Ready to book? Or maybe it’s their unique architecture, museums, thriving art and social scene. Boats dump orange powder into the water – and voilà – the entire river turns into a green St. Patrick’s Day phenomenon! Thank you for using our links! You might encounter cold and snowy weather in December but the weather is usually still not that cold. One of Chicago’s most-anticipated annual holiday season kick-off traditions includes a weekend full of festive family-friendly events – like photos with Santa Clause and live music – that lead up to the spectacular Tree Lighting Parade down North Michigan Avenue. Weather: Average Temperature 27.7 °F, Average High Temperature 35.3 °F, Average Low Temperature 20.1 °F, Average Number of Days With Precipitation 8.8, Average Number of Days With Snow 5.9, Festivals and Events: Chicago Theater Week, Chicago Auto Show (postponed to Spring 2021), Chicago Chinese New Year Celebration. Chicago is a great place to visit in the winter, holiday events and things to do in Chicago, listing of all the festivals and events in Chicago, best things to do in Chicago this January, Chicago Flower & Garden Show at Navy Pier, St. Patrick’s Day Downtown Parade & River Dyeing, Chicago Cubs Opening Day at Wrigley Field, CIMMFEST: THE Chicago International Movies & Music Festival, Open House Chicago Presented by Chicago Architecture Foundation, C2E2: Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, The Ultimate USA Travel Bucket List: 125+ Best Places to Visit in USA, Perfect Chicago Gifts for the Chicago Lover in Your Life, Keto Travel Essentials: How To Maintain The Low Carb, Keto Diet While Travelling. Tourism starts to pick up especially the weekend right before St. Patrick’s Day which is huge in Chicago. With thinning crowds as summer comes to an end – and unpredictable but overall warm weather conditions – September can also be the best time to visit Chicago. I didn’t know you lived in Chicago!! Or the fact that they play at legendary Wrigley Field that still uses its original 1937 manually-operated scoreboard. If this doesn’t get you in the holiday spirit, we’re not sure what will! This is our INSIDER GUIDE for the best times to visit Chicago! The weather might start warming up or you might still encounter winter weather and even snow. The Windy City offers lots to do, but you’ll need to bundle up! The warmest time of year is generally mid July where highs are regularly around 83.7°F (28.7°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 64.1°F (17.8°C) at night. Pros: Many festivals, concerts and events take place in the summer. Tourists begin flocking to the Windy City in June as summer conditions take over the city. See average monthly temperatures below. The average temperatures stay in the mild. This fun, free event celebrates German heritage in Chicago’s Lincoln Square, known as the heart of the city’s German community. Known as the only pop culture and comic expo in downtown Chicago –  and the largest in the Midwest – this event is a hit its many activities from exhibitors to the industry’s top comic artists and authors. Required fields are marked *. Celebrity chefs entertain with live cooking demonstrations of their favorite dishes. The last entry is 30 minutes before the closure. When you’re searching for free things to do in Chicago, festivals are always a good bet. If you want to visit Chicago on a budget and want to avoid crowds, then you might want to visit in the winter but you might have to brave the cold and snow. Learn how your comment data is processed. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Besides just weather and tourist factors, it’s worth being aware of the events and activities happening throughout Chicagoland. Have a go with a few laps around the famous ice skating rink set up on Michigan Avenue every holiday season- it’s free! July is Chicago’s hottest – and most crowded – month. Hopefully you now have a general idea of the season you want to visit Chicago. Even if you don’t mind cold and snow, keep an eye on the forecast for major snowstorms which happen once or a few times each winter. Average temperatures are an outright-cold 15℉ (-1℃) to 30℉ (-9℃) – and with that high wind factor – brrrrr! When finalizing your travel plans for the best time to visit Chicago for. The St. Patty’s Day parade is one of the largest in the entire country and showcases thousands of marching bands, floats, and plenty of marching leprechauns. Average temperatures remain chilly with a low of 28℉ (-2℃) and high of 45℉ (7℃) with around 7” of snow. Visiting Chicago in the Summer. Whenever you go to Chicago, there's an array of attractions, restaurants and hotels ready to deliver a memorable vacation. Chicago. For anyone