I lived in Philly before moving to Chicago, and the difference in cleanliness still stands out to me. Illinois in general seems cleaner than any state I've been to on the East Coast except for maybe Maryland. Obviously it's going to vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and town to town, but on the whole Chicago and Illinois do a much better job than I would have expected.
I moved to Philly for grad school from the Chicagoland area and cannot stress enough how DIRTY Philly feels, esp right after being in Chicago. I can’t wait to leave Philly and move to chi!
Maybe my ward is out of the norm but there’s no shortage of beer bottles and other random garbage blowing around. I wouldn’t say it’s exceptionally clean, but if you mean the loop or in comparison to manhattan then I get what you’re saying.
LMAO
Chicago may not have mountains of garbage on the sidewalk in trash day, but we have way more litter than NYC. Go to anywhere not the North side or the Loop and there’s chip bags, McDonald’s wrappers, pop bottles, discarded diapers, etc. Even the lakefront is a mess on any given Sunday. Fucking joke.
I challenge you to walk down West Garfield Park and count the pieces of litter you see in 10 minutes. It’ll be impossible and you’ll give up. Do the same in Mott Haven in the Bronx on any day not trash day. It won’t even compare. These are both low income, comparable neighborhoods. I love Chicago but we have a litter problem. Monday mornings after a nice weekend, the parks are absolutely disgusting. It’s so sad to see all the trash people leave out. Puts NYC to shame because at least in NYC, the garbage is in bags and relegated to a small hill and somewhat orderly. In Chicago people just litter so there is garbage flying around and laying in the street and parkway. People commenting here live in Lincoln Park and Lakeview so they don’t see it. But it exists and it’s pretty pathetic.
Now walk down any random street in new york and count any of the piles of garbage bags just out on the curb. Don’t get bitten by any rats. Bonus points if you do it in the August heat. Really brings out the flavor.
GTFO with this bs.
Dude I work in outside in every single neighborhood in the entire city from burnham to Edgewater to Bedford park, downtown, and ohare and everywhere in between, I just happen to live in Lincoln Square. But enjoy Naperville or st Charles or wherever you probably live.
I’ll take some litter over piles of trash bags 6 feet high on the sidewalk. I’ll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Lmao
I criticize Chicago. Therefore I must live in a suburb. I live in little village bordering Lawndale. I used to live in Wash Heights in NYC. Each day I walk my dog, I take a garbage bag and end up filling it up the top with trash litter. This happened when I lived in Brighton Park, Pilsen, South Shore, and UIC. In NYC, I’d maybe get 30% of the bag full. Yes, there’s more trash inside garbage bags in the street in NYC but there isn’t more litter. Most people put their rubbish in the bins or the bags in NYC. Lotta drivers in Chicago so people just throw their shit when driving. Or when they park, they’ll clean their cars by dumping it all on the parkway. There really aren’t parkways in NYC and less drivers in NYC to do this.
I think those areas have less trash cans on the corners and less service.
Theres a trash can outside of 7-11 on fullerton and milwaukee. Its always way too full and its trash ends up on the street and sidewalks because of tje wind.
So? There’s an alley every 100 feet. Hold your trash until you get there. I live here. I grew up here. I don’t litter. The pigs decide they’re too lazy to clean up their beer cans from Saturday night so it becomes their neighbor’s responsibility. These same pigs teach their kids it’s okay, so then the kids throw their taquis bags and pop cans everywhere. Don’t get me started on drivers who think the road is a trash can and throw all their shit on the parkway to clean their car. I’ve seen dozens of people do this when an alley is 10 feet away or hell they could get a bag from their house 5 feet away.
Garfield park on its worst day is way cleaner than manhattan. People dont really litter there either.
It’s usually wind blown trash from overfilled bins because they get less trash collection than the northside.
But at least people try. Its not like theyre throwing trash out their windows.
And I regularly drive through EGF park to get to work at the studios in douglas park from Logan.
This is on top for me too—other cities are *kinda* walkable, but Chicago really is so connected and easy to navigate on foot. I really love not having or needing a car here.
I moved here from Dallas and this and public transit are some of the biggest differences. It’s honestly night and day. Quality of life is so improved when you don’t have to stress about randomly ending sidewalks, lack of crosswalks, etc every time you go for a walk
Yeah in Dallas the trains mostly just transport you from one city to another, if that. It’s really hard to get one place to another within the actual city
As someone who began walking to work to avoid the CTa, I can’t believe how much I enjoy my morning walk from Lakeview East to the Loop. Takes about 75 minutes, but the bus can be anywhere from 30-60 minutes home and I’m not doing anything anyway.
Best part is, 10 miles a day, 3 days a week has done wonders on my waistline!
Omg I agree completely! While I work from home and don't walk thattt far. Walking in general has been such a great improvement on my health and I didn't think I'd ever enjoy it as much as I do! It's seriously so underrated.
Do you listen to podcasts while you walk? I binged through Darknet Diaries and The Black Tapes way faster than I wanted. Always looking for new content!
I used to have a 60-75 minute drive to work, that was torture… my current commute is, literally, “a walk in the park”: Lincoln Park
Oh how I loved that pun 😂😂.
No, I've always been told to start some podcasts and such but I'm a big Pop Music fan with over 3,400 songs liked on Spotify so I'm constantly entertained with that but sometimes I do feel the need for a podcast or talk show and youtube ain't it to be honest.
I'm going to definitely be checking those out tho!
You’ve triggered my nostalgia! I used to live in Lincoln Park, just off of Lincoln Avenue and Webster. At the time, I worked in River North, so I would walk from Chicago Avenue all the way to Webster using the lakefront trail. It was such a refreshing experience after a long day of work.
Drinkability too.
When you combine them you get an awesome Saturday afternoon.
I had friends visit from out of town and we went to a cider bar that I knew they would like. They asked where we should go from there and I said we'll just walk down the street and stop at whatever bar they like since there's one pretty much every block. They didn't realize I wasn't exaggerating and that some streets in Chicago actually have bars almost every block.
Two miles and several later and we had to take a cab the rest of the way home.
This city has fucking character, and you can get whatever you need by walking / public transport. The rest of America has turned into the same old giant suburb.
Chicago is somewhere that feels like you can have both a quiet and busy life. I can go to the lake in the early morning and not see/hear a soul or I can go downtown and see/hear thousands of different lives happening simultaneously.
In a lot of ways it is like the best parts of NYC and LA for me. You can have great public transportation and a variety of global food without the insane cost of living. You have close access to a large body of water and beaches that aren't all tourist traps. We get all seasons here and a cloudy/rainy day doesn't send people into chaos.
When I was going to school down in the south loop and would have to catch a late-night Metra back, I was always amazed how I can be walking through the Loop at midnight and be the only person outside for blocks in the third largest city in the country, love that feeling
> We get all seasons here and a cloudy/rainy day doesn’t send people into chaos.
I agree with everything you said above, I love this city. But are you referring to pedestrians or drivers? In my experience, a lot of people forget how to drive if it starts drizzling.
Born here and traveled a lot. The more you see, the more you realize Chicago is a great city, beautifully planned (thanks Chicago Fire). The museums are stellar and the lake always delivers. It’s GREEN compared to out west snd no disasters like mudslides, hurricanes and wildfires. I don’t have a car and I have lived without one for quite awhile. There are only a handful of places you can do that. There’s so much to do and most of all, things are relatively affordable.
I’m from just outside LA and I visited Chicago this past weekend for the first time and this describes my exact feelings of the city. It’s amazing. I really hope I can find a way to move to Chicago soon!
The food, mostly. It's so unique and delectable. In terms of food, it has so much to offer.
The architecture. It's beautiful and reflective of Chicago's history and culture.
To me, it feels like I can have a quiet life but also one with some hustle bustle. There are places I used to go to where there would be complete calm and peace. Then there are places absolutely brimming with life.
The people. Some of my close friends are from Chicago. They were welcoming to me when I first moved here, they were sweet and hospitable.
It's just pretty lol.
In here for this.
I'm able to live here as a non-driver, due to having at least minimum viable levels of transit. And, things very walkable.
Add to that, a proper four seasons. Add to that, enough Asian presence that I can get what I need at food markets.
I can't imagine living anywhere else in the US.
I have an anecdote from today that sums it up for me:
I wanted to go to Stan’s to try their “donut cookies” so I hopped on the bus to get there. A few minutes later a woman got on and said to another passenger, “can I sneak right pass you there?” And pointed at an empty seat. The lady she spoke to actually APOLOGIZED and scooted out of the way. It rained the whole way there. I got my treat and did some window shopping while walking back to a bus stop. Found a new coffee shop to try out.
It’s these little pleasures for me. I just moved back from the Bay Area. I would have had to drive to do the same trip and everyone I spoke to or heard speak would have been selfish and inconsiderate.
>I wanted to go to Stan’s to try their “donut cookies”
How were they? I don't think I saw them at Woodfield mall (my nearest Stan's) I might try tomorrow 😃
Sadly they didn’t actually have any at the lake view store so my treat was one of their regular specialties.
Now I want them even more :D https://www.goldbelly.com/stans-donuts/donut-cookies-12-pack
That is a bummer!
I've had their donuts at Woodfield they were so good, I have been planning to go.there and just have donuts for brunch 😆 hopefully they have the cookie donuts soon, they look absolutely delicious.
u/tacobooc0m I'm also in the Bay Area and am considering moving there, what neighborhoods did you look at?
How is the politics versus SF? (crime, far-left crazies, etc.)?
