Christmas lights · Chicago, IL
Chicago splits between the city, where the zoo and the big tree are a CTA ride away, and the suburbs, where the two botanical light shows need a car and a parking ticket. The Morton Arboretum has already published its 2026 season.
5 displays · 1 free · 1 with 2026 dates announced
Paid per car, not per person, so a full car is the cheap way to do it. Weekends are the busy nights.
Over a million lights synced to music in the ballpark lot. No car? There's a trolley on Thursdays and Sundays.
On the map
Checked 2026-09-23 · lightofchristmas.com
Official siteMostly ticketed per person, and on foot. Check the hours before you set out.
The free city zoo lit up for the holidays, right on the lakefront.
Getting in and parking
On the map
Checked 2026-09-23 · lpzoo.org
Official siteThe city's official Christmas tree in Millennium Park.
On the map
Checked 2026-09-23 · Choose Chicago; City of Chicago
Official siteA 1.3-mile lit trail around the garden's main island.
Getting in and parking
On the map
Checked 2026-09-23 · chicagobotanic.org
Official siteThe arboretum's trees lit to music, now in its 14th season, with four new installations and an indoor model railroad.
On the map
Checked 2026-09-23 · mortonarb.org
Official siteBefore you go
Most displays announce the season in October or November. Until they do, we show last year's dates and say so, rather than guess this year's. Every card shows the day we last checked it and where the facts came from.
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