Apps like ParkHero make finding a cheap parking spot in places like Chicago trivially easy. I took the family in the weekend of the marathon (oops) and found an overnight spot near the Navy Pier for $40. I went a few weeks ago and got a spot downtown for $17 overnight.
My situation is similar to Chronos; I live in Chicago and work in a suburb, but the neighborhood I work in has a much more “urban” feel than the neighborhood I live in. Even though I can easily get there in half an hour on the train, I rarely go downtown; maybe a few times a year to see a play or for a medical appointment or something. For everything else, like restaurants and shopping, there are options just as good much closer to home. One exception would be that during the summer I often ride my bike along the lakefront, which takes me through an area which is “downtown” by any reasonable definition, but is still a bike path along the lake. But I don’t do anything there, I just ride through it.
2-3 times a month into Boston, sometimes more often if there are events going on. At our old place it was much easier to jump on the T (subway). Here we either drive to a large T stop and take the train in, or just Uber/Lyft both ways. Driving in isn’t a big problem either, since there’s a couple of inexpensive parking garages available.
I was hoping a fellow Clevelander would chime in. When my son was with me, we would go out a lot on the bus. Downtown I guess once a week.
I have no intention of going again. I worry What if the bus’s stop running, how would I get home?
I could walk home from Great Lakes mall. It would take me about 3.5 hours without stop, longer if I rested.
I went into the city in January for a show that was on. That was the first time I’d been in the vicinity in about three years. I used to go a lot when there were specific shopping reasons, but now that everything is online, and suburban shopping precincts are fully featured, it’s no longer necessary.
That must be some haircut!
I’d ask what “the City” means. I live in suburban Dallas, but still in the city limits. (NE Dallas near Richardson).
I’d say outside of work (a couple of days a week) I don’t make it south of about Lovers Lane but maybe every couple of months.
Most of the time my commercial time is spent within a box bounded by about Inwood to the west, Plano Rd to the east, Lovers to the south and Arapaho to the north. I go one of central Dallas m, Plano, Addison or Garland about monthly.
I’ve not used it, but I’ve heard good things about it. To be fair, regarding my earlier post, the large majority of my parking experiences in Chicago – both downtown, and in the neighborhoods – occurred before that app existed.
I grew up in San Jose. Once I got into high school, and well into my 20s, my friends and I went up to San Francisco all the time. The South Bay didn’t have a lot going on for young people at the time, while San Francisco did.
Now, my wife and I live in a suburb of Portland, OR. Downtown Portland is a straight shot down the freeway, about 20 minutes away, but we rarely go there these days. Only because there’s no reason for us to go there, not because of traffic or parking.
Trendy restaurants, not so much. But I like watching live music, viewing art and fine dining. Not a lot of any of that in the suburbs.
Absolutely - Chicago parking and traffic is still terrible, but technology has been a big help. I don’t know how much the app helps in the residential areas.
Down here in Indianapolis, going “downtown” is a breeze. Despite suburban complaints, there’s tons of parking, traffic isn’t bad, and everything is mostly centrally accessible. I go down fairly regularly for baseball games, and the occasional nice dinner.