1. Go Ice Skating

Both Maggie Daley Park and Millennium Park have ice rinks that open up in the winter. Millennium Parks ice rink is your traditional oval rink and Maggie Daley’s is almost like a lazy river vibe. I loved Maggie Daley’s rink, but you can’t go wrong with either and you’ll most certainly enjoy yourself at both.

2. Christmas Bars

There are a plethora of Christmas themed bars to go to in Chicago. Get in the festive spirit and head over to a few of them. There are tons of pop up bars just for the season and several bars that take on the Christmas spirit and transform themselves into Christmas bars. All of them are unique and most come with an admission ticket which will get you in and usually buy you a drink or two.

3. Lincoln Park Zoo

The zoo is open year round and is one of the only in the country where admission is free. It is well worth the visit, especially when the Lincoln Park zoo lights are happening. The entire zoo is transformed into a light show. It’s very affordable and the zoo even does free days (usually fall on a Monday). The cold weather animals could be out and about as well.

4. Go to a Museum

Chicago has a plethora of museums and anyone should be able to find one that aligns with their interests. Here’s a list of just a few that you could visit:

• Adler Planetarium
• Art Institute of Chicago
• Field Museum
• Shedd Aquarium

5. Christkindlemarket

A very unique German market that is open from late November to late December. Vendors sell authentic German food and treats from pretzels to hot chocolate. It’s a great atmosphere and the market itself is gorgeous and almost makes you feel like you aren’t in Chicago.

6. Chicago Architecture Tour

This is an absolute must do for anyone visiting Chicago. It’s a boat tour that takes you up and down the Chicago River while one of the talented tour guides is informing you about all the cool and unique history behind the buildings as you float by.