12 Things to do in Chicago at Christmas

Let's not kid ourselves, the metropolis of Illinois is characterized by cold and wet winters. Snow and sub-zero temperatures are a constant at this time of year, yet it's worth the trip to spend Christmas in Chicago.

Christmas markets, ice skating, typical drinks... there are many activities that will make you forget about the cold temperatures. This article explains everything you should include in your list of things to see and do in Chicago if you travel during the holidays.

From the second half of November through December 24, Daley Plaza hosts a typical German Christmas market. This tradition was born in 1996 thanks to the collaboration between the German-American Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago authorities. The result is so appreciated that it has become the most anticipated event for locals and travelers alike.

A stroll through the Christkindlmarket will take you back to the old continent and give you the opportunity to taste the classics of Germany (and some neighboring countries):

• Glühwein, mulled and spiced wine. The ideal thing to palliate the cold of Chicago. It is made with cinnamon, orange, lemon, star anise, nutmeg and ground ginger.
• Currywurst, a pork and beef hot dog topped with a tasty curry sauce. You can try it at the Donermen's stand.
• Alpine-style raclette. The cheeses are made by the Baked Cheese Haus factory.
• Gyulai kolbász, Hungarian sausage with sauerkraut.
• Traditional and modernpretzels. If you like to experiment, I recommend the "pizza pretzel" with mozzarella and tomato sauce.
• Applestrudel or with an almond and apricot filling. According to connoisseurs, the best ones are sold at Helmut's.

In addition to food and drink, the market offers handicrafts such as Christmas decorations, Advent calendars, music boxes and the typical Krampus figurines.

Practical information

• Address: Daley Plaza (50 W Washington Street).
• Price: depends on what you buy. Note that a glass of spiced wine usually costs about $8-$7.50 while a currywurst with fries is about $9-$8.50 approximately.

The Merchandise Mart, nicknamed theMART, is the largest commercial building in the world. It is located next to the river and has a special feature: at night, its huge facade becomes the backdrop for artistic projections. Because of its location, you may be able to see the building while taking a Chicago sunset cruise or a Chicago dinner cruise

The show is repeated every night of the year (twice a night). However, on the occasion of Christmas, the digital art pays homage to the holiday of December 25. You can check the schedule on the official website.

Also, if you are interested in these themes, I recommend you to book a ticket to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA).

Practical information

• Address: 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza. To see the show you can get a seat at the Chicago Riverwalk pier (corner of Wells Street and Franklin Street).
• Price: free.

Attending an NBA game is an incredible experience that you have to live at least once in your life and Christmas, because of its festive atmosphere, is an unforgettable moment to do so. Therefore, on your trip to Chicago during Christmas you have to buy your ticket for a Chicago Bulls game, because as I said: the atmosphere in the stadium is always spectacular, but at Christmas it is even more so.

When buying your ticket, take into account the choice of seat to enjoy the most. And on game day, don't arrive just in time. An NBA game is a spectacle and I recommend you to live it at the highest level, enjoy the atmosphere, buy some souvenirs, see the dances of the cheerleaders, feel the music and, above all, do not miss how the players enter the court. All of this now so that you can fully enjoy the experience.

An NBA game has an official duration of 48 minutes (4 quarters of 12 minutes each), but between the break where you can go buy a snack or drink and the timeouts it usually lasts up to two hours.

Practical information

• Address: 1901 West Madison Street, in the West Loop, the United Center.
• Price: Different prices depending on the seat chosen.

Don't miss the unique opportunity to fly over the city of Chicago by helicopter at Christmas time. You will have the most breathtaking panoramic views of the city and get the best pictures as you fly over the most popular places such as Navy Pier, Wrigley Field Stadium, Millennium Park, the Willis Tower or the John Hancock Building, among others.

Throughout this three-person tour, you won't miss a single detail, since, during this 45-minute flight, live commentary is included and the pilot will tell you numerous stories and anecdotes about the city.

