Take a trip to Beverly to gaze at the distant Chicago skyline before plunging down a 200-foot hill—among the largest, if not the largest, slope in the entire city. The Cook County Forest Preserve lights up the hill and keeps it staffed seven days a week (Sunday–Thursday 10am–7:30pm, Friday–Saturday 10am–8:30pm) when there's at least three inches of snow on the ground. Want to check whether the hill is open? Call 773-233-3766 ahead of your visit to make sure.
If you're looking for cheap thrills when show blankets the city this winter, grab a toboggan and head to the closest sledding hill. Chicago might carry a certain reputation for flatness, but you'll still find plenty of reasonably-sized slopes throughout Chicago parks and forest preserves, from toddler-friendly bunny hills to a 200-foot behemoth looming over the Dan Ryan Woods. Interested in night sledding? Some of these locations even offer staffed and lighted hills for sledding after sundown (just make sure to call ahead to check conditions before you visit). Don't forget your snow pants and mittens when you check out the best sledding hills in Chicago.
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