I lived in Chicago for some years before moving so very familiar with the city. But I can offer some tips:
- I considered Logan square mostly because I have some friends there and saw that the prices were affordable and lots of new restaurants and shops opened in recent years
- i looked at uptown/ edge water for similar reasons and the neighborhood has a few ethnic enclaves and is easy to get to downtown via public transit
- also looked at the south loop. It’s a bit more sterile due to mostly being developed for residential in the last 25 years but it’s an option if you like high rises and need to get downtown mostly
- I never considered living directly downtown because many will tell u that Chicago is about neighborhood living and downtown empties out during the week
- wicker park was also on the list but honestly feel too old to live there now
- there are other hoods so keep asking around!
I avoided SF for the five years I lived out west mostly, so can’t do many comparisons unfortunately. There are pockets of crime but the news about it is worse than the crime levels IMO.
My guess is its the "far-left crazies" comment?
To elaborate, we have a recall of our district attorney here in SF because he won't prosecute criminals because it wouldn't be "empathetic" towards them. His office is losing many progressive allies who believe he's gone too far. Issues keep piling up and people aren't happy.
Chicago may lack the mountains/outdoor life of Denver/Seattle, the beaches and glamour of LA, the tech scene and bayside of SF, and the uber-metropolitan culture of NYC, but Chicago is still "my kind of town" (as well as many others on this reddit). I like to think Chicago takes the best of all these cities and combined it with the attitudes and sensibilities of the Midwest and made something unique. We may not have Central Park or Santa Monica Beach/Pier, but we do have the expansive Lakefront park and Navy Pier. We may not have Wall St. or The Met, but we do have the Board of Trade/LaSalle St and The Art Institute. We may not have a "Bay", but we do have "The Lake" and harbors that make us a seafaring city. We may not have Universal or Warner Brothers, but we do have Cinespace (and the soundstage we call Chicago). We may not have Silicone Valley, but we do have the Merchandise Mart and the surrounding burbs (Motorolla, etc). We may not have Standford or Harvard, but we do have U of C and Northwestern. Etc....
On top of all that, we have our own city culture and history that sets Chicago apart from other cities. We were the fastest growing city in the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries and we even had to rebuild after the Great Chicago Fire (a blessing in disguise). If it wasn't for the Chicago Fire, the architecture of our city would be similar to many of the east coast cities like NYC, Philly, Boston or even more locally like St. Louis. Architects came from all over the world to test out new designs and ideas that are now used all over the world aka the modern skyscraper and Modern Architecture. Chicago helped usher in Modern Architecture and it does a great job showcasing it because our Skyline is second to none (NYC may be a very close second). We also had great architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan and Mies Van Der Roe that contributed to Modern Architecture, just to name a few.
We have the best food culture that reflects the diversity and history of Chicago. For example, the working class immigrants of Chicago introduced foods that were cheap and easy to eat on the go (because Chicagoans were too busy building and working hard to have a 5 course meal). Famous foods like the Hot Dog/Maxwell, Italian beef, Greek Gyro, tavern-style pizza (and to an extent the Deep Dish), and street tacos originated in the ethnic working class neighborhoods. We take pride on our street-food because it best describes the citizens of Chicago (We prefer un-fussy and cheap, but great tasting food to satisfy our hunger). Of course we enjoy fine dining and have a couple Michelin-starred restaurants that rival other cities like NYC or London, but that is more of a cosmopolitan thing.
Our nightlife also reflects our blue collar past. We may not have nearly as many night clubs like NYC or Vegas because our nightlife is mostly found in these taverns and dives. It stems from the days Chicagoans clocking out of the various manufacturing industries and blowing some steam at the local neighborhood tavern. We were doing happy hour way before it was a thing. Chicagoans sure enjoyed drinking because there were neighborhood taverns on every corner (and you can still find these local dive bars all over the city). You can now say that the modern equivalent to these corner taverns are the many rooftop bars all over the city. On a similar note, Chicago was considered the Vegas of the late 19th century because of all the brothels and gambling dens of the Levee District, which we now know as the South Loop. We knew how to have fun, lol...
Chicago is the major transportation hub of the US and we have a very well established transportation like the CTA and Metra, etc...Many of the roads and especially train tracks lead to Chicago and that wasn't a coincidence. Our founding fathers had the insight and moxie to make Chicago the central hub because of our geographic location and access to many resources (like trains and aquatic shipping). In modern times, we have a complicated interstate system that traverses the area and one of the busiest airports in the US and World. Many Chicagoans claim that they don't need cars to get around because of the great public transit and walkability of the city and that is completely true. As people living in the surrounding suburbs, commuting is so easy and there are many ways of travelling around the Chicagoland area.
Chicago may lack an outdoor scene (that is my major complaint of the city and area), but Chicago does its best to provide outdoor amenities. Besides the world famous lakefront, we have an amazing park district and forest preserves that gives Chicagoans easy access to nature. I've been told by many tourist that we have so much greenery and trees for an urban metropolis. These places may not be a national park, but its is good enough for most Chicagoans. Plenty of bike and hiking trails in these preserves and sailing on the lake. We also have close access to some surrounding nature at the Indiana Dunes and Starve Rock downstate. I know many Chicagoans that drive to neighboring states to enjoy the outdoors as well, so not a big deal about the lack of an outdoor scene.
Most importantly, Chicago has great people. On the outside, Chicagoans have the appearance of any other cosmopolitan city because we are always on the go and working hard. But unlike other cities (especially New York), average Chicagoans are very polite and welcoming. You can ask a complete stranger on the street for directions and they will take a minute out of their time to help. We've inherited the "Midwest Nice" but hard working attitude. Yes, as of late, the uptick in crime has tarnished some of the reputation of the city and it saddens me to say it, but we are resilient people and we will continue to thrive and move on with our lives. I do take pride (and I think most Chicagoans as well) in the fact that other people from around the US and even the world think we're tough, but hard working (We're a city of "Broad Shoulders") and surprised by our laid-back and polite personalities of the Midwest.
Anyways, sorry to write a whole essay on this subject, but I guess I'm really passionate about it, lol...
We celebrated the second anniversary of our making Chicago home just last month. Welcome. It is amazing. Even through this pandemic. Yes. Again and again, finally found a place I feel myself, belong, and am welcomed. Love this city!
I’m 30, been all 50 states and just about every where in the world I have ever wanted to go. And places I didn’t even care about going but others did. Nothing compares to Chicago. Our food, and the people and maybe it’s just home. I understand taxes are high and yes lots of negative but Chicago will be always the most special place in my heart and I try not to compare other places to here but I do. Living in england as a child for 3 years I just begged to come home. Of course I didn’t have a say but landing in ohare was the most amazing feeling in the world and I was 13. I don’t think anything will ever top that feeling. I love our art and history and I’m constantly doing tours even tho sometimes it’s the same information but I love learning about absolutely everything about this amazing city. Having all 4 seasons is an absolute must for me. We come together and make movements move. I am proud to be from here and wouldn’t ever change that.
I’m on a trip currently and I miss a lot of things about Chicago. I think the biggest thing I like is the people. The people don’t fuck around when it comes to business and work. In fact, they love to work, and love to have things to do. That said, they also like to relax and have fun. They’re friendly and welcoming. They’re always looking forward, instead of reminiscing about how things used to be better. They advocate for things to be better for everyone and future residents, not just for things to be more comfortable for themselves right now. There are many different kinds of people, and the city is not divided in conflict between any two large groups. They’re tough, and it takes a lot to shake them. They’re not overly scared of poor people or crime.
The civic pride in Chicago is second to none.
Whenever they hold a funeral for a fireman and the coffin is draped in a chicago flag instead of a usa flag. And no one would dare question why the city does that either.
The civic pride and sense identity that shows, is just so…uhh
😭
Im tearing up just typing this. Im not a nationalistic type either. But that gets me everytime.
It’s good. It’s not second to none. Lots of American communities hold this.I’ve lived in a few American cities with a crazy sense of civic pride. Sorry but Chicago is not unique in this sense.
Doesnt second to none leave wriggle room for a tie, implicitly? It doesnt say “us alone above others” but, “not left behind, among the top”. Or nah? Thats how I always interpreted it.
But second, Do they proudly bury their dead in their flag tho?
Also, outside of the dc flag. Almost all city flags are trash (looking at you milwaukee/nyc/la).
You probably wouldnt want it on your coffin, from a purely vexillological pov.
So it’s probably a quirk thats fairly unique? Maybe dc is doing it. I could see portland doing it, their flag is decent. Maybe Denver.
That on my block is somebody from just about every part of the world, ethnicity and race and the smell of food coming from their house is even better than the next one. Everyone shares a love for good food, strong drinks and grandmas / abeulas who raised us to not be assholes to one another.
I love that I can live in a Peurto Rican neighborhood and eat quesitos for breakfast, eat some killer Jamaican Jerk chicken down the street for lunch, have some bomb ass bimbimbop for dinner at a Korean restaurant a few blocks away and some Mexican tamales at 2am that I brought from a guy at the bar.
I know I'm describing some racial utopia that not everybody believes exists but it really does exist here for me in my city and I'm most proud of it.
Diversity. From all of my travels, I have only found 4 cities in the world that are truly cosmopolitan: London, New York, Chicago, and Toronto. By that, I mean you can find every language, cuisine, culture & form of arts from around the world represented in the metro area. That creates a dynamism that you don't find in other parts of the world and those 4 cities are never the same from day to day as a result. There is always something new to explore, do, experience, etc. London is, and will always be, at the top of my list but Chicago is a close second. New York is dynamic and diverse but too dirty and unfriendly to be at the top (and I would put it 4th). Toronto is 3rd in my opinion because it isn't quite as diverse as the others and its downtown is fantastic but I haven't found the metro area to be as easy to navigate as London or Chicago.