And if you think you won't hear about it, don't worry about it. This experience includes noise-canceling headphones.

Practical information

• Price: From 811 €.

In the month of December, the Illinois metropolis hosts temporary pop-up bars that feature holiday decorations and cocktails. If you take a tour in Chicago, try to keep the addresses to come back later.

Here's a short list of the best ones:

• Elfd'd Up (Stretch Bar & Grill, 3485 N. Clark Street).
• Rudolph's Pop-Up Bar (3660 N Clark Street).
• Santa Baby Bar (3505 N Clark Street).
• 8 Crazy Nights Chicago (3441 N Sheffield Avenue).
• Frosty's Bar (809 W Evergreen Avenue).

Practical Info

• Address: Different locations.
• Price: Depending on the location, can be around $15 - 14.20 €.

The best restaurants in the Windy City are open for both dinner on the 24th and lunch on the 25th. If you plan to spend Christmas in Chicago, I recommend booking a table well in advance. There are several options and the listing below lists my favorites:

• Maple & Ash, where the grill is the star. It's worth trying both the grilled seafood and their famous rib-eye, a delicious steak cut from the rib of the calf (8 W. Maple Street).
• Osteria Langhe, the Italian restaurant specializing in Piedmont cuisine. It may not be like those in the transalpine country, but its recipes are finger-licking good: vitello tonnato (thin veal fillets with a tuna and caper sauce), agnolotti (stuffed pasta), bagna cauda (a sauce based on walnuts, garlic and anchovies) and other recipes, all washed down with excellent red wines (2824 W Armitage Avenue).
• Tortoise Supper Club, a real time machine. Its interiors will take you back to the 1920s. I recommend ordering the ribs, the seafood starters or the meatloaf (350 N State Street).
• Somerset, the restaurant at the Viceroy Chicago hotel. On Christmas Day they offer a special menu. It is located on the Goald Coast, an elegant neighborhood on the shores of Lake Michigan (1112 N State Street).
• I, one of the best rooftops in Chicago. You can eat on the rooftop even in winter, as the tables are covered by a heated dome (127 W Huron Street).

Note that lunch and dinner times are different in the United States. Normally, dinner is between 6pm and 7pm.

If you like to eat and want to discover more of what the city has to offer in this aspect, my advice is to complement your New Year's Eve dinner with a gastronomic tour of Chicago.

Practical information

• Address: the establishments are located in the most central part of the city.
• Price: all restaurants are mid-high end. In the end, a day is a day and it doesn't happen often a Christmas in the Illinois metropolis.

The City of Chicago puts up a large Christmas tree in Millennium Park. The lighting ceremony usually takes place at the beginning of December and includes characters such as Rudolph the reindeer, Elf, Santa Claus and other seasonal characters.

The ceremony is complemented by concerts and other entertainment. It is definitely one of the best things to do in Chicago with children.

Practical Information

• Address: 201 E Randolph Street.
• Price: free.

If your kids love the movie "The Polar Express", you can give them an unforgettable experience. Polar Express is a special train that pays homage to this Christmas classic. The journey begins with the punching of the iconic golden ticket and, once on board, Santa's helpers liven up the ride with carols and small shows.

The experience lasts about an hour and along the way hot chocolate and cookies are served. If you are interested, I recommend booking tickets well in advance. For more ideas, you can read the post listing the 10 things to see and do in Chicago with kids.

Practical information

• Address: the convoy departs from Union Station (225 S Canal Street).
• Price: there are three tickets, Value ($45 - 42,50 approximately for adults, $40 - 38 approximately for children), Standard ($65 - 61,50 approximately and $60 - 56,50 approximately) and Premium ($80 - 75,50 approximately and $70 - 66 approximately). All prices are approximate.

Are you familiar with the sport? Curling is a winter sport played on a small strip of ice. And an ideal plan if you're considering what to do in Chicago in the winter.

Players must get a 20-kilogram granite stone to a target painted on the icy surface. To straighten this heavy disc, the other participants use a kind of broom to speed it up or slow it down.

