Sure, the Loop is bustling with busy business people, but not everyone heads there just to work. It also is a spot for kids who like to have a bit of city fun.
LOOP HUMOR
A woman is waiting for a bus. The bus pulls up to the stop, and the driver opens the door.
‘Does dis bus go to da Loop?’ she asks.
‘No lady,’ the driver says, ‘dis bus goes beep beep.’
Matt B. loves to head downtown. He says his older brothers take him all over the city and he even goes downtown with friends. The bustle and excitement of the Loop make it one of his favorite city spots.
“I really like being in populated areas,” says Matt, 14, of Norridge.
Matt is in a summer program with his high school that takes him to different parts of Chicago each week.
“Kids should be able to explore the city and learn how to use public transportation,” Matt says. “There are so many possibilities on where to go.
“I love going into the city–it’s really cool. You get to stand next to a building, look up and see how tall it is.”
Being around tall buildings is just one reason some kids like the Loop. KidNews Scoop Trooper Ariage P. says she likes going to the Loop for some no-parent fun.
“We don’t have an actual agenda when we go downtown; we just hang out,” says Ariage, 15, of Chicago. “I think it’s freedom.”
Ariage usually goes to the Loop with a pack of friends. Hanging out can mean having lunch, shopping and checking out the sights.
In addition to those famous spots everyone knows about–Marshall Field’s, the Picasso statue, Sears Tower–the Loop is filled with interesting things many folks don’t pay attention to, says Donna Gabanski, a tour guide with the Chicago Architecture Foundation.
The top of the Harold Washington Library is one of those buildings where people might not notice the detail, Gabanski says. Look closely, she says, and you’ll see a picture of a face with big puffy cheeks. It’s the Windy City Man, a nod to Chicago’s nickname.
Some kids might not catch the small stuff, but Gabanski says the kids on her tour notice the tall buildings in a big way. “For kids who don’t live in the city, it’s such a different atmosphere,” she says. “I think it’s overwhelming to them.”
No so for Jonah A.H., 10, of Chicago, because he’s often downtown. But Jonah says those tall buildings make the Loop seem very different from his North Side neighborhood. “Around here, the biggest buildings are apartments,” he says. “In downtown Chicago, there are more events. There are bigger activities there.”
Activities such as the Farmer’s Market, parades and festivals can pack the Loop with people, which can seem kind of scary to some kids.
Even though his Loop trips are fun, Jonah says he once was separated from his mom in a packed subway station. “There were a lot of people and I almost got lost. It’s really crowded,” he says.
Packed subways and sidewalks aren’t something Brianne K., 14, has in Morton Grove. So heading into the Loop with her family is a very different experience.
“We go downtown maybe seven times a year,” she says. Her family also has a tradition of heading into the Loop at Christmas to see the decorated store windows on State Street.
“We usually go pick up my dad from his office and walk to see those windows,” she says.
Brianne’s downtown trips “are kind of reserved for special occasions.” But now that families are flocking to Millennium Park, hanging out in the Loop may become a regular activity for many kids.
Sights to be seen
There’s more to the Loop than banks and offices. Plus lots of cool places are free or inexpensive. Here are some you’ll want to check out:
Are you ready to go?
The Loop is big and busy. Traffic flies, crowds move quickly and the “L” gets packed. Think you’re ready to go it alone?
To hang in the Loop, Matt B. says you have to be prepared. “It can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re doing,” he says. “There are so many ‘L’ lines now. Like the yellow one that only leads to Skokie. You can really get lost.”
If you don’t want to board the wrong train or wander around lost, Matt says you should check a map before you go. “It’s really important to know your way around,” he says.
Ariage P. got lost on her first trip downtown with friends. “We got on the trolley and thought it would take us back to State Street,” Ariage says. “But it turned us around and we were like, where are we? We had to call home and get directions.”
Ariage takes the bus or the Red Line to the Loop, and says going downtown without parents is total freedom. “When you go with friends, you can just hang out and do as you please,” she says.
She says you should bring extra money and a cell phone for emergencies when you head out with your buds. “If it’s your first time downtown, you should ask your parents to write out directions to get to where you’re going,” Ariage says.
The scoop on snacks
The Loop has loads of restaurants for grown-ups. But what about hot dogs, hamburgers and ice cream? Here’s where to go for the grub you love:
