Chicago Loop vs Financial District, Boston (people, downtown, skyline, expensive)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Better skyline? Easily Chicago (by quite a mile I must say. There are other cities behind Chicago that have better skylines than Boston).
Better entertainment? If you're judging by the Loop itself vs. Boston's, i'd say tie. Despite it's massive size, the loop isn't as happening and full of life after dark compared to other parts of Chicago, but in sheer numbers I'd say there is as much as Boston there.
Better history? Boston! End of discussion.
Overall - If you're looking for a bigger, more urban and bustling feel, Chicago. If you're looking for history, Boston.
So the CBD is not an entertainment center as well in Chicago?
The business and entertainment centers coincide fairly closely in Boston, Philly, and NYC.
Not really-- primarily financial and professional services (accounting, law, risk, business, trading) and surprisingly universities. That said, the theater district, State St. and many restaurants are in the Loop. It's a pretty big area.
You need to venture north to River North (directly across the Chicago River), Michigan Ave., Gold Coast to really to hit the entertainment areas.
Not really-- primarily financial and professional services (accounting, law, risk, business, trading) and surprisingly universities. That said, the theater district, State St. and many restaurants are in the Loop. It's a pretty big area.
You need to venture north to River North (directly across the Chicago River), Michigan Ave., Gold Coast to really to hit the entertainment areas.
I think that would probably give Boston the edge if that's the case. Boston's Theater District is downtown, along with a huge number of Bars & Restaurants in/around the Faneuil Hall area. The TD Garden is also right next to downtown and is surrounded by a great deal of bars.
Stuff in the loop...
Chicago Theater
Goodman Theater
Chicago Cadillac Palace
Ford Center Theater
Civic Opera House (Lyric Opera)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Joffrey Ballet
Now if you want to talk Downtown then you hit a lot of night life River North/Gold Coast/Old Town/Greek Town/South Loop all bumped up against it.
Nightlife/Restaurants there while there are a few dozen of each isn't the most happening spot late at night.
The loop is so large though it would be hard to have nightlife down there too.
Most are on Michigan Ave. or outlying (not River North), i.e., Clyborn Corridor and farther out neighborhoods.
Macy's is on State St. (previously Marshall Fields). Flagship Carson Pirie Scott closed on State St. There's some stuff like Filenes and Forever 21 in the Loop, but it's traditionally less of a retail area than Michigan Ave. State St. is getting a Target soon, so all bets are off.
Love, love, love the Chicago loop. Worked in it for 17 years (before relocating to Texas with my company last year). Lived in the loop itself for 4 of those years. Anything I could possibly want to do/see was within walking distance.
Grant Park/Millennium Park are awesome places for summer festivals.
Shopping on north Michigan Avenue
Museums all around
Lakefront
Lakefront
and did I mention the Lakefront?
Chicago is the most awesome city in the world in summer. Winter in Chicago sucks, but as my husband said - if winter didn't suck, everyone would want to live in Chicago, so this is one way to keep the population under control.
Well the loop itself is the area to the south of the Chicago river in downtown Chicago. It has large department stores and many large theatres, etc. It's mainly the office portion of downtown though - almost 500,000 people work in the loop. Many of the vertical malls, and big tourist street and more entertainment and hospitality "stuff" is located in River North, on the other side of the river. They're both smacked next to each other.
Logistically it's all just one area - the loop and river north/streeterville are just one large area we call "downtown". Technically though there are different sections, and we're just talking about the loop right now.
Just like for Boston we're only talking about the area south of city hall, and east of Boston Common. There are certainly other areas of downtown, but this is just comparing the loop to the financial district.
In terms of skyline, obviously Chicago crushes Boston haha.
I'm not sure about entertainment. I know Chicago has a great deal of entertainment in the core of the city...but what about the Loop itself? I've been to Chicago a couple times, but to be honest, when I was there I wasn't exactly mapping out where the Loop began and ended. Boston has tons of entertainment located downtown...I'm just gonna say tie.
Scenery, if we're ignoring the skyscrapers themselves it's probably a tie again. The beach on Lake Michigan is beautiful...but the Boston waterfront is amazing and so is the view from the Charles River...I say tie again.
And my favorite view...gotta love Beacon Hill with the State Building on top. Thanks
History? Boston.
Overall, I'd say they're pretty close to tied...though at first glance Chicago blows Boston out of the water from the amazing skyline (#3 in the world in my opinion).
It's ok Dncr. You're a cool dude so I can forgive you man. Later bro.
Want to buy Boston Skyline picture? How?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Want to buy Boston Skyline picture? How?
