A Daycation in Wicker Park: A South Sider's Venture Up North

WICKER PARK - Growing up on the South Side, I didn’t make a point of exploring the city north of the State and Madison dividing line at all.

Baseball games took place at 33rd and Shields, and that “neighborhood in the city” feel for me was limited to Beverly, Mount Greenwood and Morgan Park.

When I began working at Patch in 2014 covering the North Shore suburbs, I didn’t know the difference between Glenview and Glencoe, Northbrook from Northfield or that Winnetka and Wilmette were actually two separate villages.

The same can be said of the city’s North Side neighborhoods, which I recently took on as a project reviving the presence of Patch in the big city.

My visual map of the North Side had two labels, “Wrigley Field” and “other.”

But as I’ve found out recently, the North Side is full of vibrant neighborhoods. Each with their own set of traits that make them a vital part of the best city in the world.

Wicker Park is no exception. In fact, it might be the prime example of a neighborhood Chicago should be promoting more and more.

I spent the day here not knowing what to expect. After about 20 minutes of searching for a parking spot (I know, I got lucky), I began a walk through the streets to find Milwaukee Ave., the neighborhood’s main business thoroughfare.

While walking past people I experienced something I never thought to expect in any big city neighborhood.

People saying hello.

“Strangers say hello to each other on the street in Chicago?” I thought. In Wicker Park they do.

The walk through the streets felt safe, a clear contrast to the national reputation Chicago is faced with. I also ran into people from multiple backgrounds. The neighborhood is as diverse as they come.

Maybe because it offers so much.

Milwaukee Ave. has an active business scene. Tattoo shops, restaurants, coffee shops and beauty parlors. Volumes Bookcafe in particular is a perfect place to relax for a few hours. You have a full cafe with alcohol options while listening to classical music and signing online to the good, old-fashioned smell of a book store.

You can also pick up an actual book to read. Remember books?

The neighborhood is also home to the long favorite “Double Door” nightclub. While it remains closed now, loyal customers are still holding out hope that the iconic favorite will make a triumphant return to Milwaukee Ave.

On the other side of the Blue Line stop at Damen, you’ll find Wicker Park, the park that sits center in the neighborhood with the same name. There’s a baseball field, playground, basketball court with baskets actually attached to the hoops, a fountain square and a fair amount of open space for being in one of the world’s largest cities.

There’s also a statue of Charles Gustavus Wicker, for whom the neighborhood is named.

Adding to the neighborhood’s active reputation are the bicyclists. You won’t miss them riding down Milwaukee Ave. While most are on their own bike, I noticed more than one of the city’s Divvy stations in a neighborhood that takes up only one square mile, bordered by North Ave. to the north, Division St. to the south, Western Ave. to the west and Ashland Ave. to the east.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em on the bicyclists, I know. I’ll pick the “love” option. Riding your bike is a good way to help reduce pollution and other than running, there’s no better way to take in everything around you.

Added in that square mile area is a Presence hospital and magnet school. The homes itself are a thing to look at, with a number of them showcasing exotic exterior colors. That only helps paint the pretty picture that is Wicker Park.

So does the view of downtown. I can’t think of any place with a better neighborhood feel where you can also look to the south and see Chicago’s magnificent skyscrapers in their full form.

It’s not too bad to venture north, either. Wicker Park borders the Bucktown neighborhood and a pair of athletic clubs on North Ave.

With the parking issue that seem to be prevalent in all North Side neighborhoods, it’s best to live in Wicker Park without a car. Everything is in reasonable walking distance, and if you don’t own a bike, you probably don’t live in Wicker Park.