The Official "I'm visiting/moving to Chicago, what should I do?" Thread

[Hecago]

Here's something I thought of, since so many people make threads like "I'm visting Chicago this summer, what are some must-see things?" or "What aree some things to do here?"Maybe we could make a sticky devoted to just that. A thread where we can post links, pictures, and suggestions of things to do and/or see in Chicago. Does anyone think it's a good idea?

[Steely Dan]

it is a good idea, so let's just make it this thread. i'll close down all the others.

all subsequent threads that are started asking about visiting or moving to the windy city will be merged with this thread from now on. it'll just help keep things more organized and "clean".

[UrbanSophist]

In fact, I had the same idea. I just don't know how to make sticky threads.

[Mr Man]

great idea.

[Azn_chi_boi]

I agree about this thread too... maybe make an FAQ about Chicago tourist spots too instead of over and over asking about tourists spots, clubs, nightlife, etc.

[Hecago]

From chicagotraveler.com

There is so much to experience in Chicago, it’s difficult to know where to begin. You may want to start with an overview of the city. First, see the expanse of the Chicagoland area from 1,000 feet above at the John Hancock Observatory or the Sears Tower Skydeck. Next you can head over to Navy Pier to experience the Amazing Chicago Funhouse Maze, which takes you through a journey of Chicago landmarks and history. Also at Navy Pier, Time Escape is a 3-D motion simulation experience allowing you to travel through Chicago’s history, present and future. There are a variety of boat tours departing from Navy Pier and other city locations, as well as city bus tours, which point out significant landmarks and provide interesting information about Chicago and its history. See our tours section for more tour information and see our Navy Pier section for more exciting things to do while you’re there.

The Museum Campus, near Soldier Field, is home to the Field Museum of Natural History and the Adler Planetarium, two excellent museums. See our museums section for more information. Also located at Museum Campus is the Shedd Aquarium, which is the world's largest indoor aquarium with more than 8,000 aquatic animals representing more than 700 species from all parts of the world. You can take a water taxi between Museum Campus and Navy Pier.

Two of the finest zoos in the country are located in the Chicago area and both are highly recommended. First, on the city’s north side is Lincoln Park Zoo. This free zoo is open every day of the year. While it is one of the oldest zoos in the country, it is also one of the most modern. Brookfield Zoo, located in Brookfield, Illinois, just west of Chicago, is situated on 216 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, featuring over 2,000 animals.

No matter what time of year you visit Chicago, there is bound to be special events that you won’t want to miss. Many of the special events are held in the summer, but check our events calendar to see all that Chicago is offering during your stay. Just a few annual favorites -- the Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago Air & Water Show and Venetian Night.

Events Calendar: http://www.chicagotraveler.com/calen...s-calendar.htm

Museums:

ABA Museum of Law
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
Art Institute of Chicago, The
ARTiFACT Center at Spertus Museum
Chicago Architecture Foundation/ArchiCenter
Chicago Botanic Garden
Chicago Children's Museum
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago History Museum
City Gallery at the Historic Water Tower
Clarke House Museum
DuSable Museum of African American History
Elks National Veterans Memorial
Field Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick C. Robie House
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple
Gallery 37 Center of the Arts
International Museum of Surgical Science
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
Jane Addams Hull House Museum
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
Loyola University Museum of Art
McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum

Museum of Contemporary Art
Museum of Contemporary Photography
Museum of Holography
Museum of Science and Industry
National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
Notebaert Nature Museum, The
Peace Museum
Pullman Historic District
Sculpture Chicago
Shedd Aquarium
Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago
Spertus Museum/Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies
Swedish American Museum Center
The Martin D'Arcy Gallery of Art
The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
Ukrainian National Museum

Libraries:

Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Library Center
Newberry Library
Pritzker Military Library


Sports:

Chicago Bulls Basketball: http://www.bulls.com

Chicago Cubs Baseball: http://www.cubs.com

Chicago White Sox Baseball: http://www.whitesox.com

Chicago Blackhawks Hockey: http://www.chicagoblackhawks.com/

Chicago Fire Soccer: www.chicago-fire.com


Parks:

Buckingham Fountain:



Lincoln Park:









Grant Park:





Millenium Park:

[IMG]http://www.millenniumpark.org/images/artarch_intro.jpg[IMG]

[ChiLooper]

Lou Malnatti's
Here is a link to their website for information
http://www.loumalnatis.com/

[spyguy]

^Yeah, these last posts are basically what I was going to suggest we put in the first posts. Links to museums, parks, entertainment for tourists and the links to neighborhood maps/photos/etc. for people moving.

I'd also suggest less photos that are smaller since this isn't really a picture thread and it'll cut down on loading times which is a problem with the "blow you away" thread.

[Vincey37]

Potential new resident here. I have a couple questions

1) Can anyone give me a quick rundown of the city/state tax structure and rates?
2) I'm looking for a one bedroom apartment, high rise and new construction preferable, convenient to public transportation, safe neighborhood, $1000 - 1600. Would prefer most of the residents to be young professionals. I know that's a lot of requirements. Any other buildings you've had positive experiences with or heard were good would be appreciated too.

