North suburbs vs West suburbs vs South suburbs (Chicago, Naperville: fit in, living)

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by BrianHunter

You talk about how great oak brook mall is and say lake michigan is over rated? I have a pretty demanding job but I still find time to take my boat out on the lake to fish or take the kids tubing/wakeboarding/skiing. I also go to the beach quite a few times on the weekends in the summer. My wife doesnt work and takes the kids to the beach and park at the beach all the time.

My kids are small but I see teenagers at the beach all the time playing football, volleyball, swimming and even sailing on the small sailboats. Plus they can work at the beach as lifeguards, clean up, help with the sail boats etc. Living in a suburb that borders the lake is a HUGE privilege and advantage because most of the suburbs on the lake restrict non residents ability to use the facilities.

I would rather have my kids at the beach working or playing then at the mall.

I would not live in a suburb that doesnt border the lake.

Living in a suburb that borders the Lake (Michigan) is a huge privilege, but most North Suburban residents don't live in a lakefront city. And it is not very accessible to nonresidents. Many are too expensive for most people to live in or, though affordable, have poor schools or too far out. Illinois Beach State Park is the only one I know of easily accessible to all. That said, I don't see why people are so enamored with Oak Brook mall.

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by cpm55

Did someone say the lake county fielders???? Do they even exist anymore?

They folded a few years back. A temporary stadium was built in Zion and a permanent one was planned. Then the team ran into trouble. I think the owner didn't pay for travel to road games, eventually players didn't show up.

[westburbsil]

The Northshore has the most beautiful homes and scenery from Evanston to Lake Bluff. That said, the western burbs are much much better in regards to transportation(metra and driving faster to the loop, and on the most part closer to both airports).

Also, with weather being so bad the last two years, I hear constantly from my northshore friends about how much warmer it is inland and how they hate the lake effect snow and colder temps.

So I vote west burbs.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by westburbsil

The Northshore has the most beautiful homes and scenery from Evanston to Lake Bluff. That said, the western burbs are much much better in regards to transportation(metra and driving faster to the loop, and on the most part closer to both airports).

Also, with weather being so bad the last two years, I hear constantly from my northshore friends about how much warmer it is inland and how they hate the lake effect snow and colder temps.

So I vote west burbs.

I can attest to this. I can see a 10 degree difference in temperature from driving west just 10 miles.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

I can attest to this. I can see a 10 degree difference in temperature from driving west just 10 miles.

The North Shore is colder in the spring, but also cooler in the summer. Overall, I do HATE the cooler temps in the spring, but it is nice to have a bit of a difference in the summer. So, I'd say the temperature thing is a wash, as is any lake effect snow. Snow totals were not higher this year on North Shore than other places.

I didn't vote in the poll, but I will say that all this talk of people not using Lake Michigan and the beaches is nonsense. Plenty of people use the beaches, and if that weren't true, Highland Park would not have just invested millions of dollars to upgrade theirs.

Bloom where you are planted.

[BrianHunter]

I think the lake stabilizes the temperature. Temperatures along the lake are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than further inland. North burbs of chicago get very little lake effect snow.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

On this board? West burbs will run away. Bunch Stepford Napervillians and Glen Ellyians.

I think I'm the only regular poster from Glen Ellyn, and if you met me you'd be surprised by how "non-Stepford" I am.

And I voted for the Northern suburbs. Though I picked the Western Suburbs to live in for my own situation.

[cpm55]

I never heard so much complaining about the lake weather, I don't think it really matters that much, especially with snow. I will say the beach situation is hit or miss depending if you live in a town or have a friend in that town.

If you work in the northern burbs, your best bet is to live there. If you live or need to go to the city frequently, the western burbs have shorter train rides for the most part. Naperville has many metra routes for example.

Having kids we are not really going to the city that often and the times we do 15-30 mins longer on a train don't bother us for all the amenities the northern burbs over.

[4122]

Originally Posted by BrianHunter

I think the lake stabilizes the temperature. Temperatures along the lake are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than further inland. North burbs of chicago get very little lake effect snow.

This is another plus of living by Lake Michigan. Still, further up north makes it colder, so it's not necessarily the warmest place in the whole area, but it's the warmest place in the north suburbs in the winter. Another pro aside from the beaches and boating close by is some of the best water in the nation.

[Chris_H_2]

I would wager that of those that constantly refer to the lake (or lakes) as the tipping point for the northern suburbs probably take advantage of it a mere fraction of the time that they live there.