who loves comic books, anime, video games and anything of the sort, this one’s for you! The temperature has started to cool a bit so it is very pleasant to walk around and explore Chicago. July is usually the hottest month in Chicago in terms of temperature and the weather might be very hot and humid. Name * Email * Website. As mentioned previously, the most ideal conditions in terms of weather, tourist levels and travel costs are in late spring and early fall. Weather: Average Temperature 72.4 °F, Average High Temperature 81.9 °F, Average Low Temperature 62.9 °F, Average Number of Days With Precipitation 9.8, Festivals and Events: Lollapalooza, Chicago Jazz Festival, Chicago Air & Water Show, Chicago Hot Dog Fest, Clark after Dark. This guide’s for you. Chicago … But extreme cold and dealing with snow are not the ideal travel conditions for everyone. If you like to stay on the cutting edge of the music scene and discovering emerging artists, this is a good one! Between transportation costs and hotel rates, the foundations of a trip can demolish a travel budget if not monitored. Over 350 establishments participate, so take advantage and try out as many as you can pack in! If you do not like cold weather, January is not a great time to visit. You’ll have a blast at this German-themed fest South Bay style – with nonstop music, a live Bavarian band, dancing, bratwurst and, of course, beer! The average temperature ranges between 12 to 21 degree Celsius during these months. The waterside walkway is lined with some of Chicago’s top restaurants and bars, so you can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner during your walk. If you are visiting Chicago late summer or early fall, consider a day trip to one of several. See average monthly temperatures below. That said, the best time to visit Chicago for those on a budget is during the winter. The most popular time, weather-wise, to visit Chicago spans through April and June when the spring season makes its entry after a chilling winter season. It could also definitely be their own Chicago-style hot dogs and Chicago-style deep dish pizza! If you are still not sure, feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below. What is the best time to visit Chicago weather-wise? Born in London, Nicola first got the taste of travel studying abroad in Barcelona. That place has always been on my list of places I want to visit in the US! Early October might still have summer like temperatures if you enjoy warm weather. (Photo credit – 10best.com). Usually, warm weather is associated with the ideal trip, but that doesn’t mean that times of cold and snow can’t also be the best time of year to visit Chicago. The best time to visit Chicago. However, if you don’t mind the cold, Chicago is a great place to visit in the winter as it is less crowded with tourists so everything will be less busy (except for the holiday season between Thanksgiving weekend and New Year’s) when people visit Chicago for holiday events and holiday shopping. March conditions warm up a bit from January and February, but it’s not the time to leave the coat and scarf off your packing list quite yet! Although, the best time to visit Chicago is during the month of April and October; the peak season in Chicago is between June and August, during which it is warm and glows with festivities. Tourists and locals alike are out enjoying the long days with 15 hours of sunshine. Bring the kids to Cricket Hill in Lincoln Park and have some good old-fashioned kite flying fun. Read up on the history of Chicago! This 4-day music festival based in Chi-Town’s Grant Park has been drawing crowds from near and far since its start in 1991. Anytime is good for catching a show, but the best time to visit is during Theater Week in February, with over 100 productions taking place over ten days. For those that hate cold weather, I would probably avoid Chicago in the winter if you are able to visit another time. Considered by many to be Chicago’s most notable landmark, the Windy City’s beloved Buckingham Fountain gets turned back on after being off since mid-October. Summer is peak season to visit Chicago- tourism starts to pick up and there are more festivals and events going on, especially outdoors. Find the best selection of fashion outlets and topnotch stores at this vibrant location where one can also be a part of the Magnificent Mile Shopping festival that is held each summer. Average temperatures typically don’t go above 47℉ (8℃) and nights reach freezing levels at or below 32℉ (0℃). April brings a welcome break to the extreme cold, and you can see the beginning of new blooms and a gradual return to outdoor life. 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