Helpful Tips for Settling in For a Chicago Winter

You’ve just moved to Chicago or you are on your way and the excitement of living in the Windy City is about to begin. While you’ll be blown away by the beautiful high rises, the gorgeous views, and the excitement of big city live, you also need to prepare yourself for what a Chicago winter is like.

Many newbies to the area aren’t prepared for just how cold it is or what it’s like to get around. Having an idea now will make it easier to enjoy yourself once you arrive. Take a look at these helpful tips that you’ll want to know before settling into your new Chicago home this winter.

What is Chicago’s climate like?

The first thing to understand is what the climate in Chicago is really like. While you’ll get to enjoy all four seasons between the humid summers, the mild autumns, and the cool springs, you’ll have a very cold winter, especially during January and February.

You’ll have the humidity and the cold that comes with being next to Lake Michigan. The winter season in Chicago can change in one week from highs of 30 degrees to lows of 16 degrees. You’ll likely see temps below zero and spontaneous snowstorms in the winter, but if you hold out until May or June, you’ll see warm weather again.

Flying in and feeling the cold

If you’ve never visited during the winter season, the first thing you should do is plan to fly into Chicago Midway to lessen your chances of a delay or cancellation. O’Hare tends to get more of the winter weather effects than Chicago Midway. Prepare before your flight by checking on the current weather conditions.

You may be surprised how cold it is when you arrive. The best thing you can do is embrace the season of cold temperatures and enjoy the things that cold weather brings with it. You’ll be able to spend this season enjoying ice skating at the park, enjoying Christmas lights, and shopping at holiday markets.

How to dress

The most important thing to do is to prepare your wardrobe for the weather. You’ll want to dress appropriately when you arrive and then consider how you’ll dress commuting each day. You can always make the weather more tolerable by dressing appropriately. This means that you need to have waterproof boots for snowy and slushy sidewalks, a warm jacket to protect you from the wind, as well as gloves, a hat, and a scarf for protection.

Make sure you dress each day in layers that can be removed since you’ll enter heated buildings. You can always pack different shoes to change into when you arrive at the office. When it comes to your days off with sightseeing, you’ll have more options to tour the city outside of public transportation, such as the hop-on and hop-off tours where you can warm up without having to commute to the subway or buses.

Safety at home

You’ll probably be tempted to stay indoors this season. You’ll love the indoor attractions around town, as well as snuggling up by your fireplace. Be prepared for a higher heating bill but also beware of fire safety especially if you’re using a wood or pellet stove or are unsure if your HVAC system has been checked. Make sure to get out to avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder, but be sure to take a winter driving course to make sure you stay safe on the road. 

Have some winter fun

Don’t forget to have some fun this winter. Talk to the locals about staying warm this winter when you’re out enjoying ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo, the Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza, or the caroling and ice skating at Cloud Gate in Millennium Park Plaza. If you want to stay indoors, check out a Christmas performance, a museum tour, or dinner out in your new town.

Moving in the winter can be tough, but planning ahead can make all the difference. Make sure you’ve hired your professional moving crew that can transport your household goods safely in the winter conditions and knows how to keep things protected in slippery conditions. Buy a new wardrobe and start booking your flight. When you arrive to your new home, enjoy the most exciting season of the year in the Windy City!

3 Chicago attractions you should take in after your move

One of the best parts about moving to Chicago has to be the fact that after your move, you’ll have access to some of the country’s top attractions right in your neighborhood. That’s right; after moving to a new home in Chicago, you get to enjoy the skyline views from the Navy Pier or exploring history at the Field Museum.

If you’re looking forward to a walk through museums, a stroll through the park, and a spin around the Ferris Wheel, take a look at these activities and more that you can enjoy at Millennium Park, the Field Museum, and the Navy Pier after your move to Chicago.

Navy Pier

Whether you’re looking for a place to eat, a piece of local theater, or you just want to enjoy being outdoors, the Navy Pier is the perfect place to start your new life in Chicago. If your group is 21 or older, walk over to the Miller Lite Beer Garden or just walk around the pier with your beverage. For those with children, you’ll love grabbing lunch at DMK Burger and Fish Bar or having a treat from the Original Rainbow Cone. The Pier is a great place to eat, drink, and indulge.

After you refuel, catch a boat tour of the city on an architecture-themed tour, or get tickets for the huge Ferris wheel. The Centennial Wheel goes around nice and slow to give you beautiful views of the city and residents get a discount. You’ll also want to catch a performance at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater or watch the latest flicks at the IMAX cinema.

