Chicago doesn’t sleep when it comes to the holidays! It may be cold, but there are plenty of ways to keep warm and festive! Here’s the Chicago Good Life Guide to Outdoor Holiday Attractions in 2024!

❄️ Christkindlmarket – Christkindlmarket downtown is the quintessential Chicago holiday experience. With two locations, Daley Plaza and Aurora, enjoy shopping, drinking, and eating through this festive German village. The annual holiday mugs are super cute this year! If you’re a cheese-lover, don’t miss the Raclette sandwich! Free to attend. Both locations open on November 22, 2024.

❄️ Winterland at Gallagher Way – My family and I love visiting Gallagher Way during the holidays! This year features bumper cars, Santa’s Chalet, live music, and concessions. More info on ride tickets is coming soon! Free to attend. December 6-22, 2024.

❄️ ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo – This event is one of our favorites of the year! Lincoln Park Zoo transforms into a magical wonderland filled with sights and fun. With over 3 million lights, you can enjoy live ice carving, ride the Ferris wheel, roast s’mores, and much more. Most Mondays are free, while other days range from $7 to $10. November 15, 2024–January 5, 2025.

❄️ Light Up the Lake – Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier features tons of outdoor lights that you can stroll through for free with an incredible city skyline behind you. They’re advertising a new ice slide, axe throwing, and firepits on top of their usual carnival rides like the Centennial Wheel and teacup ride. Free to attend. November 29 – January 5, 2025.

❄️ CTA Holiday Train & Bus – Ride Chicago’s most festive holiday train with Santa! On specific dates, a CTA employee will take your photo with Santa using your device. Be sure to check the website for helpful tips. The standard fare ticket price is $2.50 or less. 2024 schedules are coming soon.

❄️ Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum: Explore 50 acres of the Arboretum’s majestic trees during this one-of-a-kind spectacle of color, light, and sound! They use plan-ahead pricing, which means the earlier you buy, the more you save. About $23 a ticket. November 16, 2024 – January 4, 2025.

❄️ Light of Christmas Drive Thru at Guaranteed Rate Field – Enjoy a synchronized light show from the comfort of your car! Light of Christmas is Chicago’s only drive-thru Christmas light spectacle and is excellent for all ages. Tickets start at $24. November 21, 2024 – January 5, 2025.

❄️ Jack Frost Winterfest Pop-Up: The ultimate holiday pop-up, Jack Frost has 1 million lights, ice skating, holiday pop-up shops, axe throwing, cocktails, and bumper cars. What more could you want in a winter fest? They have tons of price options depending on what activities you want to do, but the bumper cars are included in all packages! Tickets start at $24. November 22, 2024 – January 5, 2025.

❄️ Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo: This event features over 2 million lights, giant illuminated animal sculptures, a 600-foot tunnel of lights, tons of photo ops, and more! Tickets start at $29.95. November 22 – December 31, 2024.

❄️ Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden – The Botanic Garden light show in Glencoe always delights. Walk through a guided 1.3-mile trail throughout the park while lights dance off the trees to synchronized music. Take a break halfway through for beverages and s’mores kits and watch the light show over the pond by an open fire. Buy your parking in advance to save money. Tickets start at $34 for nonmembers. November 15, 2024 – January 5, 2025.

For more Chicago Holiday Headquarters coverage, see our post about ticketed events here!

And you can find our round-up of ice skating and curling spots in Chicago here!

Warm Winter Wishes,

Christine