Let’s be honest. Around this time of year, we all find ourselves asking the same question: why do I live here? Chicago winters are brutal, with temperatures dipping below zero, grayish slush coating the streets, biting winds, ice slicking across almost every surface, sunsets before five, and gray skies. I’ll be the first to admit that it can get pretty bleak. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real! However, I’d like to submit that the solution isn’t to flee to a sunny beach in California to escape the bitter and depressing weather. There are ways to brighten your dark days right here in Chicago. Here are a few tips for staying sane in our darkest hours.
Visiting a Chicago Conservatory: The Garfield Park Conservatory is a public indoor garden, right here in Chicago. When frost rolls in and the city is stripped to its colorless bones, the indoor display houses at Garfield are still lush and exploding with color and plant life. Visiting is a welcome relief from the cold and gray of the outdoors, bringing memories of summer and a glimpse of hope for the days to come. Garfield boasts a range of display rooms, plants chosen and arranged to mimic a climate or emphasize an idea: the Palm House, the Fern Room, the Desert House, the Aroid House, “Sugar From the Sun,” the Show House, Horticulture House, and the Children’s Garden. Chicago’s Lincoln Park Conservatory is a similar alcove during these winter months. Both are open to the public with a free reservation beforehand. These urban oases are unique to Chicago in their mission, as stated by Jens Jensen, the founder of Garfield, to bring “the country…to the city.”
Ice Skating Downtown: Instead of dreading the winter cold, why not embrace it? Try heading downtown to one of Chicago’s ice skating rinks: the McCormick Plaza, Maggie Daley, or Millennium Park. Each rink is located in the heart of the city and has skating times that are free if you bring your own skates, but for McCormick Plaza and Millennium Park, tickets are only available with an online reservation. It’s nice to remind yourself that despite the downs of winter, there are fun things that come with the time of year.
Stop by Coffee Shops: Another positive aspect of the winter months that we can overlook when the weather seems nothing but bleak is how cozy they can be. And nothing is cozier than snuggling up with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee on a cold day. Chicago boasts more than 3,000 coffee shops, many of these being local small businesses. Wherever you live, I guarantee you there is a coffee shop or cafe not a few blocks away. There’s no better way to get work done or read a book in the winter spirit than to stop by a nearby cafe and get a hot drink. It’s a good way to find comfort and peace in a blustery season.
Hopefully, these tips can help you get started on turning your winter blues upside down right here in Chicago! Next time you consider hibernating for the winter, remember that there’s a lot of fun and joy that the season has to offer as well. And after all, spring is just around the corner.
