Visiting Chicago questions

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by thwanko

Thanks for the replies so far guys

From the descriptions of transit it seems like renting a car might be the best way to go, at least for visiting Lake Forest. However looking at maps the Green Line seems like it might be the best way to get to Oak Park if I decide to check out the architecture there.



I take the Broad Street Line pretty frequently during daytime hours, which goes through some really rough neighborhoods in North Philly, and don't feel like i'm taking my life into my hands. Mostly I just get panhandled from time to time. I'm assuming the Green line might be similar?

Violent crime onboard the trains is extremely rare (not withstanding a recent high profile armed robbery). You do, however, need to watch out for robbers who will grab absent-minded folks' smartphone and run out the door. Best strategy is to sit in the front car (where the driver sits) and if you pull your phone out just make sure nobody is in a position to grab it. I'd be slightly more concerned about being a victim of crime walking to/from the station, although its probably fine in the daytime walking to the Cottage Grove station since its a fairly busy street. It might be easier, however, to take the 55th St bus (CTA #55) westbound to the Red line station at 55th St. This station is much busier than the Green line stations, so it feels a lot safer (at least to me.) Of course this means you'll have to transfer from the Red line to Green line once you're downtown.

[thwanko]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Are you getting out in the rough neighborhoods and walking around or just riding through them? Riding on the train through a neighborhood is way different than being on the street. The Green Line is in Washington Park (and also Woodlawn) which are kind of sketch neighborhoods. Not like anything would absolutely happen to you, but you should be aware of that.

I wasn't sure if the actual stops near hyde park were sketchy or just some of the neighborhoods it passed through, thanks for clarifying. In philly even bad neighborhoods tend to have lots of foot traffic in the daytime if you stick to major streets (eg 52nd street), especially in the summer, which makes them feel relatively safe. I've heard people describe the south side of chicago as kind of desolate but i'm not sure if that's just relative to the north side.

Originally Posted by marothisu

As far as the car goes, if you plan on spending most of your time in downtown and some of the more popular neighborhoods then you don't necessarily need a car especially if you don't plan on staying out after midnight. I guess it would come in handy for going to some further reaching suburbs if you wanted to do that or something. Not that a car wouldn't be useful, but you should know that you don't technically need a car to get from Hyde Park to Lincoln Park or anything. It might be a faster ride, though if you had one depending on the traffic situation in some spots and how easily you could find parking.

Yeah I was hoping to avoid having to deal with a car at least downtown, but since we're visiting the burbs too i'm not sure if going totally car free will be viable, especially based on other responses.

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

Violent crime onboard the trains is extremely rare (not withstanding a recent high profile armed robbery). You do, however, need to watch out for robbers who will grab absent-minded folks' smartphone and run out the door. Best strategy is to sit in the front car (where the driver sits) and if you pull your phone out just make sure nobody is in a position to grab it.

I know some people who this has happened to on the subway, I just tend to avoid using my phone on trains (the fact that I don't get service underground helps remove the temptation).

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

I'd be slightly more concerned about being a victim of crime walking to/from the station, although its probably fine in the daytime walking to the Cottage Grove station since its a fairly busy street. It might be easier, however, to take the 55th St bus (CTA #55) westbound to the Red line station at 55th St. This station is much busier than the Green line stations, so it feels a lot safer (at least to me.) Of course this means you'll have to transfer from the Red line to Green line once you're downtown.

looking at the schedule this seems to run pretty often, I'll keep that in mind as an option.

[knitgirl]

I don't have time to look it up now, so I don't know the situation, but when I was at U of C 30+ years ago, we used the IC train on the east side of Hyde Park to get downtown.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by thwanko

4. I'm interested in looking at Architecture. The last time I was in Chicago I was only able to check out the downtown skyscrapers, but I am also into residential architecture. Does Chicago have an iconic style of housing particular to it like Philly/Bmore rowhouses or Boston tripple deckers? Are there any neighborhoods that you think have particularly interesting looking houses?

Some info that might help you decide what you want to see and where you want to go;
Tours - Chicago Architecture Foundation

HCBA - Historic Districts

Frank Lloyd Wright Trust

[ToriaT]

Take the Chicago Architecture Foundation Boat Cruise on the Chicago River. Its great to see the various buildings and architecture.

[steeps]

Though I came in after the original poster.. twanko's trip in August. When I read take a boat ride, here the river architectural tour. I would add. Take the one with the tour that also goes into Lake Michigan. You get a full appreciation to Chicago's sprawling Skyline. There are also other boat tours at the river narrated also.

PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW YOUR TRIP WENT >>twanko.

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by thwanko

Hi all,

I am going to be visiting Chicago from Philly with my parents for a weekend in August to see some friends and family that live there, and have a few questions.

1. We are debating if it is worth it or not to rent a car. We will most likely be staying in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago, which appears not to be directly served by the EL. We will be visiting my cousin on the North Side near the red line, and probably a friend in the Northern Suburbs (Lake Forest). Is Hyde Park a reasonable walk to the Green line? How inconvenient is it to get to Lake Forest by commuter rail? Is it easy to find parking in Hyde Park?

2. Is Harold's Chicken Shack worth going too? Is it significantly different/better than fried chicken in Philly?

3. Who has the best deep dish?

4. I'm interested in looking at Architecture. The last time I was in Chicago I was only able to check out the downtown skyscrapers, but I am also into residential architecture. Does Chicago have an iconic style of housing particular to it like Philly/Bmore rowhouses or Boston tripple deckers? Are there any neighborhoods that you think have particularly interesting looking houses?

Thanks!

Harolds Chicken is delicious!!

If you like that rowhouse feel, Google map: 800 N Dearborn thru 1200 N Dearborn. Also those addressses for State Street too in that same area, Dearborn is one block west of State.

Old Town Chicago - Wells Street from Fullerton (2800 North to Division St (about 1200 North). there are side streets east and west that have historic attributes, as they were built in 1800's & 1900s.

If go to to Bridgeport, there is some older chicago style A-frame homes, that were there a century ago, and while some of it is being gentrified, you can still find some workers cottage type homes. Bridgeport is about Halsted and up to about 3100 South, all thru there.

Chinatown - south side about 22nd - 26th street, about a mile or half mile west of the lake.

Lakeview and Lincoln Park, about 4 miles north of downtown, has some cool homes, but some are not.

All along Lake Michigan, you can have a nice tour - take an express bus and see all the sites on each side of the bus

Astor Street (north of downtown about 1 mile).

Prairie St District (about 1200 south to 2600 South) on Indiana and Prairie Streets. Historic homes from the 1800's