Spending Valentine’s Day weekend in Chicago and looking for unique things to do instead of the usual dinner and drinks? Here are the most romantic things to do in Chicago for Valentine’s Day.
Things to Do in Chicago on Valentine’s Day
Contents
- Things to Do in Chicago on Valentine’s Day
- Go Outdoor Ice Skating
- Go Outdoor Curling
- Have Drinks in an Igloo
- Enjoy the Views from 360 CHICAGO
- Visit the Shedd Aquarium
- Take Instagram Photos at the Museum of Illusions Chicago
- Experience the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit
- Admire Famous Works at The Art Institute of Chicago
- Have Sweet Love Themed Treats at JoJo’s Candy Land
- Take a Cooking Class
- Hold and Feed a Bunny
- Relax in Thermal Baths at AIRE Ancient Baths
- See the Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden
- Chicago Valentine’s Day Weekend Events
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Go Outdoor Ice Skating
Looking for a fun outdoor activity in Chicago? There are many places to go outdoor ice skating in the city.
One of the best and instaworthy places to go ice skating in downtown Chicago is the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink right in front of The Bean (a must on any Chicago bucket list).
Another picture perfect spot is the nearby skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park which has a path twice the length of a lap around a traditional skating rink.
Advance reservations are required for both of these ice skating rinks. You can find more places outdoor ice skating in Chicago here.
Go Outdoor Curling
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Below is a list of places offering outdoor curling (along with drinks) on Valentine’s Day weekend:
Upstairs at The Gwen, 521 North Rush Street
Kennedy Rooftop, 1551 W North Ave
Harry Caray’s Tavern – Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave
Have Drinks in an Igloo
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Here are some of the best outdoor igloos in Chicago (advance reservations are required).
Kennedy Rooftop, 1551 W North Ave
I|O at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, 127 West Huron Street
Enjoy the Views from 360 CHICAGO
Enjoy amazing views of the Chicago skyline from 360 CHICAGO (former John Hancock Building).
The 360 Chicago observation deck on the 94th floor is home to TILT, an enclosed moving platform that literally tilts you out over Michigan Avenue from the 94th Floor.
You can enjoy similar view over from the The Signature Lounge at the 96th.
Where: 875 North Michigan Avenue, 94th floor, Chicago, IL 60611
Cost: $25 for adults, $15 youth.
Visit the Shedd Aquarium
Visiting the Shedd Aquarium is a fun and relaxing daytime activity for couples.
Where: 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
Hours: Open 9 am – 5 pm. Advance purchase of timed tickets is required.
Cost: Admission is $39.95 ($19.95 for Chicago residents) for adults; $29.95 ($14.95 for Chicago residents) for children (3–11). Illinois residents enjoy FREE admission on February 14 but tickets must be reserved online before visiting.
Tip: If you are visiting a few museums and indoor attractions, consider purchasing a Chicago CityPASS or Go Chicago Card to save money on entrance fees.
Take Instagram Photos at the Museum of Illusions Chicago
The Museum of Illusions Chicago offers an interactive, immersive and fun experience for both adults and kids with exhibits that will teach you about vision, perception, the human brain and science. This instagrammable museum is offering a Valentine’s Day Special Ticket Discount – two tickets for the price of one on February 14th only.
Where: 25 E Washington St., Chicago, Illinois
Experience the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit
From the creators of the blockbuster show at Atelier des Lumières seen by over 2 million visitors in Paris and Toronto and featured in Emily in Paris (one of my favorite travel shows on Netflix), the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit, is a massive indoor digital presentation of Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork.
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace at Germania Place, 108 W. Germania Pl, Chicago, IL
Cost: Tickets start at $39.99 plus fees for off peak times. See https://www.vangoghchicago.com/ for full prices and to purchase tickets in advance.
Admire Famous Works at The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States and is frequently found on lists of the top museums in the world. In addition to its large permanent collection of art from around the world, you can see rotating exhibitions.
Click here to buy a skip the line ticket if you want to avoid long lines.
Where: 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603
Cost: $25 for adults, $19 for seniors, students and teens (14-17), members and children under 14 are free. Admission is free for Illinois residents on Monday, February 14.
Have Sweet Love Themed Treats at JoJo’s Candy Land
In preparation for Valentine’s Day, JoJo’s ShakeBAR has created a lovable menu featuring their over-the-top Love Shake, extravagant Cupid’s Cocoa, and a variety of other sweet treats and decadent cocktails. This menu is available in JoJo’s heated Candy Land tent until February 20, 2022.
Where: JoJo’s ShakeBAR, 23 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
Cost: A $10 table charge will be taken upon entry for outdoor reservations & wutdoor walk-ins in The Candy Land Tent. Igloo Domes are only available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Take a Cooking Class
Looking for a fun activity with your loved one? You can take a hands on cooking class at The Chopping Block. They even offer virtual classes if you want to learn how to prepare a nice meal for your Valentine at home. You can find their class schedule here.
Where: Merchandise Mart, The Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 107, Chicago IL 60654 &
Lincoln Square, 4747 N Lincoln, Chicago, IL 60625
Cost: Price varies.
Hold and Feed a Bunny
Looking for a unique thing to do in Chicago with your Valentine? Visit the Cuddle Bunny, where visitors can pet and feed bunnies.
During Valentine’s Day weekend, the Cuddle Bunny is offering candlelight bunny interactions, special evening event exclusively for couples where you can snuggle with bunnies (and your sweetie) with romantic music, chocolates, and roses. Reservations are required.
Where: Cuddle Bunny, 2901 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Cost: The price for the candlelight bunny interaction is per $20 person ($40 per couple).
Regular bunny interaction is $12 per person on Valentine’s Day, $16 per person on Friday through Saturday.
Relax in Thermal Baths at AIRE Ancient Baths
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Relax and enjoy thermal baths, massages and exclusive rituals with your loved one at AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago. Inspired by the tradition of baths from ancient Roman, Greek and Ottoman civilizations, AIRE Chicago is located in a restored historical building lit by candlelight in River West.
In addition to their usual treatments, they are offering Valentine’s Day Specials for couples including two new limited experiences available only from February 11-14.
Where: AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago, 800 West Superior St., Chicago, IL 60642
Cost: Price varies.
See the Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden
If you ware willing to travel to the northern suburbs, you can soak up the color and fresh blooms of thousands of orchids and other tropical plants at the Chicago Botanic Garden. This year’s Orchid Show: Untamed celebrates the unexpected verve of wild orchids with sweeps of orchids taking over an old secret garden and twine around abandoned pillars.
On Monday, February 14, the show is open between 5 and 7:30 p.m. for Orchids After Hours, featuring cocktails, a retro menu of light bites for purchase, and an evening look at 10,000 blooming orchids at the Orchid Show.
Where: Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022 (24 miles north of downtown Chicago)
Cost: Price varies. See https://www.chicagobotanic.org/events/featured_events/orchid_show for prices and to purchase tickets.
Chicago Valentine’s Day Weekend Events
In addition to the activities mentioned above, other events taking place during Valentine’s Day weekend include: Handmade Market Chicago (February 12), Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown (February 13), Chicago Artisan Market Ravenswood (February 12-13), Chicago Black Restaurant Week (February 6-20) and Chicago Auto Show (February 11-20, 2023). You can find more Valentine’s Day weekend events in Chicago here.
Looking more things to do in Chicago? Here are the best things to do in Chicago in February.
As you can see there are many things to do in Chicago on Valentine’s Day weekend.
Planning a trip to Chicago? Check out my Chicago guides and itineraries:
