by kirk » Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:42 pm
Depends when in July. Pitchfork Music Festival happens right in the middle of July over the weekend. Bon Iver is also coming in late July. Not sure I have the funds for it, though :[ Flaming Lips first week of July, Decemberists end of July.
Stay away from pretty much all bars that are downtown. They're clubs. And it's loaded with predominately slutty girls, new money yuppies, and old money trying to act like new money yuppies. But if you insist in trying to catch a glimpse of Vince Vaughan or the Blackhawks, you can go to Tavern on Rush. My ex is a hostess there and sees those bros come in regularly.
The better bars, which are actually bars (pubs) are in Wicker Park, Lakeview, and Lincoln Park. Wicker Park has a lot of hipsters, but their bars are fine. Lincoln Park is a young professional neighborhood with some yuppies. Lakeview, where I live, is kind of like an up-and-coming Lincoln Park - though Lakeview has a younger crowd, I would say. The three neighborhoods I mentioned are also very safe when walking around at night - young, gay hipsters just don't want to hurt people.
I don't know if there are any MUST see bars, though. Probably because the bars I go to are the ones that people congregate to in order to avoid tourists or anything particularly flashy.
As far as MUST see places - downtown in general, Millennium Park, Grant Park, Michigan Ave. river walk, Navy Pier (especially at night), Sear's Tower (can go to the top and walk out on an enclosed platform for $20/person). And any of the museums if you have time for it. Really just roaming downtown Chicago at night in itself is a must see. You've got the lake at the east and the river just intersecting the city in two when it's all lit up. It's just downright precious.
Where are you staying?
Depends when in July. Pitchfork Music Festival happens right in the middle of July over the weekend. Bon Iver is also coming in late July. Not sure I have the funds for it, though :[ Flaming Lips first week of July, Decemberists end of July.
Stay away from pretty much all bars that are downtown. They're clubs. And it's loaded with predominately slutty girls, new money yuppies, and old money trying to act like new money yuppies. But if you insist in trying to catch a glimpse of Vince Vaughan or the Blackhawks, you can go to Tavern on Rush. My ex is a hostess there and sees those bros come in regularly.
The better bars, which are actually bars (pubs) are in Wicker Park, Lakeview, and Lincoln Park. Wicker Park has a lot of hipsters, but their bars are fine. Lincoln Park is a young professional neighborhood with some yuppies. Lakeview, where I live, is kind of like an up-and-coming Lincoln Park - though Lakeview has a younger crowd, I would say. The three neighborhoods I mentioned are also very safe when walking around at night - young, gay hipsters just don't want to hurt people.
I don't know if there are any MUST see bars, though. Probably because the bars I go to are the ones that people congregate to in order to avoid tourists or anything particularly flashy.
As far as MUST see places - downtown in general, Millennium Park, Grant Park, Michigan Ave. river walk, Navy Pier (especially at night), Sear's Tower (can go to the top and walk out on an enclosed platform for $20/person). And any of the museums if you have time for it. Really just roaming downtown Chicago at night in itself is a must see. You've got the lake at the east and the river just intersecting the city in two when it's all lit up. It's just downright precious.
Where are you staying?