Question is still open...

Why should I love Chicago?

xbt, I'll give you credit for one thing. I don't think I have ever in my life seen anyone contradict themselves as much as you've managed to in this thread.

WTM - would you mind if I shared my personal opinions, or would that be irrelevant for you?

I can also provide information about how many restaurants are in Chicago vs. other cities so you can decide the best location;-)

XBT: you should HATE Chicago - and stay far, far away. Same with NYC, terrible place

Lizzie, I have that...

The Mobil Travel Guide rates restaurants across America, with one of the two most prestigious comparative rankings extant (the other is the AAA Travel Guide).

Yes... tell me about the things in Chicago that have been magic for you...

And the things in NYC...

xbt,

You could never love Chicago. Not enough shopping malls, highways, housing developments, and all manner of things sterile and plastic.

All of which are in abundance in the Shangri-la of Dallas, TX.

Lizzie - I would appreciate your personal opinions. Location probably isn't important, though, I would much prefer to know the capacity of each restaurant and how many forks they have available.

Guy18,

The suburban lifestyle you mention, "shopping malls, highways, housing developments, and all manner of things sterile and plastic", is pretty abundant in suburban Chicago, just as much as suburban NYC or LA, but its not my lifestyle.

I like things like Dallas' urban pedestrian neighborhoods, its push for rail transportation, its love of rehabbing old buildings...

But enough about me and my town... let's get back to Chicago vs NYC...

Good one, wtm!

TX - Are your niece and sister interested in nightlife at all during the trip to Chicago?

xtb--I have to say this for you. You are a gentleman (not sarcastic). Others would have really told me off by now. Continue to enjoy Dallas! I'll look for you next time I'm at the Galleria!

I'm going to go make some popcorn...this is a good one to watch.

" I won't even tell you what I saw on the subway in NYC the other day!"

Well why not? My favorite part of the day is listening to my husband tell me what he saw on the subway....

It's not Chicago VS NYC. It is COMPARING Chicago to NYC.
No, my family will be asleep by 9pm and awake by 6am! Psychos! They are farmers.
Where is THE BEST place for REAL Chicago pizza. It needs to be in the city.
Y'all are going to go crazy about this one...
I had NO CLUE that the shore was that cool. I have never even seen it.
It seems all my meetings are near that crazy crooked place on the el. I have no clue what it is called.
But to me Chicago has always been that 2 or 3 block area right below that crooked part of the train.
I think they will love it... me too.

GoTravel, last time I looked, there ARE NO beaches in Manhatten. Yes, Long Island, Brooklyn & maybe Queens have beaches. You cannot compare Oak Street Beach, which is right in the heart of the Magnificnet Mile and Lake Shore Drive to Jones Beach or any of those places.

munch...munch....munch...munch

oh my goodness...I have used this site for years for helpful advice and I am really appalled and what I'm reading! Many people have offered nice (and yes PERSONAL-isn't that why we are here? to get others' opinions) and well-informed information on the topic at hand. It's a shame that one or two people have to ruin it for the rest of us.

That being said, Nina wanted to know what I saw on the subway the other day. It's disgusting as all heck but if you really need to know it was the same thing you see in your toilet after a big steak meal (well, for some of us!). Right in the middle of a subway car. Smelled horrific which is how I got to looking over to my right and saw it. Elephant dung. I ran faster than Forrest Gump. I want to move back to CHICAGO!!!!

Yes, I know TXTravelPro is not a troll, LOL.

I'm scared to stick my proverbial toe in the water here, but what colleges are located in the actual city of Chicago?

Here is where I can be of assistance. DePaul University is located in the heart of Lincoln Park. Loyola University Chicago is in Rogers Park, just a bit south of Evanston. Northwestern is in Evanston, a large suburb just outside the upper edge of Chicago. You can take the El into the city in about 20 minutes. University of Chicago is south of the Loop. Illinois Institute of Chicago is also south of the Loop. There's also the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College, and other community colleges. If I'm forgetting something forgive me, it's been a while.