text:
Chicago/Loop

The Loop is the central business district of Chicago, bounded by the Chicago River to the north and west, Harrison Street to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east. It contains the tallest members of Chicago's skyline and much of the city's finest architecture, holding within them much of the city's working stiffs; for visitors, it also has the glitzy downtown theater district, and the biggest annual music festivals.

Understand
The Loop is the center of Chicago and without a doubt the most iconic section of the city. If you've never been to Chicago, begin here. Whether on an official architecture cruise along the Chicago River, or an unofficial one along the veritable river of elevated trains, only the most jaded could shake that feeling of awe at the canyons of LaSalle and the cliffs of Michigan Avenue. Moreover, the Loop contains a world-class collection of public art, in the form of huge street-side statues by many of the 20th century's most famous sculptors.

The Loop initially got its name from the looping route of streetcars that served as the transit hub of early downtown Chicago, but the name has come to be defined by the modern era's looping route of elevated train tracks, serving seven CTA lines, which ensures the continued prominence of the area as the center of Chicago's working world. Despite the gradual northwards shift in the city's center of gravity and the centrifugal force of suburbanization, all tracks lead here and accordingly the Loop remains the most attractive location in the city for major businesses, and for most of the city's visitors.

On a work day, you won't have to walk around long to realize you are at the center of things. Busy-looking people in suits hurry in and out of tall buildings, major theaters hawk their big-name productions on neon marquees, and every block has a reminder of a scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Dark Knight, or another Chicago movie. The Loop is the United States' second largest central business district, owing largely to its historical position as the financial hub for the Midwest and the modern world's biggest futures market. Many of those suits walking by (as you stand and gape) work for one of four major financial exchanges, the largest of which is the 2007 merger between the Merc (the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) and the Chicago Board of Trade. The CBoT was the world's first modern futures exchange, set up principally to serve the needs of the Midwest agriculture market, and along with the other major exchanges in Chicago, pioneered the massive modern derivatives industry. Not too long ago the streets sagged under the enormous profits, as the Merc and CBoT traded over nine million contracts daily, worth over $4.2 trillion. Today's economic outlook has soured, though, and the ranks of those suits have been thinned by layoffs, golden parachuting, and other extreme sports.

Forget work, though — the fun of Millennium Park and the festivals of Grant Park are here, and the Art Institute is fantastic. A walk by the Sears Tower and the Chicago Board of Trade is a requisite Chicago experience, but the Loop is eclipsed by other parts of the city in terms of nightlife, shopping, and dining. Being as it is first and foremost a business district, things shut down when the commuters punch the clock and hop on the train, so even if you have a room at one of the Loop's classic old hotels, don't plan to spend all of your time here — even though your camera will likely receive no finer work-out anywhere else.

By train
In Chicago, all tracks lead to the Loop. The astonishing, creaky elevated tracks of the CTA come in from virtually every corner of the city, and through the smoother commuter rails of Metra and Amtrak, from the rest of the Chicagoland area and the country beyond.

Two CTA lines run through downtown Chicago as subway lines, and do not loop around Chicago's downtown area. Both travel out of the Loop area in two directions:

The CTA Red Line runs along the lakefront neighborhoods on both the North and South sides of the city. From the north, it begins in Rogers Park, and from the south, it begins on the Far Southeast Side. In the Loop, it runs as a subway under State Street, with key stops at Lake, Monroe, and Jackson.

The Blue Line arrives at downtown from the northwest, beginning at O'Hare International Airport on the Far Northwest Side, and from the west, beginning in the suburb of Forest Park and traveling through the West Side (including a stop at UIC's campus). The Blue Line also runs underground through the Loop along Dearborn, offering free connections with the Red Line at Jackson.

Five other CTA lines (Brown, Purple, Green, Pink, and Orange) ride the elevated tracks that travel through the Loop in, well, a loop. All except the Green Line enter and leave the Loop in only one direction:

The Brown Line also comes in from the north and northwest, though it runs east of the Blue Line, beginning in North Lincoln and running closer to the lakefront starting in Lakeview.

The Purple Line, which runs downtown only during peak hours, comes in from the north, beginning in suburban Wilmette.

The Green Line comes in from Oak Park and the West Side to the west and Bronzeville to the South. It is the only one of these five lines that enters and leaves the Loop in two different directions.

The Pink Line comes in from suburban Cicero and the West Side, including Pilsen.

The Orange Line arrives downtown from the Southwest Side, where it begins at Midway Airport.

Transfers between all six of these lines are possible in the Loop. The CTA's only line not served by the loop is the Yellow Line, a shuttle between suburban Skokie and the Red and Purple Lines in Rogers Park.

From the suburbs, Metra commuter trains arrive at Union Station (Canal St and Jackson Blvd), Ogilvie/Northwestern Station (Canal St and Madison St), LaSalle Street Station (LaSalle St and Congress Pkwy), and Millennium Station (Michigan Ave between South Water St and Randolph St), all of which are within easy walking distance of the Loop and the CTA elevated lines. From beyond the suburbs, Amtrak connections from across the region and the country arrive at Union Station.

By bus
Several dozen CTA bus lines travel through the Loop, but given the traffic, only a few will be useful for visitors traveling from the rest of the city.
 * 20 Madison heads west down Madison St, ideal for reaching the United Center on the Near West Side.
 * 147 Express runs through the Near North before running express on Lake Shore Drive to Rogers Park.

By car
Do not drive to the Loop if at all possible. It is not a very automobile-friendly place, and traffic is abysmal. You're unlikely to relish the memory of having driven through the Loop, but plenty of people do it every day. Michigan Avenue offers a scenic — if slow as mud — trawl through the east end of the Loop, marking the end of the commercial area and the beginning of the parkland along the lake. Lake Shore Drive provides an equally lovely — and equally slow — route through the Loop. I-90 lets out at Jackson Blvd, at the west end of the Loop.

If you do come by car, there are four underground parking garages near Grant Park and Millennium Park. Rates vary by garage and are more expensive for special events, but the East Monroe garage (near Millennium Park) is the cheapest ($13 up to 12 hours, $16 12–24 hours).

Itineraries

 * The Loop Art Tour will take you down the Loop's main roads through Millennium Park and the downtown city plazas, all in the name of art.
 * Along the Magnificent Mile is a one day and night itinerary that connects the Loop with the Near North for shopping, food, skyscrapers, parks, and amazing views of Chicago from high and low.

Architecture
Most of these buildings are not fully open to the public, although some may be accessible through tours by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Security procedures will, of course, vary. For some, you won't be able to make it past the lobby; for others, a purposeful stride can take you anywhere you want to go.

Buildings
Some of Chicago's greatest buildings, like the Chicago Board of Trade and the Auditorium Theatre, have major attractions inside to draw the appreciative eyes of visitors. Many other masterworks, though, don't have a specific attraction associated with them, so you'll have to seek them out.

Skyline
Other buildings, however, you will not need to seek out — Chicago's tallest skyscrapers are attractions for anyone who happens to look up! For more information about the many buildings that make up the skyline and where best to view them, be sure to check out the Chicago skyline guide.

Trains
Although they're across the river in the West Loop, Union Station and Ogilvie/Northwestern Station are very much a part of the daily commute in the Loop. Union Station (1925) is a classical behemoth, lined with marble colonnades, and beautifully efficient on the inside. Ogilvie (1987), designed by Helmut Jahn, is tidy and efficient on the inside as well, with waterfalls of blue steel on the outside. If you'd like to compare a third era of Chicago transit, head over to the Near South and check out Dearborn Station (1885), which no longer serves trains.

If you're taking the elevated train around the Loop, the Quincy stop may be worth a look, as it's done up like an old-timey station, complete with vintage advertisements. You can step off the train, have a look around the platform, and get on the next train without paying again.

Do
In the old days, the Loop was the theater district in Chicago. Few of the originals survived the demolition wave of the 1960s, but most of the ones that did are now part of the Randolph Theater District. The Broadway in Chicago consortium stages big-budget shows there, most of which are in previews before their Broadway debut (hence, the name). Tickets for hot shows are snapped up in droves, so inquire with your hotel concierge about dinner-and-a-show packages.

The Chicago Cultural Center is also a theater destination — see above.

Events & Festivals

The Loop is ground zero for Chicago festivals, and the festivals run long and large. Take note of these dates, as hotel reservations will become more difficult to find and prices will rise.

Buy
The Magnificent Mile ends at the Chicago River, but there are still more than a few places to shop in the Loop, particularly on and east of State Street. The two landmark department stores that once anchored the area, Marshall Field's and Carson Pirie Scott, are both gone. The Carson's building, designed by Louis Sullivan, has remodeled to serve as office space on its upper floors, and now houses a Target on its two lower floors.

The fate of Marshall Field's is a somewhat thornier one. Marshall Field himself was one of the original Chicago aristocracy, and his gorgeous store on State Street defined Chicago retail for several generations. In spite of its ties to Chicago culture and identity, when New York retailer Macy's bought the chain, they announced plans to rebrand all Field's stores as Macy's. Amid shock and uproar (among Chicagoans) and dire warnings (among industry analysts), Macy's executives assured reporters that focus group research had suggested people would, in fact, come to prefer the new brand. Today, sales have plunged, workers have been forced to take a sharp pay cut, and the interior is like a tomb. Ain't corporate hubris great?

Today, there are a few discount department stores, a few big stores for national chains like Old Navy and H&M, and a few amusingly shady joints on the streets under the elevated tracks.

Eat

It's easy to find cheap food during the day — this is where most of Chicago works, so this is where most of Chicago eats lunch. However, most of those places close when the work day ends, so it's more difficult to keep costs down at night, when it's gourmet or bust. There's a sizable food court at Ogilvie/Northwestern Station (Canal and Madison) if you're on your way in or out of town.

In general, it's wise to avoid the restaurants right by major tourist attractions (e.g., the Art Institute, Millennium Park, etc.), as the quality of service and food tends to improve with distance from these one-time-visitor hot spots. There are some gems in the Loop, but you should also consider a quick cab ride west to one of downtown Chicago's premiere dining strips in Greektown.

Mid-range
Miller's Pub and Exchequer in the Drink section serve food worth considering for a mid-range lunch.

