From pickleball courts to axe throwing rooms, Chicago is home to various places that allow you to engage in sports more unusual than the ones you might’ve grown up playing in P.E. class, including one that is perfect to enjoy this chilly season.
Curling is an Olympic winter sport where two teams take to the ice to slide granite stones toward a target. Each player has a curling broom that they use to sweep the ice ahead of the stone. Sweeping warms the ice’s surface, changing the path of the stone and reducing its curl to movie straighter. A curling tournament is called a bonspiel.
Opportunities for amateur curlers in the Chicago area are not just opportunities to try out the sport. Various venues include features beyond the sport itself for you to enjoy with your friends – such as beer gardens, cocktail menus and skyline views. Here are five places where you can try your hand at the sport.
Kaiser Tiger
This West Loop restaurant, bar and event space is home to various outdoor curling lanes in the venue’s Beer Garden. Groups of up to four can curl in each lane and a Curling Master will be onsite to help groups navigate the game.
Instead of standing on the ice, guests remain on non-slip mats at the end of the rink to keep warm and to avoid injury in case players are tipsy. Players are also not given brooms and instead push the stones across the ice from one end of the rink to the other.
Local
Groups of up to four can book a curling lane for $80 per 40 minutes. Learn more here.
The Gwen
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For a festive curling experience, head over to The Gwen on Michigan Avenue. Curling on the hotel’s iconic terrace is Willy Wonka-themed this year. Parties of two to 12 can book an hour of fun, paying $40 per person. Each booking will come with The Gwen’s Curling Cocktails and sweet treats.
The Gwen’s curling rink is non-traditional and artificial. The rink is also outdoors which means it’s subject to weather conditions. Be sure to dress appropriately.
Book a Curling & Cocktails at The Gwen slot here.
Stone’s Throw Rooftop Curling at The Emily Hotel
Curl on a Fulton Market rooftop by visiting Stone’s Throw at The Emily Hotel, a venue featuring four outdoor curling courts, a curated menu of winter refreshments and limited edition Stone’s Throw gear. Visitors in groups of up to eight can book a rink for a $120 time slot. Players are also welcome to bring more guests that do not plan on participating in curling to join in on the fun. The rooftop is decked out in holiday lights and also has heated yurts to warm up in.
Windy City Curling
If you’re looking for an authentic experience, Windy City Curling has ice rinks and curling brooms so you can play like the pros. The venue welcomes players of all ages and expertise in the sport, with multiple leagues, a rookies league, “Learn to Curl” classes and beginner’s tutorials available on its website.
The next “Learn to Curl” class is $75 per person and set to occur on Dec. 15. You can join a Rookies League here.
Chicago Curling Club
Head over to Northbrook for another authentic curling experience. The Chicago Curling Club has “Learn2Curl” classes for players 18 and over for $85 each player. The club also has various bonspiels scheduled throughout the winter for players of varying skill levels.
If you get hooked onto the post, the Chicago Curling Club has various membership packages for players hoping to regularly come back.
