My boyfriend, Ed, and I started walking Chicago neighborhoods over 4 years ago. Whether we walk a neighborhood rich in historical landmarks or a simpler area of homes and strip malls, we always come away with a better understanding of what makes up our city.
When we see a reference in the news to Portage Park or Mount Greenwood, a sense of place immediately comes to mind. It is no longer an anonymous point on the street grid of Chicago, but a place we remember seeing children standing in line to see the Easter Bunny or where we had that interesting conversation with the guy watering his lawn. We feel a little happier or sadder when we hear of good or bad news that has come to their community.
Biking or driving through a neighborhood doesn’t give you the same opportunities to become acquainted with it as walking does. Walking allows you to stop and take in a building or street scene or interact with the people. It becomes an experience that stays with you.
We know planning is a big obstacle for people in venturing out of their own neighborhoods and into the unknown. That is why we decided to post where we’ve been and what we’ve seen in our travels.
Our walks are just the starting point for what we hope will become a community of fellow neighborhood walkers. Please leave a comment after your own walk sharing your personal “must sees”, experiences, great places to eat or additional routes.
When we say, “Thank you for sharing,” we mean it!
Marge and Ed
Chicago Neighborhood Walks 
Hey,
My name is Craig Kaiser and my wife Diane and I started the Streeterville Neighborhood Walk seen years ago. It evolved into the Streeterville Neighborhood Advocates and Streeterville Public Art Project. I just found your blog and you two are clearly kindred spirits. I’m also a Docent for the Chicago Architeture foundation so I’ve built History, Architecture and Art into our Walk. We would love to host you and any friends on one of our Walks and introduce you to our neighbors and neighborhood. We’d also love to join you on a Walk someday.
We sold our Condo a year ago and are now international nomads. We will be in Chicago during the entire month of May, let us know if you are interested. I’d also love to learn more about how you produce your Blog. craiglkaiser@aol.com
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Thank you for the wonderful walks! We started following your maps this summer and have learned so much about the city we thought we knew. This is a great antidote to the pandemic’s isolation and lethargy. We have even had conversations with residents, as they see us admiring their house or their block, where we tell them something they didn’t know about their own neighborhood — courtesy of your informative explanations. This is a great way to remind us that we are part of a living history.
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We have been taking your neighborhood walks since this summer — a healthy way to beat pandemic isolation and lethargy. We learn so much and have even talked to residents who saw us admiring their houses and came out to chat with us. What an incredible resource! Thank you.
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Thank you for your comment, Dana! That is exactly what we love to hear… that people enjoy the walks as much as we do and are getting to know the fascinating neighborhoods outside their own. We hope to post more in 2022! Marge
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Hello! Curious if you would be offering tours around the Loop or other downtown areas?
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No, we don’t. The Chicago Architectural Foundation has many guided tours downtown. We take them ourselves as they do a wonderful job.
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