As the semester comes to an end, many students at the University of Illinois are heading back home to the Chicagoland area. Approaching the month-long break ahead, you might be wondering what you can do to make the most of your time without spending too much money. While some of these ideas are specific to Chicagoland, many of these ideas can also be applied to whatever city you are returning to. Here are some affordable ideas of things you can be doing this winter in the Chicagoland area.
1. Go Ice-skating
Millennium Park’s ice skating is located in the heart of downtown Chicago, making it very easily accessible by public transportation. It is free to ice skate on most days, aside from the cost of skate rentals. You can also find ice skating rinks all over the suburbs. Recently, Naperville has opened an ice rink at Block 59 near Fox Valley Mall, which is surrounded by shops and restaurants. This is a great way to have a fun time with friends or family this winter season.
2. Visit a Christmas Market
The Christkindlmarkt is a German-style Christmas market with several locations throughout the Chicagoland area. There is one location in Wrigleyville, one in Aurora and another location in Downtown Chicago. The market runs from the middle of November to the end of December. At the Christkindlmarkt, you can find a lot of different international foods and trinkets.
I love the Christkindlmarkt and visit it every year. It reminds me and my family of the Christmas markets in the Czech Republic. I went to the downtown Chicago location during fall break for its opening this year, and it was such a fun experience. It has free entry, so you can even have fun at the market by simply walking around, taking photos and taking in the holiday spirit that is all around you without spending any money at all.
3. Enjoy a Hot Drink at a Cafe
With the cold weather, winter is the perfect time to warm up with a hot drink in a cafe. Chicagoland has so many local coffee shops that you can explore. A cafe is also the perfect spot to catch up with friends who you might not have seen for a long time. It can also be fun to go to a cafe and just spend time with yourself by reading a book or planning for the new year. Many coffee shops also introduce new winter drinks during this time of year, and winter flavors are some of my favorites. You won’t want to miss them.
4. Have a Winter Movie Night
Even spending time at home can be fun! A super fun activity that you can do alone, with friends or with family is having a movie night. You can even bake winter themed treats like Christmas cookies to enjoy while watching. Putting on one of your personal favorite movies or a new movie you haven’t seen can be more fun than you think. Put on a movie and relax! You deserve it.
I hope that you can enjoy some of these affordable activities this winter. I wish you all an amazing winter break!