You've probably seen it at the Winter Olympics! Well, during the holiday season, The Gwen hotel sets up a rooftop court and offers packages that include rental of the "court" and one or more cocktails. It's a fun experience and gives you a chance to try an unusual sport.

Practical information

• Address: 521 North Rush Street.
• Price: depends on the day. I recommend you check the official website of the hotel.

Whether you're an experienced athlete or a beginner, Chicago has a rink for you. During the holiday season you'll find them at various locations throughout the metropolis, but the most beautiful one is called McCormick Tribune and is located in downtown Millennium Park.

It's a very American option, as it will give you the opportunity to skate in the shadow of the skyscrapers.

Here you can rent your equipment, learn to glide on ice thanks to free lessons or have a hot chocolate at Momentum Coffee (2119 S State Street Chicago).

Practical Info

• Address: McCormick Tribune is located at 1 N Michigan Ave.
• Price: admission is free, but you must reserve a ticket in advance. You can do it through the official website.

Glögg is the Scandinavian version of mulled wine. The Swedes do it a little differently: they add more alcohol (usually aquavit or vodka) and round out the flavor by adding nuts such as almonds and walnuts to the mix. During the Christmas holidays, a Chicago bar becomes the privileged place to taste it: Simon's Tavern. Its owners have been serving glögg since 1934 and, almost a century later, the concoction is still prepared according to the family recipe.

You may be wondering why a Northern European drink has become an icon on the shores of Lake Michigan. The answer is simple: from the early 19th century until 1960, Chicago was a favored destination for Swedish immigrants. The Scandinavian community was concentrated in Andersonville, a neighborhood on the north side of the city.

A hot cup of glögg is the perfect excuse for a stroll here. It's a quiet district that's home to Ebenezerel Lutheran Church (1650 W. Foster), the Swedish American Museum (5211 N. Clark Street) and Rosehill Cemetery (5800 N. Ravenswood Avenue).

Practical Information

• Address: 5210 N Clark Street.
• Price: Simon's Tavern is an inexpensive bar. A glass of glögg is priced at less than 5 $ -4.70 € approximately.

Are you nostalgic for the 80's and every Christmas you don't miss a replica of Only at Home? Then you can take advantage of your stay in Chicago to take a trip back in time. The cult movie starring Macaulay Culkin was filmed in Winnetka, a peaceful town about 25 kilometers from the metropolis.

The McCallister home is an elegant Georgian-style residence, with a floor area of about 400 square meters and a market value in excess of $2 million. Unfortunately it cannot be visited, although on some occasions, the owners rent the mansion for promotions and special events.

Once in Winnetka, you can take the opportunity to visit other places immortalized in the movie. The encounter with Santa Claus was filmed in the small Chestnut Court park, the toothbrush scene in the drugstore at 942 Green Bay Road, while the police officer's escape took place in Hubbard Woods Park (939 Old Green Bay Road). Granted, a route like this can be done any time of year but it wouldn't have the same magic. Home Alone is a Christmas classic and it just wouldn't be the same without snow and festive decorations.

Practical Info

• Address: 671 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka. You can get there by train (UP-N line) from the Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center station (500 W Madison Street). The trip takes just over half an hour.
• Price: tickets cost between 4 $ and 6 $ - 3.80 and 5.60 € approximately.

The metropolis of Illinois is located in the Midwest of the United States, an area characterized by continental climate. In the month of December, minimum temperatures fall below freezing (with peaks of -20º) while maximum temperatures do not usually exceed 3º/4º. The blizzard, a wind that sometimes blows from the north, exacerbates the feeling of cold. But the temperature should not condition you when organizing your list of things to see and do in Chicago.

To find some warmth, you can visit the best museums in Chicago. The Field Museum of Natural History is highly recommended. It preserves an ancient Egyptian tomb, the most complete tyrannosaurus fossil ever discovered and thousands of other gems. It is located on the shores of Lake Michigan (1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago).