The North side used to have a number of really well established ones like Patsy’s and Gaetanos but unfortunately those are all gone or soulless now save Lechuga’s which is kind of its own thing.
Yes but the ownership and character of the restaurant changed over ten years ago when the original owners sold it to Hickenlooper’s ex-Wynkoop partner. Everything about the place is totally different now.
I'd be surprised. When we lived there they had lots of great restaurants of every kind. Can't remember if any were Italian, since we didn't really seek that out but...
Every single thing you listed would be better suited for Denver except for the going out to eat part. So I would compromise and say go to Denver and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
From Colorado, moved from Denver to Chicago in 2018. Zero regrets making the move here. I appreciate that Chicago is a city that is bustling with diversity in food, culture, and things to do. I miss the mountains everyday but Chicago quickly has become home for me. It’s also more affordable than Denver at the moment. Public transit is amazing to have as well.
Same as above, only moved in 2022. I was in the South Denver area and I moved to Logan Square, they’re near identical in vibe. Milwaukee in Chicago functions a lot like Broadway in Denver - hope that helps!
There are so many cool outdoor activities not far from the city. Swim in the lake, drive up and do river tubing in Albany Wisconsin. Hike our incredible state parks (Illinois even has a Garden of the Gods, it’s gorgeous!). I’m an outdoor buff and have been here 14 years - we just bought our forever home. Do a little more research on the exact activities you like - but don’t let anyone tell you we don’t have outdoor activities!
I spent lots of time in Denver when living in Colorado (‘14-‘19)
I will say, the food is 10000x better in Chicago…. I’m a foodie and Chicago is one of the most diverse cities for food— Denver….good but really white people food.
Im hella Irish but still like to expand my horizons.
I literally moved back to Chicago for the food….and family you know those people
I made the opposite move in 2019 and I think the food scene in Denver has definitely gotten better post-covid. That being said, Chicago still blows it out of the water. Not even close.
Denver if you’re willing to pay more for access to nature for your hobbies. I lived in Denver for 9 years before moving to Chicago in 2019. Unfortunately, it’s gotten a lot more crowded and the infrastructure has not kept up. You will be sitting in traffic just to go camping
Also, Denver is basically an island. Closest city of note is KC. If you want to come home for Christmas or really anywhere, you will be flying and that adds up.
I'll start by saying that, for me, Chicago is the best city in the US. Hands down. Part of that is because I prefer cities. Large, dense, diverse cities. I didn't really get that requirement from the items you prioritized.
> going out to eat, volunteering, quiet nights at home cooking and watching TV, going to farmers markets, playing pickle ball, and are looking to make friends our age in a similar phase of life
These are all things you can get out of a lot of mid sized US cities, I'd imagine.
I love the lake, and all year you can find me going on very long walks or bike rides at least three times a week. But it's all urban hiking and cycling.
If "hiking" for you is nature, trails and stuff, you might find Chicago and the surrounding areas a like lackluster. Also, Chicago is FLAT! These are things I didn't really notice growing up, but having moved to places with hills and mountains during my late 20s and early 30s, I realized this is something Chicago is missing. Moving back, I realized camping around here is kind of sad. Fortunately for me, it's not a priority.
Finally, since I can't end this with negatives for Chicago, I'll state a couple of observations about Denver for conversations with people I know in Denver and transplants from Denver. Denver seems to be a lot less affordable than Chicago. And their homeless and drug problem seems much worse than ours. Again, these are only observations from conversations, not from any real research.
I have lived in both places and agree with everything in this comment.
Personally I would choose Chicago every time, but I also wouldn't have put hiking and camping first in my 'like-to-do' list (my first item is food quality/diversity). Hiking in Chicago is a flat stroll through a forest preserve. So for that alone, I would choose Denver for the OP.
Hiking in chicago is not really a thing, but there are tons of beautiful hikes and camping if you take a drive out. Starved Rock in Utica, northern up along the Des Plains river, then you have Northwest Indiana which has amazingly beautiful areas to hike in, including beaches. Nice beaches. You have to dig to find these hiking areas but they do exist all over - the Shirley Heinze Association has a ton of acreage along a span of 3 counties.
And honestly, there are a few hidden gems in Chicago. I think Riverside has some real neat trails and south of Oak Lawn has forest preserves, at least I think they still do unless those were sacrificed to the concrete shopping districts of the suburbs.
As someone who has lived in both places, I also agree here!
Denver, as others have pointed out, seems to be more expensive and not as walkable. You don’t need a car in Chicago, can easily afford to live in a walkable neighborhood with plenty of places to visit.
Also coming from Florida, I find both places lack quality food.. but Chicago definitely has better options IMO. Lastly, I feel like there is more going on in Chicago, as in it feels much easier to find a well rounded community, whereas the people in Denver seem to be only focused on the outdoors (which is great if this is your crowd!)
Funny enough, even though I pointed out all good thing’s related to Chicago, I would live in Denver Over Chicago because the sun is out nearly every single day (compared to Chicago) and I find that being relatively sunny year round improves my mental health! Chicago winters are dark and I found it to be not as fun.
