Growing up, I lived in a suburb south of Chicago—Frankfort, to be more specific. But of course, when people asked me where I was from, I would always just answer, “Chicago” to make things simpler. It didn’t seem like too much of a lie anyway since the city was only about 45 minutes from my house. But the suburbs always seemed more like home to me. So as you can imagine, I was pretty disappointed when my parents actually did move into the city while I was away at school. But when I actually experienced city life for a whole summer last year, I had more fun than I had ever had before. I gained a whole new appreciation for the city that I now proudly call home. Don’t get me wrong—I love going to school here in Ohio. But now that the end of the school year is rapidly approaching, here are just a few reasons why I’m excited to be spending my summer in Chi-Town.
1. Portillo’s.
One of the biggest sacrifices you make when you move out of Illinois is giving up Portillo’s for months on end. As I’m eating in the dining hall at school for the millionth time, I can’t help but to daydream about the amazingly delicious burger I’m going to be enjoying next week. Not to mention the insanely large chocolate shake filled with about a pound of cake.
2. Day trips to some of the best museums in the world.
Whether it’s the Shedd, the Field Museum, the Art Institute or the Planetarium, there are so many incredible exhibits to see. No matter how many times I visit the Field, I always look forward to visiting the mummies and, of course, Sue’s head.
3. The Magnificent Mile (aka shopping, shopping, shopping).
If you’ve ever walked down Michigan Avenue, you know that it’s impossible to walk even a block without having to stop in at least one (or 10) stores. I probably get a little too happy when I find a three-story Forever 21. You could easily spend a whole day there.
4. Being near the lake.
I love that no matter where you are downtown, you’re not far from a gorgeous view of the lake. I’m not at all a morning person, but waking up and seeing the beach right outside of my window is pretty much instant happiness.
5. Lincoln Park Zoo.
Not only is Lincoln Park one of the oldest zoos in the country, it’s also one of the only ones that has no admission fee. This zoo has always been one of my favorite places to go in the entire city. And with beautiful scenery and adorable baby meerkats, how could it not be?
6. The Sears Tower Ledge (or Willis Tower, if you must).
Even as someone who’s absolutely terrified of heights, I can never pass up this view. Looking out and seeing the beauty of the entire city makes you realize even more just how lucky you are to be there.
7. Navy Pier.
I came here on so many class field trips as a kid and I still haven’t done everything there is to do here. I just recently discovered that there was Bubba Gump Shrimp here—and as a huge lover of Forrest Gump, this was a pivotal moment in my life. I spent at least half an hour in the gift shop. It’s not every day you see a “stupid is as stupid does” license plate.
I may be a just a little bit biased, but in my eyes, Chicago will always be the best city in the world. I fall in love with it more all the time and I’m so incredibly fortunate to be spending another beautiful summer in the place that I will always consider home.
