Chicagoans and Bostonians: Tell me about your city

[rockymountaindem]

I'm not trying to start a fight (seriously), although I will note that I prefer my Sox to be red. However, I may be joining some of you in one of your cities next fall for school, and since I don't know anybody who lives in either place I might as well ask you good folks here. What do you like about your city? Where are the best places to live on a student budget? How's the transportation? What are the people like?

I've never been to Chicago, and I've only visited Boston for four days 9 years ago when I was 11 years old. It made a great impresson on me though, and I've always been kind of enamored of living there. I may soon get my chance. Chicagoans... sell me!

[flvegan]

1. Let me tell you something about Boston...

I was born/raised in MA. I love my BoSox.

Nowhere...and I'm saying, NO-F'ING-WHERE else will you find an airport where you can have 7 lanes exiting into 2 actual travel lanes and not have:
1. Shots fired;
2. Crazy, stupid bumper car action

Shit, here, in Tampa, we have 20 outbound lanes...nothing but morons. Day in, day out.

Word.

[Critters2]

2. Boston is a beautiful city!

The people are friendly, the food is great, lots of culture. Really a great city! EAsy to get around in, even without a car, lots of affordable things to do, because it's a university city. And it's really green. I was always amazed at how much open, green space there was. I loved my years there, and recommend it to anyone who asks.

It is expensive. I had to live on campus in grad school, because renting off campus would have been impossible (in Newton, might be better elsewhere).

Some of the best days of my life were spent in Boston. I am more than pleased I chose to live there!

[Kat45]

3. Did you go to Andover Newton?

I know some folks who went there.

[graywarrior]

4. Boston. Sigh...I miss it.

Go to Boston. I't small enough to walk in a day, lots of college stuff, great concert halls, great music scene. Plus you have The People's Republic of Cambridge across the Charles with Harvard and Central Squares, Somerville, Brookline. Awesome.

[LSK]

5. this Chicago suburb native says choose Boston

I have visited Boston 3 times.

Chicago is just too big IMO.

Boston has an edge in great Universities, history, the ocean, close to Vermont and New Hampshire.

What are you studying and what colleges are you choosing from?

[rockymountaindem]

6. I'm keeping that a secret until I decide where to go

but thanks for asking. Well, I guess I can say I'm going to study political science, but that's all I want to say at this point.

[prolesunited]

7. Pick Chicago!

It's a world-class city full of diversity. The mayor is really ahead of the curve in going green and supporting bicycling. Public transportation gives you so many options that you don't even need a car.

As far as entertainment, there's a different festival with free live music just about every week, with free orchestra performances in Millennium Park.

For culture, you have the most amazing museums, from the Art Institute and Field Museum, etc. to other things like the Planetarium and Lincoln Park Zoo.

The lakefront is gorgeous and there's a 25-mile recreation path along it for walking, cycling, jogging.

Although we don't live in the city, we hop on the train and take advantage of everything there -- so much of it free -- as often as we can.