Illinois: Chicago, Great Events, Unique Activities, and Deals Make for a Perfect Winter Getaway for Families.
Create your own a fun and affordable winter urban adventure with your kids. Top winter activities include museum free days, award-winning theatre, and free family events plus hotel rates as Low as $79 per night including parking.
Fond memories from my childhood make me smile as I pass on the latest information from Chicago. It is a city with much to be shared with kids any time of the year. I love the city even when ruts of ice make crossing the street tricky and snow banks obscure parked cars. Cold weather aside, for affordable fun in the city there’s no better time to visit than January and February. I am passing along highlights provided by Chicago’s Office of Tourism for this year’s fun. Grab the wooly caps and mittens; find the comfy boots and scarves; then make plans to take advantage of urban activities and deals that only happen in the winter months.
Family Fun Activities
Chicago Winter Dance. Whirl and twirl your way through the month of February on the ice or on the stage at the free Chicago Winter Dance festival in downtown Millennium Park. Highlights include free ice skating lessons for all ages and skill levels from 8am – 10am on Saturday and Sundays at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink; extended public skating hours and professional ice dancing demonstrations on Friday and Saturday evenings; and free dance lessons and public dancing on the stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Snow Days Chicago. Held from Friday, January 29 through Sunday, January 31, Snow Days Chicago is a free three-day winter festival on Michigan Avenue in Grant Park featuring a national snow sculpting competition, dog sled demonstrations, a snowboard rail jam and kids activities. Bring the whole family and watch as the city is transformed into a winter wonderland, showcasing over 27 beautiful and unique sculptures made entirely out of snow!
Polar Adventure Days. Don’t let winter slow you down. Enjoy the free Polar Adventure Days held on Northerly Island on Saturday, January 23 and Saturday, Febru
ary 20. Watch as amazing ice sculptures are created right in front of you, meet an arctic dog sled team, and see birds of prey and other live animals. You can also make winter crafts, sip hot cocoa, and even snowshoe (if there’s snow!) Don’t forget to dress warmly.
Freedom’s Sisters. February is Black History Month. Visit the Dusable Museum of African American History from January 23 to April 4 for an interactive multimedia exhibition, Freedom’s Sisters, and learn about 20 African American women who helped advance civil rights in America. From historical figures to contemporary leaders, discover these extraordinary but often unsung heroines who have sought equality for all Americans.
Special Winter Events
102nd annual Chicago Auto Show. The Chicago Auto Show returns to McCormick Place, February 12-21. Now in its 102nd year, the nation’s largest auto exposition showcases a full range of over 1,000 domestic and imported vehicles, including experimental and concept cars, collectors’ antiques and numerous auto-related accessories and exhibits.
Chinese New Year Parade. On Sunday, February 14, don’t miss the annual Chinese New Year Parade. Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with a full day of entertainment and festivities in the heart of Chicago’s historic Chinatown. Firecrackers and dragon and lion dances are a surefire way to heat things up this winter.
Museum Free Days. Chicago is world-renowned for its diverse collection of over 40 museums. Highlights range from dinosaur fossils to submarines to 1960s pop art—ensuring something for every age and interest. Many are free; while others offer free days (admission fees to special exhibits may not be included).
• The Art Institute of Chicago is free on Thursday evenings throughout the year from 5-8pm. Plus, the museum is free every day during the month of February.
• The Field Museum is free on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from January 13 – February 24 (excluding Tuesday, February 9.)
• The Museum of Science and Industry is free on weekdays in January and on Saturdays, February 8 and 14.
• The Adler Planetarium is free on Tuesdays in January and February. The planetarium is also free from January 11-15 and February 8-12.
• The Shedd Aquarium is free on Mondays and Tuesdays during January and February. The aquarium is also free from January 16 – 21 and February 15 – 19.
Theatre - Broadway In Chicago. Highlights of the 2010 Broadway In Chicago winter season in the historic Downtown Theater District include:
• Annie, January 19 - 24
• Dreamgirls, January 19 – 31
• August: Osage County, February 2 – February 14
• The 101 Dalmatians Musical, February 16 – 28
Other notable productions at theaters throughout the city include:
• Goodman Theater – Hughie/Krapp’s Last Tape double bill, January 16-February 24
• Timeline Theatre Company - Master Harold…and the Boys, through March 21
• Chicago Shakespeare Theater - Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors, January 23 – March 7.
• Court Theatre – The Year of Magical Thinking , January 14-February 14
• Steppenwolf Theatre – American Buffalo, through February 14
• Apollo Theatre - Million Dollar Quartet, open run
• Second City – Taming of the Flu, open run
Chicago Sports
Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago is known as one of the world’s great sports towns and is home to seven professional teams. During the winter months, catch a Bulls or Blackhawks home game and become part of Chicago’s grand sports tradition. Both teams play at the United Center, just minutes from downtown Chicago. Along with high-flying NBA action, Bulls' games feature an array of great food and exciting entertainment for the entire family - the world famous player introductions, Benny the Bull mascot, the Luvabulls cheerleaders, amazing halftime acts and much more. Tickets start at only $10. Watch the 2008 Rookie of the year, Patrick Kane, and his team mates face-off against the toughest hockey players of the world. The Blackhawks' 83 years of rich history and tradition create an event full of excitement for all ages.
Here's the deal. Hotel rates as low as $79/night. Chicago hotels offer their lowest rates of the year during the winter months. Take advantage of the great rates at downtown Chicago hotels go to
www.explorechicago.org
Make it happen. Visitors to the city are invited to make their first stop the Visitor
Information Center in the Chicago Cultural Center, located at 78 E.
Washington St. or in the historic Chicago Water Works, 163 E. Pearson
St. at Michigan Avenue or the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph Street. The TTY number for the hearing impaired is toll-free 1.866.710.0294. For more information on the events and
activities listed below or on visiting Chicago this winter (including
booking accommodations). Visitors and Chicagoans planning to entertain out-of-town guests can receive Chicago brochures, reserve hotel accommodations and receive trip planning assistance by calling toll-free 1.877.CHICAGO (1.877.244.2246), or visiting
www.explorechicago.org
Join Twitter. The Chicago Office of Tourism (@explorechicago) provides a seven-day-a-week Twitter Concierge Service offering advice and suggestions about the city. Visitor service representatives answer questions and provide information with a focus on free and discounted events and activities in neighborhoods throughout Chicago.
Water Works Visitor Center. The remodeled Visitor Center offers space for travelers to browse racks filled with maps and brochures about Chicago-area events, attractions and tours, as well as comfortable seating to review the information and plan activities. Friendly and knowledgeable visitor information representatives are on hand to answer questions and help visitors. The Visitor Center is also home to:
First Slice Pie Café. First Slice Pie Cafe serves pizza, sandwiches, soups, salads and homemade pie. A portion of all proceeds is donated to the First Slice community kitchen, which provides meals to homeless men, women and children.
Hot Tix. Operated by the League of Chicago Theatres, Hot Tix offers half-price tickets to more than 200 theaters throughout the Chicago area. Hot Tix are available up to six days in advance and on the day of the show. The show list is updated continuously on
www.hottix.org as tickets become available. Hot Tix is also an authorized Ticketmaster outlet.
Chicago Public Library. The Chicago Public Library offers Chicago reference books for visitors to read in the building. The Library also provides a small collection for Chicago library card holders to check out, in addition to serving as a pick-up location for materials ordered online by card holders.
Locaton on the planet. Water Works Visitor Center is located in the historic Pumping Station at 163 E. Pearson, along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and across the street from the iconic Water Tower.
