Midwest travel: Get dancin' at Chicago Children's Museum's Snow Globe Party

Chicago

Dance in a snow globe

Chicago Children's Museum invites families to experience the joys of winter indoors at a Snow Globe Party. Dance among snow flurries; throw snowballs; and play and build together when the Great Hall becomes a life-size snow globe with thousands of flakes floating through the air. Create wintry art projects from card making to drawing winter scenes, and get in on the Snow Ball Toss with soft, fluffy versions. 2:15 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 and 18, and Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 26-28, at Chicago Children's Museum, 700 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Winter programs are included in museum admission, which is $14 for adults and kids and $13 for seniors. (312) 527-1000 or chicagochildrensmuseum.org/.

'Night at the Nutcracker'

You still have time to take advantage of the partnership between The Joffrey Ballet and JW Marriott Chicago for the "Night at the Nutcracker" package. Enjoy a holiday ballet experience that includes 1893 World's Fair-inspired bites and treats; breakfast for two in-room or at Florentine; two VIP tickets to "The Nutcracker"; Nutcracker "swag bag" that includes a signed pointe shoe, magnet, poster and commemorative program; overnight accommodations; and more. Available Dec. 10-30, pending "Nutcracker" performance availability, at the JW Marriott, 151 W. Adams St., Chicago. "A Night at the Nutcracker" package rates start at $447 with rate code PKG. Make reservations at (312) 660-8200 or marriott.com/hotels/travel/chijw-jw-marriott-chicago.

Chi-Town Rising

Chi-Town Rising, an epic New Year's Eve celebration complete with A-list entertainment, midnight fireworks and festivities, returns to usher in 2017. Sheraton Grand Chicago, an official sponsor of the event, boasts direct views of Chi-Town Rising from its guest rooms and sky-high Club Lounge. Choose from three options: Front & Center lets you enjoy the event from the comfort of your deluxe guest room; A View From the Top is a special viewing party from the hotel's bi-level 33rd floor Club Lounge, with a DJ, champagne toast at midnight, hors d'oeuvres, all-day snacks and beverages and continental breakfast the next morning: and Bundle Up & Save lets guests reserve an event ticket online and then retire for the night in a traditional room at the hotel. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago, 301 E. North Water St., Chicago. Front & Center rates from $359. Bundle Up & Save rates from $209 with a city skyline view. A View From the Top rates: Club Room from $499. To book, call (866) 716-8134 and ask for the New Year's Eve special offers. sheratonchicago.com/offers/.

Midwest

Cuckoo for choo choos?

Members of the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society congregate in Madison to show off their large-scale model trains during the Holiday Express at Olbrich Botanical Gardens & Bolz Conservatory. Trains and setups will change during the course of the exhibit, so you may witness bullet trains, steam trains, freight trains, a Santa or a circus train. Trains will wind through holiday scenes adorned with hundreds of poinsettias, fresh evergreens and elaborate Lego displays. While in Madison, don't miss Holiday Fantasy in Lights, a free display in Olin Park open from dusk to dawn until Jan. 2. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily though Dec. 31 (closes at 2 p.m. Dec 24; closed Dec. 25) at Olbrich Botanical Gardens & Bolz Conservatory, 3330 Atwood Ave., Madison, Wisconsin. $5 for adults, $3 for kids 3-12, and free for kids 2 and younger. Admission to the Bolz Conservatory is included. (608) 246-4550 or olbrich.org/events/holidayexpress.cfm.

Snow and glow show

The Abbey Resort and Avani Spa in Fontana, Wisconsin, will be lit with seasonal magic during Glow Week. Toss glowing bouncing balls, sit around bonfires, splash during glow pool parties, make crafts such as neon tie-dye, decorate cupcakes with glow-in-the-dark marshmallow frosting, and take in a special Neon Night with games, activities and competitions lit up with black light. Outdoor adventures include harborside ice skating and cross-country skiing. Overnight packages include the Winter Break at the Lake package; Heroes Package with a 20 percent discount for all military personnel; Girlfriends' Getaway package featuring spa discounts; and a Spa and Stay Free package. Look into the New Year's Eve Half Night of Fun designed for kids 4 to 12; the New Year's Eve Breakaway Bash for Families; the New Year's Eve Gala; and other ways to ring in 2017 on the shores of Lake Geneva. Dec. 26-31 at The Abbey Resort and Avani Spa in Fontana, Wisconsin. For details, call (800) 709-1323 or see theabbeyresort.com/special-pkg/seasonal-specials.aspx.

Something's fishy

Are you up for braving frigid temps on New Year's Eve just for some fish? Carp Fest in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, features snow sculptures, an arts and crafts show, the whacking of a carp piñata, snowmobile rides, fireworks, carp sampling, and skiing, sledding or hiking by torchlight. The festival culminates with a bonfire, music, a laser and pyrotechnics show and the "Droppin' of the Carp," a hefty frozen Mississippi River rough fish, at midnight. Don't miss your chance to kiss Lucky the carp for a year's worth of good fortune in 2017. 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Dec. 31, at Lucky Park in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Free. (800) 732-1673 or carpfest.org/p/carp-fest-events-for-2016-will-be.html.