Lincoln Park Neighborhood Guide

Where else can you spend a day at the beach, walk home through a zoo, and end the night at a top restaurant? Lincoln Park’s unique location in the city allows for amazing outdoor living just a short distance from the hustle of downtown.

Home to about 66,000 residents[1] it is the perfect place for people looking for all the benefits of urban living alongside large parks and open areas. The neighborhood is full of upscale homes and wide variety of lavish dining options. DePaul University is located in the neighborhood, mixing the upscale with a traditional college atmosphere.

Located two miles north of downtown, Lincoln Park borders Old Town, River North, and Gold Coast to the south, Bucktown to the west, and Lakeview and North Center to the north. Lake Michigan beaches take up the eastern border of the neighborhood and are a perfect place to spend a summer day.[2] Lincoln Park has a walkability score of 94 and a bike score of 88, making it the 6^th most walkable neighborhood in Chicago.[3]

There are many smaller communities within Lincoln Park, which means that there is always something new around every corner. Sub-neighborhoods include the Clybourn Corridor, DePaul, MidNorth, Old Town Triangle, Park West, Ranch Triangle, Sheffield, West DePaul, and Wrightwood. Lincoln Park is served by the Brown Line, Red Line, and Purple Line Express and there are a variety of buses routes[4].

The area was originally settled by Native Americans and was first developed by the United States in 1824 when the military built a small post in the area. The grassy land of Lincoln Park, for which the neighborhood itself would later be named, was created in 1865 and named for Abraham Lincoln. By the 1870s the area was becoming populated as people began moving away from the city center. It was settled mostly by Irish and German immigrants, whose influence can still be seen among the churches and restaurants today.[5]

By 1900 improvements to the neighborhood included elevated train lines, streetcars, subways, trolleys, and bus lines. During the Great Depression, many of the building fell into disrepair but urban renewal funds helped renovate the neighborhood in the 1950s.[6] The 1968 Democratic National Convention was held in Lincoln Park. It was a time of heightened political anxiety in the country and led to violence between protesters and police.[7] By the 1970s the area began transforming into the upscale community that it is today.

There is always something to do in Lincoln Park. Music fans will enjoy the many blues clubs or major rock venues like Lincoln Hall. Alinea, one of the top ranked restaurants in the world, also calls Lincoln Park home. There are clothing boutiques, jewelers, and other high-end stores, as well as traditional stores to fit any budgets. DePaul University is one of the largest private universities in the countries and offers a range of programs and lectures for the public to attend.  

The Irish and German heritage of the area can still be seen in many of the neighborhood’s restaurants, but there is also a wide variety of other cuisine. Along with Alinea, there are other famous restaurants such as the Athenian Room and Balena. Cheap eats are common near DePaul and include places such as Armitage and the Butcher & the Burger. Bars range from the traditional Irish pubs and sports bars to more unique places such as The Barrelhouse Flat and The J. Parker.

One of the most treasured areas of the neighborhood is Lincoln Park Zoo. Located within the larger park the neighborhood is named for, the zoo is free to the public and includes dozens of walking paths for guests. It is easy for locals to swing through the zoo on a morning jog or attend yoga classes on the zoos boardwalk. There are few urban areas that include gorillas and penguins as neighbors. The park is also home to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Chicago History Museum, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

Theatre fans will love having a night out at the Steppenwolf Theatre. The famous theatre, which has featured Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, and Martha Plimpton has been putting on award winning productions since the 1970s. One of the most famous productions from Steppenwolf is August: Osage County.[8] Other prominent theatres include the Greenhouse Theater Center, the Apollo Theater Center, and The Murder Mystery Company in Chicago.

North Avenue Beach is the one of the most popular beaches in the city. It has a unique 22,000 square foot beach house and amazing views of the rest of the city. There are restaurants, volleyball courts, and kayak, jet ski, and watersport rentals. There is a walking and biking path that allows the public to easily make the beach part of their everyday exercise routine[9].

People of all ages and walks of life will find Lincoln Park to be an amazing and vibrant place to live, work, and play.