Off to visit the American Midwest and the megalopolis of Chicago? Here are the best neighborhoods to stay in Chicago!
The third-largest city in the United States by population – after New York and Los Angeles – Chicago is an economic and cultural center of the Midwest. The city has a population of 2,704,958 and a total urban area of 9,526,434, covering an area of 606 km². Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago is also the second-largest industrial hub in the U.S., attracting millions of tourists every year. And yes, Chicago is no longer bloodied by the crime and violence of the Sicilian mafia in Little Italy.
Lodging in Chicago is pretty easy: there’s an abundance of accommodation, with around 100,000 hotel rooms concentrated in the Loop, Near North and Gold Coast. As a general rule, sleeping in Chicago is expensive. Here’s our rundown of neighborhoods to stay in Chicago.
The Loop
Photo credit: Wikimedia – Daniel Schwen
The Loop takes its name from the loops formed by the railroad lines linking downtown to the suburbs. It’s Chicago’s business district. It was the birthplace of the first skyscraper in the United States. Don’t miss the Willis Tower, the facades of Michigan Avenue and the shores of Lake Michigan. Millenium Park and Grant Park, on the edge of the lake, are real green lungs in the middle of a sea of concrete, ideal for recharging your batteries near Buckingham Fountain.
You’ll notice the arcades of the aerial subway, featured in many films shot in this blues capital. Punctuate your cultural outings with a concert in the iconic Chicago Theater, between North State Street and Lake Street. In addition, numerous bars and restaurants line the avenues, alongside luxury boutiques for your shopping spree. The Loop for accommodation in Chicago is central, but expensive.
Find a hotel in the Loop
Find an Airbnb in the Loop
Gold Coast
Photo credit: Flickr – Marco Verch
The Gold Coast district attracts Chicago’s wealthy shoppers and tourists. Here, you’ll find luxury boutiques and the occasional Rolls Royce cruising along the boulevards, making Saint-Tropez look like a popular village! Visit 360° Chicago, a 310-metre-high skyscraper overlooking Lake Michigan and the city. On the « skywalk », a terrace perched high above, you can feel the power of the wind – Chicago calls itself the « Windy City » – and hear the sounds of the city. – and hear the sounds of the city.
Step inside the city’s Museum of Contemporary Art, which boasts a collection of 6,000 works by world-renowned artists such as Frida Kahlo, Antoni Tapies, Dan Flavin and Jeff Koons. In the evening, relax between North Michigan Avenue and North Lasalle Dr., where you’ll find countless bars and restaurants serving international cuisine. All in all, it’s a cosmopolitan and central neighborhood in which to stay in Chicago.
Find a hotel in Gold Coast
Find an Airbnb in Gold Coast
Old Town
Photo credit: Flickr – discosour
As its name suggests, this is Chicago’s historic district. Sandwiched between the Gold Coast and Goose Island, it’s a very touristy area, formerly populated by German immigrants. Victorian architecture is very much in evidence, and the narrow streets lined with greenery offer visitors a picturesque charm. The district is alive day and night, thanks to the many bars, restaurants and boutiques scattered around: social life is punctuated by commerce during the day, and in the evening, you can relax and enjoy a good beer on the corner of the historic streets.
On its eastern flank, Lincoln Park is a green giant – the country’s second-largest urban park after Central Park – covering 8.26 km², including the Chicago Museum of Natural History, the Botanical Garden and the Lincoln Park Zoo. In the 1960s, Lincoln Park was the headquarters of the Young Lords, a collective involved in the civil rights struggle. If you want to combine a cultural vacation with relaxation, this is an excellent neighborhood in which to stay in Chicago.
Find a hotel in Old Town
Find an Airbnb in Old Town
Main photo credit: Flickr – Pedro Szekely