Any cool suburbs? (Chicago, Naperville, Evanston: apartment complex, condo, trip)

[vegaspilgrim]

A couple of people on the General US forum recommended that I look at Chicago. I'm going to take a look at the actual city of Chicago, for sure, but I also want to learn about the Chicago suburbs. I see there are hundreds of them!! I want to sort out the wheat from the chaff here. Here are my criteria-- which ones might meet my list:

1. Connected via rail/ mass transit to the core city/ the Loop. Preferably not too long of a train ride. Although I could compromise on the length of the train ride if it's a REALLY COOL area.
2. A lot of trees, greenery, parks, outdoor recreation sites nearby.
3. A lot of young people in their 20s around. It doesn't need to be all young people (actually, a mix of people, some families around would be preferable), but plenty around.
4. A small town local downtown area that you can walk around, with coffee shops.
5. Relatively affordable, not totally gentrified or boutiqued.
6. Decent apartment complexes around (I'd be renting).

Is there somewhere in the Chicago suburbs that would meet these criteria, or should I focus my search strictly in the city itself?

[LadyPleiades]

Evanston is it. The young people are the Northwestern students. If you really want young people, try Lincoln Park or some of those neighborhoods in the city.

[Steve-o]

You sound like a dead-ringer for Naperville (minus #5). Check it out, I think youd love it there. Its got a GREAT downtown scene, lots of bars, nightclubs, the riverwalk, beautiful parks and rivers, nice forest preserves, excellent dining, excellent shopping, direct access to Metra (with 2 stops), wonderful schools, very low crime, some colleges (North Central is right in downtown).

As for apartments in Naperville, here are a few that I can think of: Lincoln at the Park, Bristol Station, Railway Plaza, Amli, Arbors.

Here is a link you might find helpful:
Naperville Bars NightClubs

Id also recommend Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Geneva, St. Charles, Evanston, etc.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

You sound like a dead-ringer for Naperville (minus #5). Check it out, I think youd love it there. Its got a GREAT downtown scene, lots of bars, nightclubs, the riverwalk, beautiful parks and rivers, nice forest preserves, excellent dining, excellent shopping, direct access to Metra (with 2 stops), wonderful schools, very low crime, some colleges (North Central is right in downtown).

Since you know me from the AZ forum-- what would be the closest thing to Naperville in the Phoenix area? Is it like the Scottsdale of Chicago?

[Sohotrust]

Unless you don't like major cities, you might as well stay in the city proper since you are renting. If you are young and enjoy culture the only reason to head to the burbs is to buy a house and breed. That's why I'm there . I spent my 20's in the city.

If I were still renting I'd stay in the city because you don't really see that much if any of a discount to rent in the burbs.

And forget the notion of complexes (unless you like that sort of thing). Most of Chicago is 2,3, or 6 flats, usually brick.

I assume from #3 you are single. It's gonna be tough to find (interesting) people in their 20's hanging out outside of Chicago proper. That's where the action is. Even if they don't live there, they will be hanging out there

Keep in mind, Chicago has a great park system, and the less gentrification a neighborhood has, the cheaper it's gonna be. Can you do roomates? You can live here virtually for free!

Based on what you're looking for above stay in the city.

I love where I'm at in the burbs (Homewood-Flossmoor) as it feels like an extension of the city for me, minus most of the negatives (I couldn't justify $500k for a condo with people pissing on my entrance, when I could get a neat old house for $300k out here).

Naperville would be like Surprise...

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Sohotrust

Unless you don't like major cities, you might as well stay in the city proper since you are renting. If you are young and enjoy culture the only reason to head to the burbs is to buy a house and breed. That's why I'm there . I spent my 20's in the city.

Your probably right... why would I move all the way to Chicago just to live in a suburb, when you can live that kind of lifestyle anywhere? Living in the city sounds exciting, but also a little scary for me, since I've lived in the suburbs my whole life, including right now (Tempe, AZ basically an older suburb). Neither Denver nor Phoenix, where I've lived, has a real urban life-- hardly anybody actually lives in the downtowns. Most of the city limits proper are just older suburbs. So Chicago would be a real change for me! I just wanted to see if there were any suburbs or secondary cities that were also pretty cool, since where I'm currently at, Tempe and Scottsdale are actually more fun and more urban than downtown Phoenix! Chicago sounds like it's set up totally differently.

[Sohotrust]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Chicago sounds like it's set up totally differently.

That about sums it up. Chicago is not like the newer Western cities you've described. The city is vibrant, safe, but not congested or closed in as Manhattan.

You mention some reservations about the city. I left the city because a. I was done meeting new people (Sorry ladies...) and b. tired of smelling urine in the alleys on a Satuday night. I exaggerate a bit but if you are more on the bookish side you might still want to consider the the burbs. But I think you summed it up best when you said "Why would I move all the way to Chicago and not live in the city". I made the mistake of moving all the way to the Bay Area and not living in San Francisco... probably colored my whole opinion of my time there.

