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May be moving to Chicago- need advice!
Hi- my husband and I may be moving from nyc to chicago in the next month or so. We're originally from the midwest, but we've been on the east coast for 10 years now and we're not super familiar with the area- what are some kid-friendly neighborhoods? We will be renting at first, and my husband will be working in River North, so ideally we'd like to live somewhat closeby (or a commute 30 min or less). My friend suggested the west loop or bucktown. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA!
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Re: May be moving to Chicago- need advice!
I second Bucktown or Wicker Park, which is adjacent to Bucktown. They are both family friendly neighborhoods, with small parks interspersed throughout and a lot of shopping/restaurants nearby. If you want something that feels a bit more residential but is still convenient for public transportation, Roscoe Village is really family friendly, has a lot of cute shops/restaurants, but is a bit further north (between Belmont and Addison, west of Southport).
The West Loop is a bit more commercial and less developed compared to Bucktown/Wicker Park/Roscoe Village - there aren't as many shops/restaurants, and a lot of the area "shuts down" or gets pretty quiet after the end of the work day.
Good luck!
Personally I wouldn't recommend bucktown nor the west loop for a family.
Bucktown nor Wicker Park is what you would call kid friendly.
We use to live in Lincoln Park and loved it! Lots of parks, restaurants, activities for kids and classes for them to take. I would recommend adjacent neighborhoods such as Lakeview and Old Town.
As far as finding an apartment, I would go through a realtor and not an apartment agency.
Hope that helps
I think, beyond family friendly, it depends upon what kind of experience you are looking for. Are you high rise people, or brownstone types? Do you drive? How about entertainment, athletic sorts or foodies?
Personally I find the following areas very family friendly: Lincoln Park (Zoo, great parks, near the lake), East Lakeview (mostly same as LP), Lincoln Square (Old Town School of Folk Music, great restaurants, good park), Andersonville (great restaurants, family oriented, walkable to good parks and lake).
Wicker Park and Bucktown, to me at least, is more youth oriented with music venues, pubs/bars, hipster clothing shops, etc. It is still hanging on to its rebel past slightly. I would move there except for the fact that I have a child and I wouldn't be able to take part in everything those neighborhoods have to offer!
Agree with PP, stay away from River North! Nothing for children there.
I agree that Lincoln Park and Old Town are family friendly, and the access to the zoo and lake are great, but I lived in Lincoln Park for 6 years, and it has A LOT of college-aged kids, because DePaul University is right there (Fullerton between Halsted and Sheffield). So, there are a lot of college type bars, and it can be pretty loud in that area between Wednesday-Saturday nights (and into the early morning). So, it's a toss-up. DH and I called the cops on our neighbors many times because they were partying till 3am and we had to work the next day - of course, you can run into people like that in any neighborhood. I loved the neighborhood when I was in law school and going out a lot, but once I started working and was married, we weren't out as late and the constant noise was irritating.
Wicker Park and Bucktown have a lot of "older" professionals (mid-to-late 20s and up), and while it does have bars/clubs/concert venues, we lived there for a few years and it appealed more to us, since we were "older" (27-29).
Lincoln Park and Old Town are also on the pricier side, so that's something to consider as well. Lakeview is nice, but I'd stay away from Wrigleyville, because Clark St. near Wrigley Field is essentially a giant strip of bars and drunk Cubs fans, young 20-somethings on the weekends and during game days.
Really though, each neighborhood has its pros and cons, and I'd recommend spending a day or two just walking around and getting a feel for what you want. Bear in mind that the closer you live to the lake, your DH will likely be taking the bus to work, because the El stops are a bit further west. Oh, and if parking is an issue, I'd definitely find a place with a reserved spot - parking in Old Town/Lincoln Park/Lakeview is awful if you live near the park/beach, especially on the weekends during the summer.
Good luck!
We live in Lincoln Square now, which is very family friendly. We live right across the street from a huge park (Welles) and there is another huge park (Horner) nearby.
We moved from Roscoe Village, which is just a little bit southwest and also extremely family-friendly.
You really can't go wrong with either place and I recommend them both highly. LP and Old Town are nice, but pricier. I think you get more of a family feel with LS and RV, and more for your money, too.
We moved from NYC 4 years ago... you will LOVE being able to afford a lot more space! We live in Lakeview with our 10 mo old and love it. We are around close to the Southport corridor area of Lakeview and it is like stroller city. Good luck!
Yes, LP and Lakeview can be family-oriented, but if you want to stay away from bars and college students, Lincoln Park/Lakeview is NOT the place to be. DePaul University is in the heart of Lincoln Park. I'd say the median age of most bars/restaurants is 22 (or those who still want to act it). It is gorgeous, don't get my wrong, and I used to live there when I moved here just like most people do in their early 20's, but by 26/27 it got way too college scene-y for me.
I also disagree with Bucktown not being family friendly, it is VERY family friendly. I'm far west in Bucktown, basically Logan Square, but I can barely walk down the sidewalk without crashing into someone's stroller when I'm in Bucktown :-) On that same note, I do agree that Roscoe Village, Lincoln Square, Andersonville, etc. have that same 30-something family feel. It just depends on if you want to be that far north.
Good luck whatever you decide!
Lincoln Square is a great option for familys lots of kids and kid friendly businesses in the area, the Brown Line runs right thru that area so it is easy to get downtown. Also as others have mentioned: Roscoe Village, Lincoln Park, and parts of East Lakeview (near the Lake before Wrigley). Roscoe Village and Lincoln Square probably have the fewest bars/college kids out of all of those neighborhoods but any of them should be good options.
West Loop and Bucktown are not places I would live with a kid personally. West Loop is very business oriented/highrise/high end restaurant and bars. Bucktown or at least the part that isn't right on top of Logan Square is a lot of young professionals mixed in with a neighborhood that is still definitly gentrifying so you will have nice houses next to scuzzy places and the crime rate reflects that.