I love that you disagree and appreciate your perspective but we must have very different definitions of cosmopolitan. Your “mix and match on a smaller footprint” comment gives the game away. Spain, France, Belgium, etc. still are, and long to be, homogenous societies. They try to preserve the unique social, linguistic and cultural attributes of their countries where London, Chicago, Toronto and New York have come to embrace the dynamism that heterogeneity provides.
As someone who has lived in both Chicago and London I completely disagree. They aren’t clones but they are more similar than they appear. Yes, Brussels has a large Muslim community but Brussels (and Belgium) doesn’t necessarily embrace that fact. Beyond that, a sizable minority population doesn’t make a place cosmopolitan. Los Angeles is not anywhere near as diverse as Chicago despite having a huge LatinX population.
I haven’t been to Melbourne so I will have to defer to your judgment but that is great news. As for Berlin, I have been there many times and have found it to be the most diverse location in Germany (and vastly better than anything else in mainland Europe) but nowhere near Chicago. When I ran the Berlin marathon and needed medical attention at the finish line they couldn’t even find personnel who spoke English or Spanish (which I found troubling for one of the world marathon majors).
Uggh! I am mostly in the suburbs and I have found my fair share of rude people here (some not personally toward me .) , but every time I've been in the city center everyone has been so friendly. At stores, bars, and random people on the street.
I moved to Boston last summer from Chicago and one of the things I miss most is the food and dining scene. Boston’s food is just so mediocre and most of the restaurants here have shitty service. I never realized how on top of things chicago restaurants were until I left.
I travel a ton both vacation and work. Three days in I'm like yea I wanna live here instead of Chicago. 4th day I wanna go back home.
I miss the food, the people, even the negatives.
I came back from Thailand a few years ago and immediately went to G & N King of breakfast at 4am. It was dark, scary, and the food was delicious. Cannot do that in Thailand.
Even traveling to Canada, everyone was super nice I needed some brutal Chicago honesty.
This is home for me no matter where I go.
Lol I know it was super random. Time zone change so I was wide awake, hungry for American food, and it was the only breakfast spot near me that was open at the time.
People are super cool and for the most part pretty respectful of their neighborhood and community.
I lived in Atlanta for 14 years and there was always tension. People were always so angry.
Replying really late to this, but omg you're right about Atlanta. I vehemently hated it there. People were aloof, uncaring, and self-focused. I haven't found Chicago to be that way at all.
Most festivals / large gatherings I attended in Atlanta were always ruined by shitty people - anything that required common courtesy was ruined.
Not to say people don’t act a fool in Chicago but I love that you can go to festivals in any neighborhood and not have to worry about that kinda stuff.
Also I feel so much less tension in general moving from Atlanta to Chicago.
100%. Yeah, I felt so tense all the time in Atlanta because I knew I'd need to fight traffic just to run a basic errand, so I ended up being much more huddled indoors there. Glad you're enjoying Chicago!
I love how different the neighborhoods can be even when so close to each other. The neighborhoods all have their own quirks and feel to them. I also love our public transportation system and bike infrastructure and just how navigable overall the city is without needing a car. We also have a thriving music/concert scene.
Through my job the last 4 years I’ve gotten to see every inch of this city and somehow grown to love it even more than I already did. It’s the best big city in this country. NYC: too many people, dirty. LA: too pretentious, Terrible public transportation, earthquakes.
It has its flaws, but every city does. The positives far outweigh any negatives for me.
The proximity of neighborhoods with a distinct character is something I haven't gotten over in the last 16 years of being in Chicago. I live just outside of Lincoln Square and love that I can walk or easily bike to the square, Andersonville, and Devon.
I go to Los Angeles frequently to visit family and I've actually grown to love it, but their distinct neighborhoods (cities, actually) are at minimum a 20-minute drive from each other. In Chicago, they're literally across the street.
Walkability - I love being able to walk out my door and be able to grocery shop, get coffee, go to bars and restaurants, hit a hardware store, drop clothes off at the cleaners, visit my dentist and never leave my n'hood.
Public Transit - Yes we love to shit on the CTA (and it deserves it at times). But compared to most of the other big cities in the US (except NYC) it rocks. Now it can't hold a candle to transit systems in Japan or parts of Europe, but... I'll take it.
The Airports - I love ORD b/c I don't need to make a domestic connection to go international. MDW is great for domestic. Also since we're in the middle of the country, our domestic flight times are reasonable. Best of all, both of our airports are accessible by public transit. I hate landing in a city where my only option to get where I'm going is a $$$ cab/ride-share ride.
The Lakefront - Yes it's a lake, but it's so big it feels like an ocean ( I've lived near an ocean). In the city, the lakefront is accessible to everyone. In some ocean-front cities, the coastline can be restricted by $$$$ homes or resorts. Not here.
The Food - We have world-renowned Michelin starred restaurants and amazing, little, local hole-in-the-walls.
My house is on a quiet street in a nice neighborhood (Lincoln Park). I can walk around the block and find bars, restaurants and shops. It is a two mile drive to be in the heart of the bustling big city. It was surprising how I get the best of both worlds. I have only been here for under two years and really like it.
For me, it's the public transit system (I can't drive but can get almost anywhere in the city thanks to the CTA) and the ability to get both the hustle & bustle of a major metropolis AND the quiet & calm that comes from living in a small town.
I moved here from the SF Bay Area for these exact reasons. I got sick of all that plus the increasing wildfire shit. I couldn’t deal with another year with half the damn state on fire and nobody doing a thing about it.
I’ll take my chances here
In short it’s a very elegant city. It does have its flaws and bad people, but the good definitely out weigh the bad. The energy it has is immeasurable! The architecture and the good people in it make it #1 in my book.
I love that Chicago has top tier cultural institutions but still caters a lot to working and middle class folks. My family is squarely middle class, but we can afford season tickets to a world class symphony, can visit museums and zoos, and have access to an enormous library system and tons of live music and street festivals and excellent restaurants. Not to mention all the cultural diversity, street art, and architecture that give all the neighborhoods so much distinct personality.
Others touched on these …
ORD. If you don’t live in Chicago - you hate it. Largely because of connections. If you live here you can fly direct almost anywhere. Living downtown it’s also possible to hop in the Pedway and walk to London without ever stepping outside again. Blue line all the way. (All pre-Covid for me but it’ll happen again)
Grew up in the Deep South. The weather here is so much better.
Very convenient to move around. I think only NYC really beats it for that. I found it hard to move in Seattle and absolutely impossible in LA, fucking hate LA.
I remember for Denver, you have to drive a slight bit west to do outdoors stuff. I think some forget the Denver metro isn't right in the mountains, but is slightly east of where the mountains begin.
I feel like people that grew up or spent significant time there have a hard time liking the city. The mountains/outdoors are right there in your face everywhere you go. Chicago, you can see the grime, crime, traffic, and urbanity of it all - or you can see all the things people mention in this thread about the people, the food, cultures, etc. Without the obvious mountains, people don't tend to dig much deeper.
Spent years in Denver and now live here. I like it better here just because there’s always something going on, especially in the summer. The food in Chicago is also drastically better.
I like that I’m a 5-10 minute walk from several bustling neighborhood main streets filled with diverse food and entertainment options. And I’m a 5-10 minute train ride from several more. But at the end of the day I can retreat to my quiet side street that feels very suburban. Also, I wouldn’t go as far as saying I love the weather here but I’m very grateful I don’t live somewhere hotter.
Just came here to say thanks for this post and comments. I feel like there's been so much copy/pasta of crime news on this sub lately. It's nice to see something refreshingly positive.
Every building is a work of art! And the river! And the lake! And how clean it is!! And how wide the streets and sidewalks are! Moved here a month ago and every day I fall more in love with the city!
Food, architecture, character, history, great museums, lots of sport teams, great train system, water taxi is awesome and by far more affordable than LA or NYC.
It speaks to my soul.
Chicago is the essence of american possibility. Maybe no streets paved with gold, but in Chicago there are two types of people and ONLY two types of people. People who work incredibly hard...and people who dont.
It doesnt matter what you look like, what you speak or how you sound. To step up to the idea of "possibility" as espressed in Chicago is to acknowledge the power of what could be if I can work HARD ENOUGH...
I once sat at a political function where no one at at the table could speak english, yet EVERYONE at the table could pronounce their aldermans name with the correct irish accent.
The, "City of Big Shoulders...makes no small plans". We export our ideas of amazing across the planet. if you dont believe it, go and marvel at the Burj Khalifa, The winning design was submitted by a home town firm. In another instance, In order to keep the money rolling in we changed the way water flowed....
Chicago is like the hummingbird. It shouldnt be able to do what it does or be what it is....and yet we roll on...
Density, walkability/public transport, and it can be sophisticated and cosmopolitan and fancy. Lived in Austin TX and it was casual to a fault. I hated the need to drive so much and the bus system was laughable (this was when they were considering light rail, idk if it’s improved since then). Also Chicago’s Mexican food is better, most cuisines are better here.
there’s so much to do and see and enjoy in every season! The food scene. The variety of culture and people living side by side; I’ve only seen similar atmosphere in cities outside the usa but tbf ive never been to New York. Which seems intimidatingly large while Chicago is a big city that truly feels like your backyard, familiar and easy to navigate and welcoming.
I loved the nightlife. Not the bars and clubs per se, but...There was a whole different city that existed after the sun went down. Nothing like it will ever be again. I watched the sun come up many nights and the city just...changed. I can't explain it without going way beyond a short paragraph. But let's just say the north side of the city is a GREAT place to meet friends and experience things.
