Chicago History Museum displays wedding exhibit

Chicago

Nice day for a white wedding

Do you know anyone getting married in 2011? Take them to the Chicago History Museum's exhibit “I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot” and you'll see that a simple ceremony in one's home with family and few friends was de rigueur. Wedding dresses were brown, green, blue and even black because the dress would then become your special-occasion gown and Sunday best. It wasn't until the late 19th century that the trend for ivory wedding gowns become popular. See some of the museum's vast costume collection, which includes an array of wedding attire for brides, grooms, bridesmaids and accessories revealing 150 years of fashion.

Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday through Monday, Jan. 3, at Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago. Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and students with ID and free for ages 12 and younger. Call (312) 642-4600 or visit http://chicagohistory.org.

Strap on the snowshoes

Would you like to burn between 250 and 400 calories in a half-hour while having fun outdoors with your family? Rent a pair of snowshoes from the visitor center at the Morton Arboretum (or bring your own cross-country skis) and trek to areas not normally available during warmer months. Play snowshoe hide-and-seek or have a foot race while enjoying the quiet winter scenery at the arboretum. Snowshoeing is allowed when there are 4 inches or more of snow on the ground, and the activity is available for all ages.

Reagan Tollway and Route 53 in Lisle. 7 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year. Snowshoe rental is $8 for up to three hours. Admission is $11 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for children 2-17. Discount admission on Wednesdays. Call (630) 968-0074 or visit mortonarb.org.

What's cooking, good looking?The arctic air calls for comfort food as well as a way to subdue cabin fever. You can kill two needs with one ladle at the city of Chicago's World Kitchen, now in its second decade of presenting reasonably priced, hands-on cooking classes downtown. The state-of-the-art culinary teaching facility offers those at any experience level the opportunity to learn to prepare a variety of foods and ethnic cuisines, as well as cooking techniques. January classes include: Kitchen Confidence (a series of four classes), 11 Soups, Quick Dough and That Takes the Cake. Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, 66 E. Randolph St. Chicago. Class days and times vary. Single classes are $30 each and series' classes are $100 for four. Students must preregister by phone, online or in person. Call (312) 742-8497 or visit ChicagoWorldKitchen.org. MidwestTraverse northThe antidote to cabin fever starts on New Year's Day. The Traverse City Convention Visitors Bureau offers a special winter/spring #8220;TC Escape#8221; package that combines special rates at 28 participating hotels and resorts with a wide range of discounts on winter recreation, shopping, dining and entertainment. For winter sports fans, the packages include discounts on lift tickets, ski lessons and equipment, trail passes and snowmobile rentals. There are also deals at area restaurants and discounts on shopping, spa treatments, movies, wine tastings and other entertainment. Each adult guest receives $10 in free play at either of the area's two casinos. Saturday, Jan. 1, to May 19 in Traverse City, Mich. Call (800) 940-1120 or visit traverseCity.com. Kite delightsLet others nurse their hangovers while you reach new heights at the Cool Fool Kite Festival on New Years Day in Milwaukee. The free event is a #8220;Fun Fly,#8221; so bring your kite or pick up a kite at Gift of Wings at Veteran's Park. Watch ice artists carve blocks of ice into masterpieces and then take an ice carving lesson of your own. A Kite Whispererer will be on hand to show everyone how to fly a kite successfully and giant kites will be soaring over the lakefront. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride and enjoy free hot chocolate, coffee and snacks. Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, in Milwaukee. Call (414) 277-9121.Slip, sliddin' in MichiganEnjoy winter activities like skating or toboganning in Echo Valley Winter Sports Park in Kalamazoo, Mich. Reach speeds of up to 60 mph tobogganing down the all-season Everslide sledding surface. Practice your double axels on the 43,000-square-foot ice rink or take a ride down the covered tubing hill. There are no height or age restrictions for any of the attractions.8495 East H Ave. Kalamazoo, Mich. 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, through Jan. 2. From Jan. 8 to Feb. 26, hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Tobogganing and tubing $12, combo tickets $18 and ice skating $7. Call (269) 329-1790 or visit echovalleyfun.com. Worth the tripIf you've been California dreaming, you might want to point the compass south for the seventh annual San Diego Restaurant Week. From downtown San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter to the beaches of La Jolla and Coronado, you can celebrate the New Year with deals at top restaurants during the six-day celebration. Foodies have the opportunity to explore the region's dining scene for a fraction of the normal prices at more than 180 participating restaurants. Tickets or special passes are not required, but reservations are strongly recommended. Sunday to Friday, Jan. 16-2. The list of participating restaurants is available online at sandiegorestaurantweek.com or visit sandiego.org/restaurantweek. 18001200Reach speeds up to 60 mph tobogganing down the all-season sledding surface at Echo Valley Winter Sports Park in Kalamazoo, Mich.