Chicago, IL

On day one of this 12 days of Chicago project, I wrote about the opportunities for shopping within the city limits of Chicago. However, if you are feeling adventurous, or are looking for some bargains, there are plenty of great shopping areas in the suburbs of Chicago. Here are two such places which I would recommend to someone looking to get out of the city and do some shopping this holiday season.

Gurnee Mills shopping plaza
6170 W. Grand Avenue, Gurnee IL (near Great America)
What’s makes it special: giant indoor outlet mall where you can get some great deals
Department Stores: Kohl’s, JcPenney, Sears Grand, Value City, Saks Fifth Avenue outlet
Places to eat after a long day of shopping: Two different food courts, Ruby Tuesday, The Rainforest Cafe
How to get there from the city: I-94 W to Gurnee Mills Circle East

I highly recommend Gurnee Mills as it is the kind of place that, after going once, was sad that I had not been before. Some tips, though: go early in the day because it gets incredibly crowded; wear comfortable walking shoes because it is a huge mall and your feet will get surprisingly tired. There is also a movie theater if you get bored with shopping and need to rest a while.

They have some unique stores that you cannot find in the city like Bass Pro Shops, Borders Outlet, and wide variety of others. For a full list of the store directory check out this listing here. They have varying hours over the next couple of weeks for the holidays, so be sure to check this link for hours before you head up there.

Woodfield Mall
Golf Rd. at Route 53, Schaumburg IL
What makes is special: It provides the real “mall” experience that you cannot really get in the city, providing lots of mid-to-high end stores under one roof
Department stores: Macy’s, JcPenney, Sears, Lord & Taylor
Places to eat after a long day of shopping: A&W, Stir Crazy, The Rainforest Cafe, Red Robin
How to get there from the city: I-90 W to Illinois Route 53, south to Woodfield Road

I certainly do not love Woodfield Mall the way I do Gurnee Mills, but I recognize that not everyone likes the “outlet” experience. For those people, Woodfield would be a good fit. It is also deceptively large, so wear comfortable shoes and get an early start to the day. There is certainly not a lack of places to shop or eat in the mall. For a full directory, check out this link.

This post is part of the 12 days of Chicago series, which brings you 12 fun and interesting things that you can do for the holidays in Chicago. In conjunction with the series, this blog is sponsoring a holiday contest, which you can read about here.

Chicago, shopping, chicagoland, Gurnee Mills, Woodfield Mall