Though the shortest month of the year, February can feel like the longest due to its frigid weather. It is, however, a month packed with events. Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, Lunar New Year, and Mardi Gras – with so much going on this month you’d think it’d be longer than 28 days!
Here is a list of fun February activities to keep your spirits up and your souls happy.
1. Check out Chicago’s Harry Potter experience
The massive Harry Potter™: Magic at Play experience is finally here in Chicago. Taking over three floors at the Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue, where guests of all ages can interact, explore, play, and climb their way through the most iconic moments at Hogwarts™.
There’s nothing more romantic than an incredible adventure for those obsessed with the Wizarding World™. Harry Potter™: Magic At Play is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a magical discount. From February 10th at 10:00 a.m. until 11:59 a.m. on the 14th, buy one ticket and get another at 50% off. At checkout, apply the code LOVEPOTION and prepare for a magical adventure!
Don’t miss this magical adventure for wizards, witches, and even muggles (gasp!)—Accio tickets!
2. Immerse yourself in The Art of the Future at Holographic Art Gallery
Another incredible winter activity can be found down at Navy Pier. Verse: The Art of the Future fuses art and technology allowing guests to step right into the metaverse in a digital art exhibition featuring augmented reality holograms and artwork by top-selling artists from the burgeoning world of NFTs.
With the help of an AR headset, smartphone, or tablet, each guest will experience their own reality in the same activation area (like a silent disco for holograms!). Verse provides an introduction to the people, technology, and stories that are shaping this disruptive evolution of the art world.
Get your tickets for Verse: The Art of the Future in Chicago here!
3. Send your senses soaring with a Dining in the Dark experience
This February, engage your taste buds at a romantic night out as you indulge in a delicious three-course meal at the exclusive ‘Dining in The Dark’ dinner party coming to Chicago.
Take your date night to the next level, tempting your senses with dark surroundings to focus on more important things like the delicious three-course meal and wine pairing you’re about to have at Hubbard Inn.
Diners can choose vegan, seafood, or red meat options, enjoying a starter, main entree, and dessert.
Grab tickets to a Dining in the Dark experience here.
4. Share a heart-shaped pizza at Chicago’s famous deep-dish restaurants
Talking of date nights, the most romantic night of the year is fast approaching and there are plenty of plans that will help forge the perfect Valentine’s memories!
One such memory comes in the form of heart-shaped, deep-dish pizza. The perfect way to literally eat your heart out, you can find delicious heart-shaped pizzas at Lou Malnati’s, Giordano’s, My Pi Pizza, Eataly, and many other pizza restaurants in Chicago.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day the Chicago way by slicing into cheesy heaven!
5-6. Heal heartbreak with the help of Taylor Swift
A Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar will land in Chicago on February 3rd offering the perfect anti-Valentine’s Day plan for unfettered singles shaking off any forlorn feelings of heartache.
Taking over West Loop’s Electric Garden at 324 South Racine Street, the “Bad-Blood” pop-up (homage to her 2014 album 1989) will run from Friday, February 3rd through to Sunday, February 26th.
More information can be found here.Alternatively, celebrate all the love in your life with Lover-themed dance parties at Woodie’s Flats on February 10th or Lincoln concert hall on February 14th.
7. Experience “alpine in the city” at Maggie Daley Park
Though Chicagoland has a wide range of ice rinks offering wonderful skating experiences during the winter months, there are none quite like the Maggie Daley Park ice rink.
One of Chicago’s best winter-time activities, the Maggie Daley ice rinks offers an “alpine in the city” experience skating down a quarter-mile rink in the heart of Chicago. The winding ribbon of ice curves up and down around a 40-foot climbing wall with the city’s stunning skyline in the backdrop.
More information can be found here..
8. Drink at an outdoor ice bar made from over 50,000 pounds of ice
In the heart of the West Loop, a huge outdoor bar has been erected offering those daring enough the chance to embrace the cold in style. After huge success in 2021, PB&J’s owners, The McCahill brothers, have once again turned the space outside their West Loop watering hole into an icy paradise where you can enjoy a few drinks that you certainly won’t forget.
This year “PB&J on Ice” features an ice bar of over 50,000 pounds of ice and an array of spectacular ice sculptures including ice thrones, a polar bear, an ice drink luge, and more.
Guests can enjoy the ice bar’s open-air experience every night 5 pm-10 pm from February 11th until the bar melts!
More information can be found here.
9. Check out Wisconsin’s magical “Ice Castles” display in Lake Geneva
For an even more incredible ice experience, a short drive to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, the wildly popular Icr Castles display is open for February starting Saturday, February 3rd.
The winter wonderland attracts tens of thousands to Geneva National Resort each year where an array of ice-carved activities and attractions await. The life-size frozen playground features tunnels, caverns, and fountains, as well as ice thrones and ice slides, all created by skilled ice artisans from over 10,000 icicles.
By night the magical creations are illuminated by LED lights embedded throughout offering an even more spellbinding experience.
You can read the full article here.
10. Drink in a personal snow globe
Back in the Windy City, a winter wonderland of a different kind can be found up at the Godfrey Hotel in River North. Boasting Chicago’s largest indoor-outdoor rooftop with a retractable roof, Godfrey Hotel’s annual whimsical winter wonderland provides reliable respite during the doom and gloom of winter.
Signature heated igloos cover the rooftop’s portico and offer the perfect place to shelter from the winter elements in style cozying up with a cocktail, s’mores, and sweeping skyline views.
More information can be found here.
11. Enjoy curling and cocktails at Gwen Hotel
While you’ll find lavish igloos up at the Godfrey Hotel, the Gwen Hotel does things a little differently in winter kitting its rooftop out with not igloos or snow globes but an outdoor curling rink high in the sky.
Curling sessions come with small bites and a complimentary round of cocktails meaning you can sip away on your favorite tipple while battling your buddies on the state-of-the-art curling rink.
12. Cozy winter rooftops
As winter gripped hold of Chicago and the global pandemic forced restrictions on indoor dining over the last couple of years some of the places we turned to were Chicago’s renowned rooftop bars and rooftop restaurants.
Thriving utopias in the summer months, we saw rooftops reinvent themselves during the winter months with igloos, fire pits, and more offering snug sanctuaries and many memorable moments up among the Chicago skyline.
Igloos, firepits, and solutions of all different shapes and sizes have returned this year providing Chicagoans with plenty of places to cozy up this February.
Head to our list of 10 magical Chicago rooftops offering cozy winter hideouts for the best of the bunch!
13-15. Be captivated by a Christmas Candlelight Concert
Photo courtesy of Candlelight Concerts
Chicago’s sublime Candlelight Concert series is bringing another year of breathtaking spectacles to the Windy City. Talented musicians will be performing at extraordinary venues all over the city offering guests the chance to marvel at the enchanting combination of flickering candles and melodic sounds.
Here are some of our favorite Candlelight concerts taking place this month:
- Candlelight: Valentine’s Day Special ft. “Romeo and Juliet” and More at Cafe Brauer on February 14 and February 15
- Candlelight: The Best of Joe Hisaishi at Music Box Theatre on February 22
- Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & More at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on February 24
See the full list of candlelight concerts taking place in Chicago here.
16. Enjoy an intimate live jazz show at Le Piano
When it comes to live music, few places offer a better jazz experience than Chicago. There are so many wonderful places to see live jazz in its rawest form here in the Windy City.
Alongside esteemed venues like South Loop’s The Jazz Showcase, and Uptown’s Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, Le Piano has emerged as a phenomenal new jazz hideout.
In the middle of Le Piano sits a magnificent grand piano where some of Chicago’s most talented pianists and jazz performers come to play. Here you will find a mind-blowing musical experience merging dinner and intimate performances. Immersive Live Jazz & Dinner for Two and Immersive Live Jazz & Cocktails both ensure memorable nights of fine dining and drinking cocktails in a truly vivacious venue.
Grab tickets for an unforgettable live jazz experience here.
17. Revel in the mayhem of The Roar: A Prohibition Era Speakeasy
If the year 2023 feels like you’ve shot into the future and has you recalling your bygone days, go back in time to Chicago’s Prohibition Era at The Roar on Rush!
A lively Speakeasy that lights the way to a hidden 4-room cocktail experience where you will meet vibrant figures from the elaborate web of a Roaring Twenties bootlegging operation. Each room tells a story and is paired with a cocktail tasting from Prohibition times.
Afterwards, take a seat in the speakeasy for more cocktails, food, and live music with special performances. Break out your best flapper dresses and linen jackets, this cocktail party at The Roar is not to be missed!
18. Head down to the Grand Cabaret After Dark speakeasy
Another stellar speakeasy experience this month can be found at Porkchop’s speakeasy “Grand Cabaret After Dark” where a roster of rip-roaring revelry.
There is always something happening at the West Loop speakeasy throughout the weekend. Featuring live music of classic and contemporary jazz, bluegrass, and country by the Chris Ussery Trio, you’ll be able to sink into your seat as the music swirls around you and then soothe your Sunday scaries with Boozy BBQ Drag Brunches on Sundays.
Check out all the chaos going on at Porkchop’s Grand Cabaret After Dark here!
19. The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody
Let us deliver you to the dark side! With comedy and allure, loving detail, and hilarious parody, The Empire Strips Back drops classic Star Wars characters into the world of burlesque. Be prepared for some seriously sultry Stormtroopers, a dangerously enticing Boba Fett, some tantalizing Twi’leks, a delightfully luke-warm Taun Taun, a lady-like Skywalker, the Droids you are looking for, and much, much more!
Grab tickets to The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody here.
20. Look out for a once-in-50,000-year comet in the skies above
Talking of outer space, you might have heard about a celestial spectacle gracing our skies this month.
For the first time in 50,000 years, a green, long-period comet named C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will sweep across our night skies. On February 2, the comet will appear a mere 26 million miles out from Earth, a phenomenon that hasn’t occurred since the Stone Age.
Of course, those eager to see C/2022 E3 (ZTF) this month will be the most successful with optimal conditions, i.e. clear and dark skies. On February 1, the comet will be the first time in recorded history that people on Earth will be able to see it without equipment but it will be visible for much of the month.
More information can be found here.
21. Head over to the Adler Planetarium on a Wednesday
If you’re really keen to view the comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), one of the best places to view it is of course at Chicgao’s Adler Planetarium and now Illinois residents can enter for free every Wednesday evening from 4-10 pm provided they bring proof of residency.
More information about the Adler Planetarium’s free admission Wednesdays can be found here.
22-25. Explore Chicago’s museums for free
Chicago has one of the best collections of museums and attractions on the planet. Visiting all of them can get a little costly, especially if you’re taking the family. So it’s understandable why free admission days generate quite a lot of hype!
As the new year starts many of our marvelous museums and attractions have begun bringing back frequent free admission days and there are so many this February.
Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Shedd Aquarium are all of several days of free entry this month as well as many other incredible institutions across the city.
For the full breakdown head to our Secret Chicago guide on all the free admission days at Chicago’s many museums.
26-27. Catch a show or live theater performance this month
This year, Chicago’s stages are set to impress, offering an array of on-stage choices! Impress your Valentine’s Day date or make plans with a group of friends and check out the incredible options– from laugh-out-loud improv shows to Broadway plays, and so much more!
- Iconic comedy club The Second City is the place to be! Filled with hysterical sketches and improv shows, you won’t regret laughing the night away at any of the performances.
- Attend a show at Broadway in Chicago’s classic stage. The famous Theatre is set to premiere new shows like the can’t miss Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus from February 14 to the 19th.
28. Stay warm with a glass of wine at any of the incredible Chicago wine spots
There are many amazing spaces around the city where you can grab a glass of wine with friends– and what’s better than celebrating the month of love then embracing your pals! From Pompette to Park Manor 75, to Chicago Winery in River North, if you’re looking to gab and gather with some pals, why not do it over a glass of wine?
29. Sneak into any of the top-secret Chicago speakeasies for a roaring good time
Speakeasies were a huge part of Chicago’s past and remain popular even today. These hidden gems harken back to the Prohibition Era when the jazz was hot, burlesque hotter, and bootlegger booze was abundant. While modern speakeasies aren’t nearly as secret, they’re still a fun throwback to the 1920s.
Find our full breakdown of Chicago’s speakeasy scene here.
30. Chuckle away at Chicago comedy show
We could all do with a chuckle after the tumultuous last few years and luckily there’s no place better for that than at a Chicago comedy show.
At Laugh Factory Chicago some of today’s biggest names and local comedians are delivering something for every taste and style throughout the year.
Grab tickets to a show at Laugh Factory Chicago here.
31. Buckel up for a Drunk Shakespeare show
Another brilliant Chicago experience comes in the form of a live Drunk Shakespeare show.
Taking place on a stage in a hidden speakeasy located behind the Chicago Theater, guests will find a glam cocktail bar and library with over 10,000 books. Five classically-trained actors meet as members of “The Drunk Shakespeare Society”. One of them has had at least 5 shots of whiskey and then they (quite over-confidently) attempt to perform a major role in a Shakespearean play!
Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking… and what they’re drinking!
Grab tickets to a Drunk Shakespeare show here.
32. Kick back in an AMC movie theatre
The Grammies and Oscars are fast approaching and award season is kicking off with so many fantastic movies of all kinds from across the planet highlighted. There are so many to see at the moment and there’s no place better to experience them than at AMC Theatres®.
Whether it’s a rainy afternoon or a special date night, all the best critically-acclaimed creations, comedies, action flicks, and everything in between can be enjoyed at a discount in Chicago, and nationally, with an AMC black ticket.
Grab discounted tickets to a movie showing here.
33. Drink cocktails at the new 360 CHICAGO bar up in the clouds
A new bar opened in Chicago in the second half of last year at the former John Hancock Center. Sitting 1,000 feet above Chicago up on the 94th floor European design meets Chicago’s neighborhoods at 360 CHICAGO’s CloudBar.
The 18-seat lounge bar celebrates the 77 boroughs with a locally inspired menu, and illustrations from renowned Chicago street artist— Lauren Asta. Sip on an Orange Line or opt for the Gold Coast Manhattan and take in the breathtaking views at the $2 million lounge this month.
34. Peruse the magnificent street art murals of Chicago
While you can admire the skyline and views of Lake Michigan up at the CloudBar there are some things that have to be experienced from the ground rather than in the skies above. One of these is the Chicago street art and graffiti scene which has continued to thrive in Chicago over the last decade.
New pieces pop up all over the city every week, some of which are so esteemed that they’ve embedded themselves in the very fabric of Chicago and are now part and parcel of the Windy City’s identity.
Today murals do more than just provide an extraordinary spectacle for our eyes. They pay homage to icons, fight for racial equality, celebrate different heritages, and honor the essential workers of our societies during turbulent times. Hunting down the must-see street art murals in Chicago is a rewarding experience any time of the year.
We’ve rounded up our top 25 most amazing murals in Chicago so you can navigate your way around the best of the best and learn about its history and the inspiration behind some of Chicago’s famous murals. Alternatively, you can jump on an Offbeat Street Art Tour of Chicago and be guided by a seasoned street art enthusiast!
35-36. Savor sensational food samples on a food tour
For foodies who prefer to sample tasty delicacies over perusing extraordinary street art, there is a range of fantastic food tours for all manner of foodies.
Taste all of Chicago’s classic eats on a four-hour guided bicycle tour courtesy of America’s longest-running city bicycle tour company with Bikes, Bites, and Brews: Chicago’s Signature Dishes Bike Tour. The journey is 14 miles in total (traversed at a nice leisurely pace) and includes a slice of deep-dish pizza, a gourmet brownie, a Chicago-style hot dog, and a few samples of Chicago’s legendary craft beer!
Despite having a kaleidoscopic food scene offering all manner of savory and sweet treats, nothing in Chicago has truly celebrated donuts in all their glory, until now. The Underground Donut Tour is Chicago’s first-ever donut tour and was born to give those who truly enjoy donuts the perfect excuse to sample the Windy City’s very best. Tours include such favorites as Do-Rite Donuts, Firecakes, Stans, and Doughnut Vault as well as some lesser-known spots.
Grab tickets to the Bikes, Bites, and Brews tour here or a donut tour here.
37. Jump into February with indoor skydiving
With every new year comes new dreams, new objectives, and fresh New Year’s resolutions. Of course; diets, workouts, quitting smoking, and the usual suspects will again be encouraged even more so after the turbulent years we’ve had. Recent years also reminded us that we should be active, try new things, and make the most of the adventures and experiences that are available to us. One thing that always finds itself on bucket lists worldwide is skydiving.
Now, we’re not saying jump out of a plane in the freezing skies above Chicago, but we are saying give it a go in one of Chicago’s indoor centers to get a taste of what it is like and why it is such a popular ‘do before you die’ activity. With a state-of-the-art iFly Indoor Skydiving Center in Lincoln Park and another iFly Indoor Skydiving Center in Rosemont, Chicago is home to two conveniently located cutting-edge centers where kids and adults can get the same sensation you’d get 12,000 feet up in the sky.
If the experience has you wanting more you can always test your vertigo above Chicago’s skyscrapers at one of the world’s largest skydiving resorts in Skydive Chicago and boast that you’ve jumped out of a plane above the Windy City.
38. Head out of the city and see Illinois’ natural spectacles
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Though our state may not boast wonders with the universal magnitude of the Grand Canyon nor the grandiose reputation of Niagra Falls, Illinois is teeming with diverse ecological landscapes that transform into incredible winter wonderlands this time of the year. From monolithic marvels covered in snow to cascading waterfalls frozen in time, here are 7 natural wonders of Illinois that you can visit while they’re a different beast in winter:
- Garden Of The Gods: Saline County
- Wildcat Canyon In Starved Rock State Park: La Salle County
- Cache River State Natural Area: Johnson County
- Cave-In-Rock: Hardin County
- The Pomona Natural Bridge: Jackson County
- Cascade Falls In Matthiessen State Park: La Salle County
- Bork Falls In Ferne Clyffe State Park: Johnson County
39. Stay in a Starved Rock Getaway cabin
For an even more prolonged experience in nature. Getaway House is a chain of tiny cabin hideaways helping people in big, bustling cities like Chicago, DC, LA and NYC, disconnect from their busy city lives with restorative stays in the middle of nature.
One of the aforementioned spots, Starved Rock State Park, has just opened a selection of minimalistic cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing guests to wake up fully immersed in the wilderness. Located in lush landscapes and with minimalistic yet comfortable designs, they offer the perfect escape for those wanting to disconnect from busy city lives with restorative stays in the middle of nature.
More information can be found here.
40. Warm-up and revitalize at Chicago’s most unique spas
These months are some of the most strenuous of the year, and February is one of the worst of them all. It’s around this time of the year that we need anything to lift our minds, bodies and souls.
With Chicago’s unforgiving frostiness, you’ve got to take your well-being into consideration during these hostile months, especially if you’re spending time outdoors exploring nature or doing extreme sports.
Luckily Chicago is full of answers to combat both the Christmas chaos and the numbing chill that settles into your bones. There’s no better place to relax and unwind during these hostile months than at Chicago’s many serene spas and bathhouses.
From places like River North’s lavish AIRE Ancient Baths inspired by the traditional Roman, Greek, and Ottoman ancient experience of bathing to the unique PIVA Beer Spa offering huge larch wooden tubs filled with near 100-degree beer, herbs, and hops there are so many options in Chicago.
Head to our Secret Chicago list of Chicago’s best spas where you can for an informative breakdown of where to warm up and revitalize this winter.
[Featured Image from Instagram / @carolnrh]