Guide to Relocating
Considering a move to Chicago? Welcome to The Windy City!
New to Chicago? You’ve already got friends here. We’ll help you learn more about your new home and introduce you to a few of the people in your local chapter.
Been around awhile? The Chicago chapter can help you reconnect with IU—and the over 30,000 IU alumni in Chicago area.
As you begin or continue your transition to Chicago, we’ve put together a list of resources that we hope you will find valuable—including sports teams, comedy venues, overall city resources, places to take visitors, and popular spots to go and watch IU games with your fellow Hoosiers. There are many, many more ideas and activities than this list reveals, but this will get you started.
Overall Resources
- The Chicago Sun-Times
- The Chicago Tribune
- Time Out Chicago
- Chicago Reader
- Craigslist
- City of Chicago
- Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
- Chicago Park District
- Chicago Transit
- Metromix
- Centerstage Chicago
Looking for a job?
The IUAA can help alumni with job search strategies, career advice, and networking opportunities. Learn more here »
Where to watch IU play?
- Joe’s Bar, at 940 W. Weed St.
- Kirkwood Bar & Grill, at 2934 N. Sheffield
Places to take visitors
- Millennium Park: There’s something for just about everybody. The fountain in the summer can be a treat for sightseers and children. Children should bring a change of clothes or a bathing suit because they will end up playing in the fountain.
- Lincoln Park Zoo: It’s a free zoo.
- Frank Lloyd Wright: Unique architecture by a world-renowned architect. See his designs in both Chicago and Oak Park.
- Museums: Chicago Public Library prepares a great list of the museums.
- Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier: It needs its own distinction because of its popularity.
- American Girl Place: Girls love it.
- Chicago Broadway: A little bit of New York City right here in our fine city.
- Hot Tix: A great place to get cheaper theater and comedy tickets.
- The John Hancock Center
Sports
Comedy
- Second City: On most weekends you need to get your tickets ahead of time for the main stage shows.
- Comedy Sportz Chicago: It’s kind of like “Whose Line is it Anyway?’’ and the tickets are pretty affordable. The show is clean, so all ages can see it.
- IO: Many big-name comedic actors got their start on this stage.
- The Annoyance: This isn’t for the faint of heart, but a bunch of great shows for a cheap price. The shows tend to be geared toward adults.
