A walker takes in Chicago's fall color

Chicago in November

By Ian Packham

Visit Chicago in November and you’ll discover a city preparing itself for the depths of winter but not quite done with fall. Temperatures are generally healthy enough to allow you to still spend plenty of time outdoors, where it’s usually possible to see the last of the fall color or the first flurries of snow.

As the days get shorter towards the end of November, there’s also the start of the Christmas festivities to look forward to as well as the celebrations around Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of the month.

Wondering how cold Chicago is in November and what there is to do? We’ve brought together all the top tips so you need to look nowhere else.

Enjoy the end of the fall color

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Chicago weather in November sees average daily temperatures rise to 50°F, equivalent to a cool spring day. Whilst you’ll want to wrap up warm, do so properly and just eight days of rain will mean you can get out amidst the city’s green spaces to take in the final days of reds, oranges and gold with the turning of its leaves.

Should you choose, you could traverse Chicago’s shores on Lake Michigan without ever leaving parkland. A popular pick with those looking to get into the saddle of the city’s rental bicycles – but welcoming to walkers, joggers and skateboarders too – the Lakeshore Trail covers 18.5 miles.

Starting at Edgewater Beach in the northern suburbs, it then runs south past many of the city’s top attractions. The first is the free-to-visit Lincoln Park Zoo, whose residents include great apes, big cats, a burr oak older than the city and the Lionel Train Adventure and Endangered Species Carousel rides.

Further south lie other major things to do in Chicago in November including the magnificent Field Museum. As one of the largest natural history museums around, it is simply stuffed full of stuffed animals, cultural artifacts from across the globe and the famous skeleton of Sue the T-Rex – one of the most complete and best-preserved examples yet discovered.

A short way across the state border, alternative vistas can be sought out at Indiana Dunes National Park. Situated close to the southernmost point of Lake Michigan, the park’s impressive dunes offer a wealth of walking trails, albeit without the fall color.

Kick off the festive season

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Thanksgiving focusses very strongly on Chicago’s downtown areas. Taking place on the grid of streets which form immediately south of the fork in the Chicago River, the annual Thanksgiving Parade is a family-friendly affair which sees State Street taken over by giant helium balloons, dance troops and marching bands.

Thanksgiving is also closely associated with the Black Friday sales. Still on State Street, there are a great number of smaller stores, whilst the Magnificent Mile boasts higher end boutiques, department stores including Marshalls and Nordstrom and several shopping malls.

If you prefer the artisan touch, look no further than the Chirstkindlmarket that appears in front of Daley Plaza’s 50-foot tall steel Picasso sculpture towards the middle of the month. Its German-style wooden chalet-like stalls are awash with beautiful ornaments, jewelry and tasty treats.

Alternatively, you might want to try your hand at another winter staple – ice skating. The city’s largest outdoor rink is the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink that sits beneath the gaze of Anish Kapoor’s Bean, although the Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon provides an attraction that’s a little more unusual, with a track winding through the tree cover twice the length of a lap around the Bean’s rink.

Savor the views

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With such a long list of things to do in Chicago in November you shouldn’t forget to stop for a moment or two and take in the windy city in all its glory. One way to do this would be to give your feet a rest by opting for the Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus instead. Taking in sights you might otherwise miss, it also connects up many of Chicago’s top attractions, including the Willis (Sears) Tower.

Entering the history books as the world’s tallest building from its topping out ceremony in 1974 until 1998, it continues to host the highest observation tower in the United States – the Skydeck. From its 103rd floor vantage, visitors are able to take in no less than four states whilst feeling the building move in the wind at almost 1400 feet up.

Giving the Willis Tower a good run for its money is 360 CHICAGO at 875 North Michigan Avenue. Although its views come from nine stories below the Skydeck, its wrap-around glass windows still have extraordinary panoramas over the city.

Get better acquainted with the city’s art

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Art lovers don’t need to look far in Chicago in November to get a fill of their passion. For one, the city has a huge array of public artworks. As well as the giant sculpture by Picasso in Daley Plaza and Anish Kapoor’s Bean, Chicago also has outdoor works by Joan Miro, Marc Chagall and Magdalena Abakanowicz.