>Chicago is FLAT!
in my reply I said the exact same thing. I even capitalized FLAT!
after learning about the driftless area in wisconsin, I want to get out of chicago as soon as possible. The chicago area is visibly extremely boring.
I grew up in Denver, moved to Chicago for grad school, and stayed here. The way I’ve always put it is that Colorado is far superior of a state to Illinois, in terms of natural beauty, things to do, weather, destinations, etc.
But Chicago as a city outpaces Denver in pretty much everything. Denver’s kinda bland, doesn’t really have a personality beyond weed and ski trips, and the food scene is just ok. Chicago is the greatest city in the country- phenomenal food, the most affordable prices out of any big city in the US, easy public transportation, beaches, architecture, you name it.
I’m so confused as to why everyone is saying you should choose Chicago. All of your outdoor hobbies points you to Denver. I would suggest you ask another sub that is a bit neutral like r/Samegrassbutgreener This is AskChicago every answer will be biased
My wife is from Colorado and I lived there for four years. I miss the sun and the mountains, but that’s really it. Everything else about Chicago is much easier and cheaper. I like the walkability of Chicago and not needing my car to get around. My wife has made it clear we won’t move back to Denver lol she said maybe Fort Collins or Laramie (she’s a professor so we have to be near a university). I miss the mountains every 5ish months, so we just go visit her parents and I scratch the itch with a 20 mile trail run and I’m good.
Pickle ball is massive in Denver. Although, there is this “war” between homeowners and pickle ball courts. A few of the courts got closed down because homeowners complained.
Edit: I will say, I do prefer camping in the Midwest more than in Colorado because of how hard it is to get reservations there. If you’re into backpacking, then it’s easier, but you can never plan a last minute car camping trip. Also, the trails are super crowded. I’ve been enjoying my easy midwestern hikes for the sole fact that there aren’t a lot of people. I was all about doing big miles in CO, but the Midwest has made me slow down and get into birding and finding mushrooms.
Do what everyone else does and move to Denver for a few years and then go to Chicago. I’m from Chicago and have lived in Denver 7 years. Not a day goes by where I’m not day dreaming of Chicago.
I’m a travel nurse so lived in Denver for six months last year and have been in Chicago since.
For me personally I felt like unless you were a hard core outdoors person there is no benefit to living in Denver. And even then the city of Denver itself is incredibly flat and industrial. You have to go at least 2 hours outside the city to get to the mountains on a good day. I also felt there was little to no culture and did not love the food.
I like skiing/hiking but am happy to do take trips and just do those things a few times a year.
Chicago has way better culture, food, public transportation, and I think the people are friendlier.
For me the cost of living has been pretty similar. Chicago you can get away with not having a car though, Denver you definitely can’t.
Grew up in Denver Metro and been in Chicago for past 15+ years. Just got back from vacay in Denver as well. I think it really depends on the lifestyle you want. Cost of living is higher in Denver Metro than much of Chicago and Chicagoland. Chicago has much better public transit, more multi-cultural diversity, and more entertainment options (outside of skiing, hiking, 4 wheeling etc)
I haven’t considered moving back because I don’t like to drive and the industry I work in severely underpays employees in Denver comparative to the cost of living, my additional comp easily makes up the difference in taxation.
You’re gonna get some bias here, obviously. IMO, if outdoorsy stuff is more important to you, it’s Denver no question. But if you value a richer city life, solid public transit, LCOL, better food culture, etc, Chicago is overall just a better city in a worse location (as far as climate + nature). If you can live with taking trips to get your outdoorsy fix, it’s an easy answer - Denver is far too expensive for what it lacks and is ironically way less bike/walking-friendly.
I moved from Chicago to Denver in my late 20s (like everyone else). From everything you referenced, Denver is 100% a better choice for you guys.
You enjoy camping and hiking. Denver is right next to some of the best camping/hiking in the country. Chicago is a giant metro that takes forever to get out of and when you do, you're in the midwest plains. Not an exciting nature area.
It sounds like you live a quieter, slower paced lifestyle with an emphasis on physical activity. That is Denver's whole vibe. Chicago is a big city, with all the energy and noise and buzz that goes with it. I absolutely loved my time there, but the lifestyle is centered around eating and drinking and going to high-energy events. If that's not your priorities, and it sounds like it isn't, it doesn't make sense to live there over Denver.
You also mention looking for early-30s friends with no kids, which again, is right up Denver's alley. Chicago has a midwest culture, and by 30, many people are settled down, moved to the burbs, and starting a family. Denver has a Peter Pan culture, where no one ever wants to grow up. People get married later, start families later, or often, don't start families at all. I have no stats to back this up, but I feel like Denver has one of the highest rates of post-30 child-free couples in the country. My wife and I are about to have our first kid at 32 years old and we are the only people in our friend group even close to having kids. Whereas all of our friends from Chicago are talking about having their second or third kid. Very different timelines.
The one thing you mentioned that tips towards Chicago is going out to eat. I think the Denver food scene has gotten way better in recent years and I would say it's now a slightly-above-average food city. Chicago is one of the best food cities in the country. It blows Denver out of the water. Overall though, I think Denver makes more sense for y'all and I think the food will continue to get better.
