Here is what I like about Chicago, and why you need to go now

If you happen to merely learn the headlines about Chicago, you may be scared to go to and query why folks stay there. Stories of crime and homelessness are plentiful, so it is a query many people who willingly stay right here get requested.

Chicago has misplaced residents over the previous a number of years, however that’s usually attributed to excessive taxes — to not crime or different big-city troubles. There are many causes to stay in Chicago and much more causes to go to. Here is why I like Chicago and why it may be price taking a visit there now.

Chicago is one in every of America’s greatest massive cities

Rising up in St. Louis, Chicago all the time represented “the large metropolis” to me. I’ve numerous recollections of visiting, together with after I celebrated my twenty first birthday at Carmine’s on Rush (RIP), acquired on Wrigley Area for my birthday and noticed “Blissful Birthday Caroline” displayed on the large display at then-Comiskey Park.

Over time, Chicago turned “the large metropolis” I dreamt of residing in. In 1998, when strolling forward of my dad and mom as I tended to do, I circled and declared that I used to be going to stay on Michigan Avenue at some point. Twenty-four years later, my dream got here true.

Here is what guests ought to know.

With almost 3 million folks, Chicago is the third most populous metropolis within the U.S., behind New York Metropolis and Los Angeles. One of many issues I like most about Chicago is that, even with that many individuals, you do not want a automobile to get round.

There are two key transit methods that function within the larger Chicagoland space: the Chicago Transit Authority L practice and bus system companies town, whereas the Metra connects downtown to the suburbs. The CTA system is simple and low cost to make use of ($2.50 for L practice, $2.25 for bus one-way). The L (quick for “elevated” practice) is the quickest and most reasonably priced choice to get to Chicago Halfway Worldwide Airport (MDW) and O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) by way of the Orange and Blue strains, respectively.

Nevertheless, I usually favor the bus for a couple of causes: It is above floor the whole time (thus extra temperature managed), it is simpler to entry and it feels safer to me since it is a smaller house that is still fully in view.

If you happen to favor to journey on foot, that can be attainable, notably if you’re ranging from one of many downtown neighborhoods, together with Streeterville, River North, the West Loop, Gold Coast and the Loop.

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My favourite stroll to soak up Chicago is just below 3 miles. Begin at Oak Avenue Seashore in Gold Coast, stroll alongside Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan to Lincoln Park, and proceed on Stockton Drive by means of the park to Fullerton Ave earlier than reducing over to North Lakeview Ave, the place you possibly can admire some stunning houses. Be sure you cease by my favourite farmers market — the Inexperienced Metropolis Market in Lincoln Park — if you happen to’re there on a Saturday in season.

Strolling north, south and east is the simplest route. Whilst you can stroll from downtown to a western neighborhood, the stroll shouldn’t be almost as nice. Thus, I’d suggest public transit if getting in that path.

Uber and Lyft rides are plentiful, whereas cabs are extra restricted however accessible downtown. Chicago visitors will be heavy, notably heading south on Lake Shore Drive, north on the Kennedy Expressway to ORD and the northwest suburbs, and west to West City and past.

One other various to keep away from visitors is hopping on a Divvy bike. Chicago is among the most bike-friendly cities, a lot in order that even I (somebody who hadn’t biked since childhood) was in a position to navigate throughout town. We’ve got the second-highest share of bike-to-work commuters, per town of Chicago, with greater than 300 miles of motorcycle lanes, together with 19 that border Lake Michigan.

For a metropolis tucked in the course of the nation, Chicago additionally has a powerful quantity of seashores — 29 to be precise — all alongside the Lake Michigan shoreline. The winding Lakefront Path knits these seashores along with a sequence of parks and 18 miles of motorcycle lanes, making for some of the scenic rides round city. The path itself is a motive why I feel biking is among the most enjoyable methods to see Chicago.

It is probably the most reasonably priced main home metropolis

Of the nation’s largest city areas (New York Metropolis, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Miami and Washington, D.C.), Chicago is probably the most reasonably priced, per knowledge from Bankrate’s Value of Residing Calculator. The price of residing in Chicago in comparison with different main cities is as follows:

• 50.17% decrease than Manhattan
• 32.82% decrease than San Francisco
• 23.8% decrease than LA
• 21.59% decrease than Boston
• 21.27% decrease than Washington, D.C.
• 3.62% decrease than Miami

The info relies on housing, meals and way of life prices, together with clothes, leisure and private expenditures. Having lived in New York and Washington, D.C., probably the most noticeable value of residing lower for me has been the price of renting a big one-bedroom house downtown. Varied sources cite the common one-bedroom lease in Chicago (throughout all neighborhoods) to be someplace between $1,900 and $2,100, per Zillow, Residences.com and Hire.com.

As a SINK (single earnings, no children), I deeply really feel the monetary financial savings of residing right here.

You will discover reasonably priced flights utilizing factors or miles

Chicago is usually a actual discount when planning a go to, too. Spherical-trip flights are sometimes lower than $300 from most cities in America. Just some examples: You will discover a round-trip ticket from New York to Chicago for a protracted weekend this June for $123 on Spirit, $189 on Southwest or $225 on American Airways.

If you happen to’re coming from Houston, we discovered flights starting from $138 (on Spirit) to $217 (United, American or Southwest). From San Francisco, there have been flights as little as $207 round-trip on United.

Factors could make for a fantastic deal choice, too — although usually, money costs are low cost sufficient that it often makes extra sense to save lots of these factors. Nonetheless, we discovered widespread availability for 17,000 American Airways AAdvantage miles round-trip, and generally as little as 12,000 miles for coach tickets from cities like New York.

