As the holiday season unfolds, many of us begin to feel the pull of movement—toward family, toward celebration, toward spaces that bring us joy. And yet, this time of year also reminds us how delicate our world can be. Travel surges, energy use climbs, and our collective footprint grows. At Optima®, where design, wellness, and environmental stewardship intersect, we believe there are ways to experience the season with intention—traveling lightly, savoring beauty, and letting architecture guide us toward more sustainable choices.
Across our communities, residents have access to vibrant urban landscapes where low-carbon transportation isn’t just possible; it’s pleasurable. Here are thoughtful, design-forward ways to explore both cities this holiday season—without compromising the planet.
Chicago: A City Made for Moving Mindfully
Chicago shines in winter. Light glows from architectural icons, storefronts warm the streetscape, and the lakefront shifts into its quiet, sculptural form. For residents of Optima Signature® and Optima Lakeview®, the city offers endlessly walkable routes where design and sustainability naturally converge.
Walk the architecture.
Chicago is one of the most walkable architectural museums in the world. Bundle up and wander through Streeterville, River North, or the Loop to experience the city as it was meant to be seen—on foot, at a human pace. Slow travel reveals the texture of the season: steam rising from sidewalks, snow tracing the lines of modernist façades, the glow of cultural institutions calling you in.
Ride the CTA with purpose.
Taking the train reduces carbon emissions dramatically, but it also immerses you in the living rhythm of the city. From Lakeview, the Red and Brown Lines offer a direct, scenic route to downtown museums, theaters, holiday markets, and the lakefront trails.
Choose pedal power.
Even in winter, Chicago’s protected bike lanes and the lakefront path remain active corridors for cyclists. Explore the parks, harbors, and cultural pockets that make the city’s North Side so distinctive on your own bike, or take advantage of the conveniently-located Divvy stations that have become a part of the city’s infrastructure.
Scottsdale: Traveling Light in the Desert
Where Chicago glows, the desert shimmers. Scottsdale’s winter season is defined by warm days, cool evenings, and a landscape that rewards slowness. Residents of Optima Kierland Apartments®, Optima Sonoran Village®, and Optima McDowell Mountain® can embrace low-carbon travel without sacrificing beauty, comfort, or ease.
Explore by foot or e-bike.
Kierland Commons, the Scottsdale Quarter, and nearby trails create a pedestrian-friendly environment where errands, dining, and leisure can happen without a car. For longer distances, e-bikes offer a breezy, zero-emission way to move through the desert air.
Connect with nature, close to home.
Low-carbon travel can mean going far less far. Sunrise walks at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve or meditative time spent in Optima®’s own lushly landscaped courtyards are ways of traveling without actually traveling at all—experiences that ground you in the season rather than rush you through it.
A holiday season that reflects your values.
Sustainable travel isn’t about perfection; it’s about choosing with awareness. Walking instead of driving. Taking the train instead of a rideshare. Exploring your own neighborhood instead of crossing the city. Enjoying architecture, culture, and nature with a lighter footprint.
This holiday season, sustainability can be an invitation to discover the beauty that’s closer than we think, to move more thoughtfully through the world, and to let design inspire us toward gentler, more joyful ways of traveling.