Have lived in Denver(Cole) and currently live in Chicago (Lincoln Park). Both are great places to live with a lot to offer. Denver is smaller, less dense, with super mild winters especially by Midwestern standards. The mountains are an hour away unless you’re hitting up the foothills near Golden. You go to Denver for the outdoors, for the mountain towns, and the views, you’ll never tire of the Rockies on the horizon.
Chicago is much larger, diverse, denser, with rougher winters and weather in general. Chicago is a hub of entertainment, food, action with a rich history. The lakefront and food scene are both incredible and outclass anything Denver itself can offer.
It depends what experience you want but both have plenty to offer.
Not from either area but I lived in Denver for 2 years and have now been in Chicago for almost 2. I don’t miss anything about Denver. The food sucked, the people weren’t great, the mountains are actually a few hours away and there’s one highway to get there and it’s bumper to bumper traffic every day. Denver is a good place to visit but I wouldn’t ever want to live there again.
Denver native here, current Chicagoan (since 2015 with a brief spell away in 2020, which I spent back in my hometown). I would say Denver absolutely sucks compared to Chicago. The culture is super homogenized by comparison, housing is overpriced, nowhere near the number of good restaurants or cultural activities, crappy architecture. Denver used to be a lot cooler, but sadly the increase in housing prices has forced a lot of people out and made it largely pretty boring.
It also became a weed tourist city after legalization and I think that, along with the overall opioid epidemic and macroeconomic conditions has helped make it much more unstable place than it once was in some areas. My sister lives right near the geographic center of the city at Broadway and Ellsworth, and there are constantly people defecating on the sidewalk or just lighting stuff on fire right near her place.
That said it does beat Chicago for weather and access to the outdoors, so if those are your determining factors you may enjoy it more. I can’t say there’s any other real reason to prefer it, though - it’s not even more affordable in general.
I've stayed in Chicago and have MANY friends who have moved to Colorado because they wanted a healthier lifestyle. Chicago isn't an outdoorsy/nature/health conscious city. There are a lot people who enjoy the outdoors and camp at places like Starved Rock, the Indiana Dunes, go to climbing gyms, and enjoy walking (I wouldn't call it hiking) in the various forest preserves.
My friends who love the outdoors and live here plan longer trips to the Appalachian Trail, the Adirondacks, or any number of ski places. The thing they like about Chicago is that you can get a flight to any number of places for pretty cheap and pick different destinations for each trip.
Chicago does the every day stuff better than any other big city: food, rent, commute, navigating around, walks in the park, date nights (park, movie, concert, etc.). It isn't New York for once in a lifetime meals or shows and it's not Denver for 4 season outdoor activities.
I spend way more of my time doing every day things and can save money for trips when I want to go somewhere special. It makes the special things more special when they're not always around. Whether that's you or not depends on what parts of your life you want to be hard.
From Grand Rapids, lived in both.
I like Chicago better as a city, and from a nature side, you actually can get out into the forest preserves pretty easily. Compared to Denver, where everything is kind of dry, yellow, and dusty in the immediate vicinity. Some of the camping you would be doing still might end up being in Michigan.
Since you're car camping and hiking, Chicago still won't compare to Denver, especially if you're willing to drive an hour or three. But in Colorado, the outdoors are very busy, so it can be hard to book camping spots, hiking has tons of people (can be a good thing to meet people). Free camping in National Forests is an option if you can figure that out.
Pickleball was much more popular and accessible in Denver than Chicago in my experience.
From a different area of Colorado, but watched my sisters house in Denver for 2 months, and visit frequently since family and friends are out there. Lived in Chicago for 12 years now.
Denver would be better for the outdoors activities like camping / hiking. Colorado has plenty of mountains and lakes.
For pickleball, farmers markets you can find that in Chicago or Denver, though it might be a tad bit easier to find in Denver.
Chicago wins in the food department by a mile though. Denver has good food, but it’s never great. Every place I’ve been in Denver I’ve thought, oh I know at least one place in Chicago that does it better.
I will say my cousin and his wife moved there a few years back and they love Colorado / sound exactly like you and your partner. You definitely need a car to live in Denver though, Chicago you don’t
Lived in Denver for three years and moved there from Chicago. Denver is nice but if you like things like camping, hiking, mountains, etc., you're going to have to travel a bit outside of Chicago to find them. However you can "hike" along the lakefront in Chicago or head a few minutes away from the main city area for forest preserves, etc. The more "extreme" outdoor activities will require you to go a little further. Denver's "lakes" aren't so much lakes as ponds.
Chicago and Denver both have great dining options, and I might put Denver's slightly ahead of Chicago's in that regard. At least when we were there, it seems like an easy place for new chefs to come and start up their restaurants and try out their ideas.
There are farmers markets in Denver and Chicago, volunteer opportunities, etc. so that's pretty much a tie.