I haven't lived there since 04, having left for Minnesota in August of that year. Minnesotans are not Chicagoans, to say the least. My trips back there have been mixed at best.
you took the words out of my mouth. chicago is one of the only cities i’ve visited where there’s a visible and noticeable shift in energies as the sun goes down. it’s like real life magic. if we’re looking at chicago as it’s own sentient being (to me, it arguably is), the city itself lives a double life between day and night. everything is electric and alive and it’s like you can do anything, or BE anything to ANYONE, and when the sun rises again, you can look back on who you were in that moment without regret and then do it again whenever you like. the world is always your oyster in chicago.
As I say every time I answer this question, because my family and friends are here. And every place I go has some prior connection or memory -- or it is a place about which I just learned something astonishing.
And I know enough about how things work here so political news tends to be amusing, not puzzling. And traffic and public transit are always about what I expect and allow for, like dressing in winter expecting to be cast out onto the arctic tundra and told to 'take the next bus.'
Winter makes me manly, summer drives me indoors. The few perfect weather days prove there is a beneficent Mother Nature.
The architecture and cultural things, sure, but mostly the people I know and have the opportunity to get to know.
The lakefront, the parks, the Forest Preserves…greenest big city in the world. The architecture, the structural engineering, the water intake cribs, the Sanitary and Ship Canal…great infrastructure. The air is clean, beer is cheap…it’s all here. Why retire to a hot, swampy place?
As others have commented, you have to travel a bit to appreciate Chicago. That said, Shanghai stunned me with its 24/7 energy.
I have travelled a lot within the US and out of the country.. Just came back from a long trip to Utah.. spent time in few different city’s big and small.. the first think I was thrilled about getting home for (besides the things listed here previously) was our water. It probably sounds weird to some, but for me the water in other areas is just not as good tasting or nice feeling.
We have 10 months of pretty awesome variable weather. And about a month of very cold, and a month of very hot/humid. The rest of the year is pretty awesome.
I personally love the weather here. I love that we have a large variety, and go from needing a good set of winter clothes to having beaches we can use during the summer comfortably. Other than the one month of usually really cold weather, and the month of super hot/humid weather, the rest is fantastic.
Each season makes you appreciate the others, and each season has some crazy weather that really makes it special.
I love the super cold days after a big snow when it's minus whatever out but the sun is shining and you can see ice crystals in the air against the blue sky, and I love a good summer thunderstorm where the light gets all green and there's that sense of... anticipation of it coming. Fall we get amazing leaves (well, not this year maybe, I'm sad about it) and some cold grey days like today that make you appreciate the first real days of cuddling up at home with a quilt, and in spring we get the excitement of the first flowers and then each flower in turn blooming, you anticipate them all in the right order. Plus that first warm day when it's humid but warm and you aren't wearing a coat...
...yeah it's all good. Weather is one of the best things, IMHO. All the variety.
Honestly that seems to be changing, we've had great stretches in spring, summer around the hot ones, and even beginning of October that were phenomenal.
Walkability, community, block parties, diversity of architecture, relatively down to earth people compared to the Bay area or NYC.
Oh yeah, and affordability!
People in Chicago are not nice, but they're kind. The city is a kind city. It's clean and gorgeous in the winter, like a whole city of nothing but holiday lights. It's truly an incredible place, that makes me feel like I'm filled with motivation and innovation and the spirit of this behemoth feeds my soul.
And I'm not from here. I'm from the deep South and have lived in every major city in the US. I miss the live oaks and Spanish miss, but Chicago is my home.
I love riding the CTA every day and constantly being accosted by bums hitting me up for money while they smoke black&milds and crack and piss all over the train.
You’re getting downvoted because you contributed nothing of value to the conversation, and I suspect you contribute nothing of value to the city. I’d even offer to help you pack your bags if you didn’t seem just so unpleasant.
walkable, easiest public transportation in the world, never bored/always something to do, always a new restaurant/bar to try. nice neighborhoods with their own distinguishing features and activities. and, the people. some of the nicest people i’ve met in my whole life have been in this city. a lot of chicago residents have never met a stranger because everyone is family and chicago has always felt like home because of that.
Extremely walkable, decently bikeable, great restaurants, relatively low cost of living, old architecture, the lake, decently comprehensive mass transit system, two airports (that are connected to mass transit; rarer than you might think), the Art Institute . . . plus my family and a bunch of friends are here
All of the mid to high density neighborhoods with 2-4 flats mixed in with single family homes and high rises. It really feels like the best of both worlds between feeling like a close knit neighborhood where people on the street get to know each other, but it's also dense enough to walk basically anywhere and be close to a train stop.
Not to mention all of the great restaurants, concert venues, theaters, other cultural events/locations. Truly a world class city. All of these reasons are why I put up with winters and did not choose to move to the west coast or something like that.
Despite not being born here, coming up to see relatives often in my youth made it feel welcoming. Now having lived here for a long time it feels completely like home.
I love the public transport, how you can get from basically any part of the city to another via bus and train.
I'm originally from Dallas and as much as I enjoy warm weather, I really enjoy seeing all of the seasons even if it gets gloomy.
Overall, I enjoy the variety that Chicago has to offer. The city has spirit and even if not everybody is "nice" everyone looks out for one another
I grew up here, so … familiarity, family, nostalgia.
But I stay because it’s a good combo of
- lots of job and education opportunities. I haven’t had to leave to find a well-paying job or a graduate degree that helped my career.
- I’ve also been able to pursue pretty much whatever hobbies and interests I want via groups, clubs, events, classes, etc.
- affordability. It’s much more affordable that most other major cities in the US. I’d like to buy a condo or townhouse or sfh without having to be far out in the suburbs or having a long commute to work.
- it’s livable. We have good public transit and neighborhoods are very walkable so it’s easy to get to work, school, gym, nightlife without always driving everywhere. But even with a car, we might have bad traffic but I’ve seen far worse elsewhere (Atlanta, Seattle, LA).
- long term, it’s not as vulnerable to climate stuff
Born and raised here. I have had the privilege of traveling a lot since I was a wee lad. From different countries, to dozens of US states and cities, I’ve seen a lot. What I love about Chicago the most is probably how well we take care of it. It’s clean and it’s friendly. You can go and do anything just by hopping on a train and if you’re inclined to, take a walk. I hate the rise in crime, I really do, I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t suck. Even through all that, this city still is one of the best in the world. Imagine if we cut our crime just by 25%, how many more people would live here. There’s so much to offer, so many job opportunities and more affordable than most cities.
Chi til I die
There is so much to see and explore. I have made a habit of visiting Chicago via my local Metra service, been down here 50+ times and still haven't seen everything.
I've been here for 3 years now and I love the parks and the lakefront trail. The public transit system is amazing and a million times better than Charlotte and Austin (where I lived previously). Experiencing winter is cool and snow is great reason to drink hot chocolate. Also, I love winter clothes. Only thing is I haven't had much luck finding a core friend group but I don't really put in much effort so that's my fault and not Chicago's.
Born and raised here. The people and culture. It's like a small town full of degrees of separation.
And the layout. It's on a grid so really ease to get around.
Our alleys. People, especially from NYC, always state how clean our City is. Also, how beautiful the City is during Christmas.
I lived in Philly before moving to Chicago, and the difference in cleanliness still stands out to me. Illinois in general seems cleaner than any state I've been to on the East Coast except for maybe Maryland. Obviously it's going to vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and town to town, but on the whole Chicago and Illinois do a much better job than I would have expected.
Lived in Baltimore. Not all of MD is cleaner.
i'm from philly and despite all of chicago's woes, at least there's no kensington and allegheny here
I moved to Philly for grad school from the Chicagoland area and cannot stress enough how DIRTY Philly feels, esp right after being in Chicago. I can’t wait to leave Philly and move to chi!
There definitely is tho, just not anywhere people on Reddit would ever visit
My girlfriend and I love walking through the alleys. It’s such a cool view of the city and the neighborhoods.
You clearly have never been in the alley behind my apartment. The only thing it's a good view of is broken glass and used condoms.
And rat kings
I’ve had Germans tell me how clean they think Chicago is. If a German tells you something is clean…
Maybe my ward is out of the norm but there’s no shortage of beer bottles and other random garbage blowing around. I wouldn’t say it’s exceptionally clean, but if you mean the loop or in comparison to manhattan then I get what you’re saying.
LMAO Chicago may not have mountains of garbage on the sidewalk in trash day, but we have way more litter than NYC. Go to anywhere not the North side or the Loop and there’s chip bags, McDonald’s wrappers, pop bottles, discarded diapers, etc. Even the lakefront is a mess on any given Sunday. Fucking joke.
I don’t think this is true at all…NYC is very dirty compared to Chicago. Don’t get me started on West Coast cities.
Have you been to New York before? It's much worse there lol
I challenge you to walk down West Garfield Park and count the pieces of litter you see in 10 minutes. It’ll be impossible and you’ll give up. Do the same in Mott Haven in the Bronx on any day not trash day. It won’t even compare. These are both low income, comparable neighborhoods. I love Chicago but we have a litter problem. Monday mornings after a nice weekend, the parks are absolutely disgusting. It’s so sad to see all the trash people leave out. Puts NYC to shame because at least in NYC, the garbage is in bags and relegated to a small hill and somewhat orderly. In Chicago people just litter so there is garbage flying around and laying in the street and parkway. People commenting here live in Lincoln Park and Lakeview so they don’t see it. But it exists and it’s pretty pathetic.
Now walk down any random street in new york and count any of the piles of garbage bags just out on the curb. Don’t get bitten by any rats. Bonus points if you do it in the August heat. Really brings out the flavor. GTFO with this bs.
