As many of you know (from seeing our Instagram stories), that my family and I spent a lovely (2 days, 1 night) weekend doing Christmas in Chicago. Our twins turned 8 at the end of November and part of their gift was taking an adventure to Chicago and exploring all it that it had to offer for Christmas.
Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It was truly magical and do you want to know the best part? It was pretty inexpensive. I’ve had a few people ask about the details and how we did it so cheaply, so I thought I would share our itinerary and how we saved a few bucks.
Parking ($22)
We left Madison on Saturday morning around 8:00, grabbed breakfast sandwiches, dropped the dog off at my moms and hit the road. We got to downtown Chicago around 10:45. Brett did a little digging on the parking situation and found that this ramp near Millenium Park only costs $22 per day when you pay ahead online (it would have been $80 if we hadn’t) and it was right near our hotel. This website allows you to search for parking near where you are staying.
Hotel ($165)
We snagged our four-star hotel on Priceline for $160/night after taxes. We stayed at Hotel Julian, right by Millenium Park and it was lovely. When we arrived to Chicago, we stopped by our hotel, but the room wasn’t available yet, so we dropped off our bags (which they hung onto) and we were off to explore Millenium Park.
Activities ($13)
The weather was great, so we took advantage of all the free outdoor activities. We walked the five minute walk to the Bean and then to the Maggie Daley Park area. The playground area is amazing and is especially great in the winter because it’s not busy. It has areas for kids of all ages and my 8 year old twins had a blast.
There are also two skating areas near Millennium Park. There is a skating rink directly in front of the Bean and there is a skating ribbon near the playground. The skating ribbon had less people and was a more fun option in my opinion. It’s free to skate, but skate rentals cost anywhere between $13 and $15. Brett and the girls have their own skates, so I was the only one that had to rent. If you have your own, bring them! (We’ve always had good luck finding kids’ skate at St. Vinnys or Goodwill.)
While Brett and I weren’t excited about this, our girls really wanted to go to the American Girl Doll store. We had given them some money for their birthday, so we let them explore and they had so much fun. If you’re looking to do some Christmas shopping with or for little girls (or boys), it would make a great stop. We didn’t have time to do this, but if your kiddo has a doll, bring it and you can have dinner in their restaurant too!
Around 3:45, we hopped on the brown line to head toward Lincoln Park to see the zoo lights. We had a little walk once we got off the train and the neighborhoods over there are so adorable and decorated for Christmas too. The zoo lights are also free and were amazing! We recommend heading over there just as it’s getting dark (4:30ish). So many fewer people. Don’t forget to check the weather and have your kids wear snow pants or warm leggings. Our girls started to complain of their legs being cold toward the end.
After the zoo lights, we took an Uber back downtown for dinner and then walked the mile or so walk down Michigan Avenue, which is a must for Christmas in Chicago. It’s decorated beautifully and it’s so fun to see all of the store displays with lights!
We also went to the Christkindlemarket, a German Christmas market. There are two markets, and I would HIGHLY recommend going to the one in Wrigleyville. There is one right downtown, but it was SO crowded that we couldn’t even walk through it. It was extremely overwhelming and we got out of there as fast as we good. So on Sunday, on our way out of town, after advice from a friend, we went to the one next to Wrigley Field. They have good German food and drinks, adorable mugs, homemade ornaments/gifts, hats & mittens and so much more. The girls each got a traditional penguin mug with hot chocolate! This event is free, but we did spend money on gifts and food here.
Lastly, on our way out of town, we stopped to see the Home Alone house in Winnetka, Illinois. It was a 20 minute drive north of the city and worth it! My girls are obsessed with Home Alone 1 and 2 and were all about stopping to see the house. Eva was too embarrassed to hop out and take a photo, but Ella was excited. The address is, 671 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka, IL 60093. Plan on seeing other cars there as well. 🙂
Food ($100+)
We ate some delicious food while we were in Chicago. We have the Yelp app and were able to find some really great restaurants! Wildberry Cafe near Millennium Park was a few minute walk from our hotel and had delicious choices for breakfast. They have amazing (gf) options and something for everyone! Get there early though, or you will have to wait. We got there around 8 on Sunday morning and only waited for ten minutes. We also ate dinner at Lyfe Kitchen, which was really good and also had great healthy options! You can really spend as much or as little as you’d like on food.
While the trip was a short one, we all enjoyed Christmas in Chicago so much! It’s a 2.5 hour drive from Madison and worth it for all of the Christmas fun. We hope you’re able to find some helpful nuggets from this post and would love to know if you’re headed there soon!
