Drive-through light show includes a mile of Santa, reindeer, candy canes, penguins, Old Man Winter, lighted trees and more.

170,000 square feet of holiday fun features indoor ice skating, entertainment, rides and inflatable slides. There are also thousands of glistening lights, plush holiday décor, and holiday trees. Plus, special family fireworks on New Year's Eve at 7 p.m.

See model trains loop around a holiday-themed track. Santa has his own car. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Search for gnomes in the Children's Garden using your best "I Spy" skills. Checklist provided.

Lurie Garden light sup the night with dozens of luminaries. Afterward, warm up in the Ryan Education Center at the Art Institute of Chicago and enjoy a free drop-in workshop, where you can make a luminous ornament.

Model trains will wind their way through a miniature village set in a field of poinsettias. The village is made entirely of natural materials and features a variety of Chicago-style homes and famous buildings such as the neighborhood bungalow, Chicago Theatre and Chicago Water Tower Place. Nov. 26-Jan. 8.

Visitors can walk inside the two-story silo and turn the crank of a silage machine, watching "corn plants" delivered to the top of the silo. Plus, learn about the history of silos and silage, build miniature silos with building blocks simulating wood, brick and metal and much more.

Bring your budding naturalist to Irons Oaks to explore the natural world together.  Each session a different natural topic is explored with activities, stories, games, or an art project. Dec. 13: Winter Birds; Jan. 23: Snow Fun; Feb. 13: Animal Tracks.

Build a snowman out of biodegradable and natural items to win. Fill out an entry form at the main office.

With small solar lights to guide their way, hikers, skiers and snowshoers can traverse the 1.3-mile fitness trail at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville or the 1.65-mile hilly section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda. Starting Sunday, Nov. 4, the trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open until 9 .m. daily until March 9.