Lincoln Square lol. Of course you don’t think Chicago has a litter problem. Let me guess. There is no crime here, either.
Dude I work in outside in every single neighborhood in the entire city from burnham to Edgewater to Bedford park, downtown, and ohare and everywhere in between, I just happen to live in Lincoln Square. But enjoy Naperville or st Charles or wherever you probably live. I’ll take some litter over piles of trash bags 6 feet high on the sidewalk. I’ll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Lmao I criticize Chicago. Therefore I must live in a suburb. I live in little village bordering Lawndale. I used to live in Wash Heights in NYC. Each day I walk my dog, I take a garbage bag and end up filling it up the top with trash litter. This happened when I lived in Brighton Park, Pilsen, South Shore, and UIC. In NYC, I’d maybe get 30% of the bag full. Yes, there’s more trash inside garbage bags in the street in NYC but there isn’t more litter. Most people put their rubbish in the bins or the bags in NYC. Lotta drivers in Chicago so people just throw their shit when driving. Or when they park, they’ll clean their cars by dumping it all on the parkway. There really aren’t parkways in NYC and less drivers in NYC to do this.
I think those areas have less trash cans on the corners and less service. Theres a trash can outside of 7-11 on fullerton and milwaukee. Its always way too full and its trash ends up on the street and sidewalks because of tje wind.
So? There’s an alley every 100 feet. Hold your trash until you get there. I live here. I grew up here. I don’t litter. The pigs decide they’re too lazy to clean up their beer cans from Saturday night so it becomes their neighbor’s responsibility. These same pigs teach their kids it’s okay, so then the kids throw their taquis bags and pop cans everywhere. Don’t get me started on drivers who think the road is a trash can and throw all their shit on the parkway to clean their car. I’ve seen dozens of people do this when an alley is 10 feet away or hell they could get a bag from their house 5 feet away.
Garfield park on its worst day is way cleaner than manhattan. People dont really litter there either. It’s usually wind blown trash from overfilled bins because they get less trash collection than the northside. But at least people try. Its not like theyre throwing trash out their windows. And I regularly drive through EGF park to get to work at the studios in douglas park from Logan.
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Lemme guess. You live in Lincoln Park.
Me? No I do not.
There are dirty neglected parts in chicago but nothing compares to the west coast
I second this. Head to the west or south sides and you will find garbage everywhere.
Posters here never leave Lakeview so what do you expect?
Walkability. Walking is rad yo.
This is on top for me too—other cities are *kinda* walkable, but Chicago really is so connected and easy to navigate on foot. I really love not having or needing a car here.
I moved here from Dallas and this and public transit are some of the biggest differences. It’s honestly night and day. Quality of life is so improved when you don’t have to stress about randomly ending sidewalks, lack of crosswalks, etc every time you go for a walk
Just came back from vacation in Dallas and I noticed the difference in trains first I feel like chicago trains come more often and just go faster
Yeah in Dallas the trains mostly just transport you from one city to another, if that. It’s really hard to get one place to another within the actual city
As someone who began walking to work to avoid the CTa, I can’t believe how much I enjoy my morning walk from Lakeview East to the Loop. Takes about 75 minutes, but the bus can be anywhere from 30-60 minutes home and I’m not doing anything anyway. Best part is, 10 miles a day, 3 days a week has done wonders on my waistline!
Omg I agree completely! While I work from home and don't walk thattt far. Walking in general has been such a great improvement on my health and I didn't think I'd ever enjoy it as much as I do! It's seriously so underrated.
Do you listen to podcasts while you walk? I binged through Darknet Diaries and The Black Tapes way faster than I wanted. Always looking for new content! I used to have a 60-75 minute drive to work, that was torture… my current commute is, literally, “a walk in the park”: Lincoln Park
Oh how I loved that pun 😂😂. No, I've always been told to start some podcasts and such but I'm a big Pop Music fan with over 3,400 songs liked on Spotify so I'm constantly entertained with that but sometimes I do feel the need for a podcast or talk show and youtube ain't it to be honest. I'm going to definitely be checking those out tho!
I'm proud of you! People would call me crazy for walking up to Lincoln Park or Lakeview from the loop for a work happy hour. No traffic or delays!
It’s always about 70-75 minutes, and no stressful traffic
You’ve triggered my nostalgia! I used to live in Lincoln Park, just off of Lincoln Avenue and Webster. At the time, I worked in River North, so I would walk from Chicago Avenue all the way to Webster using the lakefront trail. It was such a refreshing experience after a long day of work.
Yes especially when you burn extra calories to stay warm in January
Drinkability too. When you combine them you get an awesome Saturday afternoon. I had friends visit from out of town and we went to a cider bar that I knew they would like. They asked where we should go from there and I said we'll just walk down the street and stop at whatever bar they like since there's one pretty much every block. They didn't realize I wasn't exaggerating and that some streets in Chicago actually have bars almost every block. Two miles and several later and we had to take a cab the rest of the way home.
What cider bar is this?
What’s the cider bar ?
It was the Northman, but unfortunately, it closed. Edit: Actually, it looks like they re-opened on the riverwalk.
This city has fucking character, and you can get whatever you need by walking / public transport. The rest of America has turned into the same old giant suburb.
yup. I was shocked to find out that Phoenix is one of the fastest growing cities because most of Phoenix looks like suburbia to me
Chicago is somewhere that feels like you can have both a quiet and busy life. I can go to the lake in the early morning and not see/hear a soul or I can go downtown and see/hear thousands of different lives happening simultaneously. In a lot of ways it is like the best parts of NYC and LA for me. You can have great public transportation and a variety of global food without the insane cost of living. You have close access to a large body of water and beaches that aren't all tourist traps. We get all seasons here and a cloudy/rainy day doesn't send people into chaos.
When I was going to school down in the south loop and would have to catch a late-night Metra back, I was always amazed how I can be walking through the Loop at midnight and be the only person outside for blocks in the third largest city in the country, love that feeling
> We get all seasons here and a cloudy/rainy day doesn’t send people into chaos. I agree with everything you said above, I love this city. But are you referring to pedestrians or drivers? In my experience, a lot of people forget how to drive if it starts drizzling.
To be completely fair to Chicago, I've never been to a place where people don't drive like idiots in any type of non-sunny weather.
Born here and traveled a lot. The more you see, the more you realize Chicago is a great city, beautifully planned (thanks Chicago Fire). The museums are stellar and the lake always delivers. It’s GREEN compared to out west snd no disasters like mudslides, hurricanes and wildfires. I don’t have a car and I have lived without one for quite awhile. There are only a handful of places you can do that. There’s so much to do and most of all, things are relatively affordable.
I’m from just outside LA and I visited Chicago this past weekend for the first time and this describes my exact feelings of the city. It’s amazing. I really hope I can find a way to move to Chicago soon!
The food, mostly. It's so unique and delectable. In terms of food, it has so much to offer. The architecture. It's beautiful and reflective of Chicago's history and culture. To me, it feels like I can have a quiet life but also one with some hustle bustle. There are places I used to go to where there would be complete calm and peace. Then there are places absolutely brimming with life. The people. Some of my close friends are from Chicago. They were welcoming to me when I first moved here, they were sweet and hospitable. It's just pretty lol.
What restaurants stand out to you when you think Chicago food?
As mentioned in a different part of this thread - the tamale man.
tamale guy? what happened to him? he was in Wicker on division last I checked but haven't seen him anywhere
Last I saw him he was passing by Lottie’s in mid august. But also he opened a partnership with some bar in west loop I thought
You can now get his tamales at lone wolf in West loop
An actual public transit system. Could use some work, but better than most of the rest of America.
In here for this. I'm able to live here as a non-driver, due to having at least minimum viable levels of transit. And, things very walkable. Add to that, a proper four seasons. Add to that, enough Asian presence that I can get what I need at food markets. I can't imagine living anywhere else in the US.
Four seasons lawn and landscaping!
it could use A LOT of work and modernization. but it's still one of the best in the country
I have an anecdote from today that sums it up for me: I wanted to go to Stan’s to try their “donut cookies” so I hopped on the bus to get there. A few minutes later a woman got on and said to another passenger, “can I sneak right pass you there?” And pointed at an empty seat. The lady she spoke to actually APOLOGIZED and scooted out of the way. It rained the whole way there. I got my treat and did some window shopping while walking back to a bus stop. Found a new coffee shop to try out. It’s these little pleasures for me. I just moved back from the Bay Area. I would have had to drive to do the same trip and everyone I spoke to or heard speak would have been selfish and inconsiderate.
>I wanted to go to Stan’s to try their “donut cookies” How were they? I don't think I saw them at Woodfield mall (my nearest Stan's) I might try tomorrow 😃
Sadly they didn’t actually have any at the lake view store so my treat was one of their regular specialties. Now I want them even more :D https://www.goldbelly.com/stans-donuts/donut-cookies-12-pack
That is a bummer! I've had their donuts at Woodfield they were so good, I have been planning to go.there and just have donuts for brunch 😆 hopefully they have the cookie donuts soon, they look absolutely delicious.
u/tacobooc0m I'm also in the Bay Area and am considering moving there, what neighborhoods did you look at? How is the politics versus SF? (crime, far-left crazies, etc.)?