Drink
The cost of real estate in the Loop means that most dives are priced out of the area, sending most of the after-work crowd to the places noted below. Friday nights after work can be a mob scene — if you're with a group, either make a reservation or be prepared to split up for a little while.

Sleep
Although this is the most expensive real estate in Chicago, the hotels in the Loop are slightly cheaper than those in the Near North simply because so much of the area shuts down at night. Still, these are some pretty nice digs, and being in the Loop makes transportation to any part of the city easy.

Stay safe
Most streets west of Clark St. can be hit or miss. After 7pm, the Loop can easily be a ghost town (more so in colder months). Many homeless people still walk around, but are usually just trying to find shelter and are easy to avoid. You must also watch out for pickpockets in crowded areas. Just use common sense and if you find yourself walking in a seedy part of the Loop at night, stick to well lit streets or use the CTA to get to your destination.

Go next
The Loop is rivaled only by the Near North as Chicago's principal tourist destination. But the city has riches far beyond the tourist lure of downtown skyscrapers and big museums; to experience what makes Chicago ‘’Chicago’’, venture into the neighborhoods where Chicagoans actually live.

The good news is that there is convenient public transportation from the Loop to virtually every corner of this massive city. Here are a few easy excursions if you are staying in the Loop that will really show you some of the city beyond the major tourist attractions:

 * Take the Metra Electric Line or the #6 bus south from Millennium Park to spend half a day visiting the excellent museums or visiting the University of Chicago and the local independent bookstores in Hyde Park.
 * Head south on the CTA Red Line to Chinatown for a delicious Cantonese dinner.
 * Take the CTA Red Line north to Lawrence Avenue in Uptown for a night of jazz at the historic Green Mill.
 * Hop on the CTA Blue Line to Damen Avenue in the epicenter of the ever-popular Wicker Park neighborhood, where you will find better dining options, way better bar options, and some eccentric shopping.
 * Take the CTA Brown/Purple lines north to Lincoln Park and Old Town to visit Chicago's top comedy clubs and celebrity chefs, or to head into lovely Lincoln Park, home of the Lincoln Park Zoo and the famous North Avenue Beach.
 * Visit the heart of Mexican-American Chicago in the Little Village (aka "La Villita") or in Pilsen (18th Street Pink Line stop).

title: Chicago/Loop


text:
Chicago/Near North

The Near North is the shop-and-awe center of Chicago. It's bounded by North Avenue to the north, the Chicago River to the west and south, and Lake Michigan to the east.

With a whirlwind rush of department stores, restaurants, and luxurious hotels, there's no better place to abuse your budget than the Near North and its celebrated Magnificent Mile.

Understand

The Near North includes the neighborhoods of River North, full of art galleries, commercial lofts, and some tourist restaurants, nightclubs and bars; Streeterville and the Gold Coast, with expensive living for rich folks and many of the city's most impressive hotels; and the most prestigious shopping district in Chicago, the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue, which includes one of Chicago's most beloved landmarks, the Water Tower.

This area has been a part of Chicago from the beginning, when Fort Dearborn was built on the other side of the river in 1803 (and burned to the ground nine years later, establishing an unfortunate civic trend). But since the early 1920s, when bridges were built to draw shoppers away from State Street in the Loop, there has been too much to sell, too much awe to inspire, and not a minute to spare. That's why the Near North can be such a delight at a tourist's pace. The locals are in a hurry, but if you're not, the serene image of the old Water Tower or the resolutely quiet riverwalk can take on the feel of a private discovery, even with all of these people around.

That's not to say you can't have fun getting caught up in the hustle and bustle, of course. The sheer amount of shopping on Michigan Avenue cannot be overstated. The world's most elite fashion designers are represented here, and the rest wish they were. River North has many of the city's busiest (if not best) clubs, with a dense row on Rush Street. In the Near North, you'll find a few significant members of the Chicago skyline, including the John Hancock Center and Lake Point Tower, which stands alone to the east at the end of a new, steel-and-glass future-scape in south Streeterville; it makes for an impressive view from Lake Shore Drive, and serves as an entryway to one of the city's most popular tourist spots, Navy Pier, a great place for entertaining children and catching the breeze from Lake Michigan with an evening stroll or a turn on the 150-foot tall Ferris Wheel.

By train
The CTA Red Line has stops near the entertainment in River North (Clark/Division) and the Magnificent Mile (Chicago, Grand).

The CTA Brown Line and Purple Line stop in the midst of the River North galleries (Chicago), and the Merchandise Mart has the next stop all to itself.

By bus
An intricate web of CTA bus lines serves the Near North, most converging upon the northern end of Michigan Avenue. Several express buses from other parts of the city serve Michigan Avenue, notably the 147 Outer Drive Express from the north side and 3 King Drive Express from the south side. Once you're here, though, you will find it better to cover the Magnificent Mile on foot.

 * 22 Clark is useful for travelers coming from the Loop and the North Side to River North.
 * 65 Grand travels down Grand Avenue, connecting with both the Red Line and the Blue Line further west.
 * 66 Chicago travels down Chicago Ave from the lakefront to Michigan Avenue, through River North, and on to West Town.
 * 124 Navy Pier serves Navy Pier directly from train hub Union Station and Millennium Park in the Loop.
 * 125 Water Tower Express brings you to the Water Tower from the other Loop train hub, Ogilvie/Northwestern Station, and the Merchandise Mart.
 * 157 Streeterville runs close to Navy Pier and on to the Loop.

By trolley
Free trolleys run from Navy Pier through the area seven days a week, year round, during the pier's open hours.

By car
Avoid driving to the Near North unless you have a very good reason for doing so. Streets are packed with taxis, confused tourists, desperate businessmen late for something or other, and even the occasional horse. Your knuckles don't need the strain.

See
Along the Magnificent Mile is a one day and night itinerary that connects the Near North with the Loop for shopping, food, skyscrapers, parks, and amazing views of Chicago from high and low.

Galleries
Centered between the Merchandise Mart and the Chicago Brown Line station, with a few galleries that stray closer to Old Town or Michigan Avenue, River North boasts the largest arts and design district in North America outside of Manhattan. Art galleries tend to be concentrated closer to Chicago Avenue, with more design galleries closer to the Merchandise Mart. The entire area is walkable and makes for fun browsing. Although everything on display is for sale, admission is almost always free, and visitors needn't fear gallery owners putting on the hard sell.

Navy Pier

A few Chicago restaurants have branches here. There's also a food court, and vendors along the dock during the summer. You're much better off making the short walk to one of the nearby restaurants off the pier, though — you'll save money and likely eat better. There's no cost for re-entry to Navy Pier, after all.

Among the restaurants, The Billy Goat and Charlie's Ale House serve beers that are brewed in-house. Try the dark beer from the Billy Goat or head down to The Beer Garden to sample Chicago brewers Goose Island.

Shopping is in plentiful supply, although it's pretty much limited to tourist-souvenir Chicago kitsch type stuff.

Do
Horse-drawn carriages ply routes along the Magnificent Mile and through Streeterville, usually beginning around the Water Tower. (You might see police officers on horses as well.) While there are too many cars to establish the kind of atmosphere you might expect in, say, Central Park, you'll probably know whether the night calls for a carriage ride, and choose accordingly. Expect to pay about $35 for a half-hour tour. College students also roam the area with small yellow cabs attached to the backs of bicycles for a low-cost, low-point alternative.

Magnificent Mile
One of the most prestigious shopping streets in the world, this stretch of Michigan Avenue is home to massive department stores, wildly expensive boutiques, and larger-than-usual stores for national chains like The Gap, Banana Republic, and Crate & Barrel. Some retailers even have two or more branches here: one standing alone, and another in one of the department stores. This isn't the place to look for discounts, though. Remember, you're not shopping here because it's cheap — you're shopping here because it's the Magnificent Mile.

Budget
This is expensive territory — if you're on a tight budget, you're likely to be stuck with fast food. Most of the department stores on Michigan Ave have food courts.

Drink
Rush Street is probably the single best-known street for drinking and clubbing in Chicago. It's lined with late-night bars, both fashion-of-the-moment designer clubs and generic fake-Irish pubs. Rush Street branches off from State south of Elm and runs parallel to State from there, although the action is north of Chicago Avenue. There's also a similar densely-populated strip of late-night clubs on Division, between Clark and State. Be warned: the Rush Street bars are often referred to by locals as the "Viagra Triangle" for reasons that will become clear shortly after you arrive.

Sleep
Again, this is expensive territory — nearly every tourist stays here, and the rates reflect that. If price is a concern, remember that this area is well-served by public transportation from every direction, including places where you can sleep a bit cheaper. On the other hand, if part of the vision for your vacation involves a luxurious hotel, this is definitely the place to be.

Connect

 * The Apple Store (see Buy) is a de facto free internet cafe, with all of the floor models hooked up to wi-fi, and the salesmen-to-customer ratio virtually ensures nobody will bother you if you want to dash off a few emails home.
 * The Apple Store (see Buy) is a de facto free internet cafe, with all of the floor models hooked up to wi-fi, and the salesmen-to-customer ratio virtually ensures nobody will bother you if you want to dash off a few emails home.

Go next

 * Old Town is just north, and segues neatly into the Near North with smaller boutiques, smaller palatial mansions, and the city's landmark theaters Steppenwolf and Second City.
 * Wicker Park offers a parallel Magnificent Mile of hip, independent stores, bars and clubs. Lincoln Square is another exceptional shopping destination.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Chicago/Near North


text:
Chicago/Near South

The Near South is the home of several of Chicago's main attractions: the splendid Museum Campus, with three world-class (and fun!) natural science museums on the lakefront; Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears; and McCormick Place, the city's massive convention center.

There's more to be found at the street level, though, which includes the fascinating and eerie Prairie Avenue, the eclectic Printer's Row, and the condo towers of the South Loop. Also, there are a couple of major jazz and blues landmarks in the area, which is bounded by Harrison St to the north, the Chicago River and Clark St/Federal St to the west, 26th St to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east.

Understand

The neighborhoods of the Near South are among the oldest settlements in Chicago. They were once the most prestigious — and notorious — in the entire city. After being forgotten for several decades, they have been re-discovered and are buzzing with new activity.

