Chicago is our favorite place to be in the winter. We know that sounds crazy, but there are so many fun things to do here that aren’t possible anywhere else, any other time of year. Take for instance, The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Where else and when else can you see a Mickey & Minnie Mouse travel down Michigan Avenue lighting one million lights along the way? While you are downtown, you can make your way to Millennium Park to the Ice Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park. This is a really fun way to see new parts of Chicago while you are skating laps around a curvy rink. Chicago also features the one and only, Blizzard Ski Club. This club meets every Saturday at 7am all winter long at the Peggy Notebaert Museum, for a short bus ride to Wilmot Mountain. You can ski all day and the bus returns by 5pm. Jack Turkin ‘20 says that, “Blizzard is a great way to have fun and hang out with friends during the winter.” This ski resort is owned by Epic, the same company that owns Vail in Colorado, so where else can you have a Vail ski experience and return the same day to the great city of Chicago?

If all these outdoor activities are making you shiver, don’t worry, Chicago has plenty of special indoor winter activities as well. A great Chicago winter secret is the pedway system in the Chicago Loop. You can create your own art tour by starting at Block 37 at the Chicago Design Museum and make your way to the Chicago Cultural Center and the Art Institute of Chicago – all via underground tunnels! You can even stay underground in the evening and access The Harris Theater, the Chicago Theatre or the Goodman Theatre from near the pedway for a theatre show. During the day, Chicago museums like the Shedd Aquarium, The Field Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art all provide a warm way to spend the day inside, learning about art, science, culture and marine life. Sydney Schwartz ‘17 commented, “I love going to the Museum of Contemporary Art, especially when they have pop up exhibits like Warhol’s last year.”

If all these indoor and outdoor activities tire you out, remember that Chicago likes to hibernate in the winter and you’ll find a cozy spot in a friend’s living room as well. Mahalia Dalmage ‘20 said “My favorite part of the winter is spending time with friends while drinking my favorite tea.” I hope you can see now why we love Chicago in the winter – and you can, too.