7 Chicago Neighborhoods for Your New Year's Resolutions
Love it or hate it, New Year’s resolution season is in full swing. Whether you’re looking to build a new healthy habit or to try something new, going out into the neighborhoods of Chicago can help you pick a resolution you’ll enjoy and possibly even stick with for the rest of 2020.
Finally Ditch Amazon - Andersonville
Online shopping has made life much easier. Nearly anything we want or need is just a couple clicks away while we work, eat, or watch Netflix on the couch. But small businesses are still an important part of the community. If you want to resolve to buy local more often, Andersonville is one of the best places to start.
This North Side neighborhood is known for supporting independent and local businesses, from unique clothing boutiques to delicious restaurants. The stretch of Clark Street that bisects the neighborhood is lined with enough shops, bars, and restaurants to fill your weekends with browsing, buying, brunching, and bar hopping–all in the name of supporting local business, of course.
Read More Books - Wicker Park
With a seemingly never-ending stream of great TV from a ballooning list of platforms, picking up a book often slips the mind. For those who want to read more in 2020, Wicker Park can help you catch up on your reading list. While the neighborhood has more of a reputation for nightlife, it also has a few spots ideal for your transformation into a newly minted bookworm.
On Milwaukee Avenue, in the heart of Wicker Park, the stacks of Myopic Books are stuffed with nearly every genre imaginable. Linger after you’ve picked out your books for live music or poetry reading.
Volumes Bookcafe, another literary spot that hosts live readings and other events, is a thoughtfully curated bookstore where you can enjoy your new reads with a drink or snack from the in-store cafe.
You can also dust off your library card (or sign up for your first) and check out books at the Bucktown-Wicker Park branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Spend More Time Outside - Hyde Park
Getting outside more often in winter is rarely easy, but Chicago has enough rewarding views to make the bitter cold worth it. The city’s multiple parks and vast lakefront offer you plenty of space to put this resolution to the test, and Hyde Park is one of the best spots to start.
Promontory Point juts out into the lake and offers a spectacular view of the skyline. The Midway Plaisance has paths for walking, and Hyde Park is home to the picturesque Garden of the Phoenix.
Plus, there’s no rule that you have to start trying out your resolution immediately. Hyde Park and all that beautiful open space will still be there for you when the seasons start to turn.
Trade Your Starbucks for a Local Coffee Shop - Logan Square
Fictional characters always seem to have a regular coffee shop where the baristas know their order without even having to ask. Wouldn’t that be nice on mornings when you feel like you can’t function before that first hit of caffeine?
Die-hard coffee lovers will find themselves right at home in Logan Square, which has a coffee shop seemingly every couple of blocks.
Take your pick from spots like Gaslight Coffee Roasters, New Wave, Passion House, Buzz, Sip of Hope, Cafe Mustache, and Colectivo. You’ll find your standard coffee house orders on the menu at most of these cafes, as well as more inventive roasts that come from all around the world. Try out each spot and pick your favorite.
Try New Restaurants - River North
Expand your culinary horizons with the restaurant scene in River North. Right across the river from the Loop, this neighborhood is a favorite spot for after-work drinks and dinner (the neighborhood’s buzz continues through the weekend as well).
Try dishes from Argentina, Peru, Portugal, and Spain at Nacional 27. You can also step out onto the dance floor late on Friday and Saturday nights. At Pacific Standard Time, you can sample a rotating menu inspired by California. Or, try Gilt Bar if you fancy moody lighting with your meal. Finding something new to taste in River North is a breeze, but you may want to make reservations in this popular neighborhood.
Learn Something New - South Loop
Chicago’s superlative museums are spread throughout its neighborhoods, but the South Loop is one of the most widely recognized spots for cultural attractions, thanks to Museum Campus. While it might seem touristy, you’ll leave this spot knowing more than you did before, no matter how many times you visit.
The Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium are all within walking distance of one another and right on the lake. Explore the natural history exhibits of the Field (it will probably take more than one visit to see everything), look to the stars at the Planetarium, and see an amazing collection of freshwater and ocean creatures at the Shedd.
See More Live Music - Uptown
You probably listen to music through your headphones (possibly AirPods) on your commute to work, at your desk, and from the comfort of home, but seeing it live is always a different experience.
If 2020 is the year you decide to see more shows, make a mental note to check out who is playing in Uptown. Between the Riviera Theatre, the Aragon Ballroom, and the Green Mill, there is hardly a night in this neighborhood without live music. Dance until your feet hurt at the Riv or the Aragon, or sit down to savor jazz and drinks at the Green Mill.