Is Chicago the most fun and diverse city with a great culture, in America?

Question

...how would you compare it with New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco?

Answer 1

Don't know if it's the best but it's definitely one of the best. I'd rank Chicago over NYC but I've never been to San Fran, so I can't say. But the windy city beats the ever-loving $h!t out of that smog-covered-sewer known as L.A. (been there, done that, if you get the chance to go to L.A. pass on it).

Answer 2

Not as crowded and dirty as NYC. When I visited there a year or two ago, I couldnt' get over the piled of garbage right in front of the houses. What a depressing sight to see first thing in the morning. Chicago's not as spread-out as NYC, so it's easier to get around and get a feel for the city. NYC is like four or five cities in one, so there isn't a cohesive atmosphere. And the trains in NYC don't even run all night!!! It's supposed to be the city that never sleeps!!! Oh, and some Chicago bars stay open until 4 a.m. during the week and 5 a.m. on weekends.

Not too familiar with LA but from what I gather, it's pretty spread out so you MUST have a car if you want to experience it. Like NYC, it has a lot of attitude. Chicagoans are, for the most part, unpretentious.

I think I'd like San Fran. In fact, I'm planning a trip for later this summer.

Chicago has everything those other cities has and more.... theater, museums, art, architecture, great public transportation, relatively inexpensive. We've even got a lakefront for relaxing on in the hot summer months!

Anyway, my opinions....

Answer 3

Chicago is definitely better than New York. Not as diverse as New York, but has a cleaner feel, and much more modern. It is "diverse" as a whole, but the neighborhoods are pretty much segregated. The north side is reserved for the white population, while the south is for the black population, and the west side is for hispanic/black population. LA is much more well rounded as a whole with regards to diversity. New York definitely has the culture thing going, museums, history, etc. LA has great weather, and surprisingly, I find the people there to be freindlier than either New York or Chicago. If you like raw fun, I'd say LA is the best city out of the 3.

Answer 4

I think Chicago is a VERY fun / diverse city with a great culture. Hard to compare to other places you mentioned though. During the summer, it is easily the best city in the country. It isn't as big as NYC, so you don't have that megatropolis aspect to deal with. Everything is close, and taking a cab is sooo easy, unlike LA and a lot of other cities in the country. There are tons of restaurants and bars, a great music/theater scene, cool neighborhoods to live in and always something to do!!

Answer 5

LA does not have a Big City feel to me. It is large, true, but it's mostly boring streets that look a lot less than how you see them in the movies. Then again, I don't know LA, maybe I was just looking in the wrong places, but I was looking for something interesting to see when I had a chance to be there.
NY definitely on the opposite side of Big City Feel scale. Lots going on. Lights, traffic, people from all over the world. Would be awesome if it wasn't so cramped and didn't stink of garbage and urine even in the most popular tourist spots like Times Square area and had more green areas.
I live in Chicago. It does not feel as big as NY, but is a lot cleaner and greener. Very diverse ethnically and culturarly. It isn't as cutting edge as NY, has this midwestern conservative feel, but still I like it much better than NY or LA. Cinemas, theathers, galleries, restaurants, museums... It's all here.

Answer 6

the 1st submit is 3 years old, yet to respond to your questions in keeping with what went on at that element: Bears: In 2010-11 they made in to the NFC Championship sport. The stadium isn't the nicest looking even with the undeniable fact that it is in a brilliant part of the city. Bulls: began to upward thrust among the elite NBA communities. Derrick Rose won 2010-11 NBA MVP. Blackhawks: won 2010 Stanley Cup. White Sox: Chicago has by no ability been a useful baseball city. Cubs: Have had many winning seasons; a winning season is a season the place a set finishes above .500. Get your information in the present day, you Packers/Pistons/crimson Wings/Twins/Cardinals fan.

Answer 7

No.

Chicago is "diverse", but it is indeed segregated by neighborhood, and by culture, which renders whole diversity thing useless if you want to pretend to list it as one of the city's "qualities". In terms of "great" culture in America, I would not say Chicago is the greatest, nor the most fun. Chicago is a total redneck, douchebag city. It's basically the capital of the Midwest. If anyone says that people in Chicago are "down to earth", by "down to earth" they probably mean the cozy limitations of a narrow-minded country mindset. It's surprising just how unaware people here keep themselves about the rest of the world.

It's true, Chicago is cleaner, and has newer architecture. In fact it probably has one of the most gorgeous skylines and metropolitan sceneries in the U.S. It is not as immensely huge as New York, so it's not as crowded, not as expensive, as dirty, etc. There are a lot of restaurants, "ethnic" neighborhoods, music venues and theatres, museums and art scenes, bars and clubs, so there's definitely a lot to do. It's very urban but is basically surrounded by suburbia, and suburbanites make up a big portion of the city so there's a feel to the city that is never far from home. It is a total hotspot for suburbanites to experience the "city" lifestyle, so that they can feel high class and better than others.

That's the other thing, the people. If anyone says people in Chicago are not pretentious, they've probably never been anywhere else. Obsession with image is what makes Chicago culture. Go see for yourself. From young, to adult, to old people, even native Chicagoans like south siders are overly concerned with what people say and do (not to mention how they actually take pride in being miserable scumbags). You also wouldn't believe how backwoodsy-ignorant the racist people are here. It's unbelievable. I don't understand how Illinois is a blue state. Don't get me started. Chicago is basically made up of the rednecky types that have become somewhat urbanized and are pretending to be civilized. It's total conservative Midwest b.s.

Culturally, New York is practically the exact opposite. Yes it's more expensive and dirty, but it's definitely more crowded for a reason. Not only does it have bigger significance in U.S. history but has also had a much bigger cultural impact. There is more to do, and for crying out loud people have actually learned how to get along with eachother. It's not a redneck animal kingdom. Everybody is everywhere and it really is the great thriving American city that you hear about. In my experience people in Manhattan seem much friendlier and happier than those in Chicago.

There, the city's "energy" comes more from people being hardasses and jerks for no real reason. In New York, the energy comes from the fun and sense of pride that anyone is invited to be a part of, and that's why it's better.

But don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself.

Answer 8

Living in chicago is rough, certin neiborhoods are very diverse, but those are the really expensive ones. the rest of chicago is pretty much segragated. you have all your latins that live in their parts of the city, and so on. I'd say San Francisco is more diverse.

Answer 9

I've lived here in the Chicago area for about 19 years and I don't think it's that great. New England is the best place to live.
For a Big city New York is the best I think.

Answer 10

New York: it's too big and the cost of living too high.
San Francisco: it's prone to earthquakes, and cost of living too high.
Los Angeles: it's too big with no good public transit, pollution, and lots of crime.
Chicago can be fun and diverse with affordable costs, but it's filled with crime, pollution and nasty winter weather too.