Lights, skating and winter traditions
Three light trails have dates set. ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo runs from Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027 — and you should get tickets ahead of time because weekends and late December dates tend to sell out fast. Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe runs from Nov. 13, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027. Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum runs from Nov. 14, 2026 to Jan. 2, 2027 and features a one-mile trail of light displays.[4]
For skating, you have options at different price points. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park runs from Nov. 20, 2026 to February 2027, with free admission and skate rentals for a fee; free lessons with complimentary skate rentals are offered on weekend mornings. The Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon — a quarter-mile-long ribbon — runs from Nov. 13, 2026 to March 7, 2027, and you must reserve timed tickets ahead of time because spots fill up fast. From late November to mid-February you can also skate at the Midway Plaisance ice rink, free, with skates to rent for a small fee.[4],[5]
Indoor traditions round out a cold afternoon. Christmas Around the World at the Museum of Science and Industry opens Nov. 7, 2026 and features more than 50 festive trees. The Great Tree at the Walnut Room in Macy's on State Street is on display from Nov. 7, 2026 to Jan. 17, 2027, sitting in the country's first-ever department store dining room; Macy's holiday windows open in November 2026. The Wreathing of the Lions at the Art Institute of Chicago takes place on Nov. 27, 2026, and the Neapolitan Crèche there is only displayed a few weeks a year. The Winter Flower Show runs from Nov. 25, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027.[4],[5]
Even the transit gets in on it. The CTA Holiday Train has run for over 30 years, with rail cars covered in glittering lights and ornaments and elves greeting passengers with candy canes, Santa's sleigh at the head of the train. The CTA Holiday Bus is covered in lights and brings cheer to neighborhoods one stop at a time.[4]