Prairie Avenue, in particular, was the prestige address of Gilded Age Chicago, when the city was building fortunes at a rate unlike any the world had ever seen. At the time of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, held a few miles to the south, 75 of the world's richest men lived on "Millionaire's Row," in mansions with gas-lit grand ballrooms, golden chandeliers, and no pretense of modesty. Eventually, the city's elite moved to the Gold Coast, and the area fell into rapid decline; soon, it was all but abandoned. Today, of the eleven surviving residences on Prairie Avenue, nine are protected as Chicago landmarks. This is the Gilded Age as if the millionaires simply got up and left, leaving their mansions to weather the elements for over a hundred years.

The Museum Campus was born shortly before the 1933 World's Fair, as Chicago's business community set about to recapture the energy of the landmark 1893 Exposition. The Field Museum had opened in the building that now houses the Museum of Science and Industry, and moved to this choice location by the lake in 1921, soon to be joined by the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium, each of which boasts world-class collections within their respective fields. They are housed in beautiful, historic buildings along the lakefront, making a stroll through the area worth your time even if your budget won't let you through the front gates.

Printer's Row is a small and surprisingly tight-knit neighborhood just south of the Loop, centered around Harrison and Dearborn. In its early days, as an off-shoot of the infamous Levee District a few blocks south, it was the yin to Prairie Avenue's yang. In time, crusaders managed to force the closure of the bordellos and gambling houses, and Printer's Row earned its current, more respectable name, from its role as the center of Chicago's publishing industry. The area fell into disuse, but then fortunes changed again; those warehouses and publishing houses became perfect stock for conversion to trendy loft residences. It has a reputation as an eclectic home to artists and writers, who moved in to enjoy the cheap downtown real estate along Dearborn. To be sure, the outrageous boom in downtown Chicago property values is bringing in a more white-collar crowd of lawyers and traders, but the neighborhood retains some of its eclectic, book-loving feel. It's a pleasant evening alternative to the Near North if you are looking for a helping of Chicago blues or an interesting restaurant.

Similarly, the South Loop was once as busy as the rest of the Loop, and then, as development shifted northward, it became known as the place where the hustle and bustle of the Loop trailed off, a quiet zone between Bronzeville and the central business district. Today, however, it's something else entirely — a mad rush of new construction has overtaken the place, with historic stone edifices interspersed among new steel-and-glass towers in varying stages of readiness, and trendy restaurants to exercise the wallets of the people who live there.

By train
The CTA Red Line stops near Printer's Row (Harrison) and in the South Loop (Roosevelt/State, Cermak-Chinatown). Printer's Row is within reach of the Blue Line (LaSalle/Congress), too. The South Loop is also served by the Orange Line (Roosevelt/Wabash) and the Green Line (Roosevelt/Wabash, Cermak-McCormick Place).

Both stations on Roosevelt are within walking distance of the Museum Campus, although buses and free trolleys also run the route.

By bus
The CTA runs a few convenient buses through the area:

 * 4 Cottage Grove is a convenient north/south route along Michigan Ave, which leads to and from the South Side along Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr, and Cottage Grove Ave.
 * 6 Jeffrey Express comes from the South Side along Lake Shore Dr and stops at Roosevelt and Congress, which is close enough to reach the major attractions.
 * 12 Roosevelt meets the CTA train stations and runs down Roosevelt to the edge of the Campus.
 * 130 Grant Park runs directly from Union Station in the Loop during the summer.
 * 146 Michigan is a tourist favorite, running southbound from Michigan Avenue in the Near North, though the Loop and past Grant Park, and arrives at Soldier Field and the Museum Campus.

By car
Don't drive to the Near South without a good reason; parking is scarce and often expensive, especially around Soldier Field, the Museum Campus, and McCormick Center.

If you choose to drive, Lake Shore Drive is the key artery from the north or south, passing Soldier Field, McCormick Place, and the Museum Campus. Exits are clearly marked with lists of attractions. For the Museum Campus and Soldier Field, exit at 18th Street/McFetridge Drive. Coming from the Loop to the north and Bronzeville to the south, Michigan Avenue runs through the commercial and residential center of the area. Coming along the Stevenson Expressway, there are exits on to State Street, King Drive, and Lake Shore Drive.

In Printer's Row and the South Loop, parking is more or less what you would expect in the Loop — look for a multi-story garage and expect to pay over $10 for a couple of hours. For the museums and McCormick Place, parking is available at public lots for $15 on days without special events, and totally unavailable on Sunday home games for the Bears; in that case, you'd be much better advised to come back another day.

By boat
For those coming to the Near South from the Loop, specifically Navy Pier, the water taxi operated by Shoreline Sightseeing is an attractive option. Good views, rarely crowded and a lake breeze; plus it drops off right at Museum Campus. Only runs during warmer weather months (April-October), but departures are frequent while it is in service (every 20 or so minutes). Monday-Thursday: $8, $4 children. Friday-Sunday and holidays: $10, $5 children. Also connects to a few stops on the Chicago River.

Museum Campus
All three museums are within a short, pleasant walk from each other, even with toddlers and strollers in tow, so it's worth setting aside an entire day for your visit. Try to get your tickets in advance, though, as lines can be hellacious. All three museums sell tickets on-line, eliminating the wait. The two major discount packages, CityPass and Go Chicago Card, may come in handy if you're planning to visit all three, but they do not necessarily cover admission to special exhibits. If you're staying with family and you can pass for Aunt Millie or Uncle Chuck, borrow their ID; Chicago residents receive a discount with proof of residency (usually $2 or so). Mondays and Tuesday are sometimes discounted, depending on the season.

Prairie Avenue

The Prairie Avenue Historic District includes the 1800 and 1900 blocks of South Prairie, the 1800 block of South Indiana and 211 through 217 East Cullerton. Neighborhood tours are led by the Glessner House Museum a few times each year. If you happen to be in the area on Halloween, move heaven and earth to join the evening ghost tour, which roams through the Glessner House, meeting a magician a few times along the way, and then heads out to the wonderfully spooky street for a walking tour.

Printer's Row
As the Loop trails off into Printer's Row, there are still a few impressive buildings to be seen, especially on Dearborn and Plymouth. The Pontiac Building at 542 S Dearborn is one of Chicago's oldest skyscrapers (Holabird & Roche, 1891), and the buildings at 731 S Plymouth and 718 S Dearborn have intriguing details that call back to their publishing past.

Today, the major draws of Printer's Row are the bookstores — see below.

Buy
The Near South is not a shopping destination; there is no need really, given that some of the world's most intense shopping experiences may be had in the two miles to the north. But a trip to Printer's Row can be a refreshing change of pace for downtown visitors who would prefer to browse independent bookstores.

Eat
There are restaurants in each of the museums on the Museum Campus; the prices will replace the wonder of science with the wince of cold, hard economics. (It's odd enough that the Shedd Aquarium has a seafood restaurant, but no, you are not allowed to make selections from the aquarium floor.) If the weather's nice, take advantage of the beautiful scenery and bring a picnic lunch.

Drink
Blues and jazz fans staying downtown have a real reason to come to the Near South at night in the form of two legendary clubs: Buddy Guy's Legends for the blues and the Velvet Lounge for jazz.

Sleep
Since there are so many hotels in the Loop and the Near North, there has never been much demand for them here. Any Loop hotels that are close to Grant Park will also be within pretty reasonable distance of the Museum Campus and McCormick Place.

Connect
For internet access, the closest public libraries are the Chinatown Branch, just west of the Velvet Lounge, and the Harold Washington Center just north of Printer's Row in the Loop.

Go next

 * If you came here looking for blues and jazz, you may want to head further to the South Side home of the blues in Chatham-South Shore.
 * And if you had fun at the Museum Campus, even more awaits you at the Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park.
 * Hurting for good Chinese food? Find great Chinese food in nearby Chinatown. Take bus #18 from Prairie Avenue or #21 from McCormick Place.

title: Chicago/Near South


text:
Chicago/Near West Side

The Near West Side of Chicago has two of the city's premiere culinary strips, Little Italy and Greektown, and basketball legend Michael Jordan's old stomping grounds with the Chicago Bulls.

Understand
Many of Chicago's most beloved cultural landmarks were created on the Near West Side. The Chicago-style hot dog, the deep dish pizza, the immigrant port of entry, the blues, the Blues Brothers, the labor movement, "Cheat You Fair," Jane Addams and the modern concept of social justice — all were born or have roots here. You wouldn't know it from the place today, though, which is dominated the charmless campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC); outside of those areas, seen from the L tracks, stray pieces of the old neighborhoods sit like the last few teeth in the mouth of a punch-drunk prizefighter.

Close to the rail yards and factory jobs, this was Chicago's major port of entry throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. Central to everything was the Maxwell Street Market, which was founded by Jewish immigrants and joined by African-Americans during the Great Migration. Maxwell Street evolved from an open-air market of stalls and pushcarts to become the place where people from everywhere brought discount everything in the quest to make a fortune — and, as the saying went, Cheat You Fair. The deals, the scams, the cheap food and the street performances by future blues legends created a signature Chicago atmosphere for more than 120 years.

However, the desire of Chicago's business community to have a buffer zone between the Loop and the West Side housing projects led to severe changes: first, the new Eisenhower Expressway cut off a slice of the east side, and then the construction of UIC destroyed the homes of more than 5,000 people. The years since have seen the university continue its path of wanton destruction, enabled by the city in every urge. In 1994, they finally managed to raze the market, which was relocated a few blocks east in reduced form, leaving behind something called "University Village", which is rather like Hyde Park re-cast by pod people.

Attractions continue to leave the Near West Side; the Chicago Bulls play on without Michael Jordan at the United Center, and Oprah Winfrey has left her residency at Harpo Studios. But the small restaurant strips of Little Italy on Taylor Street and Greektown on Halsted Street have good food and tourist-friendly charm, and the West Loop (sometimes known as the Warehouse District) features the city's most expensive restaurants, a thriving gallery scene, and several hot clubs-of-the-moment.

By train
There are several train stations on the Near West Side, but they're not very well-placed for destinations other than UIC. Buses are a more direct alternative from most of the city, including the Loop.

The Forest Park branch of the CTA Blue Line has stops near Maxwell Street, Little Italy and Greektown (UIC-Halsted, Racine), UIC (Illinois Medical District) and the Tri-Taylor area (Western). The CTA Green Line and Pink Line have stops within a hike of the West Loop (Clinton/Lake, Morgan) and the United Center (Ashland/Lake), while the Pink Line branches off to the center of UIC and near the edge of Little Italy (Polk).

