Downtown Chicago Night time (Sidney: crime rate, hotel, neighborhoods)

[tumbulgumlass]

I had some wonderful replies to a question about train lines, now I have just one more question to ask those of you who know. My husband and I will be staying in downtown Chicago in September. We are visiting from Australia. What I would like to know is how safe is it to walk around the city streets at night? I am talking before midnight here...
Not knowing the city I am trying get an idea of what to expect before we come....
Any advice is welcomed....

[Slanderous]

If you're staying in Streeterville/River North/Gold Coast there will be plenty of people out and about, so it'll be safe, but you always have to be aware. The Loop is going to be different because not as many people will be out, but I had no issues walking around there at night by myself.

[Chicago76]

I second Slanderous' opinion. I think the Loop is safe in the evening as well. It's just that the area is relatively desolate at night--especially the further west and south one goes in the Loop. You will find that the bulk of the activity in the Loop at night centers around: the Theater District, Michigan Avenue around Milennium Park, and Wacker Drive on the main branch of the Chicago River.

There's not much else going on there in the late evening.

To give you an idea: we had a friend from Sidney visiting a month ago. We walked the South Loop one evening for some night photographs of the buildings. He said financial district of the Loop (S) reminded him of New York's Battery Park/Wall Street area in terms of appearance and how dead things seemed. He also mentioned that it looks a lot like Sydney too, but Sydney's financial district is more lively in the evening.

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by tumbulgumlass

...I will be staying in downtown Chicago in September... how safe is it to walk around the city streets at night? I am talking before midnight here...

Where is your hotel? Is it south of the river or north, east of Michigan ave or west?

Generally it's all safe, but south of the river you'll see less people because there's less businesses open. North of the river is pretty hopping.

[Chicago60614]

You're going to be strolling around the tourist areas before midnight during the busy summer season. You'll be fine. People from other countries tend to get very freaked out over the USA's high crime rates, but in almost all areas it's highly centered in certain neighborhoods - neighborhoods which aren't near tourist areas and which 80% of the population just avoids anyway.

Downtown Chicago is very beautiful, easy to walk, crowded and safe.

[tumbulgumlass]

Thanks for the help everyone..you have helped. You are right about one thing. We do hear alot about the high crime rate in US cities, but I figured that it cant ALL be bad...no-where is!