When is the best time to visit Chicago?

Spring in Chicago is the thaw. March, April and May move from leftover winter to usable outdoor days. Snow retreats. Mud and bright afternoons can share a week.

In Chicago the meteorological summer is June, July and August and winter is December, January and February. Come for cities and the first terraces, not for guaranteed picnic weather. A squall in Chicago in these months is ordinary, not a ruined trip.

Read Chicago in this stretch as its own climate, not as a generic holiday season copied from another destination.

Summer is the outdoor season in Chicago: June, July and August. Days are long. Heat is relative to the winter you came from, not to a Mediterranean coast. This is walking, terrace and lake weather, not a sunlounger climate.

In Chicago the meteorological summer is June, July and August and winter is December, January and February. Evenings can still want a layer, especially away from the built-up centre. Rain does not disappear just because it is summer. Pack for a useful day that can turn wet.

Autumn in Chicago is short and useful: September, October and November. The first weeks are still outdoor days. The last weeks are a coat, wet leaves, and the knowledge that winter is coming.

In Chicago the meteorological summer is June, July and August and winter is December, January and February. Come for cities and landscape, not for a last swim. Light is good. Afternoons end early. A shell in the bag is not optional.

Read Chicago in this stretch as its own climate, not as a generic holiday season copied from another destination.

Winter in Chicago is the real thing: December, January and February. Cold, short days, and snow that is part of the season rather than a postcard accident. This is a city-and-indoor trip unless you came for the cold on purpose.

In Chicago the meteorological summer is June, July and August and winter is December, January and February. Do not book Chicago as a mild winter-sun destination. Coat, boots, early dark. The monthly table will look grim because the months are grim in the honest way.