Best Time to Visit Chicago, Illinois

Summer: warm, busy and full of events

June to August is peak season, and you'll feel it. Days are warm and a bit sticky, and July and August are the hottest months, tied at a 25°C high. Evenings stay mild, which is perfect for a rooftop drink or a walk along the Chicago Riverwalk. Lake Michigan is the draw: North Avenue Beach and Oak Street Beach fill up on weekends, and a architecture river cruise is easier to enjoy in the morning light.

Summer is also festival time. Taste of Chicago takes over Grant Park, Pride Month fills Northalsted with parades and parties, and Lollapalooza turns the same park into a huge music festival in early August. Hotels cost more then, and school holidays bring families. Showers are common, but they often pass quickly.

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

September is our top pick. It's still warm, with a 22°C high, less rain than summer and fewer crowds once Labor Day weekend is over. You can still sit by the lake, and Wrigley Field is lively with baseball. Want something quieter? The Chicago Marathon runs in October, so book early if you're coming then, because hotels fill up.

October is cooler and greyer, but the trees in Lincoln Park and along the Lakefront Trail turn gold. May is the spring winner. It's a pleasant 16°C and the parks are green again, though it's one of the wetter months, so keep a rain jacket handy. April is chilly and rainy. March is Fair at best, but St. Patrick's Day is a big one here, when the Chicago River is dyed green.

Winter: cold, cheap and cosy

From December to February, expect grey skies, little sun and temperatures around or below freezing. The wind off the lake makes it feel colder. Honestly, it's not the time for a beach trip or a long walk along the waterfront.

But if you don't mind the cold, there's a case for it. Hotels are cheaper, and the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry are far less crowded. Christkindlmarket, a German-style Christmas market in Daley Plaza, runs from November into December. Deep-dish pizza tastes better when it's freezing outside. Just pack a proper coat, hat and gloves, because you'll be walking between the L stations in the wind.