What are some interesting neighborhoods to walk through? (Chicago, Evanston: houses, middle school)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

Only if they live in the suburbs.

For some one who claims to have been born in the 1980s I think there are some high schoolers on the boards that have a better grasp of how the city works -- the lay out of everything from bus stops to El stations to bars and grocery stores is such that a walk of about 4 - 6 blocks is about all that is needed in all but the most car centric developments...

[marothisu]

For North side north of Lakeview.... I like around Lincoln Square (Western Brown Line stop) and the area up there. Some interesting stuff. Also some parts of Edgewater like around the Bryn Mawr stop for example, or even the Berwyn stop and going West to Andersonville for sure. West of Loyola University you have West Ridge which is home to Devon..little India/Pakistan and what not. Argyle in Uptown too of course has some cool things around there.

I'm also a fan of Chinatown, some of Bridgeport, Pilsen, etc on the near-ish south side.


And one of my favorite areas for people watching in the summer is actually around the Rush/Bellevue/State triangle in the Gold Coast. In the middle there is a little pedestrian park that's packed with people in the summer mostly all day. There's a coffee stand that sells other drinks and gelato too. If you like people watching, do it there in the summer (and somewhat spring and early fall) months.

[Alacran]

Nobody walks anymore.

How sad. I walk 2 miles a day plus extra on weekends.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

There is a fair amount of drug dealing and gangbanging in McKinley Park and virtually zero yuppie/hipster transplants.

I suppose, but I also don't see as much gang influence and poverty in McKinley Park as I see in parts of Pilsen, either, and the crime rates tend to be a little lower when I've checked. It's pretty much working class families, about 2/3 Latino and the other 1/3 White and Asian. It's not so big with the hipsters because it has more of a residential/suburban feel, without a lot of establishments to walk to. It just seemed to me an odd one to single out as "rough" out of the ones you listed.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by chet everett

For some one who claims to have been born in the 1980s

If you're talking about me, you're mistaken.

Originally Posted by chet everett

4 - 6 blocks is about all that is needed in all but the most car centric developments...

That's my point. People don't walk as much in the suburbs, so someone like you thinks (as you stated) that "most people would consider a walk of more than a few blocks 'extreme'." In the city, where people walk places, it's nothing to walk a mile or more across the neighborhood any given day to a store, restaurants, bars, laundry, etc. I'd say few people in the city would consider anything under a couple of miles to be an "extreme" walk, unless they have a driver or a very limited "cocoon" (as you would say). 4-6 blocks is many people's walk to the train in the morning.

Ashland to Halsted, for example, is a mile, or Ashland to Western. The laziest of hipsters does that on a typical Friday night, and that's in the more walkable neighborhoods. Even the Near North or South Loop can be a mile or two to walk across.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

That's my point. People don't walk as much in the suburbs, so someone like you thinks (as you stated) that "most people would consider a walk of more than a few blocks 'extreme'." In the city, where people walk places, it's nothing to walk a mile or more across the neighborhood any given day. I'd say few people in the city would consider anything under a couple of miles to be an "extreme" walk.

I grew up in a suburban type of environment. I remember when I graduated high school, my friend who lived about a third to half a mile from my parents' house was having a party and my dad said "You're going into college, you can walk there. You don't need to borrow my car. It's close." and I remember my friends and I being like "wtf?" to that. I mean literally to us, 1/3 - 1/2 a mile was too far to walk for us, and that we should just take a car.

I agree pretty much with you. Walking in the city is no big deal. A mile? That's nothing. If I have to do it, it's not the end of the world. I walk over a mile everyday just getting to/from work and lunch in the Loop. I think even though some suburbs can be walkable in a few parts, it's usually not the same type ot attitude. Most people in the suburbs are very car centric. Sure, they might walk in a small downtown area 2 blocks, but that's not like some people in the actual city do. The city I grew up in had a downtown too and we'd walk 2 blocks from parking to a restaurant, but if someone told me I had to walk a half mile to the other end, I'd look at them weirdly and say "No, I'll just drive and park over there."

[eating while walking]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

the old "Heart of Chicago" Italian neighborhood... Bridgeport; Armour Square;

Hi Jonnynons, can you elaborate what makes these places interesting? Is it people watching, architecture, etc?

Originally Posted by marothisu

I like around Lincoln Square (Western Brown Line stop) and the area up there. Some interesting stuff.

HI Marothisu, can you describe what 'interesting stuff' is?

Thanks everyone

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I think even though some suburbs can be walkable in a few parts, it's usually not the same type ot attitude.

Exactly. It's also often not a walking-friendly layout (outside of the downtowns of the older suburbs), even if the distance technically is. A mile walking through strip-mall parking lots and residential streets without sidewalks, dodging cars and possibly hopping a fence or two, is not the same as a mile walking down 18th, Division, State, or Halsted. I drove more and walked less when I lived in the burbs, too, because it's just set up for that. That mile walk in the suburbs was "extreme." A mile walk in the city is standard.

[marothisu]

^ Totally. Plus, a walk in the city usually just goes by quicker. I remember school in Iowa, which was walkable on campus and all..I lived off campus half of my college life and I would get a haircut at this place a half mile away. I would walk to it but there wasn't much between me and there. It seemed so damn far at the time, but in a city like Chicago it's a complete after thought to walk that. It goes by so quickly. Who knows why but it's true nonetheless.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by chet everett

First I have to say that most people would consider a walk of more than a few blocks "extreme".

Dear god, no wonder there are so many obese people in this country.

My kids walk 1/2 mile to school (each way) as they should. I walk a mile easily everyday just doing ****.