Tips for Visiting Chicago

[HFCS]

CTA does a great job with their signage in the stations too. Overall I've found the EL to be very "outsider" friendly. When I visited NYC, figuring out the subway system was rough.

The last stop being listed to signify direction is an "aha" moment for anybody new to trains and bus routes.

When I first moved to Chicago my "bumpkin moment" was that for almost a year I thought the "chicago" red line stop just signified that you had made it to downtown Chicago...not realizing it was Chicago Ave. I felt like a moron when I realized what it meant. I have heard visitors in Chicago speak of "the ocean" though so there is a level beyond that.

 

[thisISnextyear]

It’s $2.50 each way to take the train. Just take the train lol

Or go ALL IN with a one day unlimited for $5.00 and go explore!

 

[melt]

12am now I believe

The CTA schedule has the last train going from Ashland towards the loop around 1:21 AM.

This is the specific schedule for the Green line Ashland stop.

https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/6/greentt_ashland.pdf

 

[Cycsk]

I wouldn't call anything on that route a dangerous neighborhood to walk during the day, parts of it industrial and parts nice urban areas. Taking green line (get on at State& Lake, off at Ashland) would be way faster and it's above ground so you still get to see the city.

Avoid walking anywhere alone late at night is kind of the golden rule and you'd be walking through areas that are kind of empty of foot traffic at a few points there. During the day I've walked and biked all over that area many times. My wife is a photographer and we did urban setting/industrial setting shoots all the time right in the middle of that route.

Industrial? In the west loop? I might call it “light industrial,” but many of the old “industrial” buildings are now lofts.

 

[Spanky]

We like Gino’s East pizza. Pizza is good but its a Cool building .

Parking in Chicago costs a crap load

Don't try to test the system, aka the Chicago Way. Park in a tow zone and they'll drag your car away in minutes.
The tow companies hire entire families to live in a van, park in high traffic areas and pay them to call when someone parks in a tow zone. Yes, I was nabbed when I ran into a shop for a bagel. Literally parked for 3 mins, and gone.
They interviewed a "tow scout" who said he banked $60k+ per year(all cash) eating Cheetos in his van.

 

[HFCS]

Industrial? In the west loop? I might call it “light industrial,” but many of the old “industrial” buildings are now lofts.

On the route he showed there are plenty of industrial gritty pockets. I worked on lots of photoshoots in various areas between abandoned, functional and rejuvenated areas. Some people might like an hour walk through areas like that, some might be spooked, probably fun during the day. I didn't say the hostess stand at Girl & the Goat was a steel mill.

I had a condo loft that originally was a factory that made gaming/gambling/industrial cabinets, building was about 120 years old and had been condos for about 20 years. It was really cool but when we had to do roof or brick work it was a financial gut punch to every owner in the building. My neighbor was an a-hole who would play full size real games of basketball and the wall between us was way too thin. Just because you have hardwood floor and a 40 foot living room ceiling doesn't mean you can play basketball inside. They were Michigan fans too.

 

[HFCS]

Don't try to test the system, aka the Chicago Way. Park in a tow zone and they'll drag your car away in minutes.
The tow companies hire entire families to live in a van, park in high traffic areas and pay them to call when someone parks in a tow zone. Yes, I was nabbed when I ran into a shop for a bagel. Literally parked for 3 mins, and gone.
They interviewed a "tow scout" who said he banked $60k+ per year(all cash) eating Cheetos in his van.

i have MAJOR parking PTSD from my 14 years in Chicago. Everywhere I go I am paranoid about getting towed, or the cost of parking, or if I'm allowed to even park there or getting BS tickets. One time somebody went down my street and gave every car a ticket for being parked more than 12" from the curb. My car and most other cars on the street weren't even further than 12".

As someone who moved there from Iowa, I said the day I became a true Chicago resident was getting my car out of the auto pound dungeon. Once you've paid over $500 of bs tickets you're as Chicagoan as anybody who was born there.

Over the years we went from 2, to 1, to 0 cars and it was just an easier life with 0 cars.

 

[KnappShack]

It's too bad the water taxis aren't open yet. Those are fun. You get the views from the river and it's not a half bad way to get around. Easiest way for me to get to Chinatown

Uber/Lyft is always fun

I still can't find my groove in the city after all of these years but it should be cool for a weekend for out of towners

 

[Cycsk]

On the route he showed there are plenty of industrial gritty pockets. I worked on lots of photoshoots in various areas between abandoned, functional and rejuvenated areas. Some people might like an hour walk through areas like that, some might be spooked, probably fun during the day. I didn't say the hostess stand at Girl & the Goat was a steel mill.

I had a condo loft that originally was a factory that made gaming/gambling/industrial cabinets, building was about 120 years old and had been condos for about 20 years. It was really cool but when we had to do roof or brick work it was a financial gut punch to every owner in the building. My neighbor was an a-hole who would play full size real games of basketball and the wall between us was way too thin. Just because you have hardwood floor and a 40 foot living room ceiling doesn't mean you can play basketball inside. They were Michigan fans too.

Wow, you really know the area. Would you recommend a different route?

 

[HFCS]

Wow, you really know the area. Would you recommend a different route?

No the google walk makes sense if someone really doesn’t mind 40-60 min walk, at night I might find another way if i were from out of town. For some it’d be fun if it’s a nice day. Like others said green line is faster for 2.50 and fun to ride. Even when I was commuting every day I actually enjoyed the train, sketchy as some people can be.

I think cabs and uber are probably easy too. There are constantly events like this so probably easy to get one. When I moved 6-7 years ago Chicago cabs were still huge. Maybe uber and Lyft have pushed them out?

New Year’s Eve was the only time I ever had trouble getting a cab or Uber.