Christmastime in Chicago is a Magical Time

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Florida at Christmastime is great. It is sunny, it is warm, Santa wears shorts, there are lighted boat parades… But, it had me missing the nippy yet cozy days in Chicago with mulled wine and roasted nuts. So, for a few days right before the holiday, I headed off to the great white north for a long weekend. Except it wasn’t white. And, it wasn’t even that cold… But, nevertheless, I got my fill of the holiday cheer and got to enjoy Christmastime in Chicago.

I caught a ridiculously early flight out of Tampa, putting me in downtown Chicago by 10am on Saturday morning. Luckily, the hotel I was staying at (Fairfield Inn on the Magnificent Mile) let me check in that early! I got a king room to share with one of my friends (Mel), and it was super cute with modern decor. The only downside was while the layout was attractive, it wasn’t the most functional, especially in the bathroom department. This might sound nitpicky, but the toilet really should have been rotated 90 degrees so my knees weren’t against the bathtub, and there was very little space to hang clothes. Other than that, this hotel is awesome. They have free breakfast, comfy beds, really friendly receptionists (that will even open wine bottles for you), and a great location only steps from the magnificent mile.

It was still fairly early in the morning when I met up with Mel, so we walked over to a local favorite for gourmet donuts, Stan’s Donuts. We were instantly greeted when we walked in the door and treated like the “dazzling divas” that we are. They have all sorts of fancy donuts, but I recommend the traditional blueberry cake donut (good choice, Mel!).

After stuffing ourselves with donuts, bagels, and coffee, we were off to meet up with a birthday friend and deep dish pizza! I’ll spare you all the details as I’m sure you don’t want to hear about all the gossip and catching up between long lost friends. However, I will let you in on a Chicago secret. Don’t going to Uno’s, Chicago’s “original” deep dish pizza. It is a big tourist trap. Go to Lou’s instead. Mmm mmm!

Later in the evening, Mel and I decided to hit up some of the best holiday spots in the city. Up first was the free Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza. It is usually extremely crowded to the point where you have to push your way through, but it is worth it. If you happen to go at an off time (weekday afternoon), then take your time looking through all the German goodies at the stalls. Some of my favorites include hand painted glass ornaments, beeswax candles and soaps, and hand made wooden toys. If it is crowded though, you might skip the stalls unless you have a lot of patience. Instead make a beeline straight for the mulled wine. They serve it in a cute ceramic souvenir boot, and often there is a brass band playing Christmas tunes. Another must-do is eating roasted nuts. There is often a long line for nuts at the chocolate shop, so if this is the case when you are there, you can also buy them in the food area near where they sell chocolate covered fruit sticks.

Another of my favorite activities at Christmastime in Chicago is admiring the lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo. And the best part is this zoo is FREE! There are strands of lights wrapping all of the trees along the paths, there are lights of animals all around, there are icicle lights hanging from buildings and trees, and there are even light displays synchronized to music. As you stroll along the paths, you can warm up with hot chocolate and buttery popcorn, and when you get too cold, you can head indoors to see the monkeys and lions. Pro-tip: It probably isn’t the best idea to drive here. There is parking along the street in front of the zoo, but it is often a battle trying to fight for a parking space if you even find an empty one. Just hop on Bus 151. It runs along Michigan Ave and stops right in front of the Lincoln Park Zoo.

After the zoo we were ready for a small, late dinner. I know, I know… we had already eaten so much during the day! But, in our defense we also did a lot of walking around. So, we were getting hungry again. In my opinion, one of the best snack place in the entire city is Wow Bao. There are several locations, but my favorite is inside Water Tower Place. Order a few (or a lot) of the yummy, hot, steamed buns and a freshly made ginger soda and head up the stairs. Then grab a seat and people watch while you devour your scrumptious snack.

If you need something a little sweet afterwards, cross over Michigan Ave, and go inside the Ghirardelli store. Upon entering, you will receive a free sample! That is typically the perfect size to quash my sweet tooth, but you can also order a delicious ice cream sundae topped with oozing hot fudge.

Going to the movies might not be at the top of your list when traveling, but the new Star Wars movie recently came out, so the following morning we had to watch it. And just in case you are looking for a good movie theater in downtown Chicago, the AMC River East theater is quite nice! And, they don’t have reserved seating (which I don’t care for)!

After the movie, it was time to eat again. One of my favorite things about Chicagoland is how many restaurants try to use all natural ingredients in the food. You don’t have to go to a fancy place to find this either; you can go to a fast food burger joint. And that is exactly what we did. We went to Epic burger, and I had a juicy, all natural, no hormones added burger with crisp lettuce, sweet grilled onions, and a soft wheat bun. My side of fries and ketchup were also all natural with zero high fructose corn syrup! To wash is all down, I got a super sugary and chemical loaded Dr. Pepper.

After sitting in the theater for a few hours and then eating a heavy lunch, we desperately needed a good walk. So, we went off to see the new(ish) ice skating area in Maggie Daley Park. It isn’t your typical oval ice rink. Instead, the path meanders through trees and around a climbing wall. When the kids get tired of skating, there is an awesome playground nearby which I may or may not have played on.

By that time, Mel had to head home because she is responsible and has a paying job, unlike me. I had a few more places I wanted to see though, so after shedding a few goodbye tears and parting ways, I went to see the Christmas displays at Macy’s. As always, they were fantastic, but it was a little odd. There were 2 different stories going on. The first set of windows had different planets (Mars, Venus, etc) portrayed with their own versions of Christmas. Then, the last 2 windows had a Charlie Brown theme. I’m not sure what was going on, but perhaps if I had had the patience to fight my way to the front and read the story I would have understood.

Most uniformed people look at the window displays and then head off to their next destination, but that is a huge mistake. You need to go inside Macy’s for the full holiday experience! Once you find the escalators, pick a direction. Downstairs you will find piles and piles of the awesome Frango chocolate made exclusively for Macy’s. The mint chocolates are to-die-for and melt in your mouth. Nisheet and his family don’t like mint though, so I also know from experience that their other chocolates are just as good. If you head the other direction on the escalator, get off at the home goods level. In the back of the department is a special treat, the Holiday Lane! It is an entire section filled with all sorts of Christmas tree ornament, and I discovered they expanded the area this year! After strolling through all the decorations, get back on the escalator and head up another floor. Then, follow the signs (or ask an employee) to the tree viewing. You will be led to an area where you can look down on the Walnut Room (a famous restaurant) and the magnificently decorated Christmas tree.

I wasn’t quite finished with my Christmastime in Chicago sightseeing yet, so next I walked down to Millennium park to see some more ice skating. It is fun to watch (and skate) during the day, but I think it is more magical at night with all of the lights twinkling from the skyline. New this year, they have placed the city Christmas tree at one of the rink adding to the holiday spirit.

Right next to the rink is The Cloud Gate, aka The Bean. It is basically a giant, metallic, bean-shaped work of art. Tourists and locals alike can’t seem to get enough of it, and there are always lots of people wandering around it, touching it, and taking selfies. The views are always changing, and I love to look at the reflection of the skyline on it, so I probably have 50 million (+/- 49 million) pictures of it.

The following day, and my last on this short trip, was spent catching up with old co-workers in the suburbs and completing my last minute Christmas shopping on Michigan Ave. Although the Magnificent Mile is crowded with tourists, I have always loved to shop there. It is always bustling and full of energy, and there is just as much people watching to do as there is shopping. And, just like with Millennium Park ice skating, be sure to check it out after dark. That’s when all the lights come on and you really start to feel like Christmas is just around the corner.

Not tired of me rambling about Christmastime in Chicago yet? Be sure to check out my top picks of Christmas activities in Chicago.