long weekend in chicago

[aragx6]

Let's behave please.

I loved your suggestions LookoutKid!

[JohnDoe2008]

southside shopping?
Ok, Ashland and 47th street, some know it as back of the yards, has a decent sized commercial district and at Ashland and about 40th street is chicagos biggest flea market. 42 inch flat screen sony tvs right off the back of the truck if you know what I mean.

[NearWestSider]

Originally Posted by quijote

I'm relatively new to this forum, and am visiting Chicago for another few days. I certainly wouldn't mind hearing about some pleasant and bustling westside and southside neighborhoods to visit--my experience so far is with the usual suspects such as the Loop, Near N. Side, LP, LV, etc. I've been to Hyde Park a couple of times, but it's not as active in the summer. Any other recs, for me and for the OP?

I concur with most of the recommendations, and would also recommend the Maxwell Street Market which runs on Canal Street on Sundays. In addition to the ubiquitous tube sox and underwear, it has some of the best Mexican street food in the city.

The blues bus (a regular there) is one of the best record stores for that kind of music around, and the blues band that was playing a week before last Sunday (the bands play at the south end by 16th street) was professional. Not saying the band every week is gonna be that good, but it does happen from time to time, and when it does it is VERY cool.

The only thing I'll caution you about is the traffic situation is pretty bad, as is parking, so either bike it or take the CTA.

[SloopyJ]

Lookout Kid's suggestions are really good. I would also highly recommend spending a few hours walking around Wicker Park for getting the kind of urban experience you describe. It's yuppified and trendy yet still gritty in spots and still with a variety of ethnicities, nationalities and income levels. Milwaukee Avenue from Division to North Avenue is a great urban street - one of the best urban mixes you'll find anywhere, with tons of places to eat, drink, and shop for anything high-brow or low-brow you could imagine. The major streets (Milwaukee, Damen from Division to Armitage, and Division from Ashland to west of Damen) are great for everything you've described except the tree-lined streets part. But get a block or two off the major streets and you'll find all that with historic homes and beautiful trees. Wicker Park (the park itself, from which the neighborhood gets its name) borders Milwaukee south of North Avenue and is a good place to start your walk.

Also, the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park areas are the most expensive residential areas in Chicago for a reason. They're stunningly beautiful in parts just because they're "sanitized" doesn't mean you shouldn't make them a stop on your tour.

[Lookout Kid]

Oh, I agree. Most tourists would have a great time with these more "yuppified" pedestrian strips. These are the premier pedestrain commercial strips on the North Side:


Milwaukee Avenue (from Division St. to North Ave.) in Wicker Park
Division Avenue (from Wood to Western Ave.) in Wicker Park/Ukranian Village
Damen Avenue (from North Ave. to Armitage) in Bucktown
Southport Avenue (from Irving Park Rd. to Belmont Ave.) in Lakeview
Armitage Avenue (from Halsted to Racine) in Lincoln Park
Halsted Avenue (from Wisconsin to Fullerton) in Lincoln Park
Halsted Avenue (from Belmont to Grace) in "Boystown" Lakeview
Clark Street (from Belmont to Grace) in "Wrigleyville" Lakeview
Clark Street (from Armitage Ave. to Diversey Avenue) in Lincoln Park
Broadway Avenue (from Diversey Ave. to Stratford) in Lakeview
Wells Street in Old Town
Clark Street (from Winnemac to Hollywood) in Andersonville
Roscoe Avenue (from Ravenswood to Hoyne) in Roscoe Village
Lincoln Avenue (from Montrose to Lawrence) in Lincoln Square

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Okay, everyone knows about the Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, and Lakeview on the North Side... If you want bustling street life that isn't so sterilized, check out these areas:

1. Argyle Street in Uptown (Arglye between Sheridan and Broadway). It's the "Little Viet Nam" of Chicago, though many people call it "New China Town".

2. Devon Ave (near California Ave.) in West Ridge. It's the little India/Pakistan, and is EXTREMELY busy and happenin' on a Saturday afternoon.

3. China Town on the South Side. It's pleny safe for tourists nowadays, and has some great food.

4. Lawrence Avenue/Kedzie Avenue in Albany Park. It's a big mix of Mexican, Korean, and Middle Eastern shops and restaurants now. Some of the food is really great.

5. 18th Street in Pilsen. This is the heart of Chicago's most famous Mexican neighborhood. The buildings are just as beautiful as anything in Lincoln Park (same vintage), and most of them have been untouched. It's a beautiful area.

6. 26th Street in Little Village. This is quite a bit more dangerous than 18th Street in Pilsen, and you would have to watch yourself a bit here. But it is where all of the great authentic Oaxacan restaurants are.


Note that much of the South and West Sides of town don't have bustling street life (or at least not the kind that you would want to be a part of). Many of the businesses have been closed down. But there are many other sites to see, even if they are isolated. Bronzeville has some remnants left over from when it was Chicago's Harlem, but the old "bustling street life" has been killed by business closures and demolition of buildings. It's hugely disappointing, even though the neighborhood is bouncing back.

Nice list. I'd also add the area centered around Belmont and Central. It's predominantly Polish with a smattering of other Eastern European shops/cafes. Its a very active spot on the weekends, definately worth checking out, especially if you decide to make a day visiting some of the other ethnic enclaves Lookout Kid mentioned.


It is on the North side though, so hopefully I didn't offend anyone's delicate sensibilities by including it.