Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is the neighborhood other neighborhoods want to be when they grow up. Stretching from North Avenue to Diversey Parkway, with the lake on one side and the Chicago River on the other, it packs brownstones, new-construction townhomes, and high-rise condos with lake views into some of the most walkable blocks in the city.

The 1,208-acre park that gives the neighborhood its name is the real anchor here. Free zoo, conservatory, running trails along the water, North Avenue Beach on summer weekends. Families, young professionals, and people who have lived in Chicago their whole lives all end up here for the same reasons: you can walk to almost anything, the food on Halsted and Armitage is excellent, and the Brown Line gets you downtown in 15 minutes.

Grab a burger at R.J. Grunts on Dickens, then walk up Clark to The Wieners Circle for a late-night chargrilled dog (and some colorful commentary from the staff). Lincoln Park has that rare combination of big-city energy and block-party neighborliness. The real estate market reflects it. Median prices are high, competition is fierce, and homes here hold their value better than almost anywhere in Chicago.

You could eat your way through Lincoln Park for a year and never repeat a restaurant. Alinea on North Halsted is the three-Michelin-star destination that puts Chicago on the global culinary map. Mon Ami Gabi on Lincoln Avenue does a perfect steak frites. Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba on Halsted has been serving tapas since before tapas were trendy.

Armitage Avenue is where you go to browse. Independent designers, upscale home goods, and coffee at Gaslight Coffee Roasters make it a solid Saturday afternoon. On weekends, the Green City Market near the south end of the park pulls in thousands of people for local produce, fresh bread, and seasonal flowers.

For evenings out, Delilah's on Lincoln Avenue pours one of the best whiskey selections in the city, and The Second City's UP Comedy Club on Wells Street keeps the laughs coming in an intimate room. Lincoln Park covers the full spectrum, from tasting-menu dinners to sidewalk espressos on a quiet Saturday morning.

Getting downtown from Lincoln Park takes about 15 minutes, no exaggeration. The Brown Line stops at Armitage, Fullerton, and Diversey all feed into the Loop quickly. The Red Line at Fullerton gives you express north-south service, and CTA buses like the #73 Armitage, #74 Fullerton, and #151 Sheridan fill in the gaps.

Lake Shore Drive gets you to the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, or the northern suburbs by car, though rush hour can be unpredictable. A lot of residents skip driving entirely. Divvy stations are everywhere, the terrain is flat, and protected bike lanes on Wells Street and Clybourn Avenue make cycling a legit year-round commute.

For flights, the Blue Line from the nearby Fullerton transfer gets you to O'Hare in about 30 minutes. Midway is reachable via the Orange Line connection downtown.