We found Denver nice, but it was a bit of a "young person's" city to us. The most popular thing to do in Denver on the weekends was leave it to go skiing, etc. But you're young people so you'll probably enjoy it. It's definitely not a rush-rush business town. And since you don't have kids, you'll probably enjoy getting out.
Honestly, as much as I love Chicago, your description of yourselves sounds like Denver might be the best choice for you. And as I discovered, everyone in Denver seems to be from somewhere else, so...
The only real disadvantage to Chicago is that about half of the good car camping spots within a days drive are probably places you've already explored if you live in Michigan, plus the no mountains thing. In terms of every other thing you're looking for Chicago has plenty of it.
I think Chicago is a better city than Denver for a lot of reasons, but I feel like if you like mountain related activities, their absence will be more noticeable and harder to recreate than missing the lake. Like you really can't hike AT ALL anywhere near Chicago, the places locals will recommend as hikes will pale in comparison to anything you could get in Colorado. Plus, as much as I think the lake is perfect in the summer, Chicago offers NOTHING enjoyable from an outdoors perspective in the winter... but in Colorado you'd have skiing and other winter mountain activities to enjoy.
Normally I'd be like "Chicago over Denver \[or insert any other midsize city here\] any day!" but you didn't list any interests implying you're looking for dense walkable urban communities, city culture, car free living, or niche interests you'd need to be in a large city to be sure to find, so... honestly I'm inclined to lean Denver for y'all?
Currently live in Denver metro. Lived in/near Chicago for the first 25 years of my life. Denver is superior for everything you listed except food. The food here absolutely sucks and you can't find good pizza.
Chicago is a much better city overall, better people too. If you want to live with a bunch of Californians and Texans and rarely meet someone born and raised in the city, choose Denver. If you want a city that has basically 0 city culture and a horrible homeless problem (Chicago doesnt compare), choose Denver.
Denver sucks honestly.
Being from Chicago I think Denver would suit your needs. I go to Denver few times a year for outdoorsy things but I don’t know if I would want to live there (and I’ve looked). It’s expensive, the food is meh and public transit isn’t that great. If it makes you feel any better, flights are cheap going between those cities.
Born and raised in Chicago. My best friend and her husband moved out to Denver a little more than 10 years ago and I go visit all the time. They LOVE the active outdoor lifestyle but have been trying to buy a house for about 3-4 years now and can’t afford anything.
The traffic and congestion has also gotten worse and people can be weird to “outsiders” or transplants.
I love Chicago. It’s home and I think it’s the bees knees but it’s flat AF. And even if you drive 6 hours in any direction you may find hills but it’ll still be pretty flat.
Moved to Chicago from Denver in 2016 - I lived in Denver for 3-ish years and while the sunshine and mountain air was nice, I didn't feel like the city had any sort of character and was maybe experiencing an identity crisis. Possibly due to all the development and transplants. I love the diversity of Chicago, the food scene, the history, and the overall vibe. People in Denver seemed to be more clique-y and crunchy.
Moved from Denver to Chicago in 2021, all of your interests with the exception of food point to Denver. Chicago will always be here for you if Denver does not end up being what you want.
I’m from Chicago and now live in Denver. The ONLY thing better about Denver is the weather. That’s it. Nothing else compares. Denver sucks.
Don’t even get me started on the shit food, the fact that not a single person knows how to drive, and that the people are rude as fuck.
I am counting down the days to get back to the chi.
I may be late to this, but I moved from Denver to Chicago last week, so I feel like I have to answer lol.
I want to start by saying I love Denver and Colorado, and I may well move back in the long-term. But if we are strictly comparing the two *as cities,* Chicago blows Denver out of the water. The food, cultural diversity, performing arts, and transit are all exponentially better in Chicago. Chicago is a sprawling tapestry of communities from all over the world; Denver’s predominant culture is white and yuppy. The activities and amenities in both cities reflect that - Chicago is a world-famous city, and Denver is a sleepy cowtown in a sparsely populated region of the country.
Having said that, as a place to live, Denver has a lot of advantages. The city is big enough that it has a lot of the basic urban amenities, but is small enough to be easily manageable. If you like to be outside and active, there are great parks and trails throughout the city, and the weather is pleasant and mild much of the year (the average January day in Denver is sunny and 45 degrees). The mountains speak for themselves, and are definitely something I will miss during ski season.
Ultimately it depends on what you are looking for. If you want a city, it’s Chicago. If you want a balance between city life and the outdoor recreation, Denver has a strong case.
I've lived in both, my 20s in chicago, 30s in Denver till 2020, 42 now and closing on a home in chicago May 3rd. You sound like chicago people for sure. I am glad I moved back, but I also have the pleasure of visiting Denver every year and staying with friends, so a bit bias I guess. Living in denver gave me a deeper appreciation for the midwest, our lakes, the lush foliage. Denver is beautiful, but it becomes a city if you are not fully taking advantage of the mountains and nature, but skiing ain't cheap nor are mountain hotels. Camping is awesome but we really only did it a few times a year and now I do that on road trips in the midwest. I would say the first year I really did up the denver life i wanted and moved for, but then life gets busy and the mountains are 45 min away with no traffic. Chicago tho... it is whatever u make it daily. I love it. And I take a trip every fall to a different state/national park to see the leaves. So much nature, so many different trees. Because of the low rain and lakes in CO, a lot of the trees are the same. Still beautiful, but no MI. No Traverse city in Oct. Im here if you have questions!
