Things to do
Chicago in winter: Our ultimate guide
Bundle up and prepare to brave the cold weather while exploring some of Chicago's best winter offerings.
Things to Do
Discover the best things to do in Chicago, including popular events, festivals, attractions, tours and free activities
Museums
The best Chicago museums
Want to see premier pieces from famous artists? We've got you covered.
Things to do
Where to go ice skating
Show off those figure eights while sliding around the best ice skating rinks in the city.
Things to do
Cheap things to do in Chicago
Our top picks for enjoying the city without breaking the bank.
Things to do
The best things to do indoors
Don’t let the weather get in the way of having a great day.
Advertising
Things to do in Chicago every day
Celebrate the holidays in Chicago
Things to do
Our guide to celebrating the holidays
Celebrate Christmas in Chicago with light displays, holiday theater and more festive events.
Things to do
See twinkling Christmas lights
Few sights jumpstart feelings of holiday cheer quite like sparkling Christmas lights.
Bars
Visit a rooftop bar
Hot drinks, fireplaces, curling lanes and over-the-top holiday decorations make these bars worth a visit.
Advertising
Events at Time Out Market Chicago
Things to do
Stash Holiday Market
Step into a vibrant marketplace filled with one-of-a-kind gifts, handcrafted goods, and curated collections from Chicago’s most talented Black makers,...
Things to do
Storytime with Elsa
Come join us at Time Out Market Chicago for a magical Character Storytime with Elsa & Olaf from Frozen! Get ready for an enchanting experience filled...
Things to do
Holiday Vintage Market
Get ready for the ultimate vintage experience this holiday season!
Join us in person to browse unique finds, sip on festive drinks, and enjoy great music....
Things to do
New Year's Eve: Midnight Fever
Midnight Fever returns for our best New Year's Eve experience yet by transforming the market into a three-story celebration. Chicago house music legend,...
Things to do
Industry Mondays
Enjoy delicious food while sipping specialty Cafeto cocktails; all hospitality workers will receive 20% off their bar tabs.
The latest things to do in Chicago
Things to do
Is Drag Race: The Experience worth it? Our full review of the massive ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’-themed installation.
Gather ‘round, squirrel friends: It’s time to dish.
Things to do
The best January 2026 events in Chicago
Start the new year with events, festivals, concerts, theater shows and more great things to do in Chicago during January.
Things to do
True story: feel-like temperature to dip to -12 degrees in Chicago this weekend
Chicago braces for a dangerously cold weekend as another round of snow moves in.
Things to do
The best things to do in Chicago this weekend
Find the best things to do in Chicago this weekend with our guide to concerts, exhibitions, festivals and more.
Things to do
The best December 2025 events in Chicago
Find the best holiday activities in Chicago, including free things to do and picks from theater, music and pop-ups.
The latest Chicago news
Restaurants
The 2026 Chicago Restaurant Week lineup is here, with a record number of participants
More than 500 restaurants in dozens of neighborhoods will offer specially-curated menus at a great price.
Travel
Miller High Life's Free Rides program is back for New Year’s Eve in Chicago
Molson Coors and the CTA want to get you home safe after a night of revelry.
Things to do
Is Drag Race: The Experience worth it? Our full review of the massive ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’-themed installation.
Gather ‘round, squirrel friends: It’s time to dish.
The latest Chicago events
Things to do
Chicago Architecture Biennial
Every two years, Chicago becomes a global hub of architecture and design during the Chicago Architecture Biennial. This edition’s theme is SHIFT:...
Art
DÃa de Muertos: A Celebration of Remembrance
For 39 years and counting, the National Museum of Mexican Art has celebrated one of Mexico’s most extraordinary traditions with a multimedia...
Things to do
Ice Skating at Maggie Daley Park
Situated in the heart of downtown Chicago with the city's sweeping skyline as a backdrop, the Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park is a winter attraction...
Things to do in Chicago neighborhoods
Things to do
Avondale
The traditionally Polish neighborhood is dotted with arts centers, small parks and interesting shops.
Shopping & Style
Shopping
The best boutiques and shopping in Logan Square, Chicago
Fill an afternoon browsing the neighborhood's shops.
Shopping
19 Chicago gift shops for unique presents
It’s been said that the best gifts in life are free, but no one’s really buying that, right?
Most popular things to do features
Things to do
Paid content
Dennis Scott is the man who makes the Music Box sing
For over three decades, he’s filled Chicago’s beloved movie palace with music, laughter and enough Christmas cheer to make even Scrooge crack a smile.
Things to do
Paid content
For Maya-Camille Broussard, a humble pie can create more change than you might think
The owner of Chicago’s Justice of the Pies shares how food can make just as much of an impact on the dinner table as it can in social movements.
Things to do
This former quarry is the most stunning park to visit in Chicago this winter
Every winter, Bridgeport’s Palmisano Park transforms into a winter wonderland thanks to its massive sledding hill and snow-capped walking paths.
Things to do
Paid content
Simone Mitchell-Peterson is proving that joy doesn’t age
The Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly CEO of 21 years has architected programs that provide friendship and companionship to older adults throughout...
Things to do
Chicago’s first-ever cookie market is coming to Wrigleyville—and it’s benefitting a great cause
At Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, 40 of Chicago’s finest pastry chefs will be offering confections to raise critical funds for pediatric cancer research.
Advertising
Things to do
Best of the City: The nine best things Time Out Chicago editors saw, ate and visited in 2025
Our picks for the year's best restaurants, exhibitions, festivals and more.
Things to do
The best things to do in Chicago this weekend
Find the best things to do in Chicago this weekend with our guide to concerts, exhibitions, festivals and more.
Things to do
The best Chicago food tours
Sample deep-dish pizza, authentic Indian cuisine and more great dishes (and drinks) on the best Chicago food tours
Things to do
The best things to do indoors in Chicago
When it’s pouring rain, snowing or disgustingly muggy, escape the weather with these fun indoor activities in Chicago.
Things to do
The best December 2025 events in Chicago
Find the best holiday activities in Chicago, including free things to do and picks from theater, music and pop-ups.
Time In - movies we love
Movies
'Eternity' review: Endless love gets messy in a likeable, if uneven, comedy
A delightful premise never fully comes to life in this sweet romcom, which is a real shame because it gets off to such a strong start.
At a party to celebrate...
Movies
The best new Christmas movies of 2025 to stream
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, especially on streaming services. Every year, a stuffed stocking’s worth of peppermint-sweet holiday...
Movies
'Zootropolis 2' review: Disney drops possibly the most adorable sequel ever
There have been better animated sequels and more epic ones, but has there ever been a fluffier follow-up than this bouncy, buoyant caper starring at least half...
Movies
'Pillion' review: A tender gay biker ‘dom-com’ that’s heavy with purpose
Sweet, shy Colin is having a shit time. His mother is terminally ill (but still trying to set him up with inappropriate men), his only hobby is barbershop...
Movies
'Hamnet' review: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal extraordinary in Tudor tearjerker
The jury’s out on popcorn and the case has been made against phone use (time to criminalise?), but where do we stand on big, ugly,...
Time In - songs we love
Music
The 50 best karaoke songs ever made
Whether you’ve got the voice of an angel or you’re totally tone deaf, karaoke unites us all.
Music
The 40 best party songs ever made
Party songs come in all shapes and sizes, but to be a party song, there are some rules.