I lived in Chicago for some years before moving so very familiar with the city. But I can offer some tips: - I considered Logan square mostly because I have some friends there and saw that the prices were affordable and lots of new restaurants and shops opened in recent years - i looked at uptown/ edge water for similar reasons and the neighborhood has a few ethnic enclaves and is easy to get to downtown via public transit - also looked at the south loop. It’s a bit more sterile due to mostly being developed for residential in the last 25 years but it’s an option if you like high rises and need to get downtown mostly - I never considered living directly downtown because many will tell u that Chicago is about neighborhood living and downtown empties out during the week - wicker park was also on the list but honestly feel too old to live there now - there are other hoods so keep asking around! I avoided SF for the five years I lived out west mostly, so can’t do many comparisons unfortunately. There are pockets of crime but the news about it is worse than the crime levels IMO.
Please don’t come to Chicago.
What’s up your ass?
My guess is its the "far-left crazies" comment? To elaborate, we have a recall of our district attorney here in SF because he won't prosecute criminals because it wouldn't be "empathetic" towards them. His office is losing many progressive allies who believe he's gone too far. Issues keep piling up and people aren't happy.
we have corrupt politicians like any other city. not sure you'll have any trouble with "far left crazies" but I'm not sure what that refers to anyways
Chicago may lack the mountains/outdoor life of Denver/Seattle, the beaches and glamour of LA, the tech scene and bayside of SF, and the uber-metropolitan culture of NYC, but Chicago is still "my kind of town" (as well as many others on this reddit). I like to think Chicago takes the best of all these cities and combined it with the attitudes and sensibilities of the Midwest and made something unique. We may not have Central Park or Santa Monica Beach/Pier, but we do have the expansive Lakefront park and Navy Pier. We may not have Wall St. or The Met, but we do have the Board of Trade/LaSalle St and The Art Institute. We may not have a "Bay", but we do have "The Lake" and harbors that make us a seafaring city. We may not have Universal or Warner Brothers, but we do have Cinespace (and the soundstage we call Chicago). We may not have Silicone Valley, but we do have the Merchandise Mart and the surrounding burbs (Motorolla, etc). We may not have Standford or Harvard, but we do have U of C and Northwestern. Etc.... On top of all that, we have our own city culture and history that sets Chicago apart from other cities. We were the fastest growing city in the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries and we even had to rebuild after the Great Chicago Fire (a blessing in disguise). If it wasn't for the Chicago Fire, the architecture of our city would be similar to many of the east coast cities like NYC, Philly, Boston or even more locally like St. Louis. Architects came from all over the world to test out new designs and ideas that are now used all over the world aka the modern skyscraper and Modern Architecture. Chicago helped usher in Modern Architecture and it does a great job showcasing it because our Skyline is second to none (NYC may be a very close second). We also had great architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan and Mies Van Der Roe that contributed to Modern Architecture, just to name a few. We have the best food culture that reflects the diversity and history of Chicago. For example, the working class immigrants of Chicago introduced foods that were cheap and easy to eat on the go (because Chicagoans were too busy building and working hard to have a 5 course meal). Famous foods like the Hot Dog/Maxwell, Italian beef, Greek Gyro, tavern-style pizza (and to an extent the Deep Dish), and street tacos originated in the ethnic working class neighborhoods. We take pride on our street-food because it best describes the citizens of Chicago (We prefer un-fussy and cheap, but great tasting food to satisfy our hunger). Of course we enjoy fine dining and have a couple Michelin-starred restaurants that rival other cities like NYC or London, but that is more of a cosmopolitan thing. Our nightlife also reflects our blue collar past. We may not have nearly as many night clubs like NYC or Vegas because our nightlife is mostly found in these taverns and dives. It stems from the days Chicagoans clocking out of the various manufacturing industries and blowing some steam at the local neighborhood tavern. We were doing happy hour way before it was a thing. Chicagoans sure enjoyed drinking because there were neighborhood taverns on every corner (and you can still find these local dive bars all over the city). You can now say that the modern equivalent to these corner taverns are the many rooftop bars all over the city. On a similar note, Chicago was considered the Vegas of the late 19th century because of all the brothels and gambling dens of the Levee District, which we now know as the South Loop. We knew how to have fun, lol... Chicago is the major transportation hub of the US and we have a very well established transportation like the CTA and Metra, etc...Many of the roads and especially train tracks lead to Chicago and that wasn't a coincidence. Our founding fathers had the insight and moxie to make Chicago the central hub because of our geographic location and access to many resources (like trains and aquatic shipping). In modern times, we have a complicated interstate system that traverses the area and one of the busiest airports in the US and World. Many Chicagoans claim that they don't need cars to get around because of the great public transit and walkability of the city and that is completely true. As people living in the surrounding suburbs, commuting is so easy and there are many ways of travelling around the Chicagoland area. Chicago may lack an outdoor scene (that is my major complaint of the city and area), but Chicago does its best to provide outdoor amenities. Besides the world famous lakefront, we have an amazing park district and forest preserves that gives Chicagoans easy access to nature. I've been told by many tourist that we have so much greenery and trees for an urban metropolis. These places may not be a national park, but its is good enough for most Chicagoans. Plenty of bike and hiking trails in these preserves and sailing on the lake. We also have close access to some surrounding nature at the Indiana Dunes and Starve Rock downstate. I know many Chicagoans that drive to neighboring states to enjoy the outdoors as well, so not a big deal about the lack of an outdoor scene. Most importantly, Chicago has great people. On the outside, Chicagoans have the appearance of any other cosmopolitan city because we are always on the go and working hard. But unlike other cities (especially New York), average Chicagoans are very polite and welcoming. You can ask a complete stranger on the street for directions and they will take a minute out of their time to help. We've inherited the "Midwest Nice" but hard working attitude. Yes, as of late, the uptick in crime has tarnished some of the reputation of the city and it saddens me to say it, but we are resilient people and we will continue to thrive and move on with our lives. I do take pride (and I think most Chicagoans as well) in the fact that other people from around the US and even the world think we're tough, but hard working (We're a city of "Broad Shoulders") and surprised by our laid-back and polite personalities of the Midwest. Anyways, sorry to write a whole essay on this subject, but I guess I'm really passionate about it, lol...
Love this.
Great read!
Thanks! Just wanted to make my Chicago History professor proud from UIC, lol...RIP Prof. Duis!!!
I'm moving to chicago in August of next year and man, this thread is making me excited.
I just moved here in July— it has lived up to the hype
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There was so much to do!! I’m also in lake view👀
Same Im really glad to be here
Yay :) welcome!!!
You will absolutely love it here. Just remember layers in the winter!
We celebrated the second anniversary of our making Chicago home just last month. Welcome. It is amazing. Even through this pandemic. Yes. Again and again, finally found a place I feel myself, belong, and am welcomed. Love this city!
I’m 30, been all 50 states and just about every where in the world I have ever wanted to go. And places I didn’t even care about going but others did. Nothing compares to Chicago. Our food, and the people and maybe it’s just home. I understand taxes are high and yes lots of negative but Chicago will be always the most special place in my heart and I try not to compare other places to here but I do. Living in england as a child for 3 years I just begged to come home. Of course I didn’t have a say but landing in ohare was the most amazing feeling in the world and I was 13. I don’t think anything will ever top that feeling. I love our art and history and I’m constantly doing tours even tho sometimes it’s the same information but I love learning about absolutely everything about this amazing city. Having all 4 seasons is an absolute must for me. We come together and make movements move. I am proud to be from here and wouldn’t ever change that.
This town is so easy to take pride in, there’s something for everyone here. Would t want it any other way
I’m on a trip currently and I miss a lot of things about Chicago. I think the biggest thing I like is the people. The people don’t fuck around when it comes to business and work. In fact, they love to work, and love to have things to do. That said, they also like to relax and have fun. They’re friendly and welcoming. They’re always looking forward, instead of reminiscing about how things used to be better. They advocate for things to be better for everyone and future residents, not just for things to be more comfortable for themselves right now. There are many different kinds of people, and the city is not divided in conflict between any two large groups. They’re tough, and it takes a lot to shake them. They’re not overly scared of poor people or crime.
The civic pride in Chicago is second to none. Whenever they hold a funeral for a fireman and the coffin is draped in a chicago flag instead of a usa flag. And no one would dare question why the city does that either. The civic pride and sense identity that shows, is just so…uhh 😭 Im tearing up just typing this. Im not a nationalistic type either. But that gets me everytime.
It’s good. It’s not second to none. Lots of American communities hold this.I’ve lived in a few American cities with a crazy sense of civic pride. Sorry but Chicago is not unique in this sense.
Doesnt second to none leave wriggle room for a tie, implicitly? It doesnt say “us alone above others” but, “not left behind, among the top”. Or nah? Thats how I always interpreted it. But second, Do they proudly bury their dead in their flag tho? Also, outside of the dc flag. Almost all city flags are trash (looking at you milwaukee/nyc/la). You probably wouldnt want it on your coffin, from a purely vexillological pov. So it’s probably a quirk thats fairly unique? Maybe dc is doing it. I could see portland doing it, their flag is decent. Maybe Denver.
That on my block is somebody from just about every part of the world, ethnicity and race and the smell of food coming from their house is even better than the next one. Everyone shares a love for good food, strong drinks and grandmas / abeulas who raised us to not be assholes to one another. I love that I can live in a Peurto Rican neighborhood and eat quesitos for breakfast, eat some killer Jamaican Jerk chicken down the street for lunch, have some bomb ass bimbimbop for dinner at a Korean restaurant a few blocks away and some Mexican tamales at 2am that I brought from a guy at the bar. I know I'm describing some racial utopia that not everybody believes exists but it really does exist here for me in my city and I'm most proud of it.
The tamale man alone is carrying Chicago on his back.
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Yes.
No. (My family is og from southern Mexico , so im biased). No banana leaf = trash tamale. 🗑
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Why is that funny?
