Hey guys, let’s be honest for a second. In Chicago we only get two season, summer and winter and boy ol’ boy it is freezing out here! Every single year I get so amazed by how cold it can get out here. As much as I love to stay inside during this season there is still so many things you can do to get yourself into the Christmas/Winter season.
Winter WonderFest - Navy Pier
You can never get enough of Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier. This is fun for families, friends, and couples.
Santa Baby Bar
This place is so cute! Its a Christmas themed bar filled with speciality cocktails, deserts, and food. Be sure to check online for ticket information and hours as they vary. This place is also kid friendly before a certain time.
Christmas Themed Bars
Aside from Santa Baby Bar there are a ton more Christmas themed bars:
Frosty’s Christmas Bar
Elf’d Up
Christmas Club Pop Up Bar
Polar Express Train
This is so nostalgic if you use to watch this as a kid. Polar Express is one of my favorite movies and to have an actual live experience? Tuh, magical. This is at Union Station only and you can purchase tickets online. Not to mention they give you hot chocolate and cookies.
Check out some cute lights
One of my favorite thing about winter is the ambiance. The songs, the lights, and the decorations really make it such a beautiful scenery. There are so many places you can go and to name a few:
Lincoln Park ZooLights
Millenium Park
Christmas Around the World and Holiday of Lights
Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic
Macy State St Holiday Windows
Chicago Trolley Holiday Light Tour
CTA Holiday Train
Chicago Botanic Garden
Visit the largest Starbucks in the world
Yes, it’s true just when you think a Starbucks couldn’t get any bigger we have the largest one in the world. The Starbucks Reserve located on Michigan Ave has not three but FIVE floors. Whew, that’s a lot of coffee but actually it has its own restaurant and bar that I recommend trying.
Ice Skating
This is the perfect time to practice your ice skating. There are a couple places in the area that have some:
Maggie Daley Skating Ribbon
Sky Rink at Peninsula
Winter WonderFest
Millenium Park
Midway Plaisance Park
Morgan Park Sports Center
Enjoy some hot chocolate
What’s better than hot chocolate during the winter? Nothing. I live for a good hot chocolate. It could be classic or lets spike it up, to name a few:
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate
XO Marshmallow
Veruca Chocolate
Piccolo Mondo
Xurro
Back of the Yards Coffeehouse
Chocolat Uzma
Jojo Milk Bar
Xoco
Make smores with friends
Sit by the fireplace and make some smores while enjoying each other company
Mall visits
The mall is my favorite place to be during the winter season because its sales almost every week. Here’s some of my favs:
Old Orchard
Oak Brook
The Promenade Bolingbrook
Stay in and watch your favorite holiday movies
There are so many holiday movies you can never get too tired of it. Fix ya up some hot cocoa and put on your favorite PJs and sit back and enjoy.
Learn to Sled
If and when we get those inches of snow grab a snowboard and learn how to sled. Find a steady hill and grab some friends and have a blast.
Go see A Christmas Carol
Yes, the famous Charles Dickens novel is now live at the Goodman Theatre til December 29th.
Godfrey Hotel Winter Wonderland
Yes, the bar at the Godfrey Hotel has a full winter experience filled with a fire pits, plastic igloos, and snow machines. Burrrrr, it’s cold in here.
Whether you spend it inside or outside the holiday season is always a good time to spend with loved ones. What do you plan on doing?
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