If you have experienced living in the northern U.S. then you’re aware of the adjustments needed due to weather. There are usually all four seasons. It includes quite a cold winter, often paired with snow. That’s one tip we have for those unfamiliar with Chicago and Illinois. Below are a few more we recommend.
Explore the City
Being in a new and unfamiliar city is a challenge not for the weak-hearted. If you haven’t taken a leap of faith such as this before, you’ll probably need to prepare for what is expected. You won’t know anyone, you won’t see a familiar face. This is something hard for a lot of folks transitioning to a new home. To ease the discomfort, try to make a list of recreational activities to attend.
With this, you can make a list of places to visit and make it a point to be social with your neighborhood. The Navy Pier and Millenium Park are huge outdoor locations for gatherings. The Navy Pier offers multiple areas for events that can be organized for any personal or community activity. If there aren’t any events, stop at the beer garden or the Children’s Museum. Even if it takes a bit for you to meet new friends, your kids can hang out with other locals.
Weather Will Define Your Lifestyle
Downtown Chicago is a central hub in the global world market. On any given day, there could be a couple hundred thousand residents moving through the city. You will want to incorporate your work commute into your plans before your move. While looking at apartments for Chicago apartments for rent, calculate the distance to your place of employment.
As we mentioned above, the winters in Chicago can be treacherous. Many of those who live downtown only travel by train, taxi, or bike. With these methods, you’ll have to consider the temperatures and snow. The wind off of Lake Michigan tends to be unpleasant during the harsh winters. They don’t call it the “Windy City” for no reason!
Embrace the New and Sometimes Strange
Like many cities around the country and even the world, some traditions have been incorporated into daily living for natives. Whether this is expressed by festivals, food, or fireworks, their traditions are special to them. For St. Patrick’s Day in March, Chicago dyes the river green. And the pizza you should be ordering while you are here is “deep dish”.
The city is the birthplace of many cultural art and theater scenes. It’s especially true for the improv comedy scene. Maybe take a shot at it and take some classes yourself! Chicago is also home to the popular comedy venues Laugh Factory and UP Comedy Club if you want to just catch a funny show.
Big City, Big Sports
Chicago, like other metropolitan areas in the U.S., is home to some of the best in professional sports. The Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs are the official MLB teams in the city. Between them, they have only taken home a few World Series titles. This doesn’t deter their fans. They show up for their Cubs and Sox with true Chicago spirit every season!
Another very popular team from Chicago is the NFL team the Chicago Bears. Even more familiarly due to Michael Jordan, most know of the Chicago Bulls NBA team. Mike and his teammates transformed the entire game of basketball and much of it happened right at Chicago Stadium.
Art is Everywhere
Just walking the streets you can see the vibrant talent among artists in the area. Many of the city is covered in murals, many done by locals. There is a long-standing love for surrealism that is present in Chicago. In the mid-1960s, a group of representational artists called the Chicago Imagists challenged the New York art scene. Creating very strange and surrealist productions.
There are contemporary galleries all over the city representing the unique art of Chicago. It’s been described as nothing like any other art scene in the country. The whole of the city is deeply submerged in the art scene and it could be your new favorite hobby as well.
There are more tips than we could even share, but most of them you’ll have to discover on your own. The most important on our list is the weather aspect. As long as you dress right for the weather, you’re halfway to a good day!
You had me at beer garden! Thank you for the helpful info about Chicago.
I would love to visit Chicago. I would love to go to a baseball game. Great tips.