Winter Break Ideas!

By: Cecilia Thyen

Winter in Chicago is long and dreary. Luckily there are a ton of fun and free activities around the city to make the cold a bit more bearable. These activities are perfect to do over winter break. Every year, the Lincoln Park Zoo gets covered in LED lights and decorations for the iconic Zoo Lights. Zoo Lights is an annual event filled with twinkling lights, hot chocolate, and ice sculptures. “I love zoo lights! It is so cute to walk around and the hot chocolate is so good,” noted Sophia Rivera, ‘21. Zoo lights is a free event and lasts from November 29th to January 5th, excluding december 24th and 25th. “I just went to zoo lights last weekend. It was great!” stated Hyla Carr, ‘24. 

Another great activity is ice skating at the Maggie Daley Ribbon. The ribbon is free entry, but you have to pay to rent skates. So if you have your own, make use of them! Make sure to check out the Maggie Daley Ribbon website for more information to plan your visit. “I try to go and ice skate every Sunday morning of the winter. It’s tradition and it is super fun,” said Emily Ariyama, ‘20. There are usually long lines to rent skates, so it is smart to get there early, or during a zamboni break. 

If you like good food, tasty drinks, and holiday shopping, you should check out the Chicago Christkindlmarket! The market is full of booths selling German goodies and is free to enter and browse around. “The potato pancakes are for sure the best part,” stated Bryan Bermeo, ‘20. The Christkindlmarket is open from November 15th to December 24th and is a great place to buy holiday gifts! The location in Daley Plaza is great, it is surrounded by pretty buildings and wonderful holiday decorations. These are all outdoor activities, but you will have so much fun you will forget about the cold. Have a great winter break and Happy Holidays from The Beacon!