Best places for 10 popular indoor activities in Chicago

When the sun is shining and temperatures are warm, it's not too difficult to get out of the house and find something to do, whether it's a simple walk around the block or a day trip to the beach. But when temperatures are lower or rain is trickling down your windows, you're probably more likely to stay inside—and that's true no matter your age.

A 2020 survey of about 1,000 people from the National Recreation and Park Association showed that 58% of U.S. adults are less active in the winter. Similarly, a 2016 study out of the University of Cambridge found that average activity levels among children dropped to their lowest levels in February at about 48 minutes per day compared to 65 minutes per day in April, the peak month for activity.

The good news is there are an increasing number of ways to get out and be active, no matter the season and no matter what level of activity you're looking for. There are the longtime staples to visit year-round, from an awe-inspiring and educational visit to an aquarium or planetarium to a culturally stimulating night at the theater to a trip down memory lane at the bowling alley. For the gamers among you—or for those nostalgic for the 1970s, '80s, and '90s—there's always laser tag or an afternoon at the arcade.

Those looking to exercise their minds a bit more than their muscles could try the more recent sensation: escape rooms, which started captivating Americans of all ages in the mid-2010s. Meanwhile, people who want to sweat it out a bit can try to get into the skyrocketing success of indoor rock climbing, the bouncing business of trampoline parks, and the more adult activity that is ax throwing.

To motivate you to try a new activity this weekend, weather notwithstanding, Stacker compiled a list of the best places for popular indoor activities in Chicago using data from Yelp. Data is as of Feb. 21, 2024. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.