Best way to get to know the neighborhoods?? (Chicago, Bridgeport: taxi, live)

[Milesperhour]

Chicago Encyclopedia is a good place to find history on the neighborhoods as well as current demographic information. The Chicago Cultural Center website used to have great neighborhood guides, but I think they took them down.

[williepotatoes]

You can't discover greater Chicago without a car. Forget about the internet and second hand accounts from locals, nothing substitutes for realtime here. Pick a nice sunny morning and just cruise thru the streets, both residential and commercial. Observe, observe, observe. Where you feel comfortable, park and stroll. Busy corners are usually a good choice because active, bustling commerce brings out the best in people and their neighborhoods. If you have any interest at all in architecture, you should not be disappointed with your experience. The neighborhoods, their parks, old churchs, houses etc. reek of character and history. Sadly they are disappearing and degenerating at a pretty fast clip now.

[ProgMichael]

Originally Posted by Milesperhour

Chicago Encyclopedia is a good place to find history on the neighborhoods as well as current demographic information. The Chicago Cultural Center website used to have great neighborhood guides, but I think they took them down.

And I'm absolutely LIVID about this. ExploreChicago.com used to be an amazing website and an incredible way to explore the neighborhoods. Now, it sums up about a 1/2 dozen of the neighborhoods in like 2 paragraphs. What a disappointment.

[Firststop]

Someone told me to look for trees in the neighborhood, if no trees, then don't go there. What's that all about?

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

You can't discover greater Chicago without a car.

Ha, says the guy from Schaumburg. She said Chicago, not "greater Chicago." Most neighborhoods of the city can certainly be explored with out a car.

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by Firststop

Someone told me to look for trees in the neighborhood, if no trees, then don't go there. What's that all about?

That person likes shade?

I can't think of any Chicago neighborhood that doesn't have trees. The difference is that some residential areas have nice big old-growth trees, while more dense areas (like downtown and near downtown) and commercial corridors tend to have smaller trees (except in parks), because there's really no place for big trees to go. My guess is that the person who made this recommendation likes areas that are a little less dense and a little more residential/suburban feeling.

[williepotatoes]

Originally Posted by Plzeň

Ha, says the guy from Schaumburg. She said Chicago, not "greater Chicago." Most neighborhoods of the city can certainly be explored with out a car.

Much easier with enhanced mobility, been doing it since 1974. Why would the word Chicago not include the whole city?

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

Much easier with enhanced mobility, been doing it since 1974. Why would the word Chicago not include the whole city?

The word Chicago obviously includes the whole city. The city can generally be explored without a car.

You said "You can't explore Greater Chicago without a car." Greater Chicago tends to mean well beyond the city, and into the suburbs, which is where your profile indicates that you live and where people are more likely to need a car.

These are two completely different things.

[TheSunshineKid]

Get a map of the neighborhoods and walk. That's what I did; if not then just drive through them - get familiar with the borders, layout and street names. It'll help make you appreciate even the most undesirable parts of the city.

[gomexico]

Take a public bus to the area, or a taxi. Then walk. Then on to the next area, and repeat steps. Over and over. Start with daytime visits. If you don't like it during the day, no need to re-visit at night.