About Chicago & Residency Life
Top 10 Reasons to Live in Chicago
- There are some things uniquely awesome about the people living in the Midwest: Chicagoans look out for each other, they are polite to each other, they have a strong ethic and sense of self, they have a different sort of respect, their demeanor is rugged and they seem to know that their spot in existence is well-earned.
- Chicago has amazing architecture, diverse neighborhoods, restaurants with any phenomenal cuisine you can think of, and a history you can’t beat.
- Breathtaking skyline accompanied by Navy Pier and the memorable Magnificent Mile.
- Visit the Hancock Tower Signature Lounge on the 96th floor for a fantastic view of greater Chicago area.
- Lake Michigan: You can swim in it, sail in it, buy a boat and dock it. You can play volleyball on the sand, barbecue nearby, take a stroll, ride your bike, or rollerblade along the shoreline. You can go to the Lincoln Park Zoo when you get bored. The best part about the lake is that you can feel safe in and around it. Currents in the ocean can kill you. So can sharks.
- A diversity of museums, including the Art Institute, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and Museum of Science and Industry.
- Great live theater, operas, symphonies. Fall out of your seat laughing comedy shows. Free daily outdoor music concerts.
- Lots of jobs: Don’t worry; you WILL pay off your student loans.
- Transportation is a snap with the train, bus, and cab systems.
- Great, diverse, exciting, and/or romantic nightlife.
Fun Facts about Suburban Life
- The suburbs, such as Oak Park, Brookfield, and Riverside, are decorated with prosperous and quaint downtown areas, which are mixed with boutiques, upscale chain stores and restaurants.
- DuPage County is directly west of Loyola University Medical Center and has long been known as one of the nation’s wealthiest counties.
- Avid shoppers will appreciate the variety of shopping malls in DuPage County, including the Oakbrook Center, which is the largest open air mall in the nation, the Woodfield Shopping Center, and the Promenade in Bolingbrook.
- DuPage County is the primary location of the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor. It is home to many large corporations providing ample opportunities for employment for both you and your significant other.
- DuPage County is home to some of the nation’s best school systems academically and athletically. Chicago and DuPage combined house nearly to a dozen prominent colleges and universities.
- The suburbs offer a rich, local music scene. Oakbrook Terrace’s Drury Lane Theater is specially known to offer stellar theatrical performances.
- College of DuPage (COD) has a theater and hosts many different theatrical events throughout the year.
- DuPage County is home to many museums and points of interest including the DuPage Children’s Museum, Lizzadro Lapidary Museum, Mayslake Peabody Estate, Morton Arboretum, Naper Settlement and Elmhurst Art Museum.
- Morton Arboretum is a wonderful, large botanic garden with miles of walking trails. They have a spectacular December outdoor light festival and numerous family activities throughout the entire year.
- To the north of Chicago, there is Chicago Botanical Gardens and Ravinia - an outdoor summer concert venue with a wide variety of music events.
- Chicagoland has an extensive system of trails and parks for walking, running and cycling: forest preserves, trails and golf courses are found in almost every suburb.
- Fermi Lab, which has the world’s second-highest-energy particle accelerator in the world is located Batavia, IL. It has a very interesting guided tour for the public and a great speakers series throughout the year on a wide variety of topics.
- Argonne National Laboratory, one of the United States government’s older and largest science and engineering research laboratories is located in Argonne.
Chicagoland Online Resources
Local Traffic and Weather
Transportation
- O'Hare International Airport
- Midway Airport Information
- Metra Commuter Rail System
- Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Lodging
Newspapers
Museums and Galleries
- Adler Planetarium
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Notebaert Nature Museum
- Chicago Historical Society
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Morton Arboretum
- Museum of Broadcast Communications
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Oriental Institute Museum
Points of Interest
- Chicago Botanic Garden
- Brookfield Zoo
- Chicago Architecture Foundation
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Shedd Aquarium
- Chicago Cubs: Wrigley Field
- Chicago White Sox: Guaranteed Rate Field
- Chicago Bears: Soldier Field
- Chicago Bulls: United Center
- Chicago Blackhawks: United Center
Dining and Entertainment
See What Resident Life Is Like!
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