene with options for heated outdoor dining that include comfortable heaters, greenhouses, and other individualized outdoor amenities. Among the most one-of-a-kind activities are ice skating on the roof, a pop-up shop decorated in the style of a magnificent landscape of snow and ice, and the private igloos that it inspires visitors to feel as though they are inside a magical snow globe. Make a reservation at one of these roofs that are open year-round.
2 A Beautiful Indoor Garden Awaits
Visit one of Chicago's several free access to a variety of indoor gardens and conservatories to get out of the cold and warm up. The Lincoln Park Conservatory is an attraction located in the historic Lincoln Park that is open to the public and features numerous rooms devoted to the display of exotic plants and flowers. In addition, the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago is a huge greenhouse in the United States, and its 2 acres of verdant greenhouse area make it one of the largest in the country. Find more indoor gardens.
1 Look At The Frozen Lake In Awe
The freezing of Lake Michigan, which allows for some very breathtaking scenery, is one of the many reasons why winter is one of my favorite seasons. Visit the Lakefront Trail to get a close encounter with the skyline and an excellent example of a vantage point of the area. In addition, people can quickly warm up before continuing their winter adventure by visiting some of the city's top retail areas (such as The Magnificent Mile) and interesting museums (such as museums including the Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum).