A Windy City holiday: Chicago’s 10 essential holiday activities
By Andi Ortiz
2. Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier
In every holiday story in every TV show and movie, there’s always some kind of winter festival. Gilmore Girls had it, there’s even a new Hallmark movie this year called Winterfest. It’s usually pivotal to the romance of the story, or the familial rekindling.
Regardless, it’s a key piece of the holiday season, and Chicago’s best one is at Navy Pier. Winter WonderFest comes later in the season, not opening until Dec. 1.
It’s described as a “winter playground” and it’s exactly that. It has rides, giant slides, and when it rhymes, you know it’s fun. Best of all, it has the Chicago Blackhawks Ice Skating Rink. If you’re going ice skating in Chicago, it never hurts to support the city’s championship team along the way.
Different from most activities in the city, Winter WonderFest is indoors. It brings all the winter fun, minus the chill of being right on the lake.
A stop at Navy Pier is a given for any trip to Chicago. But when Winter WonderFest is in town, not going is probably a ticket to the naughty list. (Not really, but it is a real good time).