Where's the "hot spots"? (Chicago, Lincoln: how much, neighborhoods, to buy)

[Stillers]

Hey all.. You might remember from my last post that I was moving to Chicago. Well I just got here yesterday and I'm pretty overwhelmed lol.

I don't have any friends here yet. No family or anything. So where would you suggest I go to see other young and single people? I'm 26, if that matters. I don't mind the bars/clubs. Maybe shopping districts? Parks? Etc.

Actually ANY info would be welcome. I live in the South Loop and took a walk around yesterday but it's so tourist-y. I met some cool people in a pub I stopped at, but they weren't from here. So what do you guys think?

[DrEarth]

-meetups
-happy hours
-hobbies
-sports leagues
-dancing
-classes


Find what you like to do, and meet other people who like to do that activity

[Prost]

meetup.com is a good starting point to find like-minded people

[marothisu]

It's totally fine to be overwhelmed and confused for awhile for the record, lol. I think you are coming from Pittsburgh? Yeah, Chicago is something like 8-9X larger in population than Pittsburgh and maybe even more when you count tourists and suburban visitors each day.

* Random outdoor spaces == First off in the summer, take advantage of the beaches such as Oak St, North Ave, and even Ohio St. The ones at Oak St and North Ave have some food/drink places along there. Just in general, you can just chill out there at the beach, but since it's all connected via bike/running/walking path, they have steps on the side there too all along the path, at least in the Near North Side area (i.e. Streeterville/Gold Coast). Also if you are a runner or anything, or just like walking, utilize the paths there. If you ARE a runner and do stuff like marathons or half marathons, there are training groups out there too which people get into for this stuff. I have a friend who has made many friends from the groups.

Although in a tourist kind of zone, there are free concerts in Grant/Millennium Park every week that locals do go to (yes, it's a mix) if you're into music.

If you want a plaza to hang out at, for free, or a few places...there's a few in the Gold Coast that are good for it in the summer. The first one is the area known as the "Viagra Triangle" which is bounded by State, Bellevue, and Rush. There is a triangular plaza in the middle where people hang out at and on the sides are a lot of outdoor seating stuff and it's great for people watching. When I first moved to Chicago and didn't know anybody, I would come out here a bit and it was great for people watching, but also I met a few people as well. It's more akin to something you may find in Europe. This isn't terribly far from the Division Red Line stop.

Also there is another triangular plaza bounded by Chestnut, Rush, and Wabash which is an Argo Tea greenhouse. The outdoor seating area is actually public, so you don't really need to buy anything to sit out there. This isn't far from the Chicago Red Line stop.


* Bars/Clubs - South Loop isn't that great for bars and whatever. There's a few good local places - for example The Scout on 13th and Wabash for a more nice sports bar setting. If you want to go to where locals do, then you need to head to other neighborhoods. For example --> Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village/East Village/Noble Square, Lincoln Square, Edgewater, Gold Coast (for the most part - though there's some tourists there, depends on where), Logan Square, etc. River North and Streeterville have good places you'll find locals too but in time you'll learn which ones are more locals and which ones are more touristy/suburban types of places.

* As others have mentioned, meetups are a good way to meet similar minded people or just kind of scour events online or in some papers and whatever. There's stuff all over the city that people don't even know about that are good. On Friday I went to an after hours event at the Art Institute, which had food, DJ, drink (for purchase), and opened up some of the exhibits. They do this every Friday I believe but each time something a little different. A lot of very fashionable people, and I couldn't help but notice the amount of beautiful/hot (but not full of themselves or trashy) single women in their mid 20s and 30s there. No clue how I didn't know about this - but it kind of speaks volumes to how much crap really goes on in this city and that people can be totally unaware of happenings.

* Also, be open to talking to people on public transit in some situations. Especially on a weekend if you're riding a train up to say Lincoln Park or Lakeview, there's going to be a lot of people on it going to bars too. I can't tell you how many times people have started conversations with me for no reason and not in a creepy way. I've met people walking around and on public transit, and just waiting for the bus/train.

[Stillers]

You would be correct that I'm coming from Pittsburgh. You always have great info and this post is no different. Thanks! The "random outdoor spaces" is very helpful. Thank you for that. I need to learn the El lines, so I think Google Maps and I will do a little exploring today!

Originally Posted by marothisu

It's totally fine to be overwhelmed and confused for awhile for the record, lol. I think you are coming from Pittsburgh? Yeah, Chicago is something like 8-9X larger in population than Pittsburgh and maybe even more when you count tourists and suburban visitors each day.

