Winter wonderlands: 10 can't-miss local holiday attractions
There's no place like home for the holidays. And around home this season, there's no shortage of ways to get into the holiday spirit.
From train rides to the North Pole to cultural celebrations around the world, we've put together a list of the top holiday experiences in the city and suburbs — with more than enough twinkly lights, decorations and activities to get everyone in the family psyched about the season.
1. Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum
The popular Illumination: Tree Lights returns to the Lisle outdoor tree museum, transforming a wintertime walk in the woods into a colorful and unique experience of light and music.
Guests get a chance to — literally — see trees in a new light on a one-mile walk along the lake while experiencing interactive elements, entertainment and warming stations. They can interact with trees that respond to voice or touch, discover how a tree reacts to a hug or control the action of images projected onto the trees.
“With cutting-edge lighting and sound, Illumination not only amplifies the unique beauty of trees in the wintertime, it also offers visitors of all ages the unique opportunity to interact with the trees around them,” said Sue Wagner, Arboretum spokeswoman.
New this year is a light experience that creates the illusion of skipping stones on Meadow Lake, an all-new Garden of Light, where music and light converge to energize the museum's historic hedge collection, and a new take on Symphony Woods, where visitors can watch lights dance to the music of the Nutcracker Suite.
Info: Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. For information and tickets, visit mortonarb.org/illumination. Display runs through Jan. 2. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the last entry at 8:30 p.m.
2. Festival of Lights in Aurora
One of the largest free outdoor drive-through holiday lights displays in Northern Illinois returns for its eighth season.
A partnership between the Rotary Club of Aurora and the city of Aurora, the winter event features more than one mile of lighted displays in Phillips Park, with new animated displays and 50 additional lighted trees this year. Favorites include Santa's Toy Factory, Old Man Winter, elves and reindeer, holiday trains and gigantic snowflakes.
The attraction, open daily from Friday, Nov. 27, through Dec. 27, has pulled in more than 21,000 cars per season. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Info: Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive, Aurora. www.aurorafestivaloflights.com. Free admission; donations accepted.
3. Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
The area's largest lights festival, with more than 1 million twinkling lights, returns to Brookfield Zoo on weekends in December.
Holiday Magic festivities, presented by ComEd and Meijer, include lights illuminating the zoo's walkways, more than 500 trees decorated by community groups, ice-carving demonstrations, a 41-foot talking tree and more. New this season is Polar Lights, an interactive light extravaganza with music where guests can activate and control the color and shape of 30 moving lights.
Zoogoers also can enjoy live entertainment at the Holly Jolly Theater, with magicians, holiday characters and ice carvers. The exterior of the swamp exhibit is illuminated each evening with a video-mapping light show.
Info: Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. www.CZS.org/Magic or (708) 688-8000. Holiday Magic hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in December, plus Dec. 28-31. Festivities begin at 4 p.m.
4. Christmas Around the World and Holiday of Lights at the Museum of Science and Industry
The popular holiday cultural display — which began in 1942 with a single tree decorated to honor the Allies in World War II — is back for its 74th year.
The display runs through Jan. 3 and features a theme inspired by the museum's Robot Revolution exhibit. The 45-foot Grand Tree, decked out with more than 30,000 lights and hundreds of ornaments, is surrounded by more than 50 trees and displays decorated by volunteers from across the city, reflecting diverse cultures and holiday traditions.
On weekends and special days, guests can enjoy performances of ethnic dance and choral groups.
Info: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. www.msichicago.org for tickets and details.
5. The Polar Express train rides at Fox River Trolley Museum
The popular Christmas story “The Polar Express” comes to life at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin this season. Ride the holiday train to the North Pole, where Santa comes aboard to greet each child and hand out small gifts. Families also can enjoy caroling, singalongs with musicians, cookies and hot chocolate.
Info: Fox River Trolley Museum, with departure location in the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve, 35W003 Route 31, South Elgin. See www.foxtrolley.org/polar-express for times and dates. Tickets cost $27.50.
6. Naper Lights at Naper Settlement
Experience a magical holiday lights celebration on the grounds of Naper Settlement in downtown Naperville. The third annual Naper Lights event features the museum transformed into a Christmas lights extravaganza with holiday displays, lighted trees, hot chocolate and more. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday from Friday, Nov. 27, through Dec. 31. Free admission; donations are accepted.
Or visit the outdoor living history museum during the day and get a guided, holiday-themed tour of the Martin Mitchell Mansion. Tickets begin at $7 for nonmembers.
Info: Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. www.naperlights.com.
7. Festival of Lights at Cosley Zoo
A holiday tradition for many families, the Wheaton zoo's annual Festival of Lights returns for its 32nd season, featuring a winter wonderland with 20,000 twinkling lights, holiday displays, hot chocolate and Christmas trees for sale.
Guests can purchase ornaments from the wish tree, which correspond to a special item for the zoo's animals. “Past examples have included a heated birdbath for the songbirds, a mirror for the peahen, and spices to sprinkle in animal exhibits to stimulate their sense of smell,” says Natasha Fischer, the zoo's education manager.
Free admission; donations appreciated.
Info: Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. cosleyzoo.org/events/. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most days; lights come on at 3 p.m.
8. Frozemont celebration at MB Financial Park
The Frozemont winter celebration in Rosemont is a hot spot for family fun, featuring winter tubing, ice skating, hockey games and more.
The Chicago Wolves Ice Rink is open now to the public for free ice skating daily through Jan. 2 and on Sundays from Jan. 3 through Feb. 28. Skates can be rented on-site for $8. And the two-story Polar Peak tubing thrill ride, featuring four lanes, is open from Dec. 11 through Jan. 31. Tickets for the attraction, which is suitable for children ages 3 and older, begin at $3 per run.
An ice-carving competition will be held Saturday, Dec. 12, with four local ice carvers creating winter-inspired pieces. And the Winter Frost Face-Off hockey series brings together kids, adults and local hockey pros to participate in competitions from Jan. 7 through March 2.
Info: MB Financial Park at Rosemont, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. www.rosemont.com/mbfinancialpark/frozemont/.
9. Holiday Bricktacular at Legoland Discovery Center
Step into an indoor winter wonderland bursting with Lego bricks.
Legoland Discovery Center's monthlong holiday event, beginning Dec. 5, allows children to build ornaments for the center's Lego tree, add elements to a holiday village, including Santa's workshop and gingerbread houses, explore a snow-covered city mini-land and take holiday pictures with a life-size Santa and snowman models. Kids also will receive a holiday-themed Lego brick.
The indoor family entertainment site features more than 3 million Lego bricks and nine attractions including Jungle Expedition, Kingdom Quest Laser Ride and the new Pirate Adventure Island.
Info: Legoland Discovery Center, Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg. www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/chicago. General admission is $18; special rates available online.
10. PNC Bank Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier
The popular indoor winter playground returns for its 15th year, featuring 170,000 square feet of entertainment, including 24 rides and attractions.
From Dec. 5 through Jan. 10, families can ride the Ferris wheel, glide in the Blackhawks skating rink, soar across the 40-foot Cliff Hanger or decorate a sugar cookie. New this year is the Polar Extreme, a double-sided inflatable slide and obstacle course, interactive Arctic Peaks Climbing Walls and an expanded Winter Rules mini golf course.
This year, guests will also see new decorations and a glittering forest of nearly 500 trees and 25,000 ornaments.
Info: Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. For tickets and information, see navypier.com/pnc-bank-winter-wonderfest/. General admission begins at $9 online.