w i l d o n i o n s . o r g
Chicago's Nexus

Sears Tower in the Loop

Near Southwest. A large swatch of land encompassing the University of Illinois at Chicago and the surrounding University Village and Little Italy neighborhoods (pictured); historically Irish Bridgeport and Canaryville; the industrial park that has replaced the Union Stock Yards, and the nearby Back-of-the-Yards neighborhood.

Near South. Historically a destination for immigrants and since the early 20th Century a large community of African Americans, the Near South includes the Bronzeville neighborhood, sometimes called "Black Metropolis", a showplace of African-American culture and home of the Chicago Defender newspaper (pictured). Also in this large area south of downtown, one finds the South Loop, a somewhat less developed extension of the commerce to the north; Chicago's classic Chinatown, now expanding into the Near Southwest; as well as the once-and-once-again upscale Prairie District, an upper-echelon neighborhood of a bygone era and one of Chicago's most recently rehabbed. The whole of the Near South is changing rapidly as its prime location prompts a rediscovery of its real estate by developers and well-to-do homebuyers.

North Side. Especially for the past several decades, the North Side has been Chicago's premier upscale residential location. With property values high in almost all of the area's charming neighborhoods, it is safe to say that the historic character and contemporary gentility of the North Side has been discovered. Chicagoans and tourists alike flock to the trendy bistros and boutiques of the Lincoln Park neighborhood and to the grassy lawns and world-famous zoo of Lincoln Park itself. Nearby DePaul University's student body is reputed to be among the nation's happiest. Lakeview draws crowds for its extravaganza of eclectica on Belmont Avenue and in the flamboyant gay community in New Town, also known as Boys Town, along Halsted and Broadway streets. More tranquil communities such as West Lakeview, Roscoe Village and North Center delight their residents with a touch of relaxed Americana right inside the big city. Chicago's so-called "necropolis", the sprawling, elegant Graceland Cemetary, sits in the northern part of the North Side, and nearby Buena Park, with its stunning Romanesque church St. Mary's of the Lake, lies directly east, at the southern border of Uptown and the Far North.

Far South. Occupied primarily by Lake Calumet and its industries, Chicago's far south offers a handful of historic residential neighborhoods, many of them economically underpriveleged, such as Fernwood, Rosemoor, Roseland, and West Pullman - and one surprising tourist destination, the Pullman district itself, a failed experiment in company housing from the turn of the 20th Century which today is being remade both as a destination for sightseers and as a desirable residential location. Pullman's striking architecture and wistful monuments to its creator, the Pullman Company and its patriarch George Pullman.

Midway Airport.

O'Hare Airport. One of the busiest airports in the world, and a continuation of Chicago's long-standing tradition as a national transportation hub and crossroads. Some interesting modern and postmodern architecture graces O'Hare, especially in the flagship American and United terminals. The restaurants and shops also make O'Hare a sprawling belt of commerce in its own right, but with strict flight regulations in effect, the majority of its offerings are only open to airline travelers. For international flights, O'Hare is an efficient choice; domestic travelers may also want to consider Midway.

Outside Chicago: