Explore My Hometown: An Insider’s Look into Chicago

Her Campus McGill’s writers have decided to let you get to know them through this series of articles about their hometowns. Find out insider information about Canadian towns & beyond from the microcosm of a diverse international student population that is Her Campus McGill

I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and even though I’m French, and my family moved around for a while, I ended up living most of my years in Chicago, and I consider it my hometown. I’m extremely excited about the fact that this week I’m allowed to share everything I love about this city!

For of those of you who don’t know, Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States. It isn’t as big as New York, nor as temperate as Los Angeles, but trust me when I say its advantages go beyond size and season. We do have a few characteristics in common with those big cities, but we also distinguish ourselves with a few things that are truly Chicagoan, like Al Capone, or most recently, the Blackhawks – the hockey team that has won two Stanley Cups in less than four years. 

Did you know Chicago’s improv company, The Second City, is the place where Tina Fey and Steve Martin first started doing comedy? Well, lucky for you, Second City still exists and does shows, so that’s something to check out. Ever heard of deep dish pizza from Giordano’s? It originated from Chicago and is intensely delicious (I really mean it: people line up at the downtown location just waiting for a taste of the pizza). Chicago is located right next to Lake Michigan, whose Navy Pier is full of attractions such as the Ferris Wheel – one of my favorite places for viewing the beautiful, iconic skyline of Chicago. 

If you like New York… 

You’ll like Chicago because it also has a mix of parks and urban setting. Millenium Park, located right next to the Art Institute, is divided into different segments of grassy areas and fountains, and is also home to the sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor that we just refer to as “the Bean.” Two blocks away from the park you’ll be in the middle of downtown, with the possibility of going shopping or getting something to eat or drink. 

Speaking of food, Chicago has plenty of diverse neighborhoods for those interested in ethnic fare: we have two Chinatowns, an Indian/Pakistani neighborhood as well as a Greektown. In terms of drinking, if you’re over 21, there’s a whole street dedicated to that: Clark Street. Of course there are bars and pubs all over Chicago, but if you just want to go bar hopping, Clark Street (next to Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs) is where you should start. 

If you’re not 21 or if you just want to hang around Chicago during the day, I would definitely check out the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Musueum (which is more of a history musueum) and the Science and Industry Musueum. All of them offer great permanent and temporary exhibitions. I also suggest visiting the Peggy Notebaert Nature Musueum – they have a hothouse filled with butterflies that are free to fly and/or land on you. Next to that musueum is the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is not only free but also has a surprisingly wide range of animals.  There is also the Chicago History Musuem  which includes many interactive exhibitions.

If you like Los Angeles…

You’ll love Chicago in the summer. There are so many festivals that even though I’ve been there for 15 years, it’s almost as though I discover a new festival every year. The more popular ones are probably the Taste of Chicago, the Jazz Festival, the occasional Art Fests and Lollapalooza. The Taste of Chicago is an event when restaurants all around the city get you to try all their foods, and Lollapalooza, the equivalent of Coachella, is a music festival with a really decent lineup, located downtown in Grant Park. Earlier in the summer, there is an electronic festival called Spring Awakening, held in Soldier Field, where Chicago’s football team, the Bears, play. 

Since Chicago is situated right next to Lake Michigan, there are naturally plenty of beaches, perfect for swimming or tanning. During mid-april, when the weather is at its hottest (30 degrees Celsius), you can sit on the beach and enjoy the free Air and Water Show, a weekend of boats and military airplanes doing tricks. We also have a great Pride Parade, that starts from Boystown (Chicago’s gay village), and passes through all the big intersections. 

If I haven’t convinced you to check out Chicago, take a look at different events that I probably don’t know about on this site. 

P.S: Chicago is the hometown to scores of famous people, including Obama, Oprah, Kayne West, Common, Muddy Waters, John and Joan Cusack, Hugh Hefner, Vince Vaughn, Bernie Mac, John Malkovitch, Robin Williams and Bill Murray. 

Images Retrieved From:

http://www.travigators.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Chicago-Millennium-Park.jpghttp://markcz.com/photos/assets_c/2010/06/05031617A-thumb-800xauto-267.jpghttp://mediocrityisthenewgenius.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/lollapalooza.jpeghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rscCB0j7_60/T-9JykNW42I/AAAAAAAABwE/1qY0sL1rTSo/s1600/SMPRIDEBalloons.jpghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ488QrqGE4http://www.ccumc.org/assets/media/chicago_sign.jpg

• chicago
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