Chicago Warnings and Dangers

Road Construction in the Suburbs
by riorich55
O'Hare on a wet August afternoon...
by leics
Take note!
by leics

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Most Viewed Warnings and Dangers in Chicago

1. Common Sense Advice / Sketchy Neighborhoods

I've lived in Chicago for most of my life and know the city well. Down town area is fairly safe but watch out for groups of teenagers as they have been jumping and mugging people the last few years.... more
- 50 Reviews
- 16 Photos
2. Beggars & Scam Artists

I was stopped on a street by a guy who offered to shine my shoes. His friend walked away by about 15 feet, but stayed close by. I turned down the shine, but the man insisted he wanted to show me his... more
- 17 Reviews
- 2 Photos
3. Parking

Been using FasPark to help me find street parking in Chicago and have to say that it works pretty nicely. Does it find a spot for me? No, but it reduces my driving around looking for a spot like... more
- 17 Reviews
- 5 Photos
4. The EL (Elevated Train)

Chicago is a great city but great cities have there problems also. When on the train keep your eyes and ears open, don't fall asleep on the train and try not to travel alone, especially at night....... more
- 9 Reviews
- 5 Photos
5. Dishonest Taxi Drivers

First of all,Chicago cab drivers are mostly from all over the world, if you or some other tourists just hop in the cab which is driven by a "none-experienced" cabbie, then you'd better have your... more
- 7 Reviews
- 2 Photos
6. Weather

Chicago weather is unpredictable, I've seen days with 40 degree temperature changes in the course of an hour, days that start out sunny and end up rainy, snow as early as October and as late as May,... more
- 10 Reviews
- 6 Photos
7. Driving/Traffic/Road Construction

I had no difficulty at all wandering around central Chicago on foot. I used my common sense, looked both ways several times before stepping off the sidewalk (pavement), followed the instructions given... more
- 7 Reviews
- 3 Photos
8. Lake Michigan

My first downtown walk on a Saturday afternoon started out OK but I soon saw the signs of fog creeping in off Lake Michigan as the tops of the buildings began to be enveloped in the area where the... more
- 2 Reviews
- 2 Photos
9. Other Crimes

Be forwarned - if you stay at a Chicago-area Marriott, they charge $6 (that's right - SIX DOLLARS!) for a large bottle of water. DO NOT drink the bottles they leave in the room - the charge will... more
- 4 Reviews
- 2 Photos
10. Minor Frustrations

Of all of the places I've been, I find that people from Chicago have the biggest attitude problem!!! I don't find them usually very friendly, and many of them have "a chip on their shoulder." They can... more
- 5 Reviews
- 3 Photos
11. Hotels

Chicago is a big convention town so at times when you think you should be able to reserve a hotel with no problem (like the middle of February when the temps are below zero) and are finding really... more
- 2 Reviews
- 1 Photos
12. Gang Activity

the Loop thrives on Convention goers to keep the hotels and restaurants filled. Black gang muggings continue to increase, they no longer just shoot each other On the south side ( not far from the... more
- 9 Reviews
- 0 Photos
13. O'Hare

If you are flying in from outside the US and/or you are not a US citizen, do allow *plenty* of time to get through passport control. This really matters hugely... more
14. Traffic, Traffic, Traffic

Lest you think we joke about the bad traffic in Chicago the 2 pictures shown here are on Interstate 55 the main southwest highway into and out of Chicago. These... more
15. Chicago has 2 Seasons - Winter and Construction

We like to joke and say when people ask about seasons in Chicago that we really only have 2 seasons - Winter and Construction. It seems that in recent years the... more
16. Hanging Out at the Beach

In a related article that came out on the same day as my previous warning/danger tip was this about hanging out at the beautiful Chicago beaches:Beaches and... more
17. Be Careful if You Drive

After the official VT meeting ended in Chicago in June, 2011 I got up early Sunday morning since we were staying at a hotel downtown and went on my own photo... more
18. Traffic-All Over and Constant

A place to get ready for delays. We traveled from Naperville, about 30 miles west of the city center and it took 2 hours in bumper to bumper traffic. This time... more
19. I'll Drink To That - Or Maybe I Can't

As Chicago gets ready for its annual Taste of Chicago festival I saw an interesting article about Chicago festivals and BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle). Here is... more
20. Renovation of Buckingham Fountain

One of my favorite sites in Chicago is the Clarence Buckingham Fountain, known as "Buckingham Fountain". Much to my dismay, this last trip to Chicago in... more
21. Waaaaayyyyyy too many beggers downtown

Along with that beautiful scenic, elaborate hotel, (and right outside it) there are probably the most bums Ive ever seen in a downtown area with hardly no... more
22. Central Areas

For such a big city I found the central areas of Chicago that I wandered around to feel incredibly safe, especially the areas north of the Loop. The Magnificent... more
23. Avoid...

If you're planning to visit SEARS Tower or any other skycrapers,make sure it's not foggy,otherwise you won't see anything outside.So it'll just be waste of... more
24. Birds

This is not a major warning i.e. nothing that endangers you, but worth mentioning.It might be my imagination, but birds in this area seem to have a Kama Kazi... more
25. Some useful advice

As a lifelong resident of this city, I can provide slightly more helpful tips than the now cliche "avoid the southside" spiel. Comisky Park (I know, it's U.S.... more
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