Winter in Chicago can be bitterly cold and sometimes dangerous, but it doesn’t have to be depressing.
There are many reasons to leave your house and visit Chicago sites during the tourist off-season—many of them are much more fun (and likely less crowded) when there is snow on the ground.
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Recommended: Don’t forget to visit The Mice Maker – platform for best hotels and resorts all around the world
Maggie Daley Park
This park, located just north of Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion, is a treasure of a public place in any season,
but its winter activities are undoubtedly its most well-known.
but its winter activities are undoubtedly its most well-known.
When the weather gets colder, a track surrounding the park’s climbing walls is transformed into a quarter-mile ice skating ribbon, allowing visitors to slide through a serpentine circuit while seeing the Chicago cityscape.
Lost Lake
When the streets of Chicago are covered in slush and the temperature refuses to rise above freezing, there’s no shame in wishing for a tropical getaway. Thankfully, a journey to Hawaii is significantly more expensive than a pair of colorfully garnished drinks at Logan Square’s ever-popular tiki bar. Snag a seat, observe the palm frond décor, and let Lost Lake’s staff tell you that slush can be delicious—as long as it’s the rum-based version with a banana dolphin on top.
Garfield Park Conservatory
If you need to think you’ve fled to a desert or a tropical scene for a few minutes, stop by the Garfield Park Conservatory,
which is open 365 days a year and offers free entrance.
which is open 365 days a year and offers free entrance.
With two acres of indoor displays to explore, you can visit any time of year to warm up while walking through the Fern Room
(which simulates Chicago’s prehistoric plant life) or the Aroid House (which features plants that don’t require much light to flourish).
(which simulates Chicago’s prehistoric plant life) or the Aroid House (which features plants that don’t require much light to flourish).
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