HOT FUN IN THE CHICAGO SUN

Your Windy City Summer Getaway

By Bill Malcolm

Chicago is a great city to visit any time of year, but it is even better in the summer: the Lakefront trail, the beaches, bicycling, festivals, and more. And it’s one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the world. And the beaches along Lake Michigan are simply incredible.

WHAT TO DO

Osterman Beach is the LGBTQ beach and also has an outdoor restaurant. It’s a wonderful way to spend the day enjoying the refreshing Lake Michigan waters. (CTA Stop Thornton on the Red LIne, then walk east and south to the beach.) Many of Chicago’s great beaches features magnificent views of the stunning downtown skyscrapers.

Sunday Funday at the bars on Halsted Street is necessary. Sidetrack (the mega video bar with a great rooftop terrace) features showtunes on Sundays where the crowd signs along to the classics. There is something fun going on there every night. Drink prices are reasonable ($9 for Chandon champagne).

Gogos (men and women) are featured at Hydrate as you can dance the afternoon away with a live DJ. You will find them at 3458 N. Halstead.

Cell Block up the street has a frisky leather crowd.

Find a complete list of bars and a map in GRAB Magazine (GRABChicago.com). Most of the bars are in North Alstead (formerly known as Boystown (between Addison and Belmont on Halsted) although a few are found in Andersonville north of that area.

I walked with the Frontrunners. They meet at 6:30pm on Tuesday at the Totem Pole at the Lakefront Trail (at Addison) and have dinner afterwards. Lots of runners and walkers.

Walk the new RiverWalk along the Chicago River downtown. It’s new and now offers restaurants and bars as well as architecture boat tours. They even have a new winery, City Wintery. There are boat rentals, water taxis, kayaking, and more. It’s a new attraction right of the shopping on Michigan Avenue.

Enjoy the incredible skyscraper architecture. Take a boat tour run by the Chicago Architecture Foundation or visit the Chicago Architecture Center. Like all downtowns, Chicago is struggling in the post Covid world of teleworkers that make the need for offices less urgent.

Mark your calendar for Chicago Pride (in June with a festival June 22-23 and a Parade on June 30) as well as a Pride in the Park celebration in Grant Park on June 30. Also fun is Halsted Market Street days (in August), another signature LGBTQ festival.

WHERE TO STAY

I always stay at the Hotel Versey by Wyndham, 644 West Diversey Parkway (at Clark and Broadway), in the very walkable Lakeview neighborhood. Trader Joe’s is across the street if you need anything. Stan’s Donuts in next door. You can walk to the bars in Northalstead and Broadway Avenue is full of quaint local shops and restaurants, including a Marianos (upscale grocery store featuring fresh juices, a salad bar, a hot food bar, and a wine bar. Hotel Versey guests enjoy free entry to the LA Fitness in the Century Plaza next door which also has a Landmarks Art Theater if you want to catch a film. Parking is just $30 for 3 days (a deal) for hotel guests as well. Watch out for the sneaky $6 charge for bottled water on your bill, though. Hotel rates vary by demand so avoid Cubs weekends and other festivals. Weekday rates tend to be lower. The property is under new owners.

Other hotels in the neighborhood including the Willows, Best Western Hawthorn Terrace, City Suites, and the Majestic.

Heart o Chicago Motel north of Andersonville offers free parking and is walkable to the north side bars.

I avoid the Loop hotels like the plague. There is nothing to do there and it caters to tourists. Stay where the locals live and walk everywhere.

WHERE AND WHAT TO EAT
Chicago is known for its pizza and hot dogs. But a new Pho restaurant on Clark near the Century Plaza looks good. Sample all Chicago foods at the Taste of Chicago Festival September 6-8 (2024).

GETTING THERE

I drove from Indy which is fine until you get near Chicago which features horrendous traffic.

O’Hare and Midway both offer flights with CTA subways into town. You can also take Amtrak.

But once you are here you will not need a car. The CTA has an excellent bus and subway (L) system. Fares are just $2.50. Buy a VENTRA transit card to make boarding bus or L (subway) train hassle-free. The Versey is closest to the Diversey L Line Station on the Brown Line. It is also served by the #36 Broadway bus and #22 Clark Street bus. Or you can walk east to Sheridan and catch the 152, 134 Express, and 143 Express if you want to go to the Loop or shop on Michigan Avenue (or visit the North Street Beach).

FOR MORE INFORMATION/TRAVEL TIPS
GRAB Chicago Magazine comes out monthly (and carries my column). It includes a map at the back of where to find LGBTQ+ businesses in the 2-3 areas of the City that especially cater to the community. It is the only in print and on line publication in the city. Windy City Times is another publication in the city and is only on line.

Chicago has a lot of annoying taxes and fees. My least favorite is the excise tax which tacks on 15% or more for a bottle of wine. They even have a tax on soft drinks and more. There sales tax is already quite high as are the hotel taxes. On the plus side, the hotels in Chicago don’t charge resort fees like are now found in many cities (Palm Springs, Boston, Las Vegas).

O’Hare Airport (ORD) has lots of delayed and cancellations due to its mega side. In the week I was there it was closed twice due to thunderstorms. I try and avoid it. Closer in Midway is a better option as is Amtrak or driving. O’Hare is also a mega hub for American and United making domestic fares pricey.

The Reader (the weekly) is in print again and on line and features lots of musical events and arts coverage.

The Sun Times is now owned by WBEZ public radio and is $2 daily. The Chicago Tribune has cut coverage and laid off staff and charges $4 daily. Circulation has plummeted (I wonder why). WGN (Chicago’s very own) is the local independent channel although it is no longer locally owned. I also like WFLD Fox Chicago for its news and events coverage).

ChooseChicago.com is the visitor website. I thank them for their helpful travel updates.

You will continually be amazed by this friendly city of neighborhoods, the Paris of the Midwest.

Bill Malcolm is North America’s only syndicated LGBTQ+ travel columnist. He received no compensation of any kind from any business for his commentary on what to do in Chicago, a rarity among travel columnists who often only cover things provided to them at no charge which obviously colors their objectivity. He also boycotts hotels with resort fees (aka amenity fees or destination charges) as well as airlines which have non-transparent charges (booking fees, carry on baggage fees, etc).