Tourists who never leave the loop (Chicago, Detroit: hotel, safe area, to live in)

[CoolSocks]

Judging by my Facebook newsfeed and all of the friends who have visited Chicago this summer, it seems like so many tourists who visit think that the downtown area is the only part of Chicago. That's all I hear people talking about and the only pictures I ever see.

Is this a common thing you guys have discovered? Visitors who stay solely in the downtown area, thinking that that's where everything happens and end up missing out on discovering more of what Chicago has to offer?

[MannheimMadman]

Yes.

But, I have to say - when I have visited other cities, I tend to stay close to the downtown area, too. I've never really ventured outside of downtown Indy, Milwaukee, Miami..etc.

[sydbarrett]

There are plenty of people that live in Chicago that never leave the Loop or their lakefront neighborhoods and have a ideas about Chicago that are no different than tourists. Sad but true.

[tb4000]

The Loop is basically the "safe zone" for most tourists. Going outside that area means possibly getting lost, having to traverse more than a few blocks without a giant mass of people to blend into, etc.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by CoolSocks

Is this a common thing you guys have discovered? Visitors who stay solely in the downtown area, thinking that that's where everything happens and end up missing out on discovering more of what Chicago has to offer?

If you are in Chicago for 2-3 days, why leave the Loop/Michigan Ave. area? There is plenty to see/do to keep you busy, especially if you throw in the museum campuses.

One of the problems of straying from the path in a city that you are not familiar with is that you do not know the safe & less safe areas. For example, I feel comfortable traveling anywhere in the city of Detroit where I worked for years but not so much in Philadelphia.

[CoolSocks]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

If you are in Chicago for 2-3 days, why leave the Loop/Michigan Ave. area?

Most of the people I know who stay in the loop are in their twenties and often look for nightlife. You can find much more of that out of the loop. The safety thing is a relevant concern, but I'd just tell them to take a cab to their hotel instead of trying to figure out the el or walking in unfamiliar areas.

[Halsted]

Shoot, some RESIDENTS think Chicago is only everything north of Hyde Park.

[Alacran]

Yeah.
But when people come visit under my guidance, downtown is just a small part of what I show.

[RingWalk]

Well, technically, most of them leave the Loop, they venture downtown.

I imagine there is more than enough for them to chew on downtown. Most people have seen a great Mexican restaurant before, or been to an Irish pub. Many people have not been to the top of a 100 story building before, or had a drink in the lobby of a world-famous five star hotel, or eaten at one of the best restaurants in the country. It's like when you go to Los Angeles, you want to see where the celebrities hang out, etc. At least I did when I was there.

[Jandur]

While there is obviously more to see in Chicago than the loop/river north, I see why people don't venture much farther aside form the occasional redline trip to Wrigley. And to be frank I'm fine with that. I don't want to live in a tourist zone