Lodge costs aren’t low cost, however there are offers available

Lodges in Chicago can get dear relying on the time of 12 months and what conventions are on the town, however you possibly can usually discover some good offers nonetheless, particularly in comparison with different massive cities like New York Metropolis.

A fast Google search of lodges in June confirmed plenty of nice choices underneath $300 an evening.

In fact, there are some fabulous factors lodges in Chicago, together with from Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott. A fast search of Hyatt lodges for a similar weekend confirmed factors bookings for as few as 18,000 World of Hyatt factors per evening.

One among my favourite Chicago lodges — Park Hyatt Chicago — was simply 29,000 World of Hyatt factors per evening.

Though Chicago feels distinctively Midwestern, it presents all that you’d discover in a cosmopolitan metropolis, from numerous eating places, nationwide theater performances, music reveals and festivals, year-round skilled sports activities video games (two MLB groups, one NFL workforce, one NHL workforce, one NBA workforce, one WNBA workforce and one MLS workforce), 80-plus farmers markets, and plenty of cultural establishments/museums and worldwide occasions.

I often get requested about my favourite native eating places. This can be a metropolis of eating places (7,300-plus), and so a lot of them are superb. My private favorites by neighborhood embrace:

• Lincoln Park: Armitage Alehouse, Athenian Room
• West Loop/Fulton Market: Duck Duck Goat, Kumiko
• River North: Planta
• Previous City: Doma Cafe
• Logan Sq.: Lula Cafe
• Lakeview: Wheat’s Finish
• Southport: GC’s Rooster Store
• Wicker Park: Handlebar, Bloom

I even have many suggestions for bakeries, espresso, well being meals shops, smoothies and juices:

• Bakeries: Uncooked and Ingrained (River North), each of which serve my gluten-dairy-free wants
• Espresso: Floor Up (River North and the West Loop)
• Well being shops: Bonne Sante (Hyde Park) and Chicago Well being Meals (Gold Coast)
• Juice: Dharma Delights, primarily offered on-line but in addition accessible at sure outposts, together with Zen Yoga Storage (my favourite yoga spot)
• Smoothies: Pure Inexperienced (a number of areas)

Many vacationer sights are free, together with my high stroll spots — the Riverwalk and Lakefront Path. Different free highlights embrace Millennium Park, the Bean, the Chicago Cultural Heart, the Buckingham Fountain, Garfield Park Conservatory, Harold Washington Library Heart (one in every of largest public libraries within the U.S.), Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory, and the 606 Path.

Go to Chicago on a summer season weekend, and also you’re just about assured to run into an occasion, reminiscent of Lollapalooza, EEEEEATSCON, Pleasure Parade, Windy Metropolis Smokeout, NASCAR Avenue Race Weekend, Pitchfork Musical Competition, and Chicago Air and Water Present to call a couple of. Practically each neighborhood has a meals fest through the summer season, too. Seasonal occasions proceed within the fall and winter, reminiscent of ice skating in Millennium Park, Christkindlmarket and ZooLights, amongst others.

Music and humanities followers can get pleasure from one of many 40 annual movie festivals, 74 yearly music festivals and 250 stay music venues.

If you are going to go to Chicago and pay for one factor, I like to recommend reserving an structure boat tour (at evening). These boat excursions by no means get previous to me: You’ll be able to get pleasure from an open-air higher deck and inside views of among the metropolis’s most stunning buildings whereas listening to their historical past narrated in a humorous and informative means. Excursions are supplied year-round, climate allowing.

With greater than 600 parks and 500 playgrounds, Chicago is family-friendly.

Chicago has its cons

Town is racially and ethnically numerous however segregated

Chicago is neighborhood-centric, and plenty of residents stick with their neighborhoods day-to-day. Like many different U.S. cities, Chicago has gentrified over time. Practically half of Chicago neighborhoods skilled a “speedy improve in housing prices (a rise above the regional median) between 2000 and 2017,” per the City Displacement Venture.

Primarily based on 2023 U.S. Census knowledge, the biggest racial make-up of Chicago residents are white (42%), black (29%) and Hispanic/Latino (32%). However lower-income households proceed to be priced out from town’s moderate-to-high-income neighborhoods that supply fascinating faculties, grocery shops, parks and different group benefits. In consequence, neighborhoods in Chicago can largely be homogenous, relying on the place you reside.

Even so, Chicago has a number of culturally numerous neighborhoods, together with Little Italy, Chinatown, Pilsen, Uptown, Rogers Park, Albany Park, Hyde Park and Humboldt Park.

Leaving my neighborhood has helped me admire the melting pot that makes Chicago a fantastic place to stay.

Chicago usually feels protected, regardless of statistics

One of the vital frequent narratives about Chicago is that it isn’t protected. Crime statistics recommend some issues are getting higher, although some violent crime has elevated.

In 2023, homicides and nonfatal shootings decreased by 12% and 14%, respectively, whereas general violent crime and citywide robberies elevated (14% and 40%) from the earlier 12 months, per the College of Chicago Crime Lab Finish of 12 months report. This report notes that crime disproportionately impacts black victims and areas with minority residents, together with District 11, which incorporates Humboldt Park, West Garfield Park and East Garfield Park. Even so, the info reveals violent and property crime trending down within the space, with 150 fewer capturing victims 12 months over 12 months.

Total, I really feel protected in Chicago whereas adhering to primary security rules, together with maintaining my head on a swivel always, avoiding the L practice alone at evening and strolling with a Birdie alarm. It is the identical recommendation you’d give for any massive metropolis — simply use your frequent sense.

Backside line

Chicago can change into a extremely massive small city if you happen to let or not it’s. If you happen to get out of your neighborhood (and luxury zone), you will discover numerous alternatives for group, tradition, leisure and inspiration amongst neighborhoods.

It is a beautiful metropolis to go to, beca