Chicago Guide
South Loop and Near South
With its pitch-perfect vistas of the Loop's unmistakeable skyline, the lakefront portion of the South Loop is best known for the triumvirate of superb attractions on what's now known as Museum Campus: the standout Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium, and the Shedd Aquarium, all housed in beautiful classical buildings and worthy of several hours' consideration apiece, especially if you have kids in tow. The campus anchors the south end of rambling Grant Park, a legacy of Daniel Burnham's 1909 plan for Chicago and now a major outdoor-festival site. The inland portion of the South Loop centres on Printers Row, an atmospheric little district that runs along S Dearborn Street, between Congress Parkway and Polk Street. There are also a couple of small museums in the South Loop on South Michigan Avenue.
The Near South, extending from Roosevelt Road to the Stevenson Expressway (I-55), just below 24th Street, is the first clear sign most visitors will see of Chicago's urban problems. Aside from the historic Prairie Avenue Historical District, which preserves the palatial mansions of Chicago's former elite, the one safe, intriguing neighbourhood out this way is Chicago's Chinatown. Filled with markets and restaurants, it makes a great place for a cheap meal. Though the South Loop is safe for visitors, be aware that the area surrounding Chinatown is still rather iffy: take public transportation and you should be fine, but make sure not to wander outside the district's ten or so buzzing blocks.