Map of Chicago
Chicago is predominantly a north-south city, with most of the touristy sights concentrated downtown in the Loop, River North and Streeterville neighborhoods. These areas are fairly small and services by server bus and el routes. It’s possible to walk from one end of the Loop to the other in about ten minutes and to traverse the length of the Magnificent Mile in about 15. Going further afield – such as to the museum campus, south to Hyde Park to visit the Museum of Science and Industry or north to Wrigley Field – will take 15-20 minutes vie el or bus.
Thanks to an efficient public transportation system, it’s easy to venture out of the small downtown area to more of Chicago’s liveable neighborhoods like Lakeview, Bucktown and Lincoln Park. In fact, it would be a shame to visit and not leave the downtown business and tourist zone to explore these vibrant enclaves full of great dining, drinking and shopping spots, leafy parks, and off-the-beaten path attractions.