As we roll into the long, dreary days of Wisconsin's winter, we come upon a season of locals looking for a little vacation. While it would be nice to head somewhere warm and sandy, economic hardship might keep you a little closer to home this year. If you want to head in a southern direction but also save a few dollars for the bank, a day or weekend trip to Chicago might be in order.

Whether your visit is your first or your ninetieth, there are plenty of winter activities, restaurants, shows and shops to recreate your sense of vacation.

Take a look at the list below for a few mainstream and unconventional places to turn the 90-mile drive into a memorable winter escape.

Millennium Park
201 E. Randolph St., (312) 742-1168
www.millenniumpark.org
Recently redesigned, the century-old downtown park now holds a music venue, wild flower garden and several displays of public art. While the park comes alive with concerts and events in the summer, the park stays active in the winter with a full-size ice rink. The McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink boast a 16,000-square foot ice rink and cozy warming lobby all winter until March.

Lito's Empanadas
2566 N. Clark St.
Looking for unquestionably warm comfort food? This tiny eatery serves up huge lunch, dinner and dessert empanadas. In traditional Latin American style, a crispy fried dough shell is stuffed with meats, cheeses, veggies or sweets for the ideal winter meal. Located on Clark Street in Lincoln Park, the place is tiny (only a few window seats available) but deliciously authentic.

Museum of Contemporary Art
220 E. Chicago Ave., (312) 280-2660
www.mcachicago.org/index.php
The Art Institute of Chicago, located on the Museum Campus, is probably the most well known and frequently visited of Chicago's art museums. But in the last ten years, the Museum of Contemporary Art certainly made a name for itself with dynamic exhibits and a prestigious rotation of well-known artists. Current exhibits include the works of Jenny Holzer, Don Baum and Theaster Gates.

Shangri-La Vintage
1952 W. Roscoe St., (773) 348-5090
Located in the Roscoe Village neighborhood, Shangri-La Vintage is a thrift store shopper's dream. Thankfully focused on quality over quantity, you won't spend fruitless hours of digging in this vintage boutique. This is the place to find hard to find dresses, aprons, retro shirts, scarves, gloves, purses and books.

Maiz Anojitos y Bebidas
1041 N. California Ave., (773) 276-3149
This is some of the best Mexican food anywhere. Located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, everything is made from scratch to order. From homemade corn tortillas to steaming servings of tinga, food is authentic and service is on par. Be sure to order the staple "secret" house drink, "The Bull."

The Book Cellar
4736 N. Lincoln Ave., (773) 293-2665
www.bookcellarinc.com
The perfect place to drink a warm cup of coffee and catch a few great book recommendations. This Lincoln Square shop's staff is insanely friendly, wildly knowledgeable and purveying a great selection of books. The little adjoining café is the perfect place to stop for a quick sandwich or snack.

Briar Street Theater
3133 N. Halstead St., (773) 348-4000
http://blueman.com/
After years of touring, The Blue Man Group chose Chicago as one of eight permanent international venues. The Blue Man Group uses various forms of media to create a comedic, musical and theatrical performance inciting the senses with sound, sight and touch. You can catch a show nearly every day of the week at the Historic Briar Street Theater.

John Hancock Observatory
875 N. Michigan Ave., (888) 875-VIEW
www.hancock-observatory.com
As cliché as it might sound, the view from the top of the John Hancock Observatory is incredible. Only slightly shorter than Chicago's competing Sears Tower, it took five million man hours to complete this Michigan Avenue tower. During the day, you can get an overview of neighborhoods, Lake Michigan and even an outline of Milwaukee. At night, head up to the 94th floor to the city lit up like never before. Either day or night, it's a toasty warm way to see the city and you can forgo braving the windy streets. After you take in the view, get a boost of caffeine in the Observatory's new Café Espression by Lavazza or pop up one floor for drinks in the Observatory's Lounge.