Check out Kylie Condon's travel journal exploring the lesbian culture in Chicago.
If you're a professional shopper or even a professional window-shopper, then you don't want to miss the Magnificent Mile, located in the shadows of the city's most iconic skyscrapers. This stretch of commercial indulgence is a marvel for shopaholics you'll find an avenue lined with 460 different stores to feed your material cravings and over 220 delicious restaurants to enjoy. This retail district should quell all of your shopping addictions, but if you're looking for more, head over to Wicker Park or Bucktown for some out-of-this-world funky boutique shops and discount stores. Into sports? A gay jock? Chicago has your name on it. The city hosts a myriad of sports franchises, including The White Sox, The Bears, The Cubs, and The Bulls. For memory, you can't forget, head over to Wrigley Field, one of the oldest ball fields in the nation, to get a sense of the deep history and community it holds. Tickets don't come cheap here, but it's worth every penny. Here is something that you might not know: The Boystown neighborhood was the first officially recognized "gay village" in the nation after it blossomed into the central gay mecca in the 80s.
Nowadays, it's no longer so partitioned, with gays and lesbians living in both parts, and best of all, they all know how to have a good time!Įven if you don't consider yourself the typical tourist, there are some activities in Chicago you have to add to your itinerary. Take in incredible views from the top of the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier or The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago.Īndersonville rivaled Boystown in attracting lesbians looking for an alternative gayborhood by the end of that decade. Make your trip fun and educational with a trip to the Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute of Chicago, or the Shedd Aquarium.
If you're there for a gay family vacation, hit up American Girl Place and The LEGO Store at Water Tower Place. Once spring begins, the gayborhoods burst to life, with patio seating overflowing and attractive people flooding the streets in the latest spring fashions. The winters are frigid and overcast, and the sun only returns in late spring after nine harsh months of winter. Packing accordingly is essential for any trip to Chicago.Ĭhicago does have a certain allure in the colder months, but you need to be sure to dress warm (yes, that means mittens, hats, and snow boots!). Most of Chicago's gay scene centers around two gayborhoods, Boystown and Andersonville. Boystown is centrally located next to Lake Michigan and the east of Clark Street. 39.Boystown is anchored by two main drags, Halsted and Broadway, which make up the heart of this storied gayborhood. It's two for one here, with South American vibes and refreshing drinks at Boleo or the more subdued but definitely decadent cocktails-and-caviar offer at Vol. Service in both bars is lively and attentive, as welcoming to visitors as regulars. 39 has decadent takes on hotel classics, like caviar service, foie gras crême brulée, and lump crab meat deviled eggs. 39, old-fashioneds are a focus: The bar's signature version is made with 30-year-old Armagnac and barrel-aged demerara sugar.īoleo does contemporary takes on Peruvian street food, including ceviches, empanadas, and skewered anticuchos (mini kebabs). At Boleo, the vibe is Peruvian, with group-friendly punches or seasonal draft chilcanos, a mix of ginger ale, lime juice, and one of the 20 piscos she stocks behind the bar. Head bartender Jess Lambert handles cocktails at both venues. 39 offers a cozy escape from the Loop that's great for a nightcap. Loop dwellers, commuters, and out-of-towners mix at nearly all hours of the day. 39 is one of the two worthwhile bars at the Kimpton Gray Hotel, along with Boleo on the roof. Inspired by 1940s-era lounges, complete with book-lined walls and luxe, tufted-leather sofas, Vol.