StayAreasChicago at Christmas 2026: Christkindlmarket and where to stay
Christkindlmarket, the German-style market on Daley Plaza in the Loop, runs from Friday 20 November to 24 December 2026, and entry is free.
The Loop puts the market and Millennium Park's rink on foot; the Magnificent Mile is a 20-minute walk north.
What's on
Christkindlmarket, Daley PlazaFree
20 Nov – 24 Dec 2026. Sun–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11am–9pm, shorter on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. A second market in Wrigleyville runs to 31 Dec.
Stay nearby: The Loop · ~$240/nightMillennium Park tree and ice rinkFree
The city tree and the skating rink by Cloud Gate; skating is free, rental is extra.
Stay nearby: The Loop · ~$240/nightMagnificent Mile lightsFree
Lights along Michigan Avenue, switched on with a parade on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Stay nearby: Magnificent Mile · ~$260/nightZooLights, Lincoln Park Zoo
The zoo lit up on winter evenings, from late November to early January.
Stay nearby: Gold Coast · ~$300/night
Christmas by area
How far each area is from the market, lights and rink on foot. Walking times are estimates; prices are a typical mid-range double, not December rates.
Christmas from The Loop
~$240/nightOn foot: Christkindlmarket 5 min · Millennium Park 5 min · Magnificent Mile 25 min.
3 of the 4 on this list are within a 30-minute walk; dress for the cold.
Hotels in The Loop →Christmas from Magnificent Mile
~$260/nightOn foot: Magnificent Mile 5 min · Christkindlmarket 20 min · Millennium Park 20 min.
3 of the 4 on this list are within a 30-minute walk; dress for the cold.
Hotels in Magnificent Mile →Christmas from River North
~$260/nightOn foot: Christkindlmarket 15 min · Magnificent Mile 15 min · Millennium Park 20 min.
3 of the 4 on this list are within a 30-minute walk; dress for the cold.
Hotels in River North →Christmas from Gold Coast
~$300/nightOn foot: Magnificent Mile 10 min · Christkindlmarket 30 min.
Magnificent Mile is your closest, about 10 minutes' walk.
Hotels in Gold Coast →Christmas from West Loop
~$270/nightOn foot: Christkindlmarket 25 min · Millennium Park 30 min.
Christkindlmarket is your closest, about 25 minutes' walk.
Hotels in West Loop →Christmas from South Loop
~$200/nightThe nearest is Christkindlmarket, about 3 km away: an L or bus ride.
Nothing on this list is walkable, so allow for the L or a bus into the Loop.
Hotels in South Loop →Christmas from Lakeview
~$190/nightThe nearest is ZooLights, about 3 km away: an L or bus ride.
Nothing on this list is walkable, so allow for the L or a bus into the Loop.
Hotels in Lakeview →Christmas from Wicker Park
~$220/nightThe nearest is ZooLights, about 4 km away: an L or bus ride.
Nothing on this list is walkable, so allow for the L or a bus into the Loop.
Hotels in Wicker Park →
Good to know
December evenings in Chicago are often well below freezing and windy by the lake, so a hotel close to what you want to see matters more than usual.
Written by the StayAreas editorial team · Updated Nov 2026 · How we research our guides