Close the Year with Confidence: North Shore Meetings Made Easy

December is a natural time to pause, take stock, and look ahead. For meeting planners, it’s also a chance to deliver gatherings that feel both productive and celebratory. Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau makes that possible, offering a scenic, stress-free setting to wrap up the year in style.

The North Shore sits along Lake Michigan, just 15 miles from O’Hare, and is closer to Wrigley Field than downtown. That proximity means attendees can fly in and reach their hotels without the tangle of city traffic, keeping schedules on track during one of the busiest travel months of the year. Groups can also stay in one of the six hotels in downtown Evanston—together providing more than 1,000 guest rooms—near Northwestern University’s vibrant campus, where restaurant patios twinkle with holiday lights and storefronts brim with seasonal displays.

December brings unique opportunities for memorable off-agenda moments, as well. The Chicago Botanic Garden transforms into a winter wonderland with its Lightscape Show where illuminated trails and festive plantings inspire reflection between sessions. Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center, a North Shore landmark, gives attendees the chance to finish holiday lists without venturing downtown. And with most local hotels offering free parking and affordable rates, planners find budgets stretch further than in the city center.

What sets the North Shore apart isn’t just its setting, but its service. The CVB team, with decades of experience, helps planners secure the right spaces, suppliers, and transportation to deliver seamless events. Add in the buzz of Northwestern’s forthcoming state-of-the-art football stadium—a future jewel of the Big Ten—and the region’s momentum feels as fresh as the lakefront air.

End the year on a high note in a destination designed for ease, inspiration, and holiday spirit.

Explore all that makes Chicago’s North Shore unforgettable. Visit www.visitchicagonorthshore.com.