Argue all you want, but Lollapalooza is a destination festival. The city of Chicago plays a central figure in the weekend’s festivities, whether you’re hitting up an aftershow or grabbing a beer at a local bar. Even if you don’t venture forward into the city’s concrete confines — or it’s diverse neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Ukrainian Village, etc. — it’s hard to ignore its top-rated skyline during any headlining set.
But really, you need to venture forward. There’s so much more to this city than just Uno’s Pizzeria, Garrett’s Popcorn, and snazzy lakeshore hotels. There’s a rich cultural history here, and you don’t have to look too hard to find it. In fact, there’s usuallysomething worthwhile a couple blocks away — even if you’re downtown and all you can see is a Buca di Beppo and a PF Changs. You just have to look harder.
Before you strain your eyes, though, check out this suh-weet guide we put together. Between the 10 or 15 of us who live here, we figure we know this place pretty well, so we decided to let you in on a few details. This includes everything from must-eats to must-sees to must-hangs. It’s only slightly comprehensive, actually.