I was at the top of the 40-foot Ferris wheel with my 13-year-old sister beside me, and all I could hear was her yelling, “My anxiety is so high right now!” Yeah sure I may have been shaking the cart a little bit but not by much. My aunt and 11-year-old sister were in the cart below us having a lot more fun.
We were at the Winter Wonderland at Gallagher Way in Wrigleyville. It was December 10, 2023, and let me tell you, it was cold. I was wearing 4 layers easily, but it was so worth it. I recommend it 100%.
The Winter Wonderland was open from November 17-December 24. When it opens up next holiday season you should check it out. To get more information go to: https://www.christkindlmarket.com. I had lots of fun and it gave me the opportunity to bond more with my aunt, who I don’t get to see often. When we went there, we walked through the Christkindlmarket. It’s an outdoor market that celebrates German and European traditions. All of the little shops looked so cute and it smelled so good with all of the businesses selling food. I remember seeing them selling stuff like potato pancakes, hot chocolate, and warm pretzels. There was also this German store that had an assortment of cookies, chocolates, candies, and other foods you typically don’t see in stores nearby. It only happens during Christmas time and there are only three Chicagoland places that host it. They are Aurora, Chicago (near Millennium Park), and Wrigleyville. They also have online vendors, but that’s not the same as walking through it in person.
The first place that we went to was inside the field and I was amazed at how pretty it was. There were so many rides and games to play. To enjoy these rides you have to purchase tickets at a booth, yet my family and I already had 12 tickets so we were set.. Tickets were $4 each but most of the rides only required one per person. The first ride that my sisters and I went on was the swings. It was an easy one to start with but it was a lot of fun.
The next ride we went to were the teacups where you get spun in a circle while also turning in another circle. I sat out, of course, but my youngest sister and my aunt went on that one.
Then my younger sister and I went on The Edge which also goes in a circle but you go super high in the sky and that was a great view. I got to see the whole park from up there.
After that, we scoped out the rest of the park. Ice skating and bumper cars were definitely on our to-do list but the lines were extremely long. So of course our next option was the big tent to warm up in. It was called “The Lodge” and I’m very grateful that it was there. I got a hot chocolate (which was very good) and I got to keep the mug it came in, so another mug for my collection. These mugs are special because they are decorated souvenirs from the market, and there are different designs on them depending on the place you get them from.
By then we were all getting tired and decided it was time to start heading out. We walked through the inside of the park and got some food while going in and out of the stores that were open selling Cubs gear.
On our way out we had a few tickets left and the last ride we wanted to go on was the Ferris wheel. That ride was the only one not on the field on Wrigley; it was on Gallagher Way where all the shops were. Once you got to the top, it was a clear view of the city. Sure you didn’t go that high up, but it was high enough to see over the tree and down the street which made an amazing view.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. There were a lot of people there but not enough to feel claustrophobic. I made lots of memories that will last until next year when I will want to go again.
