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I do see how if you are limited to a short US visit then the big city Chicago experience is more similar to NYC than Disney, LV, LA or the National Parks. That goes a long way to explain why such a small relative proportion of Chicago's 55 million annual visitors are international as compared to other places that have much fewer total visitors. It's a shame they are missing out. Sort of like skipping Beijing because you went the Shanghai and HK.
See here is the thing I don't always have the time or money for that matter to travel, which makes me second guess going to Chicago.
Here are the similiaritlies that Chicago has to NYC.
They seem about equal in racial and ethnic composition. NYC has more of a diverse Latino population while in Chicago it is mostly Mexicans and Puerto Ricans (with not too many Puerto Ricans imo)
Old traditionally working class neighborhoods getting gentrified
Architecture seems to be of equal value to me. Chicago may have the Sears Tower but NYC has the Empire State building. You have monuments, public spaces, etc. that almost make NYC feel like Europe at times I don't know if Chicago is the same.
Where NYC beats Chicago
From what I hear, food (Although I would love to try a deep dish pizza from Chicago)
Fifth Avenue beats State Street and the other main commercial strips in downtown Chicago since it is more prominent Overall the commercial sector in NYC is more well known than in Chicago.
Greenpoint in Brooklyn is a more authentic Polish neighborhood than probably anything in Chi Town. Even though Chicago is supposed to be the second largest Polish city after Warsaw. I read that NYC has more Poles though.
More ethnic diversity and just more of an overall world city status than Chicago.
South Side is pretty dangerous I don't know if NYC has anything that compares, even Bed Stuy and East Harlem I don't think compare.
Where Chicago beats NYC
Lake Michigan (didn't know it was clear blue)
the beach (I admit Chicago's beach definitely looks better than Coney Island)
The Loop (we have nothing like this in Midtown Manhattan or Lower Manhattan)
Also Chicago seems to be like NYC in many ways but more slower paced and not as hectic which seems like a plus to me. Is this true?
What I would like to see in Chicago
Buckingham Fountain
The views from downtown Chicago of that river that De Salle Bridge crosses
I just want to see how Chicago/Midwest culture is different from NYC/Northeast culture and I would like to see it in person.
I think both NYC and Chicago are musts, definitely belonging on any short list of US cities to visit. They’re also different from each other, so you won’t get a deja vu feeling.
Chicago’s architecture is world class, easily rivaling anyplace in the US — it’s ground zero for Prairie School architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright, for one thing. And while NYC is arguably the best foodie city in the country, Chicago isn’t far behind — would rank it no lower than fifth behind NYC, San Francisco, New Orleans, and perhaps Los Angeles.
See here is the thing I don't always have the time or money for that matter to travel, which makes me second guess going to Chicago.
Here are the similiaritlies that Chicago has to NYC.
They seem about equal in racial and ethnic composition. NYC has more of a diverse Latino population while in Chicago it is mostly Mexicans and Puerto Ricans (with not too many Puerto Ricans imo)
Old traditionally working class neighborhoods getting gentrified
Architecture seems to be of equal value to me. Chicago may have the Sears Tower but NYC has the Empire State building. You have monuments, public spaces, etc. that almost make NYC feel like Europe at times I don't know if Chicago is the same.
Where NYC beats Chicago
From what I hear, food (Although I would love to try a deep dish pizza from Chicago)
Fifth Avenue beats State Street and the other main commercial strips in downtown Chicago since it is more prominent Overall the commercial sector in NYC is more well known than in Chicago.
Greenpoint in Brooklyn is a more authentic Polish neighborhood than probably anything in Chi Town. Even though Chicago is supposed to be the second largest Polish city after Warsaw. I read that NYC has more Poles though.
More ethnic diversity and just more of an overall world city status than Chicago.
South Side is pretty dangerous I don't know if NYC has anything that compares, even Bed Stuy and East Harlem I don't think compare.
Where Chicago beats NYC
Lake Michigan (didn't know it was clear blue)
the beach (I admit Chicago's beach definitely looks better than Coney Island)
The Loop (we have nothing like this in Midtown Manhattan or Lower Manhattan)
Also Chicago seems to be like NYC in many ways but more slower paced and not as hectic which seems like a plus to me. Is this true?
What I would like to see in Chicago
Buckingham Fountain
The views from downtown Chicago of that river that De Salle Bridge crosses
I just want to see how Chicago/Midwest culture is different from NYC/Northeast culture and I would like to see it in person.
Am I missing something?