The immense Merchandise Mart building comes to life with the world’s largest video installation, projected annually onto the side of the structure from September through November. There’s also an impressive array of murals covering the ends of buildings throughout the city. West Town Street has developed into a mile-long open-air gallery, with other works including the mural of local photographer Vivian Maier in Wicker Park and an unforgettably bright 100 foot image of American singer-songwriter Muddy Waters on North State Street.

The pick of the galleries includes the Art Institute of Chicago. One of the largest museums of its kind, the 300,000 objects in its permanent collection spans the genres, ranging from native American textiles to contemporary photography.

Making the most of Chicago in November

With so much to see and do in Chicago in November you won’t want to waste a second. Skip the lines and save big on admission to many of the city’s top attractions with Go City. Then the only thing left to do is have an incredible time in one of America’s greatest destinations!

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Best Chicago Souvenirs

Taking a trip to Chicago soon? It’s likely you’ll want to take something back home with you that reminds you of your trip. It’s equally likely you’ll want to buy a small item for friends and family you left behind. If you want to find souvenirs made in Chicago rather than tacky plastic items that have no real link with the city, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got some fantastic ideas for the best Chicago souvenirs below! Edible Chicago souvenirs The main problem with edible gifts from the windy city is having the willpower to avoid consuming them all before you’ve even left downtown. Don’t be put off by the long lines which often stretch down the street from the Garrett Popcorn shops on West Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue. Dishing up their ‘Chicago Mix’, half cheese and half caramel, to the people of the city since 1949, they’re clearly doing something right. Small bags cost as little as $3, though the souvenir skyline tins make a great keepsake long after the popcorn itself is all gone. They also have outlets at O’Hare Airport. With a pedigree dating back even further is Fannie Mae chocolates, which have been Chicago based since first opening in 1920. Head to one of their city center stores and you’ve got the option of creating your own mix of pixies, mint meltaways and vanilla buttercreams. At the upper end of the chocolate market is the Chicago-only Vosges Haut-Chocolat. With each chocolate hand-finished, the company is particularly well-known for their truffles, with flavors as diverse as hazelnut and balsamic vinegar and ginger with wasabi. As some indication of price, a box of 16 truffles will set you back around $50. On the savory front, The Spice House on North Wells Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (close to Chicago History Museum) offers more than the usual cooking herbs and spices. Their team has created a range of Chicago-themed blends that will brighten up your home cooking for weeks to come. Drinkable Chicago souvenirs The same can be said for another much-loved Wells Street store, Old Town Oil. Specializing in small-batch olive oils and vinegars from farms across the globe, they have some very tasty-looking gift boxes, and can even produce custom bottle labels. Oils and vinegars won’t quench your thirst, but beers will, with Goose Island an award-winning craft brewery set up to bring good beers to the Chicago streets. Using 15 different yeasts to turn the sugars into