Situated near the southern tip of Lake Michigan, Chicago is a cosmopolitan city with nearly 80 distinct neighborhoods and a bustling academic and professional job market. The city is famous for its modern architecture and open green spaces, remarkable for a city of such scale, and boasts a flourishing arts community renowned for theater and music. 

Hyde Park and the University

The University is located along the lake and is a quick train, bus, or car ride from downtown Chicago. The University's neighborhood, Hyde Park, is home to many UChicago faculty and graduate students. Hyde Park residents enjoy the neighborhood's museums, eclectic restaurants, and shopping. Once an independent town, the Hyde Park neighborhood has a history of social activism, political leadership, and community life; it is also the site of the Museum of Science and Industry, the DuSable Museum of African American History, and architectural landmarks such as the Frederick C. Robie House - built by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Exploring the city

Our students have the opportunity to have many cultural experiences throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. UChicago Arts Pass provides unique benefits to UChicago students at over 70 theater, music, dance, visual art, and cultural institutions throughout Chicago, and the UChicago Arts page features a list of exciting performances and exhibits taking place both on-campus and off. We also invite you to visit our Chicago Attractions page, which has a greal deal of information about goings-on in the city. TimeOut Chicago and Do312 are excellent resources for staying up to date with current events and activities in the greater Chicago area. We also recommend that you follow @chicagobucketlist on Instagram. You can learn about the revitalization of 53rd Street here, and the Humanities Division Calendar showcases upcoming events in the Division.

Navigating the city

There are many transit options both inside and outside of the Hyde Park neighborhood. Your UChicago ID will grant you access to some transit options, and we recommend that you purchase a Ventra card in order to access many other trains and busses throughout the city. Many students use TransLoc to track buses and shuttles in real-time, and you may download the TransLoc app to your smartphone. Here are more details about navigating the city:

CTA Transportation within Hyde Park (Free to ride with student ID): 171 Bus – Runs University to 55^th to South Hyde Park to 60th; 172 Bus – Runs Woodlawn to E Hyde Park to Ellis to 60th.

UChicago Shuttles in Hyde Park (Free to ride with student ID): Friend Center & Metra Route – Runs from 59th to 55th. Stops at the 55th Metra, 56th Metra, and 57th Metra Stations. This Metra line can be used to reach the Loop. (Route runs 5am to 9pm); Midway Metra – Runs from 59th to 60th to the 57th St Metra Station.This metra line can be used to reach the Loop. (Route runs during rush periods); South Loop Shuttle – Runs from 57th St/University Ave to the Roosevelt Red/Green/Orange Line Station (Route runs Friday/Saturday from 6:30pm to 12:30am).

CTA Bus Transportation out of Hyde Park (requires Ventra card): 192 – Runs from Ogilvie Metra Station to Union Station, to Roosevelt Red/Orange/Green Line to Cottage Grove/57th. Stops at UChicago Hospital on 59th (only runs during peak times); 55 – Runs from Museum of Science and Industry to Midway Station Orange Line. Stops along 55th St in Hyde Park. Provides a route to the 51st Green Line Station and 47th Red Line Station; 28 – Runs from Olive Harvey College at 103rd to Union Station. Stops at Museum of Science and Industry and 47th/Lake Park; 15 – Runs from Stony Island/103rd to 47th Red Line Station. Stops at Museum of Science and Industry and along 51st. Provides a route to the 51st Green Line Station and 47th Red Line Station; 6 – Runs from the Loop (Wacker) to 79th. Stops along 57th, Lake Park, and 47th; 2 – Runs from Navy Pier to Hyde Park. Stops along 60th (only runs during peak times).

You may learn more about Ventra transit fare structure here, and Ventra Cards can be purchased at any “L” station or online on the Ventra website. Many apps offer arrival times and visibility of routes of transit options. Rider shows routes in Hyde Park. The CTA Ventra app shows arrival times for all CTA transits and allows users to buy and refill Ventra cards and purchase Metra tickets. The website of the Office of Campus and Student Life can further help you explore the University and the city (scroll to the bottom of the page for transit-focused content).

Coffee shops on or near campus

• Plein Air
• Grounds of Being (Swift Hall)
• Everett Kovler Café (Booth School of Business)
• Harper Café (Harper Memorial Library
• UChicago Bookstore Café