Things to Do on Christmas Day in Chicago: What's Open and Plans to Share

Open on Christmas Day

Lincoln Park Zoo

Neighborhood: Lincoln Park · Cost: no admission · Hours: gates 8am–5pm, buildings 10am–4:30pm

The zoo is open 365 days a year, Christmas included, which makes it an easy morning out. ZooLights, the evening light show, is a separate event and is closed on December 24 and 25.

Maggie Daley Park skating ribbon

Neighborhood: the Loop · Cost: ticketed · Sessions: 8–10am, 11am–1pm and 2–4pm

The skating ribbon runs three sessions on Christmas Day. Book a slot ahead, since holiday sessions sell out.

Millennium Park and the Riverwalk

Neighborhood: the Loop · Cost: no admission · Hours: 6am–11pm

The city's Christmas tree stays lit in Millennium Park through January 10, and the Bean is a short walk away. From there, head down to the Riverwalk for a holiday stroll with whoever's up for it. The tree is also an easy landmark if you're meeting people you haven't met in person before.

Skydeck at Willis Tower

Neighborhood: the Loop · Cost: from $32 · Hours: open 365 days a year, including Christmas Day; check the holiday hours and book ahead on theskydeck.com

A clear Christmas afternoon is a great time to see the whole city from above. Skydeck sells timed tickets, which also makes it easy to meet a small group at a set time.

Closed on Christmas Day

Plan around these, because they all take December 25 off:

• Art Institute of Chicago (also closed Thanksgiving and New Year's Day)
• Field Museum
• Adler Planetarium
• Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (open 9:30am–4pm on Christmas Eve)
• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Navy Pier, including Winter WonderFest (open 11am–5pm on Christmas Eve)
• ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
• Chicago Cultural Center, which closes on holidays

Shedd Aquarium is usually closed on Christmas Day. For the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink and the Garfield Park and Lincoln Park conservatories, check their holiday hours before you go.

A few things to plan around

• Museums are closed. The Art Institute, Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, Griffin MSI and the MCA are all closed.
• So is Navy Pier. It's closed all day, including Winter WonderFest. Go on Christmas Eve or December 26 instead.
• ZooLights takes two nights off. The zoo is open in the daytime, but the light show is closed on the 24th and 25th.
• Transit runs a Sunday schedule. Trains and buses come less often, so leave extra time between stops.
• Book skating ahead. The Maggie Daley ribbon runs timed sessions, and holiday slots go first.

Easy plans for December 25

Pick one, or string two together if the day is wide open. They're all open on December 25, close to one another, and easy to share with a friend or a neighbor:

1. A zoo morning. Lincoln Park Zoo opens its gates at 8am, with indoor buildings to warm up in from 10am. There's no admission fee.
2. A skate. Book the 11am–1pm session on the Maggie Daley Park ribbon, and leave time for a hot drink after.
3. The tree and the Bean. A short walk through Millennium Park to see the city's Christmas tree, lit through January 10.
4. Sunset on the Riverwalk. A slow walk by the river as the light goes, with Skydeck nearby if you want the view from above.

For more low-key plans through the season, see our guide to easy things to do in Chicago this weekend.

Christmas Eve and the days after

If you're planning the whole holiday stretch:

• Christmas Eve is the last day of Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza, and the Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker has performances on December 24 at the Lyric Opera House. Navy Pier and Griffin MSI are open with shorter hours.
• December 26 brings things back: ZooLights reopens, Navy Pier's Winter WonderFest is open again, the Nutcracker plays December 26 and 27, and Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic runs nightly December 26–31.

For the full month, see our guide to things to do in Chicago in December.

Make it a plan with someone nearby

A zoo walk, a skate or a coffee on the Riverwalk is easy to share. 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 the day before: holiday hours change, and outdoor plans depend on the weather. That goes for anything in this post, too. Each listing links to its official source below.
• Book ahead for anything ticketed, especially skating sessions and the Nutcracker.
• Restaurants and movie theaters set their own holiday hours, so call or check online before heading out.