There’s so much more to Chicago than our seasons and baseball teams (we have two, by the way). Whether you’ve lived your entire life or recently moved here, if you’re a genuine Chicagoan at heart, here are 35 Chicago facts you know are true.
Only real Chicago locals know the following facts
1. The city was rebuilt on a grid system after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, making it really easy to not get lost. State and Madison are both zero and Lake Michigan is always east.
2. Speaking of windy, the city is called The Windy City not because of our wind, but because of the hot air coming out of the mouths of our politicians.
3. Traffic is brutal here during rush hour. It’s not unusual for it to take 30 minutes to drive three miles. Plan accordingly.
4. Lower Wacker Drive is a godsend to us who need to travel by car through the Loop. And the pedway, an underground walkway through the Loop, is a hidden gem and one of the reasons we survive the winter.
5. The Garfield Park Conservatory’s hot and humid atmosphere is like a spa treatment for your lungs during the cold winters.
6. Sears Tower will always be the Sears Tower. No one here calls it the Willis Tower.
7. Ketchup doesn’t belong on a real Chicago hotdog.
8. You can’t just order an Italian beef sandwich, which, despite its name, was born in Chicago. You need to be specific. Order it regular, dry or wet, hot or sweet. Once you figure out what you like, you’ll be ordering like a pro in no time.
9. Lou Malnatti’s, Gino’s East and Giordano’s serve great deep dish pizza. So does Pequod’s. Although real Chicago pizza, according to the purists, is tavern-style, not deep dish.
10. Speaking of the Chicago Cubs, they never disappoint in disappointing us. Yet, year after year, we show up because attending a baseball game at historic Wrigley Field in Lakeview is really one huge party.
11. The world’s first skyscraper, Malört, the Ferris Wheel, Chicago Blues and house music all originated in Chicago.
12. Chicago residents will call “dibs” on public street parking spots they’ve shoveled by placing anything from old wooden chairs to baby car seats. Removing the eyesore might cost you your tires.
13. Summer doesn’t officially start until Mario’s Italian Lemonade stand in Little Italy opens up.
14. We aren’t Kansas City or Texas but we can hold our own when it comes to BBQ. Head to Lem’s in the Chatham neighborhood on the south side for juicy ribs or other meats still topped with its original BBQ sauce recipe or Smoque in the Old Irving Park neighborhood on the northwest side for ribs or brisket with a side of mac ‘n cheese. Both are worth the trek.
15. It’s not immediately obvious to the naked eye but the Chicago River has a surprisingly active ecosystem with lots of fish (including bass and trout), turtles, frogs, beavers, muskrats and even the occasional otter.
16. Although Chicago is a city of almost three million people, it’s surprisingly clean because our garbage bins are in the alleys and not the streets.
17. Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or you’re a recent transplant, you have to get a photo in front of the Bean at Millennium Park.
18. The Chicago Public Library offers Chicago families free family museum passes.
19. Commune with apes, lions, penguins and more at the Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the country and still free to visit.
20. Chicago has two dozen beaches and all are free to enjoy whether you’re a local or visitor to the city.
21. Divvy bike-sharing makes it easy and cost-effective to get around on two wheels. Choose from two options – the classic or ebike version.
22. Museums in Chicago can get pricy for a family if they don’t have a family membership. Most museums offer free museum days making it a fun way to check out new museums or return to favorites.
23. When someone says they’re taking LSD, they may not mean the drug. Lake Shore Drive, recently renamed Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake, is our 15-mile expressway along Lake Michigan and our most scenic drive. It’s often shortened to LSD and was even memorialized in a song by Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah in their early ’70s hit “Lake Shore Drive.”
24. There’s almost always a free outdoor concert, film or festival throughout the summer.
25. Chicagoans love their dogs so it’s no surprise that in addition to several dog parks throughout the city, they can get to meet other dogs at Montrose Dog Beach or Belmont Harbor Dog Beach.
26. Chicago got its name from shikaakwa, meaning stinky onion.
27. Chicago Park District manages 49 outdoor pools and more than two dozen indoor pools for its residents, all of which are available to enjoy for free.
28. The Second City started as a small comedy cabaret in 1959 in Old Town. Comedians like Joan Rivers made their debut here and the improv powerhouse helped make comics like John Belushi, Gilda Ratner, Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler household names.
29. It’s possible to run, bike, walk or skate from the South Side to the North Side along the 18-mile lakefront path.
30. Bicyclists can enjoy a 20-mile path from Foster Avenue to Chicago Botanic Garden using the North Branch Trail System and another eight miles from W. 83rd Street to 134th Street to Whistler Woods Forest Preserve along the Major Taylor Trail.
31. Kids young and old bring their BMX bikes, mountain bikes, skateboards and scooters to enjoy the rolling hills and pump track at Big Marsh in the South Deering area on the city’s southeast side.
32. Taking a water taxi from Chinatown to Navy Pier is a fun and inexpensive way to see a different side of the city.
33. For old-school live Blues, Buddy Guy’s Legends features performers seven nights a week at its South Loop club.
34. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself enjoying your corned beef or pastrami sandwich while sitting next to politicians, police officers or a celebrity at Manny’s Deli, the Jewish deli which has been a mainstay in the South Loop since 1942.
35. Billy Goat, made famous on a Saturday Night Live skit and the reported curse of the Chicago Cubs, is underground — specifically, lower Michigan Avenue. You might think you’re going the wrong way since you have to walk down a staircase and you see dumpsters nearby but you’re heading in the right direction.
Agree with these Chicago facts?
This list is hardly exhaustive, but it’s a good start. What do you think? What have we missed? Share with us in the comments.
If you’re ready to move to Chicago, you can find an apartment to rent or a home to buy to meet your needs. Get started today!