* Random outdoor spaces == First off in the summer, take advantage of the beaches such as Oak St, North Ave, and even Ohio St. The ones at Oak St and North Ave have some food/drink places along there. Just in general, you can just chill out there at the beach, but since it's all connected via bike/running/walking path, they have steps on the side there too all along the path, at least in the Near North Side area (i.e. Streeterville/Gold Coast). Also if you are a runner or anything, or just like walking, utilize the paths there. If you ARE a runner and do stuff like marathons or half marathons, there are training groups out there too which people get into for this stuff. I have a friend who has made many friends from the groups.

Although in a tourist kind of zone, there are free concerts in Grant/Millennium Park every week that locals do go to (yes, it's a mix) if you're into music.

If you want a plaza to hang out at, for free, or a few places...there's a few in the Gold Coast that are good for it in the summer. The first one is the area known as the "Viagra Triangle" which is bounded by State, Bellevue, and Rush. There is a triangular plaza in the middle where people hang out at and on the sides are a lot of outdoor seating stuff and it's great for people watching. When I first moved to Chicago and didn't know anybody, I would come out here a bit and it was great for people watching, but also I met a few people as well. It's more akin to something you may find in Europe. This isn't terribly far from the Division Red Line stop.

Also there is another triangular plaza bounded by Chestnut, Rush, and Wabash which is an Argo Tea greenhouse. The outdoor seating area is actually public, so you don't really need to buy anything to sit out there. This isn't far from the Chicago Red Line stop.


* Bars/Clubs - South Loop isn't that great for bars and whatever. There's a few good local places - for example The Scout on 13th and Wabash for a more nice sports bar setting. If you want to go to where locals do, then you need to head to other neighborhoods. For example --> Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village/East Village/Noble Square, Lincoln Square, Edgewater, Gold Coast (for the most part - though there's some tourists there, depends on where), Logan Square, etc. River North and Streeterville have good places you'll find locals too but in time you'll learn which ones are more locals and which ones are more touristy/suburban types of places.

* As others have mentioned, meetups are a good way to meet similar minded people or just kind of scour events online or in some papers and whatever. There's stuff all over the city that people don't even know about that are good. On Friday I went to an after hours event at the Art Institute, which had food, DJ, drink (for purchase), and opened up some of the exhibits. They do this every Friday I believe but each time something a little different. A lot of very fashionable people, and I couldn't help but notice the amount of beautiful/hot (but not full of themselves or trashy) single women in their mid 20s and 30s there. No clue how I didn't know about this - but it kind of speaks volumes to how much crap really goes on in this city and that people can be totally unaware of happenings.

* Also, be open to talking to people on public transit in some situations. Especially on a weekend if you're riding a train up to say Lincoln Park or Lakeview, there's going to be a lot of people on it going to bars too. I can't tell you how many times people have started conversations with me for no reason and not in a creepy way. I've met people walking around and on public transit, and just waiting for the bus/train.

[Stillers]

The meetups sound like a great idea, and one that I've heard from numerous people. I appreciate everyone's responses.

[marothisu]

Thanks. No problem...I like the one at Rush, Bellevue, and State because there's tons of people out there but you can also buy gelato, coffee, etc and there's a fountain there. It's a cool spot for sure, but you don't have to buy anything to be at these places. These two spots I mentioned and the beaches are a pretty short ride on the Red Line, in the direction of Howard. Maybe 10 minutes from Roosevelt to the northernmost spot I mentioned, and then a 5 minute stroll (the one I mention above you can walk through Division Street, which has a bunch of 4am/5am bars that are kind of college/newly out of college ish). Lot of people hanging out and what not in this general area.

The city for a little bit, at least this year, has had a "people spot" initiative too where they're converting some areas, say even a parking space into a people spot. Actually on State street in the Loop close to the river in a median, they made one of these things with a handful of chairs/tables.

Another kind of active area is in Wicker Park at the "six corners" area which is Milwaukee, North, and Damen. The blue line in the direction of O'Hare goes right there, the Damen stop. Usually when it's nice out too, Lincoln Park and Lakeview on the Clark in Lincoln Park and Broadway in Lakeview (at Diversey Avenue, Clark splits into two streets - Clark and Broadway - Broadway is a lot more lively north of here) is pretty pedestrian heavy with a lot of people just kind of strolling and hanging out.