alcohol before aging the beer in bourbon barrels for extra flavor, visitors are welcome to the brewery tap room on Fulton Street or its Clybourn brewhouse to sample their selection of seasonal and year-round beers. With over 100 international prizes to its name, the Koval Distillery has come a hell of a long way since starting up in 2008 as the first new distillery in the city since the 1800s. Their copper vats produce whiskeys, gins and specialty spirits using organic grains. Everything from soaking of the grain to bottling takes place in house so the dedicated team are able to keep track of every step to produce their signature clean flavors. Jewelry and curios The Field Museum is another great place to keep a lookout for souvenirs. Its store is awash with goodies, though we’ve chosen to focus our attention on their jewelry selection. Linking back to the museum’s incredible natural history collection, it ranges from T-Rex earrings to necklaces and pendants threaded with natural stones such as quartz and onyx. Echoing the form of Chicago’s favorite piece of public art – Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate – Tiffany & Co’s Chicago store sells sterling silver bean pendants designed by Elsa Peretti. If the price tag stops you stepping beyond the window displays, various other outlets do similar pieces in base metals. But if it’s a wall in your house you’re thinking of decorating, the store at the Museum of Contemporary Art has a variety of art-based items, from $10 fridge magnets to mobiles based on Bauhaus and surrealist principles which would provide a dash of color to any room. Wearable Chicago souvenirs A sports mad city with professional basketball, ice hockey, baseball and American football teams, getting tickets to a game is an unmissable Chicago experience. And to remember it, what could be better than your very own jersey? Each stadium and arena have their own store, but you can also find items linked to all Chicago’s teams at stores including Clark Street Sports. So whether it’s an oversized foam finger or an official wristband emblazoned with the Chicago Cubs logo, odds are you’ll find it here. Thanks to an array of nationwide and boutique local stores, fashionistas can also take something home that will forever remind them of their time in the windy city. Independent Wolfbait & B-Girls is a marketplace offering the wares of 250 local artisans, including clothing you won’t find anywhere else and an almost endless pick of potential gifts. Other quirky establishments include Optimo Fine Hats, offering custom headgear for men whatever the occasion. Grabbing a T-shirt with the Chicago skyline will help your little ones remember their trip to Chicago, or make them want to visit themselves one day if they weren’t with you. Other items linked to the city’s architecture include ever-popular snow globes containing representations of the Willis Tower and Skydeck amongst other landmark buildings. Spend on the things that count with the best Chicago souvenirs The best Chicago souvenirs are those which continuously remind you of all the good times you had at the city’s attractions. That good time will be made all the better if you’ve visited them with Go City. Explore the city in this way and you’ll be able to take advantage of substantial savings on entrance admission to many of the top attractions and things to do. So why not check out our pass options and join the thousands of visitors who have already done just this?
Ian Packham
A mother and child check out a Chicago museum exhibit
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What are the best museums in Chicago and why?