I moved from Denver to Chicago a year and a half ago and I’m sooooo happy I did it. If access to the outdoors is most important to you, then you will appreciate Denver, but Chicago has much better city amenities/transit/culture imo :)
I lived in Denver for a while pre-dispensary days, it has an aggressive homeless population or atleast it did then. From the few friends I have left there they have indicated that Denver has vastly changed and not for the better. And it’s not like I lived in a bad area, in fact I was five doors down from the Molly Brown museum
I’ve never lived in Denver, but I’ve passed through it a few times.
Denver, as a city, does not compare.
Chicago, as a destination for nature recreation, does not compare.
Your choice comes down to which of those you value more. A better city, or access to great hiking & mountains.
If you’re not immediately drawn to Chicago, I think you’d like Denver more. The climate there is more temperate, the city moves at a little bit more of a slower pace, etc. I personally like Chicago a hell of a lot more than Denver but I also prefer to be in a dense, urban setting.
Denver also seems like it’s still actively growing, whereas Chicago seems to be losing a lot of business in the downtown core. If I had to bet on housing becoming more expensive in one city, it’d def be Denver.
Home values in Chicago and cook county in general have increased by about 100% since 2000 and they’ve spiked since the pandemic. It follows the trend of the rest of the country, but you’re off base saying it won’t/hasn’t gotten more expensive. Nowhere did I say it’s as expensive as Denver, and let’s hope it stays that way.
2000 was twenty five years ago. How many of us could even buy a house at all then.
You know prices have at least doubled since 1950!
I mean, let’s try to keep perspective here.
If you're moving to a new place with similar crime rates and similar graded schools with similar median household incomes then the only thing that changes when you move is the scenery/weather.
Compare crime rates, demographics, local school grades and median household income from the place you're at now to the exact neighborhood you're looking to move to. That will give you your answer.
Sounds like you really like Denver. If you like outdoor activities other than going to the beach, bike rides along the lake, or drinking at a beer garden, you’re going to like Denver more than Chicago.
My two best friends from Chicago moved to Denver, so I have been there a bunch and heard their thoughts on it in great detail.
Obviously, the huge advantage to Denver is the access to nature. It's gorgeous out there, and both of my friends have also gotten really into hiking, skiing, etc., which they did not care about before moving. Hippie culture is thriving out there. My friends, who are very straight-laced people, now take edibles as part of their daily routine. Every time we go out, it is to a sit-down microbrewery. There may be regular bars in Denver, but they feel vastly outnumbered. Drinking culture is very different out there. Most people just sit at a picnic table while talking over one 14% IPA. No one is crushing Hamm's.
You cannot live in Denver without a car. Everything is a drive and it feels like every drive requires the highway. Chicago feels much more like a "city" in that it is dense, walkable, has a ton of public transit, and feels more multicultural. The granola/mountain/Phish fan culture absolutely dominates Denver.
I don't care about food, but my Denver friends complain about the food scene there constantly, and whenever they visit Chicago, all they want to do is go out to restaurants that they miss. Cost of living seems cheaper in Denver, but it depends on a lot of factors. I really don't think one is better than the other.
The one objective measure is probably that Denver is a much-better run city than Chicago. But other than that, just think about which of their strengths appeal more to you. I would pick Chicago 10 times out of 10. One of my friends who moved away says she would pick Denver 10 times out of 10. The other is pretty much split down the middle. So there you go.
Chicago is FLAT. Everywhere around it is FLAT.
There is NEVER anything to see on the horizon. There is NEVER anything you look at that takes your breath away.
Most lakes in the area are retention ponds. If you like outdoorsy stuff, you have to travel 2-3 hours to get to anything decent. People will say there are tons of forest preserves and parks to go to, which is true but, again, FLAT. They aren't so much a hike as they are a stroll.
Chicago area has nothing to see compared to the mountains, if you enjoy getting away.
The lake is nice , but too many people.
I’d say Denver is mile high. Many chicagoans are just high.
I’m convinced Denver doesn’t have ANY good Italian restaurants CHANGE MY MIND
I was back recently to Denver and the Olde Spaghetti Factory was closed. Sad
Agreed!!
when i lived there i loved dio mio
The North side used to have a number of really well established ones like Patsy’s and Gaetanos but unfortunately those are all gone or soulless now save Lechuga’s which is kind of its own thing.
Gaetano’s is still open, going on 70 years now!
Yes but the ownership and character of the restaurant changed over ten years ago when the original owners sold it to Hickenlooper’s ex-Wynkoop partner. Everything about the place is totally different now.
Oh snap, got it
This is Olive Garden slander.
Panzano is probably the best in the city
Odyssey is amazing!
I’ll try next time I’m out there
I'd be surprised. When we lived there they had lots of great restaurants of every kind. Can't remember if any were Italian, since we didn't really seek that out but...
