Project: LOOP

Arguably the greatest thing about Chicago is the lakefront bike path. It stretches along Lake Michigan for about 20 miles from Hollywood Avenue on the north to 71st Street on the south. I rode this entire path over the weekend, and saw parts of Chicago I couldn’t have seen any other way.
The simultaneous views of the one of the world’s greatest lakes and greatest skylines were the highlights. I found the view from the Adler Planetarium looking north toward downtown to be the best. Also the views from the Fullerton and Diversey harbors were great.
I enjoyed seeing some of the historic remnants of the 1893 World’s Fair on the southside. I left the trail to explore the famous Midway Plaisance, which now runs through the campus of the University of Chicago.

I also made my way to the wooded island, which was a centerpiece of the fair. The Japanese tea garden was an interesting contrast to the industrial city.

Something that I was really struck by was the racial segregation of the north and south sides of Chicago. About a mile or two south of McCormick Place, the faces go from mostly white to nearly all black, like somebody hit a switch. It was interesting to see how different ethnicities enjoy the lakefront. On the northside you see a lot of people on bikes or rollerblades, people walking their dogs or eating ice cream, and a lot of tourists. On the southside it was all about the barbecue, and there were almost no tourists. The near southside was once the most upscale area in Chicago and, along with what is left of the World’s Fair, is still home to some of the coolest statues, boulevards, and mansions in the city.

Overall, what I’ll take most from this trip was a new appreciation for the south lakefront. It was just much more laid back with beaches that are just as nice as the northside, but without as many people.