By David Bjorgen (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Millennium Park

If you like the idea of being outside but want a day to just enjoy the local culture without pulling out your wallet, head over to Millennium Park!  This park is one of the best featuring a huge 24.5-acre space, an outdoor gallery, a beautiful garden, free outdoor shows, and the famous Cloud Gate, also called “The Bean.”

The Bean is a reflective sculpture that makes for some of the best Chicago pictures of your family, which you’ll reach after you’ve walked through the permanent outdoor gallery of beautiful pieces from contemporary artists.

During the warmer months, you’ll enjoy local culture through excellent Chicago concerts. Look out for the Millennium Park Summer Concert Series where you can enjoy jazz, rock, and world acts. You’ll also love the Chicago Blues Festival and the Jazz Festival.

During the rest of the year, enjoy a walk through the peaceful Lurie Garden, the pedestrian bridges leading to the Art Institute, and local dining featuring views of the park.

The Field Museum

You don’t have to be traveling with kids to spend a day at the incredible Field Museum. Upon entering this exciting anthropological and biological museum, you’ll see Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever uncovered. From there, you’ll want to take a tour with a guide to see the plethora exhibits, to see scientists at work in the Fossil Prep Lab, and to check out the 3d movie theater where you’ll see films about dinosaurs, ancient Egypt, and the Galapagos on rotation. Look for it with many other exciting museums over at Museum Campus.

Joe Ravi [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

What better to celebrate your move to Chicago than to enjoy some top attractions after the work is done? Be sure to stop by these top attractions once you’ve settled into your new neighborhood and be sure to bring your new Chicago ID to get a discount on the area's attractions!

These are just a few of Chicago's dozens of attractions you'll want to visit. Make sure you checkout our guide on what to consider before moving to a new city!

Eye These Trending Chicago Neighborhoods During Your Next Move

Chicago is full of great neighborhoods. If you're relocating to the windy city or you're just looking to move to a new neighborhood, you should know which ones are hot right now. Here's a look at some of the trending Chicago neighborhoods to consider next time you move.

Ukrainian Village

Full of dive bars, modern restaurants and old Ukrainian delis, this neighborhood is one of the hottest right now. It's a West Side neighborhood and people are moving here en masse.

In January of 2016, Ukrainian Village was ranked as the hottest neighborhood in the entire country by Redfin. It used to be just the center of the Ukrainian community, but it has become so much more.

Bridgeport

Filled with a diverse mix of residents, Bridgeport is an older neighborhood with plenty of charm. It's known for the bakeries and bars, such as Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar. Historically, it’s an Irish-American area, but has become one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city.

A study done by DePaul University in 2008 showed Bridgeport as one of the top diverse areas in the entire city. It has also been the birthplace of five different Chicago mayors.

Near West Side

A Fulton Market District neighborhood, Near West Side is one of the best for foodies. Moving here will put you within walking distance or a short cab ride from some of the hottest restaurants, such as Au Cheval and Girl & the Goat. The neighborhood is also home to The Aviary cocktail lounge, which is one of the best you'll find in the area.

Uptown

Known for the live music venues and art deco, Uptown Chicago is one of the hottest places to live. It's full of great restaurants, found just blocks from the Aragon Ballroom and provides all types of history.

Riviera Theater is found nearby, which has been a music venue since the 1980s. It was once a movie theater and dates all the way back to 1917. This is also the neighborhood where you'll find Al Capone’s old hangout Green Mill.

Pilsen

An artistic community with plenty to offer, Pilsen is known for the Mexican street food. It's a Lower West Side neighborhood with a Hispanic influence throughout. The Chicago Art District is also found here with plenty of galleries to export and public art is found all throughout Pilsen.

River North

This neighborhood used to be a slum until the art galleries took over. It has been transformed into one of the finest areas in town with plenty of galleries and commercial buildings throughout. You'll find the Trump Tower here, along with many other skyscrapers. It’s also home to many celebrities and athletes.

Other top Chicago neighborhoods to consider include:

• Wicker Park

• Bucktown

• Gold Coast

• Hyde Park

• Lakeview

• Roscoe Village

• Streeterville

Chicago is a city full of diverse neighborhoods and something for just about anybody. Moving to the city provides a wide variety of options including these trending Chicago neighborhoods.

Is it Worth it to Own a Car After Moving to Chicago?

Moving to Chicago is a big jump for many looking to relocate to the big city. You might be used to hopping in your car and heading to work, the store or anywhere else on a daily basis. While you can certainly do this in Chicago, it's not a necessity with the public transportation options and the ability to walk to many things nearby. Keeping your car may allow you to travel outside of the city. You will need a place to park it or store it and this can be expensive. You will also need to get a city vehicle sticker for your car.