A major cultural hub, Chicago won’t let you down when it comes to its museums. Lovers of nature documentaries need look no further than the Field Museum or Shedd Aquarium, with Chicago Botanic Garden and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum completing this section of the best museums in Chicago. Art lovers have their pick of the masterpieces with the Art Institute of Chicago joining the Museum of Contemporary Art and Streeterville’s independent art spaces to total more galleries than anywhere outside of New York. Architecture buffs are spoilt for choice too, with Chicago the birthplace of the skyscraper and home to master designer Frank Lloyd Wright, adding further to the list. Then there’s the awesome range of children’s and family museums. If all these options have your head in a spin, take a look at our pick of the best museums in Chicago. The best natural history museums in Chicago One of the world’s best natural history collections, the Field Museum could have you enthralled for days, though even a couple of hours is enough to take in the highlights, from the impossible-to-miss titanosaur skeleton – the largest dinosaur remains ever discovered at 122 feet long and 28 ft high – to some of the tiniest creatures to ever walk the Earth. Shedd Aquarium just next door fulfils a similar role for the world’s marine habitats. Blending its 1930s origins with state-of-the-art displays, its tanks and vivariums are awash with the color of the oceans. The warm tropical waters of the Caribbean’s reefs are celebrated just as much as the cool waters of the Pacific northwest and the Great Lakes. Between May and September visitors can feel the rough skin of rays in the touch tank, whilst all year round sea turtles, sharks, beluga whales and jellyfish are sure to entertain. The award-winning Chicago Botanic Garden actually comprises 25 different display gardens within four habitats. A ‘living museum’ and conservation center, more than a million visitors pass through its turnstiles in an average year, taking in its six miles of lake shoreline and nine islands. These range from the naturalistic form of the English Garden to the perfectly-manicured planting of the Japanese Garden. Part of Lincoln Park, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum focusses on the flora and fauna of the Chicago region, however its butterfly house contains a mix of 200 different types of native and exotic butterflies. The best art museums in Chicago Guarded by its famous bronze lions, few museums can match the sheer size of the permanent collection at the Art Institute of Chicago. Tucked into the green spaces of downtown, its 300,000 objects include a collection of impressionist artworks rivaling the Musée d’Orsay in Paris with six of Claude Monet’s waterlily paintings and Vincent van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles. More modern works include those by Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper and Andy Warhol. Hot on its tails is the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, which focuses on works from the later twentieth century and early twenty-first. Although only founded in 1967, the MCA has a reputation of spotting the hottest new talent through its series of curated exhibitions. Meaning there’s always something new to see, keep an eye out for Jeff Koons’ Rabbit and Magritte’s The Wonders of Nature dotted about the incredible modern architecture. Chicago also has an impressive number of smaller galleries, represented perfectly by Hyde Park Art Center and the Woman Made Gallery. However, it’s no exaggeration to say Chicago has dozens of independent galleries, with the Streeterville neighborhood the best place to head for art lovers. The best architecture museums in Chicago One of the most architecturally innovative cities in America, Chicago saw the construction of the first steel-framed skyscraper, was home to leading light Frank Lloyd Wright and the once-tallest building in the world. That first skyscraper – the ten-story Home Insurance Building – is now long gone. It was demolished in 1931. However, there remain several examples of Frank Lloyd Wright’s unique ‘organic architecture’ which aimed to unite man and the environment, doing away with internal walls to allow light to flood into his structures. His home and studio of ten years stands as it did in 1909, with guided tours providing an insight into his way of working and raising his six children. Not far away you’ll also find Robie House, one of just a handful of homes designed by Wright which are open to the public. Chicago Architecture Center’s Chicago Gallery helps reveal how the city became such an architectural wonderland, with its 3D city model featuring over 4000 individual structures. But one of the best places to take in the skyline is from one of its tallest structures. The Willis Tower may have lost its crown as the tallest building in the world, but remains an impressive place to take in the views all the same. The best children’s museums in Chicago If you’re traveling as a family, Chicago won’t let you down. It has a fine pick of child-friendly museums, which are frankly still unmissable even without a youngster in tow. The obvious place to start is the Chicago Children’s Museum on Navy Pier. Suitable for little ones of all ages, this hands-on exploration space has plenty to keep the kids entertained, from an art studio to zones specially created for safe play. The Museum of Science and Industry may not sound the most exciting of places, but this is a situation when names can be deceiving. Where else could you find a functioning model of your heart, explore a captured World War Two submarine or discover the future of energy? With three levels of exhibition space, you won’t be disappointed. But to head beyond Earth, would-be astronauts will need to lock on to the Adler Planetarium. Another must-see museum in Chicago, there’s three full-sized auditoriums to choose between hosting various shows, as well as important artefacts including the Gemini 12 space capsule and antique scientific instruments that demonstrate how our understanding of space has changed over the ages. Save when visiting Chicago’s best museums With such an array of stunning museums, costs can soon mount up. However, travel with Go City and this never becomes a problem. Our passes include incredible savings on many of the best museums in Chicago in addition to a wide-range of other attractions you won’t want to miss.
Ian Packham
The Chicago skyline from the shores of Lake Michigan
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Chicago in January

Winter doesn’t stop Chicagoans getting out and about, and even outdoor events continue to enliven and entertain those living in the city. Anyone looking to experience the festive season with reduced crowds and cheaper accommodation costs might also look to Chicago in January rather than in December, since many seasonal attractions extend their stay into the first month of the year. There are plenty of permanent attractions to enjoy too, from the Art Institute of Chicago to Shedd Aquarium. Here’s our guide to the windy city’s top January sights. Weather in Chicago in January It’s fair to say you don’t travel to Chicago in January for the weather! There’s no hiding the fact that it gets very cold in Chicago in January, with average temperatures of just 30°F. With windchill – this is the windy city after all – and with cloud free nights, temperatures can fall as low as 12°F. However, as those other defenders of cold climates – the Norwegians – say, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Woolen items will be your best friends, whether that’s thermal underwear and base layers or thick knitted sweaters, beanies, scarfs and gloves. A little over 1.5 inches of rain and snow means you’ll want to add a waterproof jacket or umbrella to your packing list, whilst weatherproof shoes or boots comfortable enough to walk in all day are also going to give you a major win over the weather. Cling on to the Christmas spirit January is known to be one of the most depressing times of year, but you can help keep the blues at bay by stretching the Christmas frivolities beyond the New Year’s Eve fireworks above the rides of Navy Pier and into the first week of January. The city’s official Christmas tree, a Blue Spruce topping out at 50 feet high, remains lit in Millennium Park from 6AM until 11PM daily until January 9. So close you can get the two in the same photograph, Millennium Park is also the location of one of Chicago’s newest landmarks – Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate sculpture. The Museum of Science and Industry’s annual Christmas Around the World exhibition is another attraction which continues into January. A further reason to pay a visit to this phenomenal museum, this seasonal exhibition contains around 50 Christmas trees, each decorated to symbolize festive celebrations around the world. Entrance is included as part of a standard ticket. Explore the four corners of the world It may be missing the crabs of Christmas Island, but Shedd Aquarium should still be high on the list of things to do in Chicago in January for anyone with an interest in our marine habitats. A stone’s throw from Lake Michigan, its location couldn’t be better. Being entirely enclosed, it doesn’t really matter what the weather might be doing either. In addition to uncovering life below the surface of the Great Lakes, the aquarium does an excellent job at revealing the wonders in all the world’s oceans. Taking a 360° tour of a Caribbean reef populated by turtles and sharks, and Pacific waters with beluga whales, dolphins and sea otters are just a few of a long list of highlights. As neighbors go, few could be better than the Field Museum. Covering pretty much everything Shedd Aquarium doesn’t, its grand halls hold an apparently endless stream of natural marvels, from the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever discovered – called Sue – to artefacts from the ancient Americas. For a modern look at the world, head to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). Sandwiched between Lake Shore Park and Historic Water Tower, its immense collection is focused on the years from 1945 to the present day. Its asymmetric staircase and views across Lake Michigan are worthy of inclusion in its collection. Don’t ignore the parks and gardens Green spaces aren’t necessarily at their best in the winter months. However, Lincoln Park Conservatory is just one spot with year-round color. This gem of the Victorian age comprises four different halls. The Palm House contains a fiddle-leaf rubber fig put in place in 1891, whilst the Orchid Room boasts hundreds of these tropical blooms. The cooler houses are also bright with the red leaves of Mexican poinsettias as part of the winter show – ending a week into January. Back in Millennium Park, the bare trees provide a backdrop to McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, which has skaters gliding across its surface right through to the spring. Situated on the plaza of the same name, it’s one of America’s biggest inner city rinks, but still dwarfed by the area covered by the skating ribbon which meanders through Maggie Daley Park and is twice the size. Humboldt Park has a much more residential feel, located amid the neat grid of streets to the west of the trendy Wicker Park neighborhood. At its heart lie a series of lagoons, though its paths are better trod for the architectural and sculptural landmarks dotting the park. These include the Bavarian-style stables and receptory building, acting as the visitor center and Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, as well as two bronze bison at the east entrance of the Formal Gardens. Head to the heights Birthplace of the steel-framed skyscraper, Chicago is known for its high-rise central districts. One of the best ways of getting a bird’s eye view is from the Skydeck observation station on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower. From almost 1400 feet up, most of the city’s landmarks can be spotted from its windows – and parts of Illinois’ neighboring states too. Outdoing even this is The Ledge, a group of three glass boxes which overhang the sides of the tower. Make sure you’ve got a head for heights before stepping onto their glass floors! From ground level there’s still plenty to see though, with many of Chicago’s best-known buildings recognizable from movies including Home Alone, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Saving in Chicago in January Far from being shut down for the winter, Chicagoans seem to bask in the snowy scenes their city sees. And because of the range of winter and seasonal attractions in Chicago in January, you could say the month is actually one of the best times of the year to visit. Whenever you choose to take your vacation in Chicago, be sure to do it with Go City. Month after month and year after year we’ve provided visitors to cities around the world with incredible savings on admission to top attractions.
Ian Packham

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