The city's two regional train hubs, Union Station and Ogilvie/Northwestern Station, are right on the edge of the West Loop. They're generally used by travelers going east over the river to the Loop, but there's no reason you can't walk west instead. See the Loop article for arrival and departure information.

By bus
The CTA runs several bus routes through the West Side:

 * 8 Halsted can be caught as far north as Lakeview. It runs through Greektown and hits the old Maxwell Street.
 * 9 Ashland also runs from far north and on to the south, passing within walking distance of Little Italy and the United Center. It's an all-night route.
 * 12 Roosevelt runs from the Near South to walking distance of Little Italy (exit Halsted, walk south) and Greektown (exit Halsted, walk north).
 * 19 United Center Express runs on game nights for the Bulls and Blackhawks from Michigan & Chicago in the Near North to Madison in the Loop, and express to the UC once it's west of the river. Service starts 90 minutes prior to game time and ends 15 minutes prior to game time, and buses will be waiting to travel the route in reverse after the game.
 * 20 Madison runs all night from the Loop, passing through Greektown and by the United Center.
 * 38 Ogden/Taylor reaches UIC, Maxwell Street, and Little Italy. It will soon become the 157 Streeterville/Taylor, extending into the Near North.
 * 50 Damen runs from Ukrainian Village and passes by the United Center.

By car
For Greektown, exit I-90/94 east at Adams, or west at Monroe. From the Eisenhower Expressway, exit at Racine, and turn left. Halsted & Adams is three blocks north and six blocks east. If driving in the area in the evening, avoid the blocks around United Center at all costs, as the event traffic is horrendous.

See
The ubiquitous University of Illinois at Chicago campus will be the most obvious thing you see, with the overtowering monolith that is University Hall casting an ungainly shadow across the West Side. Many of the original constructions, including elevated walkways, have long since been demolished. However, much of the Brutalist architecture remains. The Behavioral Sciences Building and Arts and Architecture Building, best known for having stairways that lead to a wall, are shining examples of unfinished construction and design. If you wish to tour, the only official ones are meant for potential students, and you would be better off walking it alone anyway. As it is a public university, no one will bother you if you take photos or walk through buildings. Please note that UIC is a massive campus, with over 15,000 students who congregate on campus at any given time. Being on the Halsted, Harrison, Blue Island, Streeterville/Taylor or Roosevelt buses during the university calendar year is bound to be a crowded trip if you use UIC as a starting point for your travels. Additionally, the UIC-Halsted Blue Line stop will be crowded for the same reasons.

Galleries
The West Loop has a thriving contemporary art gallery scene that's easy to explore on foot. Start at the corner of Peoria and Washington. The two most prominent galleries are the Donald Young and Kavi Gupta galleries, but the adventurous will be rewarded here — there is a wealth of smaller gallery spaces to be explored even beyond this list.

The UIC campus itself also has Gallery 400 at 400 S Peoria St (just north of the UIC-Halsted Blue Line stop), which has monthly shows available to the public.

Buy

More traditional retail has been slow to develop for the rest of the Near West Side, with college students being the only relatively affluent consumer group in the area. Even after the spate of expensive residential developments in the West Loop and University Village, it's still under-served for shopping purposes. However, there are a few places worthy of note:

If you need a sunscreen or a new pair of cheap jeans, there is a Target just north of the UIC-Halsted Blue Line stop at 1101 W Jackson Blvd.

Eat
Cuisine is a major attraction for the West Side, with two of the city's most celebrated strips: Little Italy (Racine Blue Line) and Greektown (UIC-Halsted Blue Line). Restaurants are almost all that remain of the communities that were there before the bulldozers and redevelopment of the 1960s. Culinary preferences will presumably guide your decision, but all things being equal, Greektown is the better choice, because UIC has more of a presence in the Little Italy area.

Greek
Also see Drink — the bars in Greektown can be good dinner options, too, unless you're looking for family dining.

Other
The aforementioned University Village has a plenty of sandwich shops and pleasant, undistinguished Thai, sushi, froyo and other fast food restaurants catering to UIC students. These are mainly housed on Taylor Street, and are in walking distance from the Taylor side of the campus.

Greek
Most of the restaurants in Greektown offer free valet parking. You should be able to enjoy a meal for less than $25 at any of these restaurants, although if you'd like to splurge, most of the menus have seafood or lamb options to make that possible.

Italian
Valet parking is usually available at sit-down Little Italy restaurants for a nominal fee ($2–6).

Splurge
The city's most trendy and expensive restaurants are to be found in the West Loop / Fulton Market District.

Drink
Oh Maxwell Street, what have you become? A few generic, upscale sports bars catering to university students and owners of new townhomes oozed in once the blues were gone.

Sleep
There are many more hotels in the Loop, close to the Blue Line, and a few places in the Near South will also be fine if you'd like quick access to the West Side.

Connect
The following libraries offer free public internet access:

UIC does not offer public internet access, as their WiFi networks are meant for students only. The Richard J. Daley library (801 S. Morgan) is open to the public, but after 5PM they check IDs and only let students in.

Stay safe
Know where you're going, especially at night. Aside from the few major thoroughfares, the Near West Side has long, deserted stretches where help will be difficult to find. On the UIC campus, keep an eye out for kiosks with help phones. Also, while eating in Little Italy, don't fill up on bread; you will be unable to properly enjoy your main dish. (The same risk applies to making pre-emptive grabs for saganaki in Greektown.)

Go next

 * If you were here for the Blues legacy of Maxwell Street, carry on to Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven in the Near South and the Black Metropolis of Bronzeville, then consider moving on further south to today's home of the Chicago Blues in Chatham-South Shore.
 * If you prefer a Northern Italian take on pasta or you still aren't full, head to the smaller but more atmospheric "Heart of Italy" near Pilsen.

title: Chicago/Near West Side


text:
Chicago/North Lincoln

North Lincoln is a collection of neighborhoods on the north side of Chicago through which Lincoln Avenue wanders, remembering treasures and curiosities of the last century in Chicago life, moving along, and forgetting them all over again.

Lincoln Square, Albany Park, and North Park are much better known to residents than tourists, but anyone will feel welcome here. To paraphrase Lionel Richie, this is where Chicago is easy like a Sunday morning, all week long.

The best reasons to come here are the shopping — unquestionably cool, and completely unpretentious — and the restaurants, which serious Chicago food lovers consider some of the best in the city.

Understand
Lincoln Square was settled by German farmers in the 1860s, when the area (along with portions of the neighboring Uptown) was known as Ravenswood. With the arrival of what is today known as the Brown Line elevated train in 1906, population surged, and a thriving small business community developed under the L tracks and around the network of streetcar lines. By the 1920s, the relatively affluent community had a movie palace, now known as the Davis Theater, and rows of attractive commercial buildings — most notably the Krause Music Store, whose façade was the last commission of master architect Louis Sullivan. Although the neighborhood is now culturally diverse, a few vintage businesses like Lincoln Square Taproom (formerly The Huettenbar) celebrate its German heritage through, well, celebration.

Today, Lincoln Square has some of the city's best shopping (even for people who don't like shopping), and some terrific restaurants and bars; more than anything else, though, Chicago doesn't get any more pleasant than Lincoln Square for brunch on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

The Greater Lincoln Square area includes the smaller, residential neighborhoods of Budlong Woods, Ravenswood Gardens, and Ravenswood Manor, which is crossed by the pretty North Branch of the Chicago River — unrecognizable from the more famous sludge in the Loop.

Also listed in this article are Albany Park and North Park, two diverse residential neighborhoods to the northwest of Lincoln Square. Albany Park in particular is one of the most diverse in Chicago, and even the USA - many of residents are immigrants and they come from all over the world. There’s no better place in Chicago to find late-night Guatemalan dinner or Filipino dessert. Kedzie Avenue has an amazing run of authentic Middle Eastern restaurants, and a major Korean population lives and works on the stretch of Lawrence Avenue known as "Seoul Drive." The Brown Line makes it easy to skip the over-priced tourist restaurants downtown and enjoy a quick culinary tour at a fraction of the price you’ll find by your hotel — unless you’re staying on the Sin Strip (see Sleep).

By train
The CTA Brown Line runs from the Loop, and makes stops in Ravenswood (Montrose, Damen), Lincoln Square (Western), Ravenswood Manor (Rockwell, Francisco), and terminates in Albany Park (Kedzie, Kimball). The stations from Rockwell to Kedzie are street-level, and most have a second entrance on the other end of the platform. All stations are wheelchair accessible.

The Metra Union Pacific North Line stops at Ravenswood (Lawrence Avenue) before moving on to Rogers Park and Evanston.

By bus

 * 49 Western runs all night through most of the city, connecting to the Brown Line at the Western station in the heart of Lincoln Square.
 * 49B North Western starts at the Western Brown Line station in Lincoln Square and heads north to the Indian restaurants on Devon ending at the Howard Street, the city limits.
 * 50 Damen connects with the Brown Line at the Damen station.
 * 78 Montrose runs along the border with Irving Park on the Far Northwest Side, connecting with the Brown Line in North Center.
 * 81 Lawrence is ideal for travel on "Seoul Drive". It connects to the Red Line in Uptown.
 * 82 Kimball/Homan connects with the Brown Line at Kimball serving Albany & North Park heading up to Devon.
 * 92 Foster connects with the Red Line at Berwyn and is the best way to reach Andersonville from the train. It also ends up west at the Jefferson Park Blue Line station.

By car
Lincoln Ave is the main thoroughfare for Lincoln Square. While few roads in Chicago can match Lincoln for unique shops and restaurants, it's perpetually under construction, and traffic rarely moves fast. Take Western if you are in a hurry. Accordingly, if you are coming up the Kennedy Expressway, take the Western Ave exit, although if you are coming from the north on the Edens Expressway, the Peterson Ave exit is probably the fastest way into the district.

Free parking is generally available on side streets, but keep an eye out for permit-parking zones.