As for the south side, there are plenty of parts of it that are safe. Don't let the national media fool you that all of it is unsafe, since that's the furthest from the truth! I.e. Hyde Park, *Kenwood, *Bronzeville, Bridgeport, Chinatown, Garfield Ridge, Clearing, West Lawn, Beverly, Morgan Park, Hegewisch, to name examples. And gasp, that some of those I listed(with an *) are even predominantly black, and middle class areas! If Kenwood is safe enough for Louis Farrakan(sp?, he's the head of Nation of Islam) and Barack Obama to live in, I'd say it's safe enough for ANYONE to visit. And I'm a white guy, myself. Honestly, the crime is mainly contained within certain neighborhoods of the west and south side, and I'd say most of Chicago is safe. There's almost no reason a tourist would head to any of the neighborhoods with a lot of crime(i.e. Englewood, Lawndale, West Garfield Park, etc), anyway. Let's not forget Brooklyn and the Bronx have some neighborhoods I wouldn't want to venture into(i.e. East New York, Brownsville, just to know a few examples. won't deny I've read up less on the Bronx, than I have Brooklyn).
As for Polish residents, actually I think the Chicago metro area may have more than NYC. For the amount of Polish-Americans within Chicago and NYC city limits, I have no idea which one would have more. At least I'm pretty sure when you count metro population, that Chicago would outnumber NYC in this regard. No idea what the actual number is, but I once heard that once upon a time Chicago had the most Poles outside of Warsaw. Never mind more Poles have been moving to suburban areas such as Norridge, Niles, etc., and that the Avondale neighborhood doesn't have as many Poles today. Also Belmont Central/Cragin had been gaining in Polish residents, though it seems the Polish businesses haven't been fast increasing nor decreasing there as of recent. Back to Avondale, I've been noticing a faster decline in Polish businesses along the Milwaukee Ave area.
I totally concede NYC is better in some aspects(i.e. shopping, probably varied ethnic diversity overall of various ethnicities), but noone would be disappointed who wanted to pay Chicago a visit. Even the deep dish pizza haters would find pizza places they like here, and plenty of thin crust pizza joints. Heck, we even have one place that'd make you a decent New Haven style pizza, along with also other types of thin crust pizza, plus their own beer they brew in house(Piece Pizzeria). Just make sure when you visit, that you ACTUALLY explore the city's various neighborhoods, and don't just stick to Navy Pier, Lincoln Park, and Lake View. And if anything I would personally try to stay away from Navy Pier(IMO it's a TOTAL tourist trap, wouldn't go unless you were seeing a Shakespeare play or going on a boat cruise departing from there), but that's just me.
After all this testimony let’s revise the question: If you have visited Chicago is it worth it to visit New York? Maybe— the Clintons say absolutely, the Obamas say Chicago all the way, and Trump? Well, he’s fast becoming persona non grata in New York and Chicago won’t have him either. It’s a draw.
See here is the thing I don't always have the time or money for that matter to travel, which makes me second guess going to Chicago.
Here are the similiaritlies that Chicago has to NYC.
They seem about equal in racial and ethnic composition. NYC has more of a diverse Latino population while in Chicago it is mostly Mexicans and Puerto Ricans (with not too many Puerto Ricans imo)
Old traditionally working class neighborhoods getting gentrified
Architecture seems to be of equal value to me. Chicago may have the Sears Tower but NYC has the Empire State building. You have monuments, public spaces, etc. that almost make NYC feel like Europe at times I don't know if Chicago is the same.
Where NYC beats Chicago
From what I hear, food (Although I would love to try a deep dish pizza from Chicago)
Fifth Avenue beats State Street and the other main commercial strips in downtown Chicago since it is more prominent Overall the commercial sector in NYC is more well known than in Chicago.
Greenpoint in Brooklyn is a more authentic Polish neighborhood than probably anything in Chi Town. Even though Chicago is supposed to be the second largest Polish city after Warsaw. I read that NYC has more Poles though.
More ethnic diversity and just more of an overall world city status than Chicago.
South Side is pretty dangerous I don't know if NYC has anything that compares, even Bed Stuy and East Harlem I don't think compare.
Where Chicago beats NYC
Lake Michigan (didn't know it was clear blue)
the beach (I admit Chicago's beach definitely looks better than Coney Island)
The Loop (we have nothing like this in Midtown Manhattan or Lower Manhattan)
Also Chicago seems to be like NYC in many ways but more slower paced and not as hectic which seems like a plus to me. Is this true?
What I would like to see in Chicago
Buckingham Fountain
The views from downtown Chicago of that river that De Salle Bridge crosses
I just want to see how Chicago/Midwest culture is different from NYC/Northeast culture and I would like to see it in person.
Am I missing something?
Yeah, you are missing that your entire premise is absurd drivel! It's like saying should I bother going to Tahiti since Ive been to Hawaii!? They are different places.
If you visited New York City, do you think it is worth it to see Chicago?
It really depends on your constraints (time?) and budget.
Chicago is a different city than NYC but if you're just after a stereotypical American city with a lot of skyscrapers, NYC will fill your void. You can then move on to other American gems like the historic cities of Boston or Philadelphia, the capital DC, the home of Hollywood- LA, charming San Francisco, or the adult disneyworld of Las Vegas.
I'd say once you have seen those cities and still have time and money, Chicago would be another interesting stop on your quest to see America but if seeing Chicago means bumping off one of those above mentioned cities, don't bother with Chicago.
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