Thanks!

PS. Are members on the forum not allowed to search? I keep on getting a page that says I don't have permission to do so.

[Mr Man]

God bless cragislist... along with rent.com, apartments.com, and so on. I'm gonna be fine!!

How bad is traffic along I-90 in the morning? I found some decent listings south of downtown and the Arlington Heights area. Thanks all for your help in the other thread.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Mr Man

God bless cragislist... along with rent.com, apartments.com, and so on. I'm gonna be fine!!

How bad is traffic along I-90 in the morning? I found some decent listings south of downtown and the Arlington Heights area. Thanks all for your help in the other thread.

I-90 north of the circle is known as "the kennedy expressway", but it would be more accurately described as "the kennedy 20 mile long linear parking lot" during rush hour. if you're working downtown i would STRONGLY recommend against arlington heights unless you plan to take advantage of metra commuter rail, which rolls right through the town center of arlington heights.

[tootshibbard]

The most comprehensive dining, entertainment, and nightlife general web page for Chicago IMO is....

www.metromix.com



Maybe we should also have a sticky on the first post of this page to provide all the links to Chicago travel, employment, and housing guides for travlers and newcomers?

[UICist]

Originally Posted by tootshibbard

The most comprehensive dining, entertainment, and nightlife general web page for Chicago IMO is....

www.metromix.com



Maybe we should also have a sticky on the first post of this page to provide all the links to Chicago travel, employment, and housing guides for travlers and newcomers?

It's good, but lthforum.com is great for eateries.

[Kevin J]

Originally Posted by Vincey37

Potential new resident here. I have a couple questions

1) Can anyone give me a quick rundown of the city/state tax structure and rates?
2) I'm looking for a one bedroom apartment, high rise and new construction preferable, convenient to public transportation, safe neighborhood, $1000 - 1600. Would prefer most of the residents to be young professionals. I know that's a lot of requirements. Any other buildings you've had positive experiences with or heard were good would be appreciated too.

Thanks!

PS. Are members on the forum not allowed to search? I keep on getting a page that says I don't have permission to do so.

1) Illinois has a flat tax rate of 3%. Cities in Illinois do not have income taxes, so the only other taxes you might pay are property tax and sales tax. You will only pay property tax directly if you own a home (rental landlords will pass the tax along to you as part of your rent). Property tax rates vary and are much too complicated to explain here.

Sales tax rates vary as well, and are generally lower in the suburbs than in the city of Chicago. The general sales tax rate in Chicago is 9%, which I'm pretty sure is a high for the U.S. But there are several exceptions to this rate. On the positive side, the sales tax on food items bought in a store (i.e. not in a restaurant) is only 2%. On the negative side, the sales tax in restaurants in the greater downtown area is a whopping 10.25%!

2) The only new construction high-rises in Chicago are downtown. Your price range will get you a one-bedroom in just about anything that's been built in the last 5 years. Anything downtown will be transit accessible, full of young professionals, and in safe areas. However, very few of the new buildings that have gone up recently are rental buildings. Most are condos. Many condo units are available for rental, but you'd be renting from the condo owner, rather than a management company.

[Vincey37]

Thanks, Kevin J. I buy most of my non food items online anyway, so 3% is good news!

I'm still on the lookout for specific recommendations as far as apartment buildings. I know about Rent.com, CraigsList, etc., but it's so difficult to sort through what is good and what is not - especially with all the suspiciously positive or negative reviews on Apartment Ratings.

[UrbanSophist]

Do your best to live in a place in the region where you can get to work and back, as well as all those other life necessities, without a car. You'll be much happier overall. Driving in Chicago rush hour makes me insane.

[tootshibbard]

jobs and housing - http://classifieds.chicagoreader.com/chicago/index
apartments - http://www.chicagotribune.com/classi...state/renting/
housing - http://www.realtymort.com

[PrintersRowBoiler]

Mr Man
I work near OHare and live in the city too. Right now, I live in Lakeview, the "Big 10 neighborhood of the city". A lot of recent college grads. I-90 is not that bad during rush hour. I would not call Jefferson Park exciting, but if you are off the blue line, you are a short ride from the action. A lot of people that work with me live in Bucktown. It is right off I-90, is young, and affordable. There are good parts and bad parts of Bucktown, so be careful. Wicker Park is also a great place for people working by OHare. Expect your commute to take about 35 minutes by car if you live in Bucktown during rush hour going towards Ohare, and may take longer on certain days leaving.

[Toronto_boise]

Is this travel deal worth it?

(it's in CDN dollars)

I'm getting quad room, by the way.

http://www.taipantours.com/eng/coach...w.php?pkgid=82

[UrbanSophist]

Originally Posted by Toronto_boise

Is this travel deal worth it?

(it's in CDN dollars)

I'm getting quad room, by the way.

http://www.taipantours.com/eng/coach...w.php?pkgid=82

It honestly looks pretty cool. I'd do it.