See
The heart of Lincoln Square is Giddings Plaza, a fountain square on a one-way stretch of Lincoln Avenue. It's a popular gathering spot, and on summer evenings, impromptu concerts from the Old Town School of Folk Music often spill out into the square. Nearby, there are a few flourishes in honor of the neighborhood's German heritage and namesake: while out and around, look for the Maypole, a few German murals, the decidedly Teutonic Thomas Jefferson Pumping Station, and the Beardless Action Lincoln statue.

The only notable sight in the neighborhood is the home of disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but an aimless stroll on a sunny day in Ravenswood Manor is one of the best afternoons Chicago has to offer. Exit the Francisco Brown Line stop and you're right in the midst of several blocks of classic Chicago bungalows and brick mansions.

Do
This is a laid-back area, with plenty of opportunities to relax or pick up a new hobby.

Buy
If you've come to Chicago to shop, give the designer jumble on the Magnificent Mile its due and then come to Lincoln Square, where they have stuff you can't buy at the mall back home. There are several labor-of-love shops here, and they're a lot of fun to browse.

Eat
Put simply, there's food in this area that's found nowhere else in Chicago, and it's good. Middle Eastern and Korean are the headliners, but there are also Thai, German, and Japanese places that are consistently mentioned among the city's best. With most restaurants easily accessible from the Brown Line, it's worth a trip for dinner even if you're staying elsewhere.

Mid-range
One of the true pleasures of Chicago dining is a weekend brunch in Lincoln Square. Cafe Selmarie is the best-known spot, but a few of the bars serve a worthy brunch as well — see Drink for more options.

Bars
Not accidentally, you'll find more than a few karaoke joints on Lincoln, Western, and Lawrence, near the Korean BBQ restaurants. The rest listed here are upscale restaurant/bar combos and a few affable dives.

Sleep
The #11 Lincoln bus runs past all of the Sin Strip motels (see infobox), and stops at the Western Brown Line station in Lincoln Square. Though the Stars Motel has been demolished, its classic sign is still standing at the corner of Lincoln and Jersey, near the River Park Motel.

Go next

 * A short walk south down Lincoln Avenue, in North Center, the colorful spectre of Honest Abe's giant head (at the Lincoln Restaurant) beckons all who enjoyed themselves in his Square.

title: Chicago/North Lincoln


text:
Chicago/Pilsen

Only a few minutes from the center of Chicago by train, Pilsen is a working-class predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood. Marked by riches in art and historic architecture and occupied by a community that's fiercely proud of where they live, this neighborhood is at once distinctly Chicagoan and something entirely unique.

Understand
The first Europeans to settle Pilsen were Irish and German immigrants, who came to work at the factories and stockyards nearby. Those industries attracted Czech and Polish immigrants next, and in the late 1800s, the neighborhood was named in honor of the city back in the former's home in Bohemia. The streets of Pilsen still bear their mark — weathered stone castles like St. Adalbert's and Thalia Hall loom over buildings with colorful turrets and dashes of ornamentation completely absent of the Prairie School influence found elsewhere in Chicago. As Pilsen escaped relatively unscathed from the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, many of the buildings here are among the oldest in the city.

In the 1960s, the construction of the University of Illinois at Chicago displaced a community of Mexicans from the Near West Side, and many resettled in Pilsen. Meanwhile, many of the original Eastern European residents relocated to the suburbs due to government policies encouraging suburbanisation of the white population, while at the same de facto banning non-whites from the suburbs and confining them to the inner cities. Though they inherited an area in economic decline, Pilsen's new residents built a set of cultural institutions that far outpace many wealthier neighborhoods, crowned by the excellent National Museum of Mexican Art. And with the city's once-thriving West Side Italian community mostly wiped out by that same construction, a single block of the industrial Heart of Chicago neighborhood drew new focus as a place where Italian Chicago survived, remaining today as an alternative to the more heavily touristed Little Italy near the university.

Fears of gentrification began several years ago when the Podmajersky company began converting the old warehouses of East Pilsen into cheap studios for artists. Depending on who you ask, this was either intended to:

a) Revitalize the nearly vacant eastern half of an economically depressed neighborhood by creating spaces where exciting young artists could live, work, and exhibit, a "SoHo in Chicago";

b) Jump-start the process of gentrification that happened in Wicker Park several years earlier, driving up property values by exchanging low-income residents for wealthier ones looking to trade on that artistic "cool."

The artists arrived and opened galleries, but many left for lack of foot traffic. Most of those who remain have private studios, open to the public only for special events, giving East Pilsen the feeling of a ghost town on non-event days. There is an increasing split between the two halves of the neighborhood, and businesses seem torn between appealing to the working-class Mexican community already here and the affluent community that is still arriving. Whatever direction Pilsen may be headed, what's there now is an area with a long history of re-inventing itself, rough in places and full of inspiration, and guaranteed to provide visitors with an interesting day.

By train
Pilsen is very easy to reach by train from the Loop. The key is to know which part you'd like to visit first: the arts district in East Pilsen, which is centered at 18th and Halsted, and the arts/commercial center in West Pilsen, which surrounds 18th and Ashland. It's a long but manageable walk between the two areas, with a quiet zone in-between.

For East Pilsen, take the CTA Orange Line to Halsted, which is on the border of Bridgeport, and walk a few blocks north on Halsted (the street), crossing over the river almost immediately.

For West Pilsen, take the CTA Pink Line to 18th. (Even if you're just passing through, the astonishing murals at the 18th station are worth a look.) The Pink Line also stops in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood (Damen, Western) and then on to the Far West Side.

The last trains for both lines are around 1:15AM heading back toward the Loop (Downtown).

By bus
The streets of Pilsen don't get the same tender, loving care from snowplows as some other parts of the city, so the wind and the drifts can make walking between East and West Pilsen considerably more difficult.

 * 8 Halsted runs the length of the arts district, coming from Bridgeport to the south and the Near West Side to the north. It connects with the Orange Line at the Halsted station.
 * 9 Ashland will drop you at 18th and Ashland, near the taquerías and the Pink Line. It runs all night.
 * 18 16th 18th runs, appropriately enough, down 18th street, connecting with the Pink Line at the 18th station.
 * 49 Western runs down Western Avenue for nearly the full length of the city, passing near Pilsen and Heart of Chicago. It's an all-night route.
 * 60 Blue Island/26th runs from the Chicago/Loop through the Near West Side, Pilsen, Little Village and South Lawndale all night long.
 * N62 Archer branches off to cover the same ground as the 8 Halsted while passing through the arts district. The plain 62 Archer only stops within walking distance back at the Halsted Orange Line stop.

By car
If you're traveling within the city, the wide expanses of Western Avenue are the fastest way to reach Pilsen. Otherwise, use the I-55 exit at Damen Avenue for Pilsen, and the Canalport left exit off of I-90/94 to get to the arts district on Halsted.

See
Both halves of the neighborhood have annual open-doors festivals — see below.

West Pilsen
If you are walking down 18th Street from East Pilsen, it's around Racine that you'll begin to notice the change. Stores have cheerful skeletons in their windows, and inevitably some Spanish-language dance music is bumping off in the distance. By the time you reach 18th and Blue Island, take a break to enjoy the scene. Welcome to West Pilsen.

Quite a lot of artists have studios in West Pilsen, but few have regular open hours. Check at the cafes for information on exhibit openings.

East Pilsen
Aside from old industrial atmosphere, there isn't much to see on an average day. The recession hit the East Pilsen art scene hard, and there are only a couple of small galleries that can be visited without an appointment. However, everyone opens up for browsing for the 2nd Fridays Art Walk (free, second Friday of each month, 6PM-10PM). The night often winds up at Skylark (see Bars).

The building at 1932 S Halsted has the highest concentration of studios, but you'll need to call up for access.

Events and festivals
Do not forget the 2nd Fridays Art Walk every month in East Pilsen.

Buy
Pilsen is an underrated shopping destination, with a few affordable and intriguing vintage stores on 18th. Also, the National Museum of Mexican Art has what may be the city's best museum gift shop.

Eat
Pilsen restaurants are gradually picking up variety — where once there were only taquerías and pizza joints, you'll now also find Chinese, Italian, and BBQ. But the taquerías remain the stars — authentic, cheap, and really good.

Equally memorable Italian restaurants can be found a little west in Heart of Chicago.

Heart of Chicago
These are a bit out of the way but not hard to find, and if you like Italian food & ambiance, it's definitely worth the trip. Take the Pink Line to Western, walk a few blocks blocks south and then turn left to reach the 2400 South block of Oakley.

Drink
Pilsen is slowly building its nightlife options. Most of these options cater to local hipsters and artists in the area. Aside from the options listed here, a few of the restaurants listed above have bars worthy of your drinking dollar, Cuernavaca in particular. Otherwise, you might head over to the Near West Side on the 8 Halsted bus and booze it up there.

Sleep
Hotels in the Loop or Midway area are the best options for access here, a quick ride away on the CTA Orange Line.

Connect
Many of the local cafes offer internet access — see above.

Stay safe
Smash-and-grab robberies have been reported for cars parked in East Pilsen during the 2nd Fridays art walk, so park in a well-lit area if possible and take any valuables with you (or, better, leave them at your hotel). Many Chicago residents overstate the crime rate in Pilsen, but it still has some problems. After dark, stick with other people and be aware of your surroundings.

Go next

 * The majority of Chicago's Mexican-Americans live in Little Village to the west and near Marquette Park and Back of the Yards on the Southwest Side.
 * The other major gallery scenes are in River North and the West Loop, albeit with far higher rents. You'll find a gallery scene even further off the beaten path in nearby Bridgeport.

title: Chicago/Pilsen


text:
Chicago/Rogers Park

Rogers Park is the northern border of Chicago — the wild-eyed inheritor of uninhibited lakefront, swamps become beaches, and the beauty of Chicago bricks. There may be no better place to experience the casual riches the city has to offer, with several miles of parks and beaches, and quiet blocks of breathtaking apartments and homes.

This article also includes Edgewater, the more reasonable counterbalance to its neighbor (fewer calamities, and a few terrific bars), and West Ridge, home to several ethnic communities, including nearly a mile of great Indian restaurants and stores.

Understand
When Philip Rogers arrived in Chicago for the first time in 1834, he immediately began making plans to leave. There was mud everywhere, the narrow streets were choked and chaotic, and the winters were brutal. But he was stuck in Chicago because the waterways back to New York were frozen, so Rogers had to wait out the winter; by the spring, he had a line on a pretty good team of oxen, so he headed as far north as he could, past the limits of the city and its fringe settlements, out to wild swampland where Indian villages were still resident — and there began Rogers Park.

The nature of Rogers Park is calamity amid beauty and the equality of impulse toward each. In this way, many of the neighborhood's key events can be understood: the secession of the West Ridge area (sometimes called West Rogers Park) over whether to incorporate as a village (which they did anyway); the 1894 "Home-Made Transfer War," in which Rogers Park residents stuck it to railroad tycoon Charles Yerkes by refusing to pay extra to ride the northern extension of his streetcar line, and tried to pass off the transfers they'd made at home on the conductors; and the "Cabbage Head War" of 1896, in which a Rogers Park politician gave unsophisticated West Ridge farmers an unflattering nickname, and they proved him wrong by putting cabbages on poles and marching on his house.

With regular floods from the wild and swampy beaches to the east, annexation to Chicago and its sewage services proved a strong temptation. As the city surged north, a building boom followed, and Rogers Park was blessed with a gorgeous stock of residential and commercial buildings; West Ridge wound up with long blocks of lovely, modest Prairie-style bungalows. Only one famous name is still in the area (Frank Lloyd Wright's Emil Bach House), but the routine beauty of the architecture in Rogers Park and West Ridge is still incredible.

The diversity, too, is unrivaled in a notoriously segregated city. Rogers Park has always been the most beautiful place in Chicago where basically anyone could afford to live — silent Irish generations still fighting the Cabbage Head War in their sleep, and immigrants newly arrived from Serbia, from Jamaica, from the Sudan. For a visitor, special mention has to go to the Indian community on Devon Avenue. Between roughly 2200 W and 2700 W Devon, among thriving import stores that specialize in saris, spices, and the latest Bollywood dreams, there are a number of amazing Indian and Pakistani restaurants that will almost certainly spoil you for the stuff back home (assuming "back home" is anywhere but the Indian subcontinent). The only day not to go is Tuesday, when many businesses and restaurants are closed.

Edgewater, on the other hand, is remarkably laid-back. It was originally demarcated as part of the Uptown community area, but when that area went into economic decline, Edgewater residents swiftly seceded and established their own neighborhood. Today, it segues neatly into Andersonville to the south, with a few gay cultural institutions and several nice restaurants, coffee shops and bars.

By train
The CTA Red Line runs from the Loop to Edgewater (Bryn Mawr, Thorndale, Granville) and Rogers Park (Loyola, Morse, Jarvis), eventually terminating at Howard Street on the border of Evanston. (There is a major bus terminal adjacent to the Howard station - see below). Travelers with disabilities should plan to disembark at Howard, Loyola or Granville and use a bus to cover any remaining distance to their destinations. The Red Line runs 24/7.

During weekday rush periods, the CTA Purple Line runs from Evanston to Howard, continuing non-stop southward to the Belmont station in Lakeview and then onto the Loop. In non-rush-hour periods, the train runs from Evanston and terminates at Howard. The Purple Line opens at about 5AM (6:30AM Sundays) and closes at about 1AM (2AM Fridays and Saturdays).

The CTA Yellow Line travels between Skokie and Howard. The Yellow Line opens at about 5AM (6:30AM weekends) and closes at about 11PM.

The Metra Union Pacific North Line stops in Rogers Park (at 1800 W Lunt Ave) before moving on to Evanston. Not every train serves that station, though, so check signs or schedules before boarding.

By bus

 * 11 Lincoln/Sedgwick travels Lincoln Avenue and then cuts over to Kedzie through West Ridge, passing by the Lincoln Village shopping mall ending at Howard/McCormick near the Skokie North Shore Sculpture Park.
 * 22 Clark runs all night along on Clark Street through Rogers Park and Edgewater, and on to Andersonville, Lakeview, and the rest of the North Side.
 * 36 Broadway runs through Edgewater and on to Uptown, connecting with the Red Line at Granville.
 * 49B North Western starts at the Western Brown Line station in Lincoln Square and passes by the Indian restaurants on Devon ending at the Howard Street, the city limits.
 * 84 Peterson runs between the CTA Red Line at Bryn Mawr and the northwest side at Central/Caldwell primarily along Peterson Avenue.
 * 92 Foster connects with the Red Line at Berwyn and is the best way to reach Andersonville from the train. It runs along Foster Avenue, the border between Edgewater and Uptown. It also ends up west at the Jefferson Park Blue Line station.
 * 93 California/Dodge runs between the northern end of the CTA Brown Line at Kimball in Albany Park and the Davis Purple Line Station in downtown Evanston primarily along California Avenue.
 * 96 Lunt runs between the Morse CTA Station and Devon/Kedzie makes stops at the Rogers Park Metra and the Lincolnwood Town Center.
 * 97 Skokie runs from the Howard CTA Station through south Evanston & Skokie, connecting with the CTA Yellow Line and ending at the Old Orchard Shopping Center.
 * 147 Outer Drive Express runs express on Lake Shore Drive to and from the Magnificent Mile, becoming all-stops for Edgewater and Rogers Park.
 * 151 Sheridan is a local route from downtown, running all-stops down Sheridan Road. It's an all-night route.
 * 155 Devon connects with both the Morse and Loyola Red Line stations, and travels through the length of the Indian neighborhood on Devon.

A few Pace suburban routes depart from the Howard Street bus terminal.

 * 215 Crawford-Howard runs west down Howard Street, ending up at the Old Orchard shopping complex in Skokie.
 * 290 Touhy travels through the Orthodox Jewish community in West Ridge, crossing into the suburbs and later back to the Far Northwest Side.

By car
The best way to reach Edgewater and Rogers Park by car is the fabled Lake Shore Drive, which ends at Sheridan and Hollywood in Edgewater. The Edens Expressway has exits at Peterson and Touhy just west of the two neighborhoods.

The intersection of Sheridan and Devon can be confusing if you're trying to follow directions. Coming from Rogers Park, although it looks as though Sheridan continues south past Devon, that's where it becomes Broadway; Sheridan actually veers left at that point and then right along the lake. From the other direction, this is the eastern border of Devon Avenue, even though it looks like it continues further east — that's where the Sheridan name has taken over.

Parking is generally no problem in Edgewater and West Ridge, but Rogers Park is never easy. Watch for permit-only streets near Loyola University, and check street signs on Sheridan before parking overnight there. They're usually full, but there are meter parking lots near the beach at the end of Touhy and between Lunt & Greenleaf, and on the western side of the L tracks on Glenwood.

See
The Glenwood Avenue Arts District is a nice idea that someone had at some point, and it's still optimistically advertised by banners up and down the street (between Pratt and Touhy), but there isn't much going on. Most of the storefronts are vacant (or appear to be). Occasional group shows are held at the Greenleaf Art Center (1836 W Greenleaf).

For a better check on the artistic pulse of Rogers Park, check out the block-long concrete bench between Pratt Beach and Loyola Beach (facing the lake and the jogging trail), which is divided up into short segments and re-painted every year by members of the community and a few local businesses, musing on the neighborhood, the city, outer space, and whatever else is on their minds — a good mix of the memorable and the inexplicable.

Do
Loyola University Chicago has its flagship campus here, with 15,000 students. In 1991, it absorbed Mundelein College, a pioneering women's school. Loyola University athletics haven't been up to much since the 1963 NCAA basketball championship, but Rogers Park would still go nuts at the first signs of life from the Ramblers — Loyola basketball tickets ($5-10) are a cheap way to catch some local flavor and have fun. The Loyola men's volleyball team has become a major national power, winning the 2014 NCAA title.

This area isn't well-known for theater, but it should be — there are some exceptional companies here. The Heartland Cafe (see Eat) is event-happy, and there are a few great music venues to check out (see Drink).

Beaches
As with the rest of Chicago, the official swim season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 9AM-9:30PM daily. However, the parks along the lakefront are open year-round (6AM-11PM daily), and fill up with picnics at the first sign of spring. And the piers on Pratt Beach are favorites with people taking the "polar plunge" on New Year's.

Rogers Park
Rogers Park is lined with pure lakefront glory. From Loyola all the way north, nearly every block east of Sheridan ends in a public beach and park. Some are little more than a building's length wide, and others run much longer. During the summer, these are very popular with locals, but they're also a great place for a walk during the fall and even the winter, when most turn into moonscapes.

From south to north:

Buy
Outside of Devon Avenue and a couple of cowboy fashion shops on Clark, there are only a few notable places to shop in this part of the city.

Devon
Saris, jewelry, suitcases, phone cards, spices, Bollywood movies, and more saris — Devon Avenue is a great place to shop. Bargaining is generally welcome, so don't be shy to make a counter-offer.

Devon
Most restaurants on Devon specialize in cuisine from specific regions of India, which can vary quite a bit. Southern Indian cooking will be less familiar to most, but it's also remarkably friendly to vegetarians.

Coffee shops
There's a few exceptional independent coffee shops with great character (and coffee) in the area.

Bars
Rogers Park and Edgewater have several quality dives where a good time is the one and only priority — save your fashion for another part of the city. Howard Street was a jazz hotspot several decades ago, and while there are no clubs there now, several places near Morse Avenue are picking up steam as live music venues.

If you're hungry, heading down Broadway to raise a glass over a burger at Moody's Pub (see above) is always a sound idea.

Mid-range
The notorious motels of Lincoln Avenue have been listed in Lincoln Square, although some are located close to West Ridge.

Stay safe
Edgewater and West Ridge are low crime areas, but Rogers Park has some rough spots at night. Chicagoans tend to overstate the crime rate there, largely because it's surrounded by neighborhoods where crime is comparatively unknown. By overall city standards, it's not particularly dangerous, but don't carry anything irreplaceable on your person (or in your car) if you plan to go roaming after dark. (That said, trouble by day is virtually non-existent.) Campus police patrol the area near Loyola University around the clock, but some visitors may feel uncomfortable walking alone on Morse, Jarvis, Glenwood, Howard, and the side streets late at night. There are police cameras on the streetlights at Morse and Howard, so wave and say 'hello'.

Wandering the beaches and parks is fine after dark, but don't go swimming after hours, particularly at the smaller beaches--certain property owners thrive on calling the cops on late swimmers. Climbing the breakwater rocks between beaches can be a lot of fun, but it is not allowed by the Chicago Park District lifeguards.

Go next

 * Evanston is the next city north, offering more beaches, lovely tree-lined residential areas and a thriving downtown.
 * Many visitors continue up Sheridan Avenue through Evanston to Wilmette in order to see the spectacular Baha'i Temple.

title: Chicago/Rogers Park


text:
Chicago/Southwest Side

The Southwest Side of Chicago is far off the beaten path. Plenty of visitors know Midway Airport, but never see anything beyond. Truth be told, there isn't a lot to see. But the Southwest Side does hold some interest as the former home to the infamous Union Stock Yards, and a pretty long list of hidden culinary gems well worth the trek.

Understand
The Southwest Side is large enough where you cannot understand it without understanding its neighborhoods — it is united only by its blue-collar character, proximity to the airport, and of course, the White Sox.

The Back of the Yards is a loose term encompassing the community areas of McKinley Park, Brighton Park, and New City, referring to the area's history as the home to the vast hordes of immigrant laborers in the Union Stock Yards of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Though the stock yards are long gone, the blue-collar character remains. The actual stock yards were located in the heart of New City between Ashland Ave and Halsted from Pershing Rd (39th St) to 47th St. Today the site is marked by the Union Stock Yard Gate and a large industrial park. The area surrounding the park is comprised of predominantly Mexican-American neighborhoods and has some good food on offer. Canaryville (between Halsted and Wentworth from Pershing to 49th) is an Irish-American neighborhood with a notoriously violent reputation. McKinley Park, on the other hand, is experiencing gentrification as younger Chicagoans are priced out of "hipper" neighborhoods.

Centered on one very large and fabulous park, Marquette Park is an ethnically mixed neighborhood divided between mostly African-Americans east of the park and Mexican-Americans immediately west of the park, along with some Polish and Lithuanian-Americans. Further west, the area becomes more ethnically inclusive, with median income playing a more prominent role in residency. Aside from the park (and its golf course), the neighborhood is alluring mostly for its great Mexican food, as well its rare-in-America Lithuanian dining. This neighborhood was once dominated by a big, wealthy, Lithuanian-American community, but its demographics began to shift dramatically following Martin Luther King Jr's anti-segregation marches (which at the time met with violence from residents). Accompanying desegregation in this neighborhood was characteristic "white flight," which put an end to the "Lithuanian Gold Coast" and heralded a more open neighborhood which has been a major destination in the United States for Mexican immigrants.

Around Midway, you'll find Chicago's second airport, surrounded by an ethnically diverse collection of neighborhoods. This section of town is home to a large, established Polish community, and to the Mexican communities that arrived later. The neighborhoods of Archer Heights, Garfield Ridge, and Clearing are important centers of Polish culture in the United States; you are likely to hear as much Polish as English while walking around these neighborhoods. Polish Highlanders, or Górals dominate the local Polish population, with a unique cuisine and culture that is decidedly Balkan. A host of restaurants and cultural institutions visibly display the rustic touch of their Carpathian craft such as the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America at Archer Ave just northeast of its intersection with Pulaski Rd. Points of interest are pretty spread out, but the food and nightlife sure beats the airport hotels. And you don't have to venture too far to find one-in-a-million pizza, or some Croatian baked goods.

In the southeast are a couple of far-flung African-American neighborhoods: Auburn Gresham and Washington Heights. Aside from the Obama family's now famous church, they have far less of interest to travelers, but both are nice enough neighborhoods and have some good places to eat if you find yourself in the area.

Englewood also deserves a mention, but mostly as a warning — it is a large, impoverished, and relatively violent neighborhood with just about nothing to offer a traveler. It is generally best to just roll through on one of the main roads (e.g., 55th St) or to avoid the area altogether.

By plane
Midway Airport plays second fiddle to the Chicago giant that is O'Hare International, but it serves a lot of domestic flights (with Southwest & Delta) and some international flights from Canada, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, serving as a more convenient point of entry. Just about everyone coming into this part of Chicago goes through this airport on low-cost carriers:

 * Concourse A: Delta/Delta Connection, Porter Airlines, Southwest and Volaris
 * Concourse B: Southwest
 * Concourse C: VIA Airlines as Branson Air Express (to Branson, Missouri) and Regional Sky (to Manistee, Michigan)

Parking rates
 * Hourly parking: $4 for the first hour and $2 for each additional hour
 * Daily parking: $4 for the first hour, each day is $25.
 * Economy parking: $2 for the first hour, $5 for two hours, and $12 per day (or just over 2 hours!)

The Go Airport Express provides regular transfer service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago. Chicago taxis' metered rates for the Midway/O'Hare trip are in the vicinity of $65.

If time is not of the essence, the O'Hare to Midway trip can be made via CTA 'L' lines for $5 (and only $2.50 from Midway to O'Hare). The fully-accessible Midway station is just east of the airport terminal building and is connected to the airport via an enclosed walkway. Follow the signs to “CTA Trains” or “Trains to City” from the airport. An orange line painted on the ground will guide you there. Take the CTA Orange Line from to the Clark/Lake stop and follow the signs on the platform to go downstairs to the CTA Blue Line which goes to O'Hare. There is no charge for changing trains at Clark/Lake. The typical time is about an hour and a half, although extra time should be allowed for delays.

Parking charges are incurred after 10 minutes in all lots, save the cell phone waiting area.

By train
The CTA Orange Line runs through the district on its way from the Loop, providing quick and easy access to Midway Airport, as well as some northern areas of the Southwest Side from the Loop, but keep in mind that a bus transfer will likely be necessary to get you from the L station to anywhere other than the airport. Travel time is about 25–30 minutes from the Loop to Midway, but you may wait up to 30 minutes between trains during off peak hours. Check schedules since Orange Line trains do not run 24 hours.

The CTA Red Line (as does the slightly less convenient Green Line) runs along the eastern boundary of the district. While it is fairly far from anything of interest on the Southwest Side, you'll find an east-west bus route picking up right in front of each station (except 69th St!), running the length of that numbered street (e.g., #55 along 55th St, #63 along 63rd St, etc.).

Metra's Rock Island commuter rail line serves the southernmost neighborhoods of the district, and can get you to Auburn-Gresham or Washington Heights. But you will need to take a bus from the station to your destination. Trains depart from the downtown LaSalle Station. A ride to the Gresham station costs just over $2, to Longwood or Washington Heights, just over $3.

The Metra Southwest Service goes straight from Union Station in the Near West Side to the Ashburn neighborhood, where it stops twice at "Wrightwood" and "Ashburn." Only take this train if you are going to Ashburn, not if you are going to the airport, as its stops are on the other end of the district. Saturday service is extremely limited and there is no Sunday service.

By bus
CTA bus route #62, which travels along Archer Ave from McCormick Center in the Near South to Midway, is probably the most convenient route into the Southwest Side from downtown Chicago. Other important routes include the city-spanning north south routes along Halsted, Ashland, Western, Pulaski, and Cicero: #8, #9, #49, #54, and #53. The major east west routes are #47, #55, and #63, which as you might expect run the lengths of 47th, 55th, and 63rd streets.

 * 1) 62 Archer is the one bus that runs directly from downtown to the Midway Area, but it doesn't stop at the airport (except during the overnight hours when the Orange Line 'L' is not running), so if you're coming from that way, the 'L' is a better option. From the West Side, there are convenient and direct routes along Cicero and Pulaski (#53 and #54). Bus route #55 is by far the best way to travel to Midway from the South Side, which leaves from the Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park.

By car
The Dan Ryan Expressway runs down the eastern edge of the district, and heading west on the 55th/Garfield exit will take you directly to the airport. To get to the Union Stock Yard Gate, take the Pershing Rd exit from the Dan Ryan. The Stevenson Expressway lacks exits on the main roads leading into the eastern parts of the area, but the Damen Ave exit will get you on Archer, from which you can easily get onto Western, Ashland, or Halsted. For Midway take Cicero; Pulaski is useful for exploring the areas just east of the airport.

By bus
Pretty much the only way to get around the Southwest Side by public transport is by bus, but if this is the route you choose, make a point of it to plan your route ahead of time, as distances are fairly long and the bus routes generally only run along the main streets.

By car
A car is a handy travel companion in the Southwest Side indeed. Attractions, activities, and restaurants are generally spread apart over long distances, and free on-street parking is available just about everywhere. Taxis are also a good option, but do not expect to be able to hail one off the street — you will need to call and arrange rides in advance.

See
The one big sight on the Southwest Side is the Union Stock Yard Gate, and even that is a pretty small attraction for how out of the way it is. Other sights appeal to narrow sections of society. The Chicago Blues Museum has a magnificent collection for anyone interested in blues history, but it remains to be seen whether it will ever have regular hours. The Balzekas Museum is of obvious interest to Lithuanian-Americans, the Indian Building to Wayne's World fanatics and roadside kitsch-seekers, and the Archives to, well, archivists (and to those who want to trace their roots in the Midwest).

Buy
The Southwest Side is not an enticing shopping destination, unless the endless strip malls on Cicero are your thing. Even Midway Airport lacks a duty-free shop, as it only serves a few international flights to Mexico. But if you find yourself here and need something, you can almost certainly find it on Cicero.

Eat
The Southwest Side excels in three culinary areas: Mexican, Polish/Bohemian, and Chicago-style fast food. Avoid the airport hotel restaurants like the plague — there are far better (and more fairly priced) places to eat nearby. If you have a car, drop whatever you are doing and head down Pulaski Ave to Vito & Nick's for the "best pizza, anywhere."

Drink
The Southwest Side does not rank prominently in the minds of Chicagoans when they think of city nightlife, but there are a handful of worthwhile spots, with good live music.

Sleep
As it is an airport neighborhood, the Midway Area has a ton of hotels, which mostly fall in to two categories: bland, mid-range, three star business/airport hotels and cheap, but not seedy, motels.

Midway Hotel Center
The Hotel Center is a hotel campus in Bedford Park, of 7 mid-range options, two blocks south of the airport (about a half mile from baggage claim) at 65th St and Cicero Ave. Shuttles run between all the hotels and the airport, although (despite claims to the contrary) you cannot always get a shuttle to/from the L station, so expect to have a long trip if you are heading to the city center. If you're here and looking for food, it would be a travesty of taste to go to the center's chain restaurants. Walk a block north to Giordano's for some quality Chicago-style pizza or solid Italian dishes. Better yet, get a taxi to Vito and Nick's.

Connect
Midway Airport offers high speed wireless in several lounges, restaurants, and gates, but it is only available to Boingo subscribers. All the following branches of the Chicago Public Library also offer free public internet access.

Stay safe
As you would expect in such a large district of the city, crime levels vary throughout. The northern and western neighborhoods, while sometimes looking gritty, should not worry you in the slightest. Marquette Park is quite safe as well, although it deteriorates a bit southeast of the actual park. Englewood, on the other hand, is a huge neighborhood notorious among Chicagoans for murders, random beatings, and what have you. Auburn-Gresham and Washington Heights rest somewhere in the middle, but they're fairly quiet and peaceful — violent crime is not happening on main streets during the day.

Go next

 * If your flight is not on the departures display, perhaps you were looking for O'Hare International Airport? If so, grab a cab and hope for the best. Most taxis have special rates for the MDW-ORD trip, which should cost about $50–60 at the cheapest and take about an hour. If time is not an issue, you can take the Orange Line to the Loop and transfer to the Blue Line to O'Hare for just $2.25, but it will take two hours or more.
 * If you are staying downtown and just want to get some authentic Mexican food, there are great options closer by in the West Side's Pilsen neighborhood.
 * While you are out this far from the city center, why not head even further south to the Far Southwest Side to dig the Irish pubs and brogues.
 * Hop on the CTA Orange Line and head downtown to the Loop to escape the outskirts and see the city you recognize from the postcards.
 * For more Polish culture, the mother lode is on Chicago's Far Northwest Side.

title: Chicago/Southwest Side


text:
Chicago/Uptown

Uptown is a scruffy, jazz-inflected neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. Within its boundaries, off to the side of the action, are the residential areas of Sheridan Park and Buena Park, and an exciting Southeast Asian community based around Argyle Street.

This article also includes Andersonville, a short walk to the west, which is an upscale, lesbian-friendly neighborhood.

Understand
Uptown is the result of a divine message received by men with a tremendous amount of money in the early 1920s. Here, by the lake, there was to be an entertainment district of such magnificence that it would shift the entire center of Chicago to the north, and within a few years, overtake even Manhattan for supremacy in the nation. Up went canyons of Art Deco magnificence: hotels, department stores, palaces of music and the arts; all in accord with the vision. Ever see a movie where cigar-chomping gangsters escort gorgeous molls into a damn good jazz club? That's The Green Mill. Where thousands of earnest teens dance their hearts out for a famous live radio broadcast? That's the Aragon Ballroom. And the crowning achievement was the Uptown Theatre, where every man could see a movie like a king.

But there was the small matter of the stock market crash in 1929. Right as Uptown was reaching its peak, new construction slammed to a halt and Uptown never recovered. Needing tenants, many buildings were carved up for low-income housing, and maintenance was lowered to match the rent. There was still revelry, but it was seedier, and less of a destination for the fresh-faced teens of yesteryear. Unlike other parts of the city, which were reinvented by changing fortunes across the decades to come, Uptown stayed on the mat, beaten down by poverty.

At last, though, Uptown is reaping the rewards of that heritage. Years of cheap living created a diverse community that's still resident there today, highlighted by the amazing Southeast Asian pocket on Argyle between Sheridan and Broadway. (It's sometimes mistakenly known as "Little Saigon" or "North Side Chinatown," but it's too diverse for one label.) For the first time in decades, the entertainment district is growing again, with the survivors holding strong and joined by some great new options. In an area where a dilapidated pancake house from the 1950s still counts as new construction, the seedy atmosphere of Uptown can be absorbing like few others in the city, and makes for a memorable night out.

Andersonville hasn't experienced the highs or the lows of Uptown, and strikes a completely different vibe. Originally a hub for Swedish immigrants, whose influence can be seen in a few restaurants and bars, it became a hub for Chicago's lesbian community, and today has a less raucous atmosphere than the younger LGBT scene in Boystown. The stylish boutiques and inviting restaurants have made it a great place for people of all backgrounds to live, and a laid-back destination for shopping or entertainment, particularly at the Neo-Futurarium, Chicago's most inventive original theater.

By train
Uptown is well-served by public transportation from the center of the city, with all of the sights and nightlife within an easy walk of the train. The CTA Red Line runs from the Loop through Uptown (Wilson, Lawrence, Argyle) and near Andersonville (Berwyn). These are some of the CTA's oldest and worst-kept stations, so accessibility for handicapped travelers will be a major issue — plan to connect a bus instead. (The Addison Red Line station in Wrigleyville is the closest fully-accessible station.)

The walk from any of the Uptown Red Line stations to Clark Street and Andersonville is no real bother except in the winter, when you're better off waiting inside the station for a bus (see below).

By bus

 * 22 Clark also runs all night on Clark Street from Edgewater (to the north) and on to Lakeview (to the south).
 * 36 Broadway also runs from Edgewater (to the north), passing by the concert venues and the Southeast Asian stores, and from there to eastern Lakeview. It's only a half-block walk from the Red Line stops.
 * 50 Damen runs along Damen from the Brown Line and Ashland, north of Foster, near the western edge of Andersonville.
 * 78 Montrose connects with the Brown Line in North Center and the Wilson Red Line in Uptown.
 * 80 Irving Park runs along Irving Park. Connections can be made with the Irving Park Brown Line stops as well as the Sheridan Red Line.
 * 81 Lawrence connects with the Red Line station of the same name and operates all night. You won't need the bus to reach the concert venues, but it does run through Albany Park and to the Jefferson Park Blue Line station.
 * 92 Foster connects with the Red Line at Berwyn and is the best way to reach Andersonville from the train. It also ends up west at the Jefferson Park Blue Line station.
 * 151 Sheridan is a local route from downtown, running all-stops down Sheridan Road. It's an all-night route.

By car
The best way to reach Uptown by car is the fabled Lake Shore Drive, which has exits at Wilson, Lawrence, Foster, and Bryn Mawr ending at Sheridan and Hollywood in Edgewater. Drive a few blocks west from any of these and you're at Broadway, the main street in Uptown.

Clark Street is the main drag for Andersonville, with a few sights on Ashland, a short walk to the west.

See
Uptown is rich with Art Deco buildings large and small, albeit in varying stages of preservation or neglect. The Wilson Red Line station is worth a look for the arch over the original entrance at the corner of Wilson & Broadway, into which a Popeye's Chicken has been incongruously crammed. Tourists who are crows will find this arch especially enjoyable, judging from the number of crows that spend time here. In much better shape is the Bridgeview Bank Uptown at Lawrence and Broadway, the tallest building in the area, with a well-kept green and white façade. Back on the other end of the scale is the magnificent sandstone Uptown Broadway Building at 4707 N Broadway, crumbling and covered in netting for a possible (expensive) renovation.

Another worthy stroll for architecture enthusiasts is the Hutchinson Street District, from 600-900 W Hutchinson, closer to the lake. It's the post-Mies apartment blocks that dominate the Uptown skyline from the lake, but Hutchinson has some lovely street-level Prairie School houses by George Maher.

Do
Uptown has one of the best collections of concert venues in Chicago, most of which are renovated holdovers from the area's Roaring Twenties heyday.

One that isn't renovated is the huge Uptown Theatre on Broadway. It was built by the Balaban and Katz movie kings in 1925 to be as lavish as possible, and when it opened, it was described as "an acre of seats in a magic city," second only to Radio City Music Hall in size. With the declining fortunes of the neighborhood, it was shuttered in the early 1980s, and has remained in limbo ever since; too expensive to demolish, but too expensive to fix. It could yet be restored, although it would be a difficult task, especially with the still-shaky state of the Uptown economy. Until something happens, the majestic façade and marquee will peer out over Broadway, eerie in the darkness.

Andersonville
You'll find several cute, stylish clothes boutiques for women in Andersonville. With the number of cafes and bakeries sharing the streets, it's a great place to shop, stop, and shop again.

Uptown
With the glory days of Goldblatt's long past, Uptown isn't much of a destination for shopping — save, of course, for the Asian imports on and around Argyle.

Asian
Argyle is the wonderland. The Red Line drops you right in the midst of it — three blocks, from Sheridan to Broadway, of cheap and delicious Asian food. If you believe in eating where the locals eat, Argyle is most certainly the place to go; this is authentic cooking, with no tourist traps to be found. Vietnamese restaurants and bakeries are the most plentiful, with various disciplines of Chinese food a respectable second, and Thai dishes included on the menus of several non-Thai restaurants.

Other
Cheap fast food can be found around the Wilson Red Line station, but there are several better options for eating well on a budget.

Splurge
Hopleaf in Andersonville (see Drink) deserves consideration for anyone looking for a terrific meal (with beer included).

Bars
If you're looking for a drink in Uptown, don't forget to raise a glass at the Green Mill (above).

Sleep
Don't book a room in Uptown with expectations of that old swingin' class — most of these rooms are used by transients and homeless people getting back on their feet, and should only be considered by travelers as rock-bottom budget options. Nearby Edgewater has a few nice, gay-friendly B&Bs, though.

Stay safe
Andersonville is safe more or less around the clock, as long as you use basic city common sense. Uptown can be a risky proposition after dark, though, especially near Wilson Avenue. You'll be fine walking between the concert venues to the CTA, but save any architecture walks for earlier in the day. A lot of transients and homeless people live in Uptown, where there are some drug/alcohol rehab centers. So while the overall crime rate is not high compared to some other parts of the city, it's advisable to be aware of your surroundings, even in daylight.

Go next

 * If it's jazz history that brought you here, don't forget Bronzeville, which in its day was home to Louis Armstrong and Chicago jazz in its golden age. If you care less about the history, however, and just want to hit the current top jazz clubs, head down to the Velvet Lounge in the Near South, which should not disappoint.
 * For a more expensive theater experience, the prices rise as you head south through Lakeview and Old Town.
 * If the LGBT scene in Andersonville leaves you wanting more, head south on Clark and then a couple blocks east towards Boystown.
 * If you had a good time on Argyle, the Red Line can take you straight to Chinatown on the South Side.

title: Chicago/Uptown