
Ok ladies, let's get serious - you deserve a mom's night out! Above dinner and drinks somewhere, check out this list of fun and innovative group ideas for your next ladies night. We've rounded up Chicago's most unique destinations for a truly engaging and "Insta-worthy" mom's night out!
Where are your favorite mom's night out ideas around Chicago? Share the momma love and add to our list!
Art Institute After Dark
Offered on Fridays quarterly throughout the year, 9 pm - 12 am
By the time this event starts, the kids should hopefully be in bed, you can go out and have a good time without getting crazy, feel cultured and refined because you went to a museum, and still have your whole weekend free to spend with your family. Plus, this event features DJ's, a cash bar, fashion, and perhaps best of all, free appetizers.
Bottle & Bottega
Gina I.: Sip your favorite vino and explore your creative side at Bottle & Bottega! This informal class setting is the perfect place to catch up with friends while creating a one-of-a-kind piece you can take home with you. In addition to canvas painting, they also offer glass, wood, and mixed media projects. So, you're sure to find something everyone will love! You can join a drop-in class or reserve a private event for your next mom's night out. See site for details!
Cost: classes start at $30 per person
After Dark at Adler Planetarium
Kelly R.: Treat yourselves to the best view of the skyline from anywhere in Chicago. Adler After Dark is an adults-only event with open access to the museum, unlimited sky shows, and unique entertainment. Each month has a different theme with live entertainment, special guests and lectures, so the event is never the same. Buy tickets in advance, as this event is popular and often sells out.
Cost: in advance $20/person and at the door $25/person, discounts for members
Sugar Factory
Gina I.: Indulge your sweet tooth at Sugar Factory, featuring a delicious assortment of sweet & savory cuisine, including their famous 60oz signature drinks (also available virgin), chocolate martinis, and more. Meeting the ladies for breakfast? Choose from a sweet assortment of pancakes, waffles, crepes, & french toast. For lunch & dinner, the menu offers everything from fried mac n cheese pops to salads, flatbreads & burgers. But the real star is the dessert menu! Cakes, gourmet ice cream sandwiches & milkshakes! Movies, bars & entertainment are nearby both locations. So make a day or night of it!
Andy's Jazz Club & Restaurant
Andy's is perfect for a sophisticated night out for Moms! Enjoy fun, live jazz music in an upscale room complete with cocktails and dinner options. The music is not so loud that you can't still carry on a conversation, and the occasion offers a great excuse to get dressed up, go downtown, and enjoy yourselves! Click here for their music calendar to see when your favorite musicians are playing!
Cost: cover charge range from $10 - $15 per person, cover is cash only
The Chopping Block
Gina I.: The Chopping Block is the perfect place to gather with friends to create and celebrate delicious food! Sip wine and learn cooking techniques from the professionals. Classes are designed for home cooks with busy lifestyles who have a passion for food. So, you can relax and learn your next mom's night out! Upcoming class schedule can be found here.
Cost: classes start at $80 per person, weekday happy hours are $10 per person
Punch Bowl Social
Gina I.: Delicious food & drinks, laid-back atmosphere, and lots of great games and entertainment...what else could you want from a mom's night out?! Punch Bowl Social is the place to try your favorite diner eats, with a sophisticated twist. They have everything from savory grain bowls to chicken & waffles, and you can bowl, play life-size scrabble, or other games after your meal. If you're feeling crazy, reserve one of their private karaoke rooms and belt your favorite tunes with friends.
Board & Brush Creative Studio
Erin P.: Get in touch with your artist. Make the Y in DIY stand for YOU. Get a group of friends together and enjoy an evening of painting vintage, timeless wood signs. You can bring in your own snacks and they even sell beer and wine on site! Scroll through some of their beautiful signs here!
Cost: $65 per person
Creativita
Vanessa M.: Get your girlfriends together for a fun night of creative canvas painting, pottery making, or board art, paired with a nice glass of wine, of course. Creativita provides all the supplies you need to make fantastic and unique art projects. Drop in with friends, or plan to attend special events like BYOB painting and pottery painting event. Reservations are recommended for drop in groups of 6 or more. There's even a Paint-Your-Own-Pet evening event to reserve. Have a photo of your 4-legged friend printed on canvas and paint it in with acrylic paint.
