Midwest travel: Chicago walking tour honors 'Drinks, Daleys and Dead Guys'
Chicago
Saucy and bossy
Looking to get out of the house? Consider “A Holiday Tour of Drinks, Daleys and Dead Guys,” an atypical downtown holiday walking tour. Primarily indoors, the tour includes classic and off-the-beaten-path sites and stories. Learn how Mayor Richard J. Daley saved the Christmas Parade; see the Wabash Lights art installation and the Chicago Christmas Tree in Millennium Park; and hear the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer's birth in Chicago. Along the way, get a hot Tom and Jerry cocktail at historic Miller's Pub and then gaze at the holiday tree in the Walnut Room while sipping on your choice of a glass of wine or a beer from Revolution Brewing. 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, and 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30. The tour starts inside GePaDe Caffe, 60 E. Adams St., Chicago, and ends at Daley Plaza. Tickets cost $30 and include tour guide commentary, a printed Pedway map and a candy gift. Guests should bring $21 cash to cover two drinks and bartender gratuities. Online registration is required at chicagodetours.com/architecture-tours/a-holiday-tour-of-drinks-daleys-and-dead-guys/.
Reptiles r us
You can return those oddly sized pajamas to the mall and still have time to see the “Age of the Dinosaurs” exhibit at Northbrook Court. The indoor interactive family-friendly installation is a museum-quality exhibit that takes guests through the Mesozoic era as the lifelike animatronic dinosaurs seemingly roar back to life in their natural habitats. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through Saturday, Dec. 31, at Northbrook Court, 2036 Northbrook Court, Northbrook. $6 admission. (847) 498-8161.
Looks like old Mackie is back
Nostalgia fans rejoice! The Las Vegas-based show, “The Rat Pack is Back,” will be performed live on New Year's Eve at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort. The gala opens and closes with a 12-piece Rat Pack Orchestra knocking out Big Band favorites, plus Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin impersonators will sing and perform comedy routines. Overnight packages include: admission for two, open bar and food stations, live entertainment and dancing, reserved cabaret tables, VIP Lounge access, deluxe hotel room accommodations and the New Year's Day Hangover Brunch. The Grand Ballroom will sport a black and gold timeless theme and offer New Year's party hats, noise makers, a midnight balloon drop and a champagne toast. Along with an open premium bar, food stations offer meat carvings, fresh seafood, handmade pasta and more. Opt for a show-only ticket as well as a satellite party downtown at partnering Kinzie Hotel. 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort, 3500 Midwest Road, Oak Brook. Show-only ticket costs $150 per person; General Package (for two) costs $495 and includes overnight accommodations and extras as well as brunch on Jan. 1; the VIP Package (for two) is $595. Get these and other package details at oakbrookhillsresortchicago.com/ and click on the New Year's Eve tab or call (630) 850-5539 and use promo code VIP16. To book the offer at Chicago's Kinzie Hotel, visit kinziehotel.com/ or call (312) 395 9000 and use promo code NYE16.
Midwest
Chop and chip
Learn how to prepare some new dishes in the new year at one of the 2017 Kitchens of Kohler Series of interactive themed sessions for home chefs of all skill levels and ages. The Kitchens of Kohler Series features four educational events: Culinary Skills Workshops, Chefs Table Dinners, Kohler Chef Demonstrations and Kids Cooking Classes. Scheduled through May 2017, the cooking sessions are led by various chefs and experts from the 12 dining establishments at Destination Kohler and are held in the Kitchens of Kohler, an informal working kitchen at The Shops at Woodlake in Kohler, Wisconsin. Get in on knife skills, pasta making, a sushi workshop, crafting gluten-free desserts and making fresh cheese. There are also cooking classes for kids ages 6 to 12 on Saturdays and hotel packages highlighting the resort's culinary offerings. Dates, times and fees vary at the Kitchens of Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin. Purchase online at kohlerathome.com/events.html or at (800) 344-2838. For details about overnight packages, visit americanclubresort.com/.
With a cherry on top
For a family-friendly New Year's Eve, get to the CherryT Ball Drop in Traverse City, Michigan. The downtown area transforms into a miniature Times Square where revelers can hang out while waiting for the countdown to midnight and the lowering of the enormous illuminated Big Cherry. Plus, there will be a DJ with dancing in the streets starting at 10 p.m., fireworks at midnight and several yet-to-be-announced surprises. Bars and restaurants will be hosting special parties, stores will stay open later and several hotels are close to the party site. The admission charge is three nonperishable food or hygiene items to be donated to local food pantries. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, in downtown Traverse City, Michigan. See cherrytballdrop.com/.