10 Things to Do in Chicago This Winter

The Windy City’s winter months tend to bring bitter cold temperatures, but thankfully there are plenty of things to do in Chicago to keep your attention while embracing the winter months in the good ole Midwest. I’ve compiled a guide to help you defeat the winter blues! Check out these 10 Things to Do in Chicago This Winter!

1. Visit a museum. There are so many wonderful choices for museum visits in Chicago, including the Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, and more. Most of these museums offer free days on select days during the winter months especially. Be sure to check the schedule at your desired museum beforehand!

2. Attend a sporting event. Chicago sports are top notch. Win or lose, the Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks yield so much respect from the city and their extensive fan bases. The Bears wrap up their season early in the winter months, but the United Center is jam packed with Blackhawks and Bulls games!

3. Shop. If the weather permits (or the colder temperatures don’t bother you) shopping on Michigan Avenue is quite beautiful in the winter months, especially during the holidays – with lights – or when it snows. If you’d prefer the indoors, Water Tower Place Mall is my recommendation for you!

4. Ice Skate at Maggie Daley Park. You won’t find a ribbon-shaped ice rink with an architectural backdrop like Maggie Daley Park’s rink anywhere else. Admission is free if you bring your own skates, otherwise it’s $12 per skate rental. This is something you absolutely must try at least once!

5. Attend a concert. Joe’s on Weed St. is always my go-to when recommending concert venues in Chicago because it’s a prime location, the venue itself is unparalleled, they literally book the best country artists, plus they host tons of other events. More opportunities for concerts in Chicago include, but are not limited to, House of Blues, Aragon Ballroom, and Chicago Theatre.

6. Eat. The one thing we as Chicagoans do best is eat. We are known for our pizza, so that is always going to be a “win”, but the city of Chicago is home to so many unique and delectable restaurants, gourmet food shops, dessert places and more. Some of my top suggestions would be Ixcateco, Sprinkles Cupcakes, GreenRiver, and, of course, Garrett Popcorn.

7. Volunteer. Cold weather months bring heightened numbers of people to homeless shelters, so helping out with needs there is always beneficial. My suggestion for finding a volunteering job that is a good fit, is to think of what kind of natural gifts and talents you have and search for opportunities that fit those skills sets. Chicago is full of hospitals, churches, shelters, etc. that could all use volunteer help.

8. Check out the Willis Tower. Wait. For those of us who grew up in the Chicago area, the record-holder for America’s tallest building, located at 233 S. Wacker Drive, will forever be known as the Sears Tower. Anyway, visit it. It’s stinking phenomenal.

9. Theater. Whether you’re interested in a Broadway show, concert, or comedy, there are plenty of choices to suit your needs in Chicago this winter. Try the Chicago Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, or Oriental Theatre to start.

10. Take a class. Take advantage of the time you’re spending indoors and sign up for some fun classes! Cooking, art, continued education, music, whatever it is, chances are that you can find an opportunity in Chicago! To start, decide what you’d be interested in learning more about, and then check out some of the schools in the area such as Art Institute of Chicago, DePaul, or the University of Illinois at Chicago and ask what public classes are available.

There are plenty of things to do in Chicago this winter, find what suits you and do it!