Rosalind Cummings-Yeates - Moon 52 Things to Do in Chicago: Local Spots, Outdoor Recreation, Getaways

ROSALIND CUMMINGS-YEATES

The streets of Chicago crackle with energy and history. Vibrant personalities, softened by Midwestern warmth, flow through its 77 neighborhoods. Chicago isnt showy like L.A. or worldly like New York; its a big city wrapped in small-town sensibilities, both grounded and passionate. Living here grants you hustle and heart. Though this is a place where people still say hello when walking down the street, it requires real contact and honest effort to connect with the essence of Chi-Town. But if you spend some time interacting with locals and picking up the lingo, you will be rewarded.

I grew up on a placid South Side street, lined with wide lawns and laughter, called Avalon. It was here that I learned essential Chicago lifestyle standards: how to get the best seat on the L (shorthand for elevated train), how to represent the citys best baseball team (go White Sox!), and how to glide across the floor in the Steppin dance (a quintessential Chi-Town dance that has had couples swaying since the 50s). Since then, Ive lived all over the city, from Chatham, to Lakeview, to Rogers Park.

What I love about my city is that each neighborhood is like its own little village, with its own rules, main squares, and even unofficial mayors. While Chicago is famed for the glossy architecture of the Loop and the bikes, beers, and Cubs flags of the North Side, its lesser-known neighborhoods are where its spirit really shines. Theres Pilsen, where Mexican heritage and street art create a warm community; Hyde Park, where the citys love of arts and culture takes center stage; and Rogers Park, where the raw energy of a diverse population lends a free-wheeling open-mindedness.

This is my Chicago and Id love to take you there.

Chicago Riverwalk

TO DO LISTS

Chi-Town Essential

Savor

Groove to the

Chicago style

Listen to classic

Get out to

Chow down on

Get inspired by Black art at the

Take a trip down

Ramble the

See world-class Impressionist art at the

Laugh out loud at

Learn about labor history at the

Food and Drink

Wander the world in

Savor

Drink in local flavor at

Feast on

Enjoy the cultural feast of

Chow down on

Eat your way down

Scoop up

Enjoy greens with a side of in Garfield Park

Taste sweet

Indulge in in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

in Madison, Wisconsin

Wall of Honor project by students of Solorio High School and the J-DEF Peace Project

Arts and Culture

Go in Bronzeville

Stroll the in Pilsen

Groove to the

Celebrate music and history at

Listen to classic

Browse

Celebrate Borinqun culture at the

Get inspired by Black art at the

See world-class Impressionist art at the

Wander the urban canvas at the

Laugh out loud at

See a play (or two) at the historic

Tune in to

Appreciate Indigenous culture at the

Get Outside

Bike the

the Chicago River

Get out to

Hop a from the Loop

Ramble the

Paddle and play in the water at

Catch the views from

Find peace at

Amble along the elevated trail

Explore the

Walk in the woods at

Hike in

Michigan

Relax at Wisconsin

Enjoy the bounty of Wisconsin

Black Chicago

Go gallery-hopping in

Savor

Groove to the

Chicago style

Celebrate music and history at

Feast on

Eat your way down

Get inspired by Black art at the

Appreciate Chicagos Black roots at the

Learn about labor history at the

From Bloom to Doom by Collin van der Sluijs

Neighborhoods and City Streets

Wander the world in

Go gallery-hopping in

Stroll the street art in

Drink in local flavor at

Admire the amazing architecture of

Enjoy the cultural feast of

Browse

Hang out in happening

Eat your way down

Wander the urban canvas at the

Family Fun

Celebrate music and history at

Get out to

Paddle and play in the water at

Scoop up

Enjoy greens with a side of soul food in

Amble along the elevated trail

Taste sweet

Walk in the woods at

Hit the beach in Michigan

Relax at Wisconsin

Get Out of Town

Explore the eclectic in

Retrace Hemingways footsteps in

Walk in the woods at

Hike in

Go back in time in Illinois

Hit the beach in Michigan

Indulge in brats and brews in Wisconsin

Relax at Wisconsin

Dine lakeside in Wisconsin

Enjoy the bounty of Wisconsin