If you’re moving to Chicago, you’re in for a treat. The Windy City has so much to offer its residents, from stunning summers on beautiful beaches to world-class museums and restaurants. Before you start enjoying the city and its many attractions and amenities, the best movers in Chicago are here to help plan your move and welcome you to what we believe is the greatest city in the world.
Coordinating Your Move to Chicago
Careful planning is vital to setting yourself up for a smooth move. You’ve already got your hands full moving to a new town, so try to find a local Chicago mover who can take some tasks (and some stress!) off your plate. Check out a few companies’ online reviews, read through their websites, and call their office to chat with their customer service team. The more confidence you have in the mover you choose, the more you can de-stress and enjoy the entire process of moving to Chicago.
Moving to Chicago from out of state
Interstate moves can be tough. You might look into full-service cross-country moving companies to handle the packing and loading service at your old home, interstate transportation, and delivery to your new home in Illinois. However, those companies can be very expensive, and sometimes even cost prohibitive. In many cases, people choose local movers to help at each end of their relocation.
Oftentimes, the best moving companies around offer loading and unloading services. This means that you can hire movers who are experts in each location. The transportation from your old home to your new place in Chicago can be handled with a long-haul carrier, a container company, or even by renting and driving your own moving truck. Plus, when you arrive in Chicago, your local moving crew can offer some recommendations about dining, entertainment, and attractions in the Windy City!
Moving Within the State of Illinois
People moving to Chicago from elsewhere in Illinois might not realize that they may be able to use one moving company to handle their entire relocation. This will likely depend on how far away your current home is from Chicago. Many movers offer service areas that extend well outside of the city proper, so you might be able to use a single Chicago-based moving company instead of hiring an expensive interstate mover or coordinating loading and unloading services with multiple companies.
Either way, the best movers in Chicago will warmly welcome you to town and carefully—but quickly—place your furniture and boxes inside your new home. Then you can start enjoying your new surroundings!
Enjoying the City After Your Move
Chicagoans are proud of their city. And with good reason! There’s something for each age, taste, and vibe every single day of the year. This Midwestern metropolis’s offerings vary from neighborhood festivals to world-class amenities, so there’s plenty for you to look forward to before moving to Chicago and throughout the years you live in the city.
The basics
Just like any city, there are a few basic things you should know about moving to Chicago. You’re probably already aware of the weather, which spans from warm, gorgeous summers that draw you outside to cold, snowy winters that lead you to find indoor attractions. Additionally, here are a few more pieces of knowledge to familiarize yourself with so you can call yourself a true Chicagoan:
- Getting around. Chicago has a fantastic public transportation system, from the infamous L to well over 100 bus routes. If you’re a driver, the city’s grid system makes finding streets and addresses relatively easy.
- Lingo. Between their accent and slang terms, it can sometimes be difficult for an out-of-towner to understand what the heck a Chicagoan is saying. Try to learn some of the local lingo, though! It’s important for everything from transportation (i.e., “It’s bumper-to-bumper from the post office to the circle”) to food (“I want my hot dog dragged through the garden”), and everything in between.
- Dibs. Although it’s a hot-button issue for many residents, lots of Chicagoans practice a local “Dibs” system. This basically means that if you clear out the snow from a parking spot, you’ve laid claim to that space, and can reserve it by placing a chair, statue, or any other large outdoor item in the spot. Even if you don’t agree with it, make nice with your neighbors and don’t commit the cardinal sin of removing someone’s Dibs!
In other words, Chicago is full of personality and idiosyncrasies. While you’re getting to know the local scene, let yourself take in some world-class culture as well.
World-class museums and zoos
Want a cultural experience? Chicago has you covered. Its museums—which offer free days throughout the year to city residents—are internationally renowned. Here are a few must-sees that tourists and locals alike can’t get enough of:
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- The Field Museum
- Shedd Aquarium
- Adler Planetarium
- The Museum of Contemporary Art
- The Museum of Science and Industry
Additionally, you can visit Lincoln Park Zoo, which is free every day of the year and nestled within the city’s beautiful Lincoln Park neighborhood. For even more animal fun, head about 14 miles west to the suburban Brookfield Zoo.
Dining for every palette
It’s a common misconception that Chicagoans frequently eat deep dish pizza. Although it’s a delicious delicacy, locals usually go for the crispy thin crust tavern style or the pillowy pan pizza. There are plenty of options, so treat yourself to each and see which one you like the best.
However, Chicago isn’t only about pizza. Additional favorites include the Italian beef sandwich, the combo sandwich, Chicago style popcorn, and of course, the Chicago hot dog (just don’t ever ask for ketchup on it). You can find tasty casual pub grub, Michelin star restaurants, and spots that showcase different cuisines from across the world. Whatever you have a taste for, Chicago has it. So open your mind (and your palette) and start exploring the options.
Sports for spectators and athletes
As a sports town like no other, Chicago is bursting at the seams with professional sports to enjoy. In addition to major league clubs in baseball, football, hockey, and basketball, there are plenty of other teams you can root for, including:
- Chicago Dogs (minor league baseball)
- Chicago Fire (men’s soccer)
- Chicago Hounds (rugby)
- Chicago Red Stars (women’s soccer)
- Chicago Wolves (minor league hockey)
And don’t forget about college sports! Cheer on the Loyola Ramblers, the UIC Flames, and the DePaul Blue Demons in the city, as well as the Northwestern Wildcats in the nearby suburb of Evanston. In other words, moving to Chicago might include buying some new jerseys to support your favorite local teams.
If you’re more of an athlete than a spectator, Chicago is perfect for you. Runners enjoy marathons throughout the warmer season, volleyball players hit the sand at places like North Avenue Beach, and the city is packed with indoor recreational sporting venues for just about every sport and level.
Seasonal things to do
On top of watching or playing sports, moving to Chicago means you’ll have almost limitless fun and entertaining stuff to do. Year-round events like taking in a show at one of the many theaters or catching a concert at one of the dozens of music venues is always a great option. In addition, here are some seasonal activities to check out (and by the way, many of these are completely free, so you can enjoy the city while keeping cash in your wallet):
- Summer. Spend plenty of time at the free public beaches, walk through the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, and attend as many street festivals as you can. Fests are put on by different neighborhoods, and you can find one just about every weekend in the summer.
- Fall. Check out the beautiful foliage at the Morton Arboretum or the Chicago Botanic Garden, grab a warm apple cider and pick your own pumpkin, or get the wits scared out of you at a popup haunted house.
- Winter. Go ice skating in Millenium Park, do a little shopping at Christkindlmarket, or just drive through the neighborhood and see how Chicagoans deck out their homes for the holidays.
- Spring. Become a birder and soak up the avian migration, stroll through some of the more than 600 public parks, and enjoy watching the city come to life after the cold season.
It’s always a great time to be in what we consider to be the greatest city on the planet. Whenever you’re moving to Chicago, you’ll be greeted to your new town by unsurpassed culture, a laundry list of fun things to do, and the friendliest movers around.
We Make Moving to Chicago Fun and Easy!
Like any relocation that takes you to a new town, moving to Chicago can be stressful. However, when you partner with the best local movers, we’ll work to make the entire process fun and easy. Let us handle the heavy lifting so you can start enjoying everything our city has to offer.
Contact us today for a free estimate!