Do you Need a Car to Commute to Work?

Commuting to work in Chicago with your own personal vehicle can be challenging. You may have to deal with long rush house from 6:30am to 10:30am and from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. This may be enough reason to ditch the car for public transportation for some.

You don't need a car to get to work, in most cases. The Chicago Transit Authority or CTA, will get you to every corner of the city. You also have the option to get a bike and ride it to work. Of course, you can always share a ride with UberX or Lyft and there's always the option of hailing a taxi.

Where will you Park?

If you decide you will be keeping your car, you may need to have a lawn chair or something else ready to call "dibs" on a parking spot. It's very difficult to deal with parallel parking in Chicago and if you leave a spot open, it will be taken by the time you come back. You have to pay attention to the parking signs and tow zones, too.

In the winter, you will have to fight the snow, which means you may have to claim your parking spot. Just because you shovel it doesn't mean it's automatically yours. You have to mark the spot with lawn chairs and other items you are not using. Even by marking the spot, there's not guarantee it will be open when you come back.

Research the Neighborhood Before Deciding

Chicago is full of unique neighborhoods and some are more car-friendly than others. For example, parking in Hyde Park is much easier than Lakeview. Each neighborhood is a bit different and you may want to make sure you understand what you're getting into before you choose to keep or sell your car.

There are many things to consider if you keep your car. You may have to pay high parking fees and it may be difficult to find a parking spot. Make sure you take the time to consider all of the possibilities and your personal needs before you move to Chicago with your car.

Moving is already stressful enough without additional decisions. It may be best to make the decision to keep or sell your car before you hire a Chicago moving company and prepare everything for transit. At least it will be one less decision you will have to deal with.

Moving to Chicago - Should I own a car

Moving to Chicago: What Clothes do I need?

Chicago is known as the windy city, but there's more than wind throughout the year. You really do experience four full seasons in Chicago and it may be quite different than your current home city. If you're planning on moving to Chicago, you may need to choose the right clothing for each season. It's probably necessary to do a little shopping and pick up some new items, if you want to survive the city's four seasons.

Clothing for Winter in Chicago

Chicago is a very cold and snowy city in the winter time. You cannot survive a Chicago winter without a quality winter coat. This isn't an area to go cheap on since zippers often break on cheaply made coats. You will also need gloves, a good hat, scarves, snow boots and other winter gear. Make sure you leave all of these items out and available if you are moving to Chicago in the Winter - you'll need them!

Moving in Chicago's Winter

You may not think it's that big of a deal, if you're coming from an area that experiences winter. However, if you don't live in a big city, you may not have the luxury of using your car to get to work every day or to the store. Many residents of Chicago don't drive their vehicles as much because they use public transportation and walk quite a bit. If this is going to be you, make sure you have proper winter clothing to dress for being out in the cold.

Clothing for Spring in Chicago

The spring season isn't going to be super warm, but it will be a welcome break after winter. You will want to make sure you have a lighter jacket and plenty of long sleeve shirts for the spring. Some of the days will be warmer than others, so you need to be prepared for a little bit of both.

While the winter may bring lake effect snow and below zero wind chills, spring will bring warmer temperatures. However, prepare for days in the 30s and 40s, along with days in the 60s.

Clothing for Summer in Chicago

Shorts will start to come out on days when the city sees temperatures in the 60s. You will want to have plenty of summer cloths, especially if you plan to enjoy the local beach. It can actually get rather hot in Chicago when July and August roll around. Be prepared with tank tops, shorts, t-shirts, swimsuits, plenty of sunscreen and other summer clothing items. There's no greater place to live than Chicago during the Summer!

Chicago Moving Professionals

Clothing for Fall in Chicago

Many local residents will tell you that fall is one of the best times of year in Chicago. There's just enough chill in the air, most days, to enjoy wearing jeans and a sweater at night, but it's still warm enough for shorts during some days. This is the time of year for a light jacket and long sleeve shirts, just like spring.

Chicago provides diversity within the weather system. It can be incredibly cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. If you're used to a more consistent climate, such as Florida, South California or another climate with steady, year-round temperatures, you may need to make serious adjustments to your wardrobe.

When you move to Chicago, you need a little bit of everything in your wardrobe. It's important to be prepared to wear flip flops and sandals in the summers, but also be prepared for heavy boots in the winter. Make sure you have clothing for all of the seasons if you're planning to move to Chicago.