Beautiful Holiday Lighting Displays in the Chicago Area

Warm up your holidays in Chicago this year by visiting some of the spectacular lighting displays. Most are free, and it's a wonderful way to get in the spirit of the Christmas holiday.

The Lake County Holiday Light Show will be held at the Lake County Fairgrounds on
Rts 45 & 120 in Grayslake, IL 60030. There will be hundreds of thousands of lights arranged in a drive through lighting display that stretches almost a mile with holiday music playing. There is an added "Winter Wonderland" display on weekends and Santa will be waiting at the end of the drive. There is also a merry-go-round and crafts activities for the kids. Open 7 days a week, the light show will be closed 12/24, 12/25 and 12/31. Call 847-223-2204 for more information.

Macy's Holiday Traditions Tour will be open every Saturday at 11 a.m. during November and December. Macy's on State Street is hosting a 45-minute guided tour of its holiday window displays, main floor decorations, and the Walnut Room's Great Tree. You get to hear how Uncle Mistletoe, Santa Bear, the animated window displays, and the Great Tree all came into being. Tours are limited to 30 people on a space-available basis. Visiting groups may schedule a tour by calling Tourism Sales & Marketing at 312.781.4699.

The "Magnificent Mile" of North Michigan Avenue, offers yet another outdoor display where the trees traditionally are draped in tiny white lights. As Chicago's premier shopping strip, all the well known retailers line the avenue with decorated store front windows. The Magnificent Mile is located from 900 N. Michigan Ave. to the river.

The Lincoln Park Zoo on Cannon Drive at Fullerton Parkway is hosting its "Zoolights" through January 2nd, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. There will be displays of colorful lights, ice-sculptured holiday scenes, decorated homes, puppet shows, ice carving, gingerbread houses, holiday crafts and rides on the kiddie train.

The Chicago Botanic Garden on 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, is getting in on the holiday light scene. The Celebrations Festival showcases the beauty of the gardens in winter. There will be a horse drawn carriage ride to start the tour of nearly a million lights. Twenty garden club trees, two grand trees over 30 feet tall, nine decorated vintage doors, and five table settings are some of the features. All the decorations are inspired by natural vegetation, and outdoor trees are decorated with yarn and birdseed for the "regular" garden visitors.

The Gardens are comprised of 380 acres. Every year a 50 foot tall Colorado blue spruce tree is brought in and decorated with 25,000 colored lights. There is also a very special holiday tree created by local artists and decorated with mementos and pictures from local nursing home residents. There is also music, holiday storytelling and ice sculpting demonstrations during this lighting display.

The Wonderland Express at Chicago Botanic Garden is another lighting event to attend. It runs through January 7th. Garden-scale trains, 70 miniature Chicago landmarks and beautiful horticulture displays can be seen. The South Gallery will hold 20 holiday trees decorated with a family and train theme by local designers and retailers. The Greenhouses will be specially lit and decorated with holiday plants. Puppet shows will be on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Auditorium.

Pack up the family and drive out to see some of these fantastic holiday light displays. Even if you make the trip on your own, you will come away with a twinkle in your eyes that is much more than the lights.