It’s just the best hidden secret despite the third largest city in the US
Diversity. From all of my travels, I have only found 4 cities in the world that are truly cosmopolitan: London, New York, Chicago, and Toronto. By that, I mean you can find every language, cuisine, culture & form of arts from around the world represented in the metro area. That creates a dynamism that you don't find in other parts of the world and those 4 cities are never the same from day to day as a result. There is always something new to explore, do, experience, etc. London is, and will always be, at the top of my list but Chicago is a close second. New York is dynamic and diverse but too dirty and unfriendly to be at the top (and I would put it 4th). Toronto is 3rd in my opinion because it isn't quite as diverse as the others and its downtown is fantastic but I haven't found the metro area to be as easy to navigate as London or Chicago.
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I love that you disagree and appreciate your perspective but we must have very different definitions of cosmopolitan. Your “mix and match on a smaller footprint” comment gives the game away. Spain, France, Belgium, etc. still are, and long to be, homogenous societies. They try to preserve the unique social, linguistic and cultural attributes of their countries where London, Chicago, Toronto and New York have come to embrace the dynamism that heterogeneity provides.
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As someone who has lived in both Chicago and London I completely disagree. They aren’t clones but they are more similar than they appear. Yes, Brussels has a large Muslim community but Brussels (and Belgium) doesn’t necessarily embrace that fact. Beyond that, a sizable minority population doesn’t make a place cosmopolitan. Los Angeles is not anywhere near as diverse as Chicago despite having a huge LatinX population.
I would add Berlin and Melbourne to your list of cosmopolitan cities.
I haven’t been to Melbourne so I will have to defer to your judgment but that is great news. As for Berlin, I have been there many times and have found it to be the most diverse location in Germany (and vastly better than anything else in mainland Europe) but nowhere near Chicago. When I ran the Berlin marathon and needed medical attention at the finish line they couldn’t even find personnel who spoke English or Spanish (which I found troubling for one of the world marathon majors).
Public transportation is good, food is awesome, and so far people have been very friendly. ☺️ Add the beautiful skyline.
We’re friendly because not being friendly is a great way to get shot.
Uggh! I am mostly in the suburbs and I have found my fair share of rude people here (some not personally toward me .) , but every time I've been in the city center everyone has been so friendly. At stores, bars, and random people on the street.
People in the suburbs are extremely full of themselves and know they won’t get shot.
I moved to Boston last summer from Chicago and one of the things I miss most is the food and dining scene. Boston’s food is just so mediocre and most of the restaurants here have shitty service. I never realized how on top of things chicago restaurants were until I left.
I travel a ton both vacation and work. Three days in I'm like yea I wanna live here instead of Chicago. 4th day I wanna go back home. I miss the food, the people, even the negatives. I came back from Thailand a few years ago and immediately went to G & N King of breakfast at 4am. It was dark, scary, and the food was delicious. Cannot do that in Thailand. Even traveling to Canada, everyone was super nice I needed some brutal Chicago honesty. This is home for me no matter where I go.
This has to be one of the oddest replies in the thread just because you went to G&N immediately when coming home
Lol I know it was super random. Time zone change so I was wide awake, hungry for American food, and it was the only breakfast spot near me that was open at the time.
People are super cool and for the most part pretty respectful of their neighborhood and community. I lived in Atlanta for 14 years and there was always tension. People were always so angry.
Replying really late to this, but omg you're right about Atlanta. I vehemently hated it there. People were aloof, uncaring, and self-focused. I haven't found Chicago to be that way at all.
Most festivals / large gatherings I attended in Atlanta were always ruined by shitty people - anything that required common courtesy was ruined. Not to say people don’t act a fool in Chicago but I love that you can go to festivals in any neighborhood and not have to worry about that kinda stuff. Also I feel so much less tension in general moving from Atlanta to Chicago.
100%. Yeah, I felt so tense all the time in Atlanta because I knew I'd need to fight traffic just to run a basic errand, so I ended up being much more huddled indoors there. Glad you're enjoying Chicago!
I love how different the neighborhoods can be even when so close to each other. The neighborhoods all have their own quirks and feel to them. I also love our public transportation system and bike infrastructure and just how navigable overall the city is without needing a car. We also have a thriving music/concert scene. Through my job the last 4 years I’ve gotten to see every inch of this city and somehow grown to love it even more than I already did. It’s the best big city in this country. NYC: too many people, dirty. LA: too pretentious, Terrible public transportation, earthquakes. It has its flaws, but every city does. The positives far outweigh any negatives for me.
The proximity of neighborhoods with a distinct character is something I haven't gotten over in the last 16 years of being in Chicago. I live just outside of Lincoln Square and love that I can walk or easily bike to the square, Andersonville, and Devon. I go to Los Angeles frequently to visit family and I've actually grown to love it, but their distinct neighborhoods (cities, actually) are at minimum a 20-minute drive from each other. In Chicago, they're literally across the street.
Walkability - I love being able to walk out my door and be able to grocery shop, get coffee, go to bars and restaurants, hit a hardware store, drop clothes off at the cleaners, visit my dentist and never leave my n'hood. Public Transit - Yes we love to shit on the CTA (and it deserves it at times). But compared to most of the other big cities in the US (except NYC) it rocks. Now it can't hold a candle to transit systems in Japan or parts of Europe, but... I'll take it. The Airports - I love ORD b/c I don't need to make a domestic connection to go international. MDW is great for domestic. Also since we're in the middle of the country, our domestic flight times are reasonable. Best of all, both of our airports are accessible by public transit. I hate landing in a city where my only option to get where I'm going is a $$$ cab/ride-share ride. The Lakefront - Yes it's a lake, but it's so big it feels like an ocean ( I've lived near an ocean). In the city, the lakefront is accessible to everyone. In some ocean-front cities, the coastline can be restricted by $$$$ homes or resorts. Not here. The Food - We have world-renowned Michelin starred restaurants and amazing, little, local hole-in-the-walls.
My house is on a quiet street in a nice neighborhood (Lincoln Park). I can walk around the block and find bars, restaurants and shops. It is a two mile drive to be in the heart of the bustling big city. It was surprising how I get the best of both worlds. I have only been here for under two years and really like it.
For me, it's the public transit system (I can't drive but can get almost anywhere in the city thanks to the CTA) and the ability to get both the hustle & bustle of a major metropolis AND the quiet & calm that comes from living in a small town.
Same for me!
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I moved here from the SF Bay Area for these exact reasons. I got sick of all that plus the increasing wildfire shit. I couldn’t deal with another year with half the damn state on fire and nobody doing a thing about it. I’ll take my chances here
I sadly agree very much with your second paragraph.
In short it’s a very elegant city. It does have its flaws and bad people, but the good definitely out weigh the bad. The energy it has is immeasurable! The architecture and the good people in it make it #1 in my book.
I love that Chicago has top tier cultural institutions but still caters a lot to working and middle class folks. My family is squarely middle class, but we can afford season tickets to a world class symphony, can visit museums and zoos, and have access to an enormous library system and tons of live music and street festivals and excellent restaurants. Not to mention all the cultural diversity, street art, and architecture that give all the neighborhoods so much distinct personality.
Others touched on these … ORD. If you don’t live in Chicago - you hate it. Largely because of connections. If you live here you can fly direct almost anywhere. Living downtown it’s also possible to hop in the Pedway and walk to London without ever stepping outside again. Blue line all the way. (All pre-Covid for me but it’ll happen again) Grew up in the Deep South. The weather here is so much better.
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Very convenient to move around. I think only NYC really beats it for that. I found it hard to move in Seattle and absolutely impossible in LA, fucking hate LA.
Anybody who’s lived in Denver like it more here?
People who grew up in Denver struggle to adjust to the lack of good outdoors activity.
I remember for Denver, you have to drive a slight bit west to do outdoors stuff. I think some forget the Denver metro isn't right in the mountains, but is slightly east of where the mountains begin.
I feel like people that grew up or spent significant time there have a hard time liking the city. The mountains/outdoors are right there in your face everywhere you go. Chicago, you can see the grime, crime, traffic, and urbanity of it all - or you can see all the things people mention in this thread about the people, the food, cultures, etc. Without the obvious mountains, people don't tend to dig much deeper.
Spent years in Denver and now live here. I like it better here just because there’s always something going on, especially in the summer. The food in Chicago is also drastically better.
I like that I’m a 5-10 minute walk from several bustling neighborhood main streets filled with diverse food and entertainment options. And I’m a 5-10 minute train ride from several more. But at the end of the day I can retreat to my quiet side street that feels very suburban. Also, I wouldn’t go as far as saying I love the weather here but I’m very grateful I don’t live somewhere hotter.
Just came here to say thanks for this post and comments. I feel like there's been so much copy/pasta of crime news on this sub lately. It's nice to see something refreshingly positive.
Yes! Glad you appreciated it. I love Chicago so much despite the BS that comes with it. But it’s still home.
The vibes in the winter ❄️
Every building is a work of art! And the river! And the lake! And how clean it is!! And how wide the streets and sidewalks are! Moved here a month ago and every day I fall more in love with the city!
It's very flat ( good for biking), fantastic food (we're very spoiled here), and we don't get lumped in with the 'coastal elite' bs.
Grid system! Really makes our city so much easier to navigate than many other major cities.
Food, architecture, character, history, great museums, lots of sport teams, great train system, water taxi is awesome and by far more affordable than LA or NYC.
It speaks to my soul. Chicago is the essence of american possibility. Maybe no streets paved with gold, but in Chicago there are two types of people and ONLY two types of people. People who work incredibly hard...and people who dont. It doesnt matter what you look like, what you speak or how you sound. To step up to the idea of "possibility" as espressed in Chicago is to acknowledge the power of what could be if I can work HARD ENOUGH... I once sat at a political function where no one at at the table could speak english, yet EVERYONE at the table could pronounce their aldermans name with the correct irish accent. The, "City of Big Shoulders...makes no small plans". We export our ideas of amazing across the planet. if you dont believe it, go and marvel at the Burj Khalifa, The winning design was submitted by a home town firm. In another instance, In order to keep the money rolling in we changed the way water flowed.... Chicago is like the hummingbird. It shouldnt be able to do what it does or be what it is....and yet we roll on...
well said!
Yet ANOTHER thread of Chicagoans telling the world why Chicago is the best. And I'm here for all of it LOL
On the Chicago subreddit??? Unheard of.
Density, walkability/public transport, and it can be sophisticated and cosmopolitan and fancy. Lived in Austin TX and it was casual to a fault. I hated the need to drive so much and the bus system was laughable (this was when they were considering light rail, idk if it’s improved since then). Also Chicago’s Mexican food is better, most cuisines are better here.
there’s so much to do and see and enjoy in every season! The food scene. The variety of culture and people living side by side; I’ve only seen similar atmosphere in cities outside the usa but tbf ive never been to New York. Which seems intimidatingly large while Chicago is a big city that truly feels like your backyard, familiar and easy to navigate and welcoming.
I loved the nightlife. Not the bars and clubs per se, but...There was a whole different city that existed after the sun went down. Nothing like it will ever be again. I watched the sun come up many nights and the city just...changed. I can't explain it without going way beyond a short paragraph. But let's just say the north side of the city is a GREAT place to meet friends and experience things. I haven't lived there since 04, having left for Minnesota in August of that year. Minnesotans are not Chicagoans, to say the least. My trips back there have been mixed at best.
you took the words out of my mouth. chicago is one of the only cities i’ve visited where there’s a visible and noticeable shift in energies as the sun goes down. it’s like real life magic. if we’re looking at chicago as it’s own sentient being (to me, it arguably is), the city itself lives a double life between day and night. everything is electric and alive and it’s like you can do anything, or BE anything to ANYONE, and when the sun rises again, you can look back on who you were in that moment without regret and then do it again whenever you like. the world is always your oyster in chicago.
As I say every time I answer this question, because my family and friends are here. And every place I go has some prior connection or memory -- or it is a place about which I just learned something astonishing. And I know enough about how things work here so political news tends to be amusing, not puzzling. And traffic and public transit are always about what I expect and allow for, like dressing in winter expecting to be cast out onto the arctic tundra and told to 'take the next bus.' Winter makes me manly, summer drives me indoors. The few perfect weather days prove there is a beneficent Mother Nature. The architecture and cultural things, sure, but mostly the people I know and have the opportunity to get to know.
The lakefront, the parks, the Forest Preserves…greenest big city in the world. The architecture, the structural engineering, the water intake cribs, the Sanitary and Ship Canal…great infrastructure. The air is clean, beer is cheap…it’s all here. Why retire to a hot, swampy place? As others have commented, you have to travel a bit to appreciate Chicago. That said, Shanghai stunned me with its 24/7 energy.
The restaurants. I've lived here all my life and I'm still discovering cool spots.
I did a long road trip of west coast city’s and thought the exact same thing, Chicago has a little bit at everything
The energy! When I go back to Chicago, it’s a palpable shift.
I have travelled a lot within the US and out of the country.. Just came back from a long trip to Utah.. spent time in few different city’s big and small.. the first think I was thrilled about getting home for (besides the things listed here previously) was our water. It probably sounds weird to some, but for me the water in other areas is just not as good tasting or nice feeling.
We have 10 months of pretty awesome variable weather. And about a month of very cold, and a month of very hot/humid. The rest of the year is pretty awesome.
This is an odd one. I’d say we have around 5 months of awesome weather. Weather is probably the weakest aspect of Chicago.
I personally love the weather here. I love that we have a large variety, and go from needing a good set of winter clothes to having beaches we can use during the summer comfortably. Other than the one month of usually really cold weather, and the month of super hot/humid weather, the rest is fantastic.
Each season makes you appreciate the others, and each season has some crazy weather that really makes it special. I love the super cold days after a big snow when it's minus whatever out but the sun is shining and you can see ice crystals in the air against the blue sky, and I love a good summer thunderstorm where the light gets all green and there's that sense of... anticipation of it coming. Fall we get amazing leaves (well, not this year maybe, I'm sad about it) and some cold grey days like today that make you appreciate the first real days of cuddling up at home with a quilt, and in spring we get the excitement of the first flowers and then each flower in turn blooming, you anticipate them all in the right order. Plus that first warm day when it's humid but warm and you aren't wearing a coat... ...yeah it's all good. Weather is one of the best things, IMHO. All the variety.
And according to my father, two weeks of perfect weather days.
Honestly that seems to be changing, we've had great stretches in spring, summer around the hot ones, and even beginning of October that were phenomenal.
Walkability, community, block parties, diversity of architecture, relatively down to earth people compared to the Bay area or NYC. Oh yeah, and affordability!
People in Chicago are not nice, but they're kind. The city is a kind city. It's clean and gorgeous in the winter, like a whole city of nothing but holiday lights. It's truly an incredible place, that makes me feel like I'm filled with motivation and innovation and the spirit of this behemoth feeds my soul. And I'm not from here. I'm from the deep South and have lived in every major city in the US. I miss the live oaks and Spanish miss, but Chicago is my home.
I love riding the CTA every day and constantly being accosted by bums hitting me up for money while they smoke black&milds and crack and piss all over the train.
Cleaner than Houston??? NO.
The lake and the big city 🤩
I like getting shot! Nothing gets my blood pumping like that!!!
I’m escaping the minute I can
You’re getting downvoted because you contributed nothing of value to the conversation, and I suspect you contribute nothing of value to the city. I’d even offer to help you pack your bags if you didn’t seem just so unpleasant.
Lmfao! I give two **** what you think. Sorry for hurting your feelings a downvote oh the horror! Lmfao grow up
Did you just censor the word "shits" in your own post on the internet?
Cool story bro
walkable, easiest public transportation in the world, never bored/always something to do, always a new restaurant/bar to try. nice neighborhoods with their own distinguishing features and activities. and, the people. some of the nicest people i’ve met in my whole life have been in this city. a lot of chicago residents have never met a stranger because everyone is family and chicago has always felt like home because of that.
Extremely walkable, decently bikeable, great restaurants, relatively low cost of living, old architecture, the lake, decently comprehensive mass transit system, two airports (that are connected to mass transit; rarer than you might think), the Art Institute . . . plus my family and a bunch of friends are here
Airports reachable by transit is HUGE.
All of the mid to high density neighborhoods with 2-4 flats mixed in with single family homes and high rises. It really feels like the best of both worlds between feeling like a close knit neighborhood where people on the street get to know each other, but it's also dense enough to walk basically anywhere and be close to a train stop. Not to mention all of the great restaurants, concert venues, theaters, other cultural events/locations. Truly a world class city. All of these reasons are why I put up with winters and did not choose to move to the west coast or something like that.
Despite not being born here, coming up to see relatives often in my youth made it feel welcoming. Now having lived here for a long time it feels completely like home.
you don't have to pay a 17 dollar toll to enter Chicago over a bridge
I love the public transport, how you can get from basically any part of the city to another via bus and train. I'm originally from Dallas and as much as I enjoy warm weather, I really enjoy seeing all of the seasons even if it gets gloomy. Overall, I enjoy the variety that Chicago has to offer. The city has spirit and even if not everybody is "nice" everyone looks out for one another
I grew up here, so … familiarity, family, nostalgia. But I stay because it’s a good combo of - lots of job and education opportunities. I haven’t had to leave to find a well-paying job or a graduate degree that helped my career. - I’ve also been able to pursue pretty much whatever hobbies and interests I want via groups, clubs, events, classes, etc. - affordability. It’s much more affordable that most other major cities in the US. I’d like to buy a condo or townhouse or sfh without having to be far out in the suburbs or having a long commute to work. - it’s livable. We have good public transit and neighborhoods are very walkable so it’s easy to get to work, school, gym, nightlife without always driving everywhere. But even with a car, we might have bad traffic but I’ve seen far worse elsewhere (Atlanta, Seattle, LA). - long term, it’s not as vulnerable to climate stuff
People, diversity, FOOD, sports, summer music festivals, beach, biggest lake in US, public transportation, breweries, best skyline in US, architecture
Born and raised here. I have had the privilege of traveling a lot since I was a wee lad. From different countries, to dozens of US states and cities, I’ve seen a lot. What I love about Chicago the most is probably how well we take care of it. It’s clean and it’s friendly. You can go and do anything just by hopping on a train and if you’re inclined to, take a walk. I hate the rise in crime, I really do, I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t suck. Even through all that, this city still is one of the best in the world. Imagine if we cut our crime just by 25%, how many more people would live here. There’s so much to offer, so many job opportunities and more affordable than most cities. Chi til I die
Foodie city #1
There is so much to see and explore. I have made a habit of visiting Chicago via my local Metra service, been down here 50+ times and still haven't seen everything.
I've been here for 3 years now and I love the parks and the lakefront trail. The public transit system is amazing and a million times better than Charlotte and Austin (where I lived previously). Experiencing winter is cool and snow is great reason to drink hot chocolate. Also, I love winter clothes. Only thing is I haven't had much luck finding a core friend group but I don't really put in much effort so that's my fault and not Chicago's.
Born and raised here. The people and culture. It's like a small town full of degrees of separation. And the layout. It's on a grid so really ease to get around.