Indoor Activities in Chicago to Share With Friends This Winter

Climb something

Movement Lincoln Park and Movement Wrigleyville

Neighborhood: Lincoln Park (1460 N. Dayton St.) and Wrigleyville (1115 W. Addison St.) · Cost: $28 day pass, gear package $11 · Booking: walk in, book intro classes

Two climbing gyms with bouldering and roped climbing. Climbing is social by nature, and Movement leans into it with free meetups, including ones for new members, women, queer climbers and sober climbers, plus intro-to-bouldering classes if you've never tried it. The Lincoln Park gym is open from 6am on weekdays.

Play games

Emporium Arcade Bar

Neighborhood: Wicker Park, Logan Square and Fulton Market · Cost: varies · Booking: walk in, or book a party for a group

Vintage arcade cabinets and pinball with a full bar, in two locations on Milwaukee Avenue and one in Fulton Market. Good for a group that can't agree on a plan, since everyone finds a machine. Check the events calendar for tournaments and themed nights.

Laugh

iO Theater

Neighborhood: Goose Island, near Lincoln Park (1501 N. Kingsbury St.) · Cost: tickets vary · Booking: tickets online, the bar is walk-in

Improv, sketch and stand-up six nights a week. The bar is a good place to meet people before or after a show, and iO runs improv classes for anyone who wants to get on stage.

Laugh Factory Chicago

Cost: $20 general admission or $30 VIP on many shows, plus a two-drink minimum · Booking: buy ahead

Stand-up every night, and a Tuesday 9pm open mic if you'd rather watch new comics try new material.

Hear live music

• Metro (Wrigleyville, 3730 N. Clark St.): the classic rock and indie club, with shows announced through the winter. Age limits vary by show.
• Lincoln Hall (Lincoln Park) and Schubas (Lakeview): two small venues run together, with shows booked into spring 2027.
• The Hideout (on Wabansia near Elston): a tiny bar with music, comedy and dance parties, open Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm.
• Thalia Hall (Pilsen, 1807 S. Allport St.): a restored 1892 hall with three bars and mostly all-ages shows. Buy at the box office on Fridays from 10am to 1pm to skip the fees.

Cook and eat together

• The Chopping Block (Lincoln Square, 4747 N. Lincoln Ave.): hands-on cooking classes where small groups cook a meal together and then sit down to eat it, plus wine and cocktail classes. Easy to book for a group.
• From Here On (the Loop, in the Old Post Office at 433 W. Van Buren): a food hall with local vendors and a cocktail bar. It's a weekday lunch spot, with food from 11am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.

Warm museums and green rooms

• Field Museum: no admission for Illinois residents on Wednesdays through March 2027. Reserve ahead.
• Adler Planetarium: open late on Wednesdays until 10pm, a good after-work plan.
• Lincoln Park Conservatory: no admission, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm. Reserve a timed entry, then thaw out among the palms.
• National Museum of Mexican Art (Pilsen): no admission, Tuesday to Sunday.

For the city's bigger museums and their prices, see our guide to the best things to do in Chicago.

A few things to plan around

• From Here On is a weekday spot. Food is served Monday to Friday, 11am–3pm, so save it for a weekday lunch.
• Laugh Factory's two-drink minimum. Budget for drinks on top of the ticket.
• Age limits vary. Metro and other venues set age limits show by show. Check before you buy for a mixed group.
• Start with a meetup. Movement's free meetups and intro classes are the easiest way into climbing.
• Field Museum resident days are Wednesdays. Booking ahead is strongly recommended.

Three easy plans to suggest

You don't need a whole weekend. Pick one:

1. A climbing session with someone who wants to try it. Book an intro-to-bouldering class at Movement, or show up to one of the gym's meetups. An hour on the wall is plenty for a first go.
2. A cooking class for two (or four). At The Chopping Block, small groups cook a meal together and then sit down to eat it, so the conversation comes built in.
3. Pinball and a drink. Meet at Emporium, play a few machines, and stay as long as it's fun.

For low-key plans all winter, see our guide to easy things to do in Chicago this weekend, and for the holidays, things to do in Chicago in December.

Make it a plan with someone nearby

Indoor plans are easy to share: a climbing meetup, a cooking class, a drink after an improv show. Lighthouse is a social app for meeting people nearby who share your interests. You can see who's around and what you have in common, start an activity for the plan you have in mind, or join one someone in your neighborhood has posted. Each activity has its own group chat, so you can say hi and agree on the details before you meet.

Good to know

• Check before you go: shows sell out, and venues change hours in the holidays. That goes for anything in this post, too. Each listing links to its official source below.
• Ages: many music venues and comedy clubs are 18+ or 21+ for some shows. Check each event.
• Getting there: most of these are close to an 'L' stop, which beats looking for parking in the snow.