Top 10 Reasons Chicago Renters Love Hyde Park Apartments

Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood is a storied and historic place to call home. The neighborhood is home to one of the country's most vaunted universities, a handful of museums, world-class parks and plenty of scenic lakefront destinations. But is there more to be discovered in Hyde Park than meets the eye? Perhaps, but renters who call Hyde Park home know all too well the unique joys of living in a part of Chicago that can almost feel like a world unto itself. 

Here are some of the top reasons renters in Chicago love to call the Hyde Park neighborhood home.

Convenient Shopping

Chicago has a couple glitzy and glamorous shopping districts located near downtown, but Hyde Park's own little "downtown" district will be the first choice among renters in this area to tackle most daily shopping needs. Grocery shopping is easily done at the Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market or Target near downtown Hyde Park. There are eclectic shops and boutiques to be uncovered here as well, ranging from excellent bookstores to trendy thrift shops.

Beaches 

The lakefront is the place to be during the warmer months, and renters in Hyde Park apartments know that they have some of the best beaches in Chicago at their doorstep. The sandy parts are 57th Street Beach and 63rd Street Beach, but sunbathers can still pick out a prime spot along the jetties and rocky piers that stretch for miles in between these two popular beaches near Hyde Park.

The Midway Plaisance

This large grassy field that bridges the mile-long expanse between Washington Park and Jackson Park was host to the rollicking and sometimes lurid sideshow acts during the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. Despite being an offshoot of the main fair and the dazzling architecture on display in Jackson Park, the Midway managed to draw more visitors than the purpose-built White City of the Exposition. This long, narrow park divides the University of Chicago's north and south campuses today, and it was where the University's football team used to hold matches. Their early dominance during games on the Midway earned the squad their nickname "Monsters of the Midway," which was later adopted by the Chicago Bears franchise of the NFL. Today, the Midway is a popular hangout spot for all manner of outdoor recreation, from ultimate frisbee to ice skating. 

Museums 

Hyde Park is about 7 miles south of the Museum Campus located in the South Loop, but this neighborhood is capable of going toe-to-toe with any part of Chicago when it comes to museums. For starters, there's the Museum of Science & Industry at the north end of Jackson Park. Some Hyde Park apartments, such as the Jeanne Gang-designed Solstice on the Park, make the magnificent museum the focal point of some really stellar apartment views. The majestic beaux arts building was part of the 1893 Columbian Exposition and is a rare surviving structure from the Expo. At the west end of the neighborhood is the DuSable Museum of African American History, named after Chicago's first non-native permanent settler, John Baptiste Point du Sable. The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago is another world-class museum in Hyde Park that's under the university's umbrella and dedicated to educating the public about the history of the Middle East. Meanwhile, architecture fans are able to tour the Frederick C. Robie House, a stunning Prairie Style home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that's been restored to its original design plan and dedicated to showcasing the famous architect's work. 


Parks

Hyde Park telegraphs the ample amount of green space available to renters in its very name. But unlike other Chicago neighborhoods that follow convention by having "Park" somewhere in their name, Hyde Park really does boast a ton of parks for residents to enjoy. Jackson Park is the largest natural area in the neighborhood, with miles of green space, a Japanese Garden, playing fields and a golf course. Hyde Park's western boundary runs up against Washington Park, a sprawling area filled with meadows, lagoons and walking paths. Promontory Point is a favorite destination among locals, jutting out into Lake Michigan while providing excellent views of the city's skyline, and Harold Washington Park is a great space to explore while ambling up or down the walking and cycling paths of the lakefront.

The Local Farmers Market

The 61st Street Farmers Market is a combination indoor-outdoor farmers market that brings fresh produce, locally made goods and positive vibes to the Hyde Park neighborhood all year long. From May to October, the market is hosted outdoors along E 61st St between S Dorchester Ave and S Blackstone Ave. The indoor market is typically held at the Experimental Station during the winter months but has adapted into an online marketplace that offers delivery in the COVID era.


Coffee Shops

Being home to a university campus means a lot of students may be burning the midnight oil to get their studies in, and that means caffeine dispensaries are never too far away from Hyde Park apartments. Build Coffee is a cozy destination for a cup of joe near the southern end of the U of C campus, while nearby Woodlawn is home to the popular Robust Coffee.


The University of Chicago

Considered a top tier university in the United States, the University of Chicago is a major player when it comes to research and breakthroughs in many fields. Two of the most notable programs in this historic institution of higher learning are the medical and economics schools, but the sizable university is home to scores of academic programs in both its undergraduate and graduate schools. Famous U of C alumni include United States Senator Carol Moseley Braun, Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Roger Ebert, Emmy Award-winner W. Kamau Bell, and award-winning radio journalist Sarah Koenig.


Public Art

The museum scene in Hyde Park is a bankable way to explore art and antiquities, but apartment renters don't need to rely on museums if they just want to appreciate some fine works of art in the neighborhood. Hyde Park's public art collection has entries from varied and celebrated artists, including works by sculptor Laredo Taft and an installation by Yoko Ono. The DuSable Museum of African American History has an outdoor sculpture garden that's open 365 days of the year, and there's even a sculpture built to commemorate the site of the world's first controlled nuclear reaction at Stagg Field.


Architecture

No conversation about life in Chicago is complete until it gets around to the city's architectural legacy, and Hyde Park is a notable and interesting destination for architecture lovers in Chicago. There's the famous Robie House, an example of Frank Lloyd Wright's vision for Prairie Style living, while the modern Hyde Park apartment buildings designed by Jeanne Gang also demonstrate another flair for innovative design when it comes to homes in Hyde Park. But the real star of the show? The University of Chicago's memorable gothic architecture stands on its own as a beautiful place to gaze at buildings in Chicago. A stroll through the campus quadrangle during autumn -- when the leaves change color and the vibrant collage of red, orange and yellow plays against the hulking limestone campus buildings and their ornate rooflines -- is a veritable rite of passage for any Hyde Park resident.