Is Oak Park, IL really walkable? (Forest Park, Lincoln: apartments, houses, neighborhood)

[ndcairngorm]

By that I don't mean the usual "bars, restaurants, coffee houses" that people usually mean when they say they want a walkable neighborhood. I mean the things you NEED, like grocery stores, hardware stores, drug stores, plus of course the bars, restaurants, and coffee houses. And I mean really walkable, like you can actually walk to these things.

Does Oak Park really supply this amenity-rich environment or is that a lot of hype?

[sfcambridge]

Compared to what? Everything is relative, you know.

And how far are you willing to walk? Everyone's different.

It depends where you live in Oak Park. Oak Park is primarily housing, so you wont have the density of businesses that you have in an area like Lincoln Park, but you have many more of the things you mention without the strip mall/typical suburban feel.

I have lived in 3 different parts of Oak Park (apartments). In each case, I could easily walk (2-10min) to a grocery store, the train, restaurants, coffee house, drug stores. But most of the time, I would get into a car on on a bike to get to some of the grocery stores (Trader's/Whole Foods), coffee houses (I prefer the smaller independent ones), restaurants (my favorite sushi place), hardware store (Forest Park has the best one!!), movie theater etc.... Honestly, I should ride my bike more. But my free time is so limited, I drive a bit more. Parking is not too hard.

If you lived right smack in the center of downtown Oak Park (which has tons of newly built apartments now) you would easily be in walking distance to all of the things you mention. But I'd still probably drive/ride to other parts of Oak Park, since not all of the shops/restaurants/bars etc.. are all downtown.

[ndcairngorm]

Where is the "right smack" center of Oak Park? I see it on the map but don't know much about it.

[sfcambridge]

Do you mean the downtown center, or the actual ?middle of the town?

Why don't you tell me the street address you are interested in, and I can tell you want sort of things are walkable from there?

And what distance is walkable to you?

[glass_of_merlot]

CLearly not walkable enough with these answers. lol

[sfcambridge]

Downtown is focused around Lake street and Harlem.

[OKParker]

https://hotpads.com/1120-lake-st-oak...=-87.8007&z=17 is an example of a place in a walkable part of Oak Park - you are a block to the green line, a block to the metra, a block to whole foods and trader joes and shopping, 3 blocks to the movie theater, plenty of bars and restaurants here.

https://hotpads.com/305-south-blvd-o...=-87.7849&z=16 is an example of a less walkable area, but still passable. you would be one block to a Petes (great grocery store), around some shops, a 1/2 block to the green line, but not much around here..

https://hotpads.com/815-s-euclid-ave...=-87.7944&z=16 is a completely different part of town, but is near the blue line (1/2 block). This is near a great coffee shop, a smaller grocery store, a good number of shops and a couple bars/restaurants. The options are a lot slimmer, but it has a good array and is cheaper.

https://hotpads.com/845-s-humphrey-a...=-87.7769&z=16 this is the arts district - all independent shops, good restaurants and coffee, all within 1-3 blocks of the blue line and expressway. The big downside - the closest grocery store is a mile away.

[ndcairngorm]

Originally Posted by OKParker

https://hotpads.com/1120-lake-st-oak...=-87.8007&z=17 is an example of a place in a walkable part of Oak Park - you are a block to the green line, a block to the metra, a block to whole foods and trader joes and shopping, 3 blocks to the movie theater, plenty of bars and restaurants here.

https://hotpads.com/305-south-blvd-o...=-87.7849&z=16 is an example of a less walkable area, but still passable. you would be one block to a Petes (great grocery store), around some shops, a 1/2 block to the green line, but not much around here..

https://hotpads.com/815-s-euclid-ave...=-87.7944&z=16 is a completely different part of town, but is near the blue line (1/2 block). This is near a great coffee shop, a smaller grocery store, a good number of shops and a couple bars/restaurants. The options are a lot slimmer, but it has a good array and is cheaper.

https://hotpads.com/845-s-humphrey-a...=-87.7769&z=16 this is the arts district - all independent shops, good restaurants and coffee, all within 1-3 blocks of the blue line and expressway. The big downside - the closest grocery store is a mile away.

Thank you very much. This is the kind of information I was looking for, since I know virtually nothing about the area but was looking for a place to live where I didn't have to jump in the car every time I needed an onion or a pair of socks.

[ToriaT]

Good resources above. Oak Park is walkable depending on where you live.