One night in Chicago, so where to see/go? (Lincoln: condo, hotel)

[nutmegchoi]

I'm moving from Minneapolis to New York.
I'll be driving with my kitty and staying over a night in Chicago.
I was wondering if there's a cool area where I can park and walk around.
Bars, cafes, restaurants and shops would be nice.
Thought about Lincoln Park.
Would it be a good place to spend an evening?
Enough things to do?
Safe by myself?
How's parking?
Any input would be appreciated it.
Thank you.

[Drover]

I'm making some assumptions about you based on the tone of your post, so bear with me.

Lincoln Park is a party zone for people who just graduated from college but aren't quite ready to give up the college party lifestyle yet. Lincoln Square sounds more like your speed -- a little more grown-up but still good fun. Check out the 4600-4800 block of Lincoln Avenue.

[nutmegchoi]

I'm traveling alone, so it won't be a wild party night (not to mention I still have 900 miles to drive).
I've been to Chicago couple times before.
But never stayed for the night time.
I was wondering if there's somewhere like Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
Nice, quiet, pretty shops and unique restaurant and bars.

Thanks for your info though.
If I don't find anything else.
I'll check it out.

[Drover]

Hmm. Well, I still think Lincoln Square (note: NOT the same as Lincoln Park, I'm not sure if you caught that distinction in my prior post) has most of what you're looking for. But if you're looking for Chicago's closest equivalent of Williamsburg, I guess that would be the Division Street corridor that divides Wicker Park and Ukranian Village. I'd start at the 2000 block of west Division and work your way east.

I think j33 is the most familiar with Williamsburg among the regular posters in the Chicago thread. Maybe you could ring her doorbell and ask for suggestions.

[Hispanola]

Are you staying in a hotel? or someone's house/condo?

[j33]

nutmegchoi - We don't really have a Williamsburgesque place here in Chicago, and generally I think that is a good thing as the older I get. My attitude toward that neighborhood has changing from love/hate to hate/hate/but hell that's a great store/gallery/band so I suppose I'll get on that damn "L" train when visit new york. However, regardless of what you'll say about the whole Wicker Park/East Village/West Town area, that is the closest place here in Chicago, for better or for worse, in that it does have that combination of funky stores along with chain stores, good restaurants, music venues, and kids in skinny jeans (but with less in the way of trust-funds). While, Pilsen, along 18th and Halsted is probably the next big artist area as my younger hipster friends have taken me to a few restaurants and places down there that remind me of some of the places I've been taken to in Greenpoint and Williamsburg and such, and the West-Town/Wicker Park area seems to be getting a bit older and has been firmly gentrified for years with rents raising,. However that isn't a place you'd want to stay if you just visit Chicago. Finally, and if you can't get enough of that Willaimsburg feel, they have here a Brooklyn Industry clothing, which has been opened in Wicker Park Neighborhood (for some inexplicable reason).

Lincoln Square, the neighborhood, Drover mentioned, is a great one to check out if you are looking for something a bit more laid back (although Chicago is generally more laid back than New York, even in those areas with a reputation for people who think they are, shall we say, 'too cool for school'). It does have an older feel, and I particularly like the remaining couple of the German bars on Lincoln Ave. (Huttenbar is nice) as well The Book Cellar (a nice bookstore that will let you buy a glass of wine and browse the bookshelves). Also, there is a pretty good Korean place I ate at up there called Da Rae Jung. In fact, even though I live in the aforementioned neighborhood, I think I'm partial to Lincoln Square as a neighborhood, as I used to live there about eight years ago and quite liked it.

Either way, I think you'll find an interesting and enjoyable experience. Lincoln Square and Wicker park are both okay at night.

Lincoln Park is okay during the day if you are the sort of girl who likes upscale shopping, but sucks for nightlife unless you like frat boys and girls from with fake tans and poorly dyed blonde hair.

[nutmegchoi]

Wow, thank you so much guys (especially j33)!
This is a lot more information than I thought I would get.

I need to look for a hotel for me and my cat.
Last time I stayed on the way back from NYC was around Hoffman and it was a god awful experience.
I would never stay at a motel along freeway ever again.
Thought for sure I'll get bitten by bedbugs and my cat would pick up fleas.

For food, I had really good Dim Sum and Korean in Chicago.
Korean restaurant was Woo Rae Yok and I'm definitely going to pay a visit.
But if you have any recommendation, I can use it for another meal.

Thanks again, guys.
I'll do some studies based on your information.

[j33]

Now that I'm a bit more awake, I realize that post has a ridiculous amount of grammatical errors. Sorry.