Hey friends! I hope your week is going well! Today I’m going to recap a trip I recently went on. If you follow along on the ‘gram, you know that I went on the FAM tour with Enjoy Illinois! It was my first time really exploring Chicago, and I had a blast! If you’re headed to Chicago for the holidays, here are some spots you really don’t wanna miss:
The Christkindl Market
This market is awesome for Christmas gifts! There were beautiful handprinted steins, brats and sauerkraut, and hundreds of holiday decorations to check out.
Our next stop was Macy’s, where we were able to take the holiday traditions tour. This Macy’s location is absolutely stunning! I had a wonderful time learning about the history of Macy’s and this particular Chicago location itself. The store also features the Walnut Room, which hangs a huge Christmas Tree from the ceiling during the holiday season!
The Bean is obviously a must-see since it’s the most popular attraction in all of Illinois! The park itself is gorgeous and I found myself in awe of the Chicago architecture — so milling around the park with the city in view was definitely a fave. We also witnessed a proposal, which apparently happens fairly often in Millennium Park 🙂
Shopping is obviously a must while traveling…at least for me. The Magnificent Mile features a ton of great shops and restaurants, and was actually probably my favorite area to hang out in. I’ve been sitting on AirPods for quite a long time, and I finally took the plunge and bought a pair at the new Apple store — such a gorgeous building with glass walls showcasing the beauty of the river.
Museum of Science and Industry
This museum was actually really fun, and I’m not typically a museum-goer unless it’s an art museum. MSI is the largest science center in the western hemisphere, and let me tell ya – I didn’t even get through it all. There are so many nooks and crannies with interactive displays that this museum is probably more of an all-day adventure. It was really fun seeing family members of all ages explore the exhibits. I’ll have to take my nieces and nephew there sometime 🙂
The main exhibit was Christmas Around the World, which showed 50 trees decorated to show the culture from around the world!
Alright, let’s talk food:
House of Blues
This was definitely a personal fave and I will definitely be returning in the future with friends and family! I’d never been to a House of Blues brunch before, but it was absolutely incredible. If the all-you-can-eat buffet isn’t enough, the live music is a sure way to start your day off feelin’ good!
Labriola offers three experiences in one space – a full service Italian restaurant, a bar, and a café! I ordered a salmon dish and we finished off with an insane platter of different desserts. What. A. Treat. To say that I left full is the understatement of the year. I would highly recommend Labriola if you’re interested in an Italian restaurant that’s right near the Magnificent Mile!
Need a breakfast stop? I would check out Lou Mitchell’s. This classic diner is delicious and features a side of donut holes! I ordered the Denver omelette (shoutout to my home! ) and was pleasantly surprised with how fluffy the eggs were and how perfectly cooked the breakfast potatoes were. You’ll definitely leave satisfied and ready for the day 🙂
Thanks so much for checking out my tour guide for this season! As always, feel free to shoot me a message with other tips or places to check out!
Thank you to Enjoy illinois and the Fam Tour for having me out for the weekend! This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own. 🙂
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