@missypie, very nice!
D lived at the edge of Lincoln Park and Lakeview and really liked it. She moved to Wrigleyville area last year because her rent increased. She is on the west side of Wrigelyville, around Southport & Porter. She has liked both areas a lot. It was easier to get to the El before, but she likes the bus just fine, so the new area is good. So many young people & so much to do in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview/Wrigleyville area!
As for: “walking is not a desirable mode of transportation in the winter months” … a really warm coat, a great pair of boots, gloves & a hat are musts. People DO walk all year 'round, in all weather (rainboots are also a must!).
“I forgot a lot of stuff. I remember walking by the Northwestern Chicago campus 6 years ago.”
That area is Streeterville. A little bit north is the Gold Coast.
I lived in Boystown for over two years - and go back at least once or twice a year to eat at one of the veg restaurants there - it’s not all gay people. Plenty of straight heterosexual males. Mostly singles or DINKS overall.
I lived in Wrigleyville for a year and disliked it because of all of the public drinking and mayhem during baseball season and especially at St. Patricks Day. But that was a couple decades ago. I think the “bro” culture is still prevalent though.
From my understanding, THE up and coming neighborhood is over by UIC and the old Maxwell Street market - University Village and Pilsen. Quickly being gentrified, and prices are going up rapidly. I’m amazed at what they’ve done with that neighborhood. Back in the day, my ex-bf attended UIC and it was a little scary walking over there after dark… Now it looks like a nice upscale blend of the best of suburbia and city living - rows of hip restaurants (a few older and more established), a winery and musical venue, cafes… with nice wide streets and parking isn’t horrible - yet. A lot of young people… probably a few UIC students and lots of young professionals moving in. My husband’s colleague, in his 30s, just bought a loft there with his wife.
It’s walking distance to the Loop on a nice day in spring, summer, fall, for someone in decent shape… and a very quick bus or el ride otherwise.
No one mentioned Logan Square. I have friends (my age) who live there. And a younger friend. Prices there are probably more reasonable than any of the other neighborhoods mentioned here. It’s on the north side, east of the interstate (90) but west of Lakeview.
It’s a little quieter (if you can call anywhere on the north side “quiet”) and still great access to public transit. Still lots of good restaurants and shops… Lots of young people, but also some families and older people. A good mix of single houses and apartment buildings.
It’s easier to have a car here if you want, and more convenient to the expressway (interstate 90) for getting out of town if you want.
You can probably get a whole house in Logan Square for what you’d pay for a condo in University Village or in Lincoln Park/DePaul. It’s a nice neighborhood, as safe as the others, imo. Just not as trendy or crowded or expensive - yet. 
DD, a Californian, LOVES Chicago. She’s a recent grad, so can’t yet afford Lincoln Park. She lives in Rogers Park which works for her as it is convenient to public transportation. Unfortunately, a restaurant/bar opened up below her a month after she moved in, so it can get noisy if she has her windows open.
S (straight) has lived in Lincoln Park, Boystown, and Lakeview in that order and moving to slightly more upscale housing in each area. All easy commutes to Sears Tower by public transportation.
@dstark, thanks for starting this thread. Now, a visit to Chicago is in order for me.
I’ll meet anyone downtown
I would say West Loop for a 25ish young professional. Somebody a bit older, say 28-32, would probably prefer the lakeside stretch of Gold Coast-Old Town-Lincoln Park-Lake View depending on how much money they wanted to spend on housing and what sort of amenities they wanted (restaurants, bars, shopping, schools, etc,)
Son has been living in Chicago since graduating Notre Dame 2010, and moved each year, around the DePaul ( oz park ) area, and then Southport ( but not so close to wrigley field he was impacted by games.)
He resisted high rise living, and liked proximity to active social scene.
Last year he and his finance bought a condo, so these yearly moves are thing of the past.
Uber is extremely efficient. Chicago.
The Gold Coast has a VERY different feel from Lincoln Park and Lakeview. I wouldn’t classify them together at all. And much of Lincoln Park /Lakeview real estate isn’t lakefront at all (in Lincoln Park, obviously, because the park is the lakefront). Lakefront housing is more high rise. Inland is more older vintage walk ups.
I’d also be careful of some areas in the West Loop. Keep in mind that this is all newly residential and some of it starts to shade into bad neighborhoods. There were condos our realtor wouldn’t even take us to because of surrounding neighborhoods.
“Son has been living in Chicago since graduating Notre Dame 2010, and moved each year, around the DePaul ( oz park ) area, and then Southport ( but not so close to wrigley field he was impacted by games.)”
Just to clarify, this is exactly what I meant by sub-neighborhood upthread and why it can be confusing to those not familiar.
DePaul/Oz Park is simply a certain area within Lincoln Park.
Southport Corridor is a certain area within Lakeview, though Southport itself is a north-south street and so one could live on Southport in either Lakeview or Lincoln Park.
For the “outsiders,” I would consider Lincoln Park and Lakeview one big area. LP has DePaul U and Lakeview has Wrigley, and I think LP is a little more upscale (esp for retail), but aside from that they’re pretty similar IMO for the purposes of a 20-something single young person.
@dyiu13, I like the link.
I love the diversity.
How accurate is this link? I don’t see my son anywhere.
Maybe he better stay in NYC.
So, because I don’t see my son anywhere, where do those three women in bikinis live?
Those three women are in one of the pictures scrolling at the top of the page.
You have to go to each of the neighborhoods; each neighborhood appears to have 20 or so pictures within. So without checking them all, we can’t tell you where the bikini girls are How accurate is it? Who knows. It’s a cute idea though.
The major beaches that your son would want to hit as a 20-something would likely be -
Oak Street Beach (Gold Coast / Streeterville)
North Avenue Beach (Lincoln Park / Old Town)
Additionally, there are 2 harbors where young people can ride bikes, walk dogs, etc:
Belmont Harbor (border between Lincoln Park / Lakeview)
Diversey Harbor (Lincoln Park)
As you will see from the map you’ve been looking at, of the neighborhoods we’ve been discussing, River North, Wicker Park and West Loop are inland, not near the lakefront. River North and West Loop do have “frontage” on the Chicago River, but no beaches on that thing
@Pizzagirl, The people in swimsuits were from North Avenue Beach…one of the places you listed.
I kind of have an idea where my son would live…Lincoln Park or somewhere south down to the loop.
Of course he may have different plans.
^^My personal favorite!
Montrose Beach on the North Side is also nice, one of the largest in the city and a bit less crowded than Oak Street or North Avenue. The northern part of this beach is Montrose Dog Beach, a huge fenced-in area where water-loving pooches can romp unleashed. The southern part is reserved for humans. Kayak rentals available.
For serious beach-lovers, East Rogers Park also has some appeal. Residential neighborhoods aren’t cut off from the Lake by Lake Shore Drive. I lived for several years literally 2 doors from the Lake, with a lovely beach right at my street end. It was very pleasant to come home on a hot summer day, slip into a bathing suit and be in the Lake in 3 minutes or so. But it’s a long schlep to the Loop from there.