Why You Should Visit Evanston, Illinois

Sitting just north of Chicago, Evanston, Illinois, is in many ways an ideal suburb. For starters, it is fully integrated into the Chicago mass transit system. The Purple Line of the Chicago Transit Authority's "El" system has eight stops in Evanston, there are numerous bus routes, and the Metra North Shore line runs right through the heart of town. Furthermore, Evanston has value on it's own. If you're looking to travel to the Chicago area, it makes an ideal place to stay, for the downtown attractions can all be easily reached by the trains, but the feeling of the community is slightly quieter, more like a medium-sized city. Recommended lodging would be at the Best Western (1501 Sherman) for moderate budgets or at the Hilton Garden (1818 Maple) or the Hotel Orrington (1710 Orrington) for consumers looking for classier accommodations. All three hotels are in walking distance to the public transportation system.

During your stay, I recommend you check out these gems:

Northwestern University - One of the premier academic institutions in the country, Northwestern's undergraduate campus (located along the lakefront) has a variety of things worthy of attention. During the school year, there is almost always a theater performance of some kind on campus during the weekends, and most of them are of decent quality (surf around the school's website at www.northwestern.edu and see what you can discover). Some of the more prominent landmarks on campus would be the Alice Millar Chapel (1870 Sheridan Road), a gorgeous building used in the movie Home Alone, the Block Museum of Art (40 Arts Circle Drive), a bona fide art museum and movie house with constantly-changing unique exhibitions, and the Deering Library (1935 Sheridan), a beautiful gothic-style building that Frank Lloyd Wright called an abomination. In fact, many of the buildings on campus have unique architectural significance, such as the Technological Institute, the largest freestanding structure of its kind. Just walk around and see what hits you. Check the calendar and see what's going on, for you never know who might be giving a speech that night.

Notable Parks and Landmarks - Just to the north of Northwestern's campus is the Grosse Point Lighthouse (2535 Sheridan), a 130-year old key structure during Chicago's heyday as a shipping port. It remains in good condition and is now run by the Lighthouse Park District. To the south of campus are a series of parks along the lake (specifically Burnham Shores, Dawes, and Centennial) that are perfect for a long walk, jog, picnic, or just a quiet afternoon relaxing if the weather is nice. You get the same fantastic views of the lake that you would in Downtown Chicago without the Lake Shore Drive traffic or the overwhelming crowd. In terms of historic buildings, the Charles Gates Dawes House (225 Greenwood) is a sprawling mansion that now houses the Evanston Historical Society, and the Frances Williard House (1730 Chicago) is a historical landmark honoring the residence of one of America's great temperance advocates. If you really want to see an architectural marvel, just slightly north of the Evanston-Wilmette line is the spectacular Baha'i Temple (100 Linden).

The Arts - Besides Northwestern, Evanston has some other artistic sites worth checking out. The Piven Theatre Workshop (located at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes) is a studio and performance house run by the famous actor's family that seeks to develop Chicago's brightest theatre talent. The Piven family is probably the biggest name in Chicago theatre north of downtown. Check their website for upcoming performances. For a great movie on a rainy day, check out the Century 12/Cinearts 6 Movie Theatre (1715 Maple). While I have a hard time advocating going out of your way to go to a corporate cineplex, this one is worth it. Consistently rated among Chicagoland's best movie-going experiences, the Century 12/Cinearts 6 has all the latest releases plus a selection of foreign and independent films you won't find anywhere else, a true cinephile's delight. There is also an elegant piano bar inside if you get there early or want to stay late. Oh, and did I mention the seats are some of the most comfortable around? Check it out.

Restaurants - If there's one thing the North Shore suburbs pride themselves on, it's fine dining. Evanston is no exception, and there are a plethora of restaurants across the spectrum to meet every taste. Want to try something foreign and exotic? Try Ethiopian cuisine at Addis Ababa (1322 Chicago). For Spanish food, go to Tapas Barcelona (1615 Chicago). Got seafood on your mind? Check out the Davis Street Fishmarket (501 Davis). Japanese? Dozika (601 Dempster). Healthy or Vegetarian? The Blind Faith Cafe (505 Dempster) is the place. For any desire, you can find it in Evanston. The best thing to do given the array of near-infinite possibilities is to ask a local, but some of my opinions are as follows: the best Mexican is at Lupita's (700 N. Main), the best Chinese is at the Mandarin House (819 Noyes), the best Chicago-style pizza is at Giordano's (500 Davis), and the best American/barbeque is at Merle's (1727 Benson). If you want a really nice evening out or are looking for the classiest dining around, then your best bets are Oceanique (505 Main, French), Campagnola (815 Chicago, Italian), Chef's Station (915 Davis, eclectic), and Pete Miller's Steakhouse (1557 Sherman, American).

So there you have it! After you've seen the Sears Tower and the Art Institute and caught a Cubs game, there's still a lot of Chicago that's worth seeing. Evanston is no exception, and I hope you can see it's more than just another suburb!