Anchored by a beautiful stretch of Lakeshore Drive to the east and dotted with train stops from two ‘L’ lines, Lakeview is one of Chicago’s liveliest and most accessible neighborhoods. Several distinct areas — East Lakeview, Central Lakeview,Wrigleyville and West Lakeview — meld together to form a lakefront community that celebrates diversity and boasts something for every type of visitor.
The pleasant surprise of Lakeview & Wrigleyville is that once you venture 20 steps from the main shopping, restaurant and bar/club areas, you’ll find yourself in beautifully maintained tree-lined streets, with rows of lovely
houses in all manner of architectural styles, ranging in age from near century old to 3 days ago. This is likely the other primary reason for this area’s popularity; one can buy or rent a gorgeous house on a gorgeous street, then walk for 5 minutes and be in one of the city’s mecca shopping/nightlife districts.
Hit the bustling commercial districts along Belmont Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Southport Avenue, Clark Street, Halsted Street and Broadway Street to shop — be it for vintage frocks, designer jeans or leather biker gear — or live it up with the locals at the seemingly endless options for bars and pubs, and the dozens of celebrated restaurants in between.
Arts and culture come in the form of live music venues, several summer street festivals and a thriving scene for theater, dance and comedy (Belmont Theater District is a stellar collection of nearly 20 independent companies).
Not to be outdone by its extraordinary entertainment landscape, Lakeview makes full use of its slice of Lincoln Park, a 1,200-acre oasis dedicated to the outdoors. Here you will find the scenic Lakefront Trail, a golf course and driving range, a boat harbor, a bird sanctuary, tennis courts and grassy playing fields that are also perfect for picnics or just soaking in the views.