The great thing about Chicago is once you are burnt out on 20 something nightlife there are plenty of great affordable, city accessible, burbs... When I need some city, I hop on the train and I'm there in an hour or I drive and i'm at my club in 30 min.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Sohotrust

Naperville would be like Surprise...

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Are you joking?

Vegaspilgrim, Naperville is not like Surprise, whatsoever. Maybe a little in the cookie-cutter home aspect, thats about it. Surprise has zero nightlife, not much outside of chain restaurants, etc, etc. Naperville is MUCH larger, has 4 high schools, a charming dowtown, a vast variety of home styles and neighborhoods, etc, etc, etc, etc. Also, the food is vastly superior to Surprises, actually all of AZ in general.

Naperville is kinda like Scottsdale in a way. Downtown is like Old Town in a way, but much nicer and more to do. You might feel at home, Hozhoni is in Naperville (Indian arts and crafts store). There are some clubs similar to Scottsdale's Axis and Radius, but not as large. Here are just a few things I can think of that are downtown: Sullivans steak and martini bar, Hugos, Mongolian BBQ, Heaven on 7, Rosebuds, Lou Malnatis, Noodles n Co, Jimmy's, Club Mamalu, Samba Room, etc. Youll eat like a king, dance with the finest women, party like an animal. Surprise is a growing bland PHX burb, Naperville is an established town, with old and new money and TONS to do. Again, comparing it to Scottsdale is a bit hard. The towns have similar income levels, similar demographics, etc, but thats about it. Scottsdale is prettier IMO, but Naperville is better. Naperville, although wealthy, is not even close to the wealthiest town out here. If you want mega-bucks, go to Hinsdale, Lake Forest, Oak Brook, Barrington, Barrington Hills, South Barrington, Winnetka, Kennilworth, etc.

[Steve-o]

Vegaspilgrim, do yourself a favor and check out these links, let me know what you think. Obviously Naperville doesnt have nearly as much to do as Chicago, but for a suburb, I think youll love it.

Festivals (theres ALWAYS something in Naperville):
Naperville Convention & Visitors Bureau

Food? Prepare to get your socks knocked off:
Naperville Convention & Visitors Bureau

Just some of the attractions in town:
Naperville Convention & Visitors Bureau
Friends of Naperville Carillon: Naperville Carillon

City of Naperville

Last Fling Naperville, Ilinois - Home Page

Naperville Riverwalk Foundation:* Picture Gallery

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Vegaspilgrim, do yourself a favor and check out these links, let me know what you think. Obviously Naperville doesnt have nearly as much to do as Chicago, but for a suburb, I think youll love it.

Looks interesting. If I go to Chicago to visit maybe I'll take a side trip and check out Naperville. I can kind of picture what Naperville would be like, but I'm still wondering what living in the city would be like. The image I have in my mind of the lifestyle is "Seinfeld," except swapping the Yankees with the Cubs. I'm not exactly sold on the Chicago area yet-- in fact I wasn't even thinking Chicago at all until some other people on this message board recommended it to me.

I'm not really sure where I belong. Not too long ago, I was an adamant defender of Phoenix, now recently I've been bashing it pretty hard. Now I'm just mixed up. Leaving the suburb vs. city debate aside, it seems like Chicago and Phoenix each have very different type of society, lifestyle, and business culture. I feel like I'm capable of breaking into the elite urban professional lifestyle if I really tried to, although it would take a significant change in the course my life has gone in the last four years, and probably would require getting a whole other degree. Back in highschool, I got into all the schools I applied to, including Brandeis and NYU, but instead chose ASU, since they offered me a full ride scholarship. Living in Tempe/Phoenix since then has rubbed off on me, I'm sure. I've done very well on paper (4.0), and I am set to graduate next year with a b.a. in English (big mistake) . However, other than that piece of paper they'll give me, I have a blank resume, basically. And the degree I'm getting doesn't lead to any specific career path. I am really mixed up right now on exactly how I'm going to jumpstart my career, wherever I end up living.

But leaving that issue aside, which is a whole story of it's own, I'm not 100% sure that I actually would be happier living in a Chicago or a New York. I don't want to live among the kind of society that shops at organic dog food bakeries. Phoenix (and the suburbs of Chicago, I'm sure) seems like it has a lot more normal, down to earth people. Chicago has great food, I'm sure, and I'm looking forward to sampling it when I visit there, but I don't want to live among the kind of people who feel they are above walking into a Chilis once in a while. I don't want to shop at high-priced boutique stores, go to oxygen bars, or buy $15 bottles of water (no joke-- I saw it on TV). Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like that's the type Chicago caters to.