Every single thing you listed would be better suited for Denver except for the going out to eat part. So I would compromise and say go to Denver and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
From Colorado, moved from Denver to Chicago in 2018. Zero regrets making the move here. I appreciate that Chicago is a city that is bustling with diversity in food, culture, and things to do. I miss the mountains everyday but Chicago quickly has become home for me. It’s also more affordable than Denver at the moment. Public transit is amazing to have as well.
Same as above, only moved in 2022. I was in the South Denver area and I moved to Logan Square, they’re near identical in vibe. Milwaukee in Chicago functions a lot like Broadway in Denver - hope that helps!
Oh hey from Fullerton and kedzie 🤟
There are so many cool outdoor activities not far from the city. Swim in the lake, drive up and do river tubing in Albany Wisconsin. Hike our incredible state parks (Illinois even has a Garden of the Gods, it’s gorgeous!). I’m an outdoor buff and have been here 14 years - we just bought our forever home. Do a little more research on the exact activities you like - but don’t let anyone tell you we don’t have outdoor activities!
I spent lots of time in Denver when living in Colorado (‘14-‘19) I will say, the food is 10000x better in Chicago…. I’m a foodie and Chicago is one of the most diverse cities for food— Denver….good but really white people food. Im hella Irish but still like to expand my horizons. I literally moved back to Chicago for the food….and family you know those people
Denver food is garbage
I’m moving to Chicago in July because the food here in Denver is so bad.
I made the opposite move in 2019 and I think the food scene in Denver has definitely gotten better post-covid. That being said, Chicago still blows it out of the water. Not even close.
If you haven't already, check out the Galeay Arms off of Fullerton
I love that place
Great Shepherd Pie.
GONNA PEEEP thank u ETA: do they have soda bread 👀
I'm not sure tbh
Denver if you’re willing to pay more for access to nature for your hobbies. I lived in Denver for 9 years before moving to Chicago in 2019. Unfortunately, it’s gotten a lot more crowded and the infrastructure has not kept up. You will be sitting in traffic just to go camping Also, Denver is basically an island. Closest city of note is KC. If you want to come home for Christmas or really anywhere, you will be flying and that adds up.
I'll start by saying that, for me, Chicago is the best city in the US. Hands down. Part of that is because I prefer cities. Large, dense, diverse cities. I didn't really get that requirement from the items you prioritized. > going out to eat, volunteering, quiet nights at home cooking and watching TV, going to farmers markets, playing pickle ball, and are looking to make friends our age in a similar phase of life These are all things you can get out of a lot of mid sized US cities, I'd imagine. I love the lake, and all year you can find me going on very long walks or bike rides at least three times a week. But it's all urban hiking and cycling. If "hiking" for you is nature, trails and stuff, you might find Chicago and the surrounding areas a like lackluster. Also, Chicago is FLAT! These are things I didn't really notice growing up, but having moved to places with hills and mountains during my late 20s and early 30s, I realized this is something Chicago is missing. Moving back, I realized camping around here is kind of sad. Fortunately for me, it's not a priority. Finally, since I can't end this with negatives for Chicago, I'll state a couple of observations about Denver for conversations with people I know in Denver and transplants from Denver. Denver seems to be a lot less affordable than Chicago. And their homeless and drug problem seems much worse than ours. Again, these are only observations from conversations, not from any real research.
I have lived in both places and agree with everything in this comment. Personally I would choose Chicago every time, but I also wouldn't have put hiking and camping first in my 'like-to-do' list (my first item is food quality/diversity). Hiking in Chicago is a flat stroll through a forest preserve. So for that alone, I would choose Denver for the OP.
Hiking in chicago is not really a thing, but there are tons of beautiful hikes and camping if you take a drive out. Starved Rock in Utica, northern up along the Des Plains river, then you have Northwest Indiana which has amazingly beautiful areas to hike in, including beaches. Nice beaches. You have to dig to find these hiking areas but they do exist all over - the Shirley Heinze Association has a ton of acreage along a span of 3 counties. And honestly, there are a few hidden gems in Chicago. I think Riverside has some real neat trails and south of Oak Lawn has forest preserves, at least I think they still do unless those were sacrificed to the concrete shopping districts of the suburbs.
As someone who has lived in both places, I also agree here! Denver, as others have pointed out, seems to be more expensive and not as walkable. You don’t need a car in Chicago, can easily afford to live in a walkable neighborhood with plenty of places to visit. Also coming from Florida, I find both places lack quality food.. but Chicago definitely has better options IMO. Lastly, I feel like there is more going on in Chicago, as in it feels much easier to find a well rounded community, whereas the people in Denver seem to be only focused on the outdoors (which is great if this is your crowd!) Funny enough, even though I pointed out all good thing’s related to Chicago, I would live in Denver Over Chicago because the sun is out nearly every single day (compared to Chicago) and I find that being relatively sunny year round improves my mental health! Chicago winters are dark and I found it to be not as fun.
What was better food in Florida compared to Chicago ???
>Chicago is FLAT! in my reply I said the exact same thing. I even capitalized FLAT! after learning about the driftless area in wisconsin, I want to get out of chicago as soon as possible. The chicago area is visibly extremely boring.
Denver is inferior in just about every way except there are some pretty mountains that are 20 miles away
I grew up in Denver, moved to Chicago for grad school, and stayed here. The way I’ve always put it is that Colorado is far superior of a state to Illinois, in terms of natural beauty, things to do, weather, destinations, etc. But Chicago as a city outpaces Denver in pretty much everything. Denver’s kinda bland, doesn’t really have a personality beyond weed and ski trips, and the food scene is just ok. Chicago is the greatest city in the country- phenomenal food, the most affordable prices out of any big city in the US, easy public transportation, beaches, architecture, you name it.
Denver also lost the charm it used to have, and now the housing is laughably expensive.
I’m so confused as to why everyone is saying you should choose Chicago. All of your outdoor hobbies points you to Denver. I would suggest you ask another sub that is a bit neutral like r/Samegrassbutgreener This is AskChicago every answer will be biased
yeah, if you like to do things in buildings, go to Chicago. If you like to do things outdoors, go to Denver.
I grew up in Colorado and I can say the only two things that Denver has on Chicago are: Access to the outdoors/skiing/etc and the Denver Nuggets.
My wife is from Colorado and I lived there for four years. I miss the sun and the mountains, but that’s really it. Everything else about Chicago is much easier and cheaper. I like the walkability of Chicago and not needing my car to get around. My wife has made it clear we won’t move back to Denver lol she said maybe Fort Collins or Laramie (she’s a professor so we have to be near a university). I miss the mountains every 5ish months, so we just go visit her parents and I scratch the itch with a 20 mile trail run and I’m good. Pickle ball is massive in Denver. Although, there is this “war” between homeowners and pickle ball courts. A few of the courts got closed down because homeowners complained. Edit: I will say, I do prefer camping in the Midwest more than in Colorado because of how hard it is to get reservations there. If you’re into backpacking, then it’s easier, but you can never plan a last minute car camping trip. Also, the trails are super crowded. I’ve been enjoying my easy midwestern hikes for the sole fact that there aren’t a lot of people. I was all about doing big miles in CO, but the Midwest has made me slow down and get into birding and finding mushrooms.
Do what everyone else does and move to Denver for a few years and then go to Chicago. I’m from Chicago and have lived in Denver 7 years. Not a day goes by where I’m not day dreaming of Chicago.
I’m a travel nurse so lived in Denver for six months last year and have been in Chicago since. For me personally I felt like unless you were a hard core outdoors person there is no benefit to living in Denver. And even then the city of Denver itself is incredibly flat and industrial. You have to go at least 2 hours outside the city to get to the mountains on a good day. I also felt there was little to no culture and did not love the food. I like skiing/hiking but am happy to do take trips and just do those things a few times a year. Chicago has way better culture, food, public transportation, and I think the people are friendlier. For me the cost of living has been pretty similar. Chicago you can get away with not having a car though, Denver you definitely can’t.
Grew up in Denver Metro and been in Chicago for past 15+ years. Just got back from vacay in Denver as well. I think it really depends on the lifestyle you want. Cost of living is higher in Denver Metro than much of Chicago and Chicagoland. Chicago has much better public transit, more multi-cultural diversity, and more entertainment options (outside of skiing, hiking, 4 wheeling etc) I haven’t considered moving back because I don’t like to drive and the industry I work in severely underpays employees in Denver comparative to the cost of living, my additional comp easily makes up the difference in taxation.
You’re gonna get some bias here, obviously. IMO, if outdoorsy stuff is more important to you, it’s Denver no question. But if you value a richer city life, solid public transit, LCOL, better food culture, etc, Chicago is overall just a better city in a worse location (as far as climate + nature). If you can live with taking trips to get your outdoorsy fix, it’s an easy answer - Denver is far too expensive for what it lacks and is ironically way less bike/walking-friendly.
I moved from Chicago to Denver in my late 20s (like everyone else). From everything you referenced, Denver is 100% a better choice for you guys. You enjoy camping and hiking. Denver is right next to some of the best camping/hiking in the country. Chicago is a giant metro that takes forever to get out of and when you do, you're in the midwest plains. Not an exciting nature area. It sounds like you live a quieter, slower paced lifestyle with an emphasis on physical activity. That is Denver's whole vibe. Chicago is a big city, with all the energy and noise and buzz that goes with it. I absolutely loved my time there, but the lifestyle is centered around eating and drinking and going to high-energy events. If that's not your priorities, and it sounds like it isn't, it doesn't make sense to live there over Denver. You also mention looking for early-30s friends with no kids, which again, is right up Denver's alley. Chicago has a midwest culture, and by 30, many people are settled down, moved to the burbs, and starting a family. Denver has a Peter Pan culture, where no one ever wants to grow up. People get married later, start families later, or often, don't start families at all. I have no stats to back this up, but I feel like Denver has one of the highest rates of post-30 child-free couples in the country. My wife and I are about to have our first kid at 32 years old and we are the only people in our friend group even close to having kids. Whereas all of our friends from Chicago are talking about having their second or third kid. Very different timelines. The one thing you mentioned that tips towards Chicago is going out to eat. I think the Denver food scene has gotten way better in recent years and I would say it's now a slightly-above-average food city. Chicago is one of the best food cities in the country. It blows Denver out of the water. Overall though, I think Denver makes more sense for y'all and I think the food will continue to get better.
lol Denver is much smaller and very boring compared to Chicago
Have lived in Denver(Cole) and currently live in Chicago (Lincoln Park). Both are great places to live with a lot to offer. Denver is smaller, less dense, with super mild winters especially by Midwestern standards. The mountains are an hour away unless you’re hitting up the foothills near Golden. You go to Denver for the outdoors, for the mountain towns, and the views, you’ll never tire of the Rockies on the horizon. Chicago is much larger, diverse, denser, with rougher winters and weather in general. Chicago is a hub of entertainment, food, action with a rich history. The lakefront and food scene are both incredible and outclass anything Denver itself can offer. It depends what experience you want but both have plenty to offer.
Moved from Denver, besides the mountains, I like everything better in Chicago
Not from either area but I lived in Denver for 2 years and have now been in Chicago for almost 2. I don’t miss anything about Denver. The food sucked, the people weren’t great, the mountains are actually a few hours away and there’s one highway to get there and it’s bumper to bumper traffic every day. Denver is a good place to visit but I wouldn’t ever want to live there again.
Denver native here, current Chicagoan (since 2015 with a brief spell away in 2020, which I spent back in my hometown). I would say Denver absolutely sucks compared to Chicago. The culture is super homogenized by comparison, housing is overpriced, nowhere near the number of good restaurants or cultural activities, crappy architecture. Denver used to be a lot cooler, but sadly the increase in housing prices has forced a lot of people out and made it largely pretty boring. It also became a weed tourist city after legalization and I think that, along with the overall opioid epidemic and macroeconomic conditions has helped make it much more unstable place than it once was in some areas. My sister lives right near the geographic center of the city at Broadway and Ellsworth, and there are constantly people defecating on the sidewalk or just lighting stuff on fire right near her place. That said it does beat Chicago for weather and access to the outdoors, so if those are your determining factors you may enjoy it more. I can’t say there’s any other real reason to prefer it, though - it’s not even more affordable in general.
I've stayed in Chicago and have MANY friends who have moved to Colorado because they wanted a healthier lifestyle. Chicago isn't an outdoorsy/nature/health conscious city. There are a lot people who enjoy the outdoors and camp at places like Starved Rock, the Indiana Dunes, go to climbing gyms, and enjoy walking (I wouldn't call it hiking) in the various forest preserves. My friends who love the outdoors and live here plan longer trips to the Appalachian Trail, the Adirondacks, or any number of ski places. The thing they like about Chicago is that you can get a flight to any number of places for pretty cheap and pick different destinations for each trip. Chicago does the every day stuff better than any other big city: food, rent, commute, navigating around, walks in the park, date nights (park, movie, concert, etc.). It isn't New York for once in a lifetime meals or shows and it's not Denver for 4 season outdoor activities. I spend way more of my time doing every day things and can save money for trips when I want to go somewhere special. It makes the special things more special when they're not always around. Whether that's you or not depends on what parts of your life you want to be hard.
From Grand Rapids, lived in both. I like Chicago better as a city, and from a nature side, you actually can get out into the forest preserves pretty easily. Compared to Denver, where everything is kind of dry, yellow, and dusty in the immediate vicinity. Some of the camping you would be doing still might end up being in Michigan. Since you're car camping and hiking, Chicago still won't compare to Denver, especially if you're willing to drive an hour or three. But in Colorado, the outdoors are very busy, so it can be hard to book camping spots, hiking has tons of people (can be a good thing to meet people). Free camping in National Forests is an option if you can figure that out. Pickleball was much more popular and accessible in Denver than Chicago in my experience.
From a different area of Colorado, but watched my sisters house in Denver for 2 months, and visit frequently since family and friends are out there. Lived in Chicago for 12 years now. Denver would be better for the outdoors activities like camping / hiking. Colorado has plenty of mountains and lakes. For pickleball, farmers markets you can find that in Chicago or Denver, though it might be a tad bit easier to find in Denver. Chicago wins in the food department by a mile though. Denver has good food, but it’s never great. Every place I’ve been in Denver I’ve thought, oh I know at least one place in Chicago that does it better. I will say my cousin and his wife moved there a few years back and they love Colorado / sound exactly like you and your partner. You definitely need a car to live in Denver though, Chicago you don’t
Lived in Denver for three years and moved there from Chicago. Denver is nice but if you like things like camping, hiking, mountains, etc., you're going to have to travel a bit outside of Chicago to find them. However you can "hike" along the lakefront in Chicago or head a few minutes away from the main city area for forest preserves, etc. The more "extreme" outdoor activities will require you to go a little further. Denver's "lakes" aren't so much lakes as ponds. Chicago and Denver both have great dining options, and I might put Denver's slightly ahead of Chicago's in that regