So, just got back from Chicago... (La Salle: hotel, living, restaurants)

[thefallensrvnge]

I am currently traveling back after having visited Chicago for the first time ever. Let me just say...wow. What an amazing city. I'm was on a tight budget so I had to be a little creative about how to spend my money. I skipped the hotel and stayed in the Chicago Hi Hostel. It was fantastic, and I would recommend it to anyone think of traveling in Chicago. It is right downtown next to the library, cheap, and filled with people from all over the world. Literally every person I met (from inside and outside the US) had nothing but great things to say about the city.

First, clean. Downtown, the parks, and inside the buildings I visited were so well kept. Also, the people--very friendly. From restaurants to banks, the service was great. The only thing instance were the occasional crazy person on the street, but you can find that in any city. Finally, the energy. Chicago had a perfect energy. Bustling, but relaxed. I was honestly surprised at the amount of foot-traffic in Chicago. The couple of days I was there, the weather was a little cold at first, but warmed up as it went along. The guy I made friends with at the hostel was originally from Brazil, and has spent the last few months wondering around New York, Boston, Miami, Orlando and Philly. By the end of the trip he was confident Chicago was one of the greatest cities he had ever visited, wanting to move there when (and if) he comes to the US. And I agree. He really loved the wide streets and sidewalks, and I really loved the L train. (It was cool to be sitting in the hostel's dinning area and then see a train rush past our window). The architecture was breath-taking, my favorite being some of the buildings on and around La Salle, and of course Michigan Ave. One building that was amazing was the old Sky Chapel. Very original, and a nice touch of ingenuity.

In sum, everyone had a good time. Just wanted to share. Chicago truly lived up to the rep of a world-class city.

[mjtinmemphis]

Everything you mentioned is why I moved here and why I continue to live here.

[Vlajos]

Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself. It's a nice place to live.

[ChiGuy2.5]

Thank you for your kind words towards our beautiful city. Having been to New York but no other major US City, its good to know that I chose the correct place to live. Glad you enjoyed your trip.

[Ilovehockey85]

Originally Posted by thefallensrvnge

I am currently traveling back after having visited Chicago for the first time ever. Let me just say...wow. What an amazing city. I'm was on a tight budget so I had to be a little creative about how to spend my money. I skipped the hotel and stayed in the Chicago Hi Hostel. It was fantastic, and I would recommend it to anyone think of traveling in Chicago. It is right downtown next to the library, cheap, and filled with people from all over the world. Literally every person I met (from inside and outside the US) had nothing but great things to say about the city.

First, clean. Downtown, the parks, and inside the buildings I visited were so well kept. Also, the people--very friendly. From restaurants to banks, the service was great. The only thing instance were the occasional crazy person on the street, but you can find that in any city. Finally, the energy. Chicago had a perfect energy. Bustling, but relaxed. I was honestly surprised at the amount of foot-traffic in Chicago. The couple of days I was there, the weather was a little cold at first, but warmed up as it went along. The guy I made friends with at the hostel was originally from Brazil, and has spent the last few months wondering around New York, Boston, Miami, Orlando and Philly. By the end of the trip he was confident Chicago was one of the greatest cities he had ever visited, wanting to move there when (and if) he comes to the US. And I agree. He really loved the wide streets and sidewalks, and I really loved the L train. (It was cool to be sitting in the hostel's dinning area and then see a train rush past our window). The architecture was breath-taking, my favorite being some of the buildings on and around La Salle, and of course Michigan Ave. One building that was amazing was the old Sky Chapel. Very original, and a nice touch of ingenuity.

In sum, everyone had a good time. Just wanted to share. Chicago truly lived up to the rep of a world-class city.

I think the coasts soak up a lot of attention, sometimes too much, but in a way, its a filter, which serves the other parts better in ways.

East Coast cities, and im from the Northeast (Upstate NY) are very neurotic and cold (people wise), and people on the Left Coast are in la-la land. The QOL isnt all its cracked up to be.

I am always amazed by other places the more I travel from NY. This is an example.

Always have NY shoved down your throat. I hate it.

[ProgMichael]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We Chicagoans love our city and are proud of it, but it makes us happy to hear that others who've come to visit also fell for our city the way we have. You're always welcome in Chicago!

[long101]

Chicago, just like most cities, has hidden treasures that can be a great bang for the buck. You could sniff out happy hours, free events, and outdoorsy things that will keep a tourist busy for a long time on the cheap. You could tour a big portion of the city for a few bucks on the L.

[marothisu]

Thanks for sharing! Chicago truly is one of the great cities of the world IMO. I love living here and see myself here for a long time in reality (unless I get a job in Istanbul sometime within the next 5-10 years).

Really love this city and it makes me feel happy when someone like yourself has enjoyed their time and thought their money was well spent.

[edsg25]

Chicago is the Baby (Chicago) Bear of Goldilock fame. You know the routine, "not too this, not too that, just right."

Let me compare that to four of the greatest cities in the United States (or world, for that matter):
New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston:

New York and LA have the array of wonders that make them an incredible draw, but they do so with an enormous size that makes it difficult to access what they offer than any other city in the nation. New York and LA may unlimited in what they have to offer, but they can limit you in being able to take advantage of what they offer. So overpowering, they score low points on being "user friendly."

San Francisco and Boston are marvelous cities by any measure, but lack the critical mass that completes a city in the way that NY, Chgo, and LA have. for all their urbanity, both SF and Boston can be terribly provincial.

Baby (Chicago) Bear does things "just right", especially when he is decked out in orange and blue.

[thefallensrvnge]

Glad to see so many people love their city. I felt that vibe there. I really had the best time in Chicago. Now that I'm older, I had a chance to savor more. It's almost painful to think about all the trips my parents took me on when I was younger and I didn't really understand how rare (or expensive) the opportunity was.

Traveling on my own dime to Chicago was nice because I understood that I needed to savor the moment. That was the only thing that could get me on the glass floor of the Skydeck !!