Why Should I Move to Chicago?

With most of us having the ability to work remotely in these unprecedented days, I just overheard a group of people chatting about why they should move to Chicago. One of them knew I was a travel writer and specifically inquired to me “Why Should I Move to Chicago”. Well, I am definitely not the Chicago expert here – I have only visited once many moons ago, but I did give them my perspective. Since I have moved a lot in my life, I thought I would give them my own perspective.

First, I did a little research and found out that you can find some great prices on apartments in Chicago if you do your research yourself. Apartment hunters need to do a lot of digging and be careful. Photos are not always as they appear on websites. Look for honest reviews and be sure you know the neighborhoods well. I recommend using Zumper only especially during these type of days. Zumper allows you to discover verified properties that you can reserve and lease right on the spot online. You can get the job done without going in and out of a lot of places without any verification. Zumper does the work for you. They make it so easy – just love it, reserve it and rent it.

I also ask them if they had any friends that lived there. It is much easier to make a transitions much easier. If you do not know any one, at least find a group with a shared interest there whether it is group fitness, an art class or a dog park.

What are the Facts

Make sure you know the facts about the city and places of Chicago – not just the wiki facts – the real ones. Like what it is like to live there. Find a Facebook group of people that live in the neighborhoods that you are looking to live in and ask them questions. Most are eager to share their love for their neighborhood, their own experiences of moving there or reasons you should stay away. A big one is education if you have kids who will need to enroll in a school whether it is elementary, middle school, high school or college.

Next up is transportation. Will you need car there or live close to public transportation? You really can’t Uber everywhere economically.

Learn a few facts that the locals know. Do they like to be called the Windy City or not. What are the fashion trends there. A big one is how do people dress for the climate there. Will you need or buy an entire new wardrobe? I have to sometimes just for a trip to an extremely different climate. Ask yourself, does Chicago have a very different climate than where you live now?

What Activities in Chicago

Wonder what to do in Chicago? Find here Family Fun and Travel experiences by reading this article – 5 Activities Your Family Will Love in Chicago. Also, see here about the Magnificent Mile.

More Facts

Well now I take that back – you may want a few facts about the city from the wiki page about Chicago. Located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-19th century. Chicago is an international hub for finance, culture, commerce, industry, education, technology, telecommunications, and transportation.

In case you venture there without a job – you may be in luck. Chicago is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Allstate, Boeing, Caterpillar, Exelon, Kraft Heinz, McDonald’s, Mondelez International, Sears, United Airlines Holdings, US Foods, and Walgreens.