Well the time has come, the holidays are over and now we are just in…winter. Living in Chicago the months between January and March can drag on as the cold settles in and Spring is still many months away. Here are three activities that will brighten up your January.
Last year on what was one of the coldest days of the year we drove up to Lake Geneva, WI to visit a real life exhibit straight out of Frozen. Hundreds of thousands of icicles are placed into the area by artists creating a real life winter ice castle you walk through. There are slides, LED lit sculptures, frozen thrones and much more. On the day we visited Elsa and Anna also made an appearance. If you don’t live near Lake Geneva, they have five other locations across the US! The dates for Lake Geneva have not been released yet, but it is expected to open sometime in January/February, and tickets usually go on sale a few weeks before. I highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance, while they do sell them at the door, if the time slot is full you risk standing out in the cold for an extended period of time until a time opens up. I brought both my girls with and they were able to walk around the area without a struggle but we all had on boots and full winter gear. There are many restaurants and shops open through the winter season in Lake Geneva so make the day of it by stopping for lunch and walking around the town!
We’ve attended Disney on Ice the past few years and have enjoyed it each time. This year it will be in the Chicagoland area on and off between Jan 23-Feb 9. You can catch the show at either the United Center or Allstate Arena depending the day. We’ve always seen at Allstate Arena, it’s a smaller venue and you really can’t go wrong with any seat you choose. In the past parking has been free and it’s relatively easy to get in and out of the arena. The show is typically 2 hours long with an intermission and has held the attention of my kids ages 3 and 4 very well for the last year or so. If you are on a budget the Friday morning shows are usually the most cost-friendly. 😉
The weekend of Jan 29-Feb 2 is Lake Geneva Winterfest! Three days of art, family fun and winter activities! Full disclosure, I’ve never attended Winterfest but I hope to this year with my family. It sounds like a fun event jam packed with something for everyone, including a snow sculpture contest! Lake Geneva is only about an hour and a half from Chicago so it’s perfect for a day trip. If you are thinking about making a weekend of it we’ve stayed at Timber Ridge Lodge & Resort multiple times at which has the perfect size waterpark for younger families.
That’s it for now, if you happen to attend any of these activities let me know! I’d love to hear about your experience!