Cost: BYOB painting is $30 - $35 per person
Jim Melka Landscaping and Garden Center - Container Workshops
Erin P.: Enjoy a fun and creative night out with your friends while creating a beautiful and seasonal masterpiece! Jim Melka Landscaping and Garden Center holds seasonal container workshops in which you can create a container using seasonal flowers and greenery. Their staff will be on hand to assist with design and planting.
Cost: $45-60 each, sizes are a 12" or 14" container
iPic Theaters
Gina I.: Whether you want to see the latest rom-com or just want to enjoy a relaxing movie-going experience sans kids, iPic is the perfect destination for your next ladies night out! Grab a cocktail at their full-service bar before you head into the show, or stay after the flick, grab appetizers in the lounge for a post-movie discussion.
Pay a little extra for VIP seats and enjoy complimentary buttered popcorn and cozy lavender-scented blanket while you watch!
Woodcrafters DIY Studio
Yoli B: Woodcrafters DIY Studio is a great way to let your artistic side shine through while making your own DIY creation! Each guest can create a customized sign and personalize it with any color combination that they choose. The sign options vary in size and theme and would make a great addition to your home or a gift. Oh yeah..did I mention that the studio is BYOB! Grab your girlfriends now and head on over to Woodcrafters.
Cost: project options start at $50
Thrown Elements Pottery
Gina I.: Enjoy craft time without the kids at Thrown Elements Pottery! Choose from their large selection of pre-fired pieces, which include everything from functional dinnerware to decorative sculptures.
Cost: drop-in painting is $9 per adult plus the cost of the piece you select
Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant
Yoli B: Piano bars have got to be my weak spot and Big Shot sure fits the bill! Big Shot is located in a dark basement in downtown Arlington Heights, but as soon as you ascend to the bottom you will feel like you are in an old speakeasy. The atmosphere is lively and there is even space to dance. For any piano bar rookies, all you have to do is write your request on a piece of paper and drop it into the glass bowl on the piano (with a tip of course). Go to the bar, order a drink and wait to be amazed! There is a full menu available in case you want to spend your whole night being entertained!
Cosmos Beauty Bar
Gina I.: Where can you and your girlfriends get pampered and enjoy a fun cocktail all at the same time? Cosmos Beauty Bar! Cosmos' is a full-service nail salon, with the delightful addition of a full-service bar. So you can pick your polish, enjoy a relaxing manicure or pedicure, and sip one of their signature martinis!
They also offer waxing, spray, tanning, hair styling and makeup application, making them the perfect first stop before you head out for a night on the town!
Studio Phoenix
Gina I.: Feel fit and fabulous at Studio Phoenix! If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind mom's night out experience, this is it! This women's-only fitness studio offers a wide array of classes and teasers for Pole Fitness, Aerial Hammocks, Liquid Motion, flexibility, HIIT, dance, and more. Bring your best friends and sense of adventure! Check out their upcoming classes here!
Cost: drop-in classes are $15 - $35 per person
Mastermind Escape Games Schaumburg
Gina I.: Grab the girls for a fun, team building night at Mastermind Escape Games! Just choose from one of their room themes like Lost in Time, Bank Heist or Sorcerer's Secret, and see if you can discover all the clues to solve your way out of a locked room in less than an hour. Tip: be sure to wear comfy clothing, as you may need to search high and low for clues!
Cost: $28 per person
YPDM Designs
Kristy Pepping: YPDM Designs offers a fun twist on your standard paint n' wine nights -- with them nothing is on canvas! YPDM partners with local restaurants/bars throughout the Western suburbs and offers several different designs per party, so grab your mom friends and head to a Un-Canvas Paint Party!
Cost: events generally start at $35 per person
Blow Bar
Gina I.: Looking for the perfect spot to get glam before your ladies night out? Grab the girls and head over to Blow Bar, located in the Arboretum of South Barrington. You will enjoy a hair wash and scalp massage, followed by a professional blow dry and style. No cuts or colors here...just shiny, bouncy locks you'll love! Blow Bar also offers a complete menu of styles, up-do's and braids.
Primary photo: Kelsey Chance on Unsplash
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