This is the third (and final) installment of a multi-part series about living in Hyde Park.
Now that you know about all of the convenient and affordable housing options, as well as the great places to shop and eat in Hyde Park, I wanted to use this final installment to introduce you to some of the great attractions you have incredible access to by living in Hyde Park. Here are a few of my favorites:
Lake Michigan
Really this topic could be split up into about 10 different things I love about living so close to the lake, but I’ll try and condense things down a bit. Of all the pleasant surprises I’ve experienced since moving to Chicago, the pure awesomeness of Lake Michigan tops the list. The beaches on the lake are fantastic, and while they don’t get as much publicity, the beaches near Hyde Park (57th street – which is my favorite, 41st street, and 31st street – which has an awesome playground too) are all very well taken care of and much less crowded than the beaches up north.
Lakefront Trail
Beyond having easy access to the beaches, I’ve loved how easy it is to get to the lakefront trail for a run or family walk. The trail itself is 18 miles long, with Hyde Park towards the southern end of the trail. It is relatively flat and wide, and offers some amazing views of the skyline and beautiful green space as well. The great thing about the Hyde Park portion of the trail is that it is easy to access (you don’t have to weave your way through congested city streets to get there or wait to cross busy lakeshore drive to access the trail). If you are any sort of biker/runner/family walk enthusiast, this is a huge selling point.
Promontory Point
One final lake-related attraction in Hyde Park is Promontory Point, which is a large park on a peninsula that juts out into the lake. The park offers amazing city views (see the featured picture for this article), and has fire pits that are open use (i.e. no reservation required). We’ve had numerous get-togethers on fall/spring evenings at Promontory Point with a good fire, hot dogs, and s’mores. There’s no better way to spend a warm evening in Chicago.
The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI)
Don’t let the somewhat boring sounding name fool you – this is by far my favorite museum in Chicago (it’s better than the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, and Children’s Museum in my book). The building is one of only two buildings still standing from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (a.k.a. the White City), and is an absolutely massive museum with great interactive exhibits. They have huge train/airplane exhibits, an awesome interactive weather exhibit, chicks that hatch daily, interactive science experiments at every turn, an amazing holiday tree display, and the only WWII German U-boat that was captured by Allied forces (it’s the actual U-boat, not a replica). The museum also has some interesting traveling exhibits to spice things up every few months. I don’t feel like I’m giving this place full justice, but believe me when I say this museum is incredible.
The University of Chicago Campus
Another great benefit of living in Hyde Park is the access to all of the great amenities and events going on at the university. For example, the Ratner Center is the large new gym on campus that students can use for free, and partners can use for around $100 per year. For the artsy types, the Logan Center offers some fantastic theater productions, and the Smart Museum houses some great visual art. The campus’ gothic architecture itself can be a beautiful attraction in the warmer months, and if architecture is really your thing, the Robie House (a Frank Lloyd Wright house) is just across the street from the Harper Center. These (along with the Oriental Institute of Indiana Jones fame) are just a few of the many U Chicago attractions you have at your fingertips by living in Hyde Park.
To sum things up, there are a lot of great attractions in Hyde Park, but if you’re still not completely convinced, then check out these wild parakeets that call Hyde Park home. Drop the mic. Walk away.
