New Eastside

Seemingly overnight, the New Eastside neighborhood of Chicago (also commonly known as "Lakeshore East") rose from a long-neglected, prime patch of real estate sandwiched between Lake Michigan and the Loop. A distinctly vertical place, the New Eastside is a ring of mostly high-rise apartments and condominiums that bear seafaring and maritime monickers and surround a beautiful new park.

The location is tough to beat. You're just north of Millennium Park, Grant Park, Soldier Field, and Museum Campus. You're just across the road from Navy Pier, Lake Michigan, and a beautiful bike path. You're a few blocks east of the Loop and walking distance to the Magnificent Mile. You're practically neighbors with the Art Institute of Chicago and Orchestra Hall. You really can't ask for anything more. Of course, all of this action, plus the plain old convenience of good grocery stores and reliable CTA service, doesn't exactly drive rents down, so don't expect to go bargain-hunting over here.

A good part of Chicago's infamous underground Pedway runs through New Eastside. The string of corridors and staircases, which connects major buildings and train stops, was built piecemeal over the course of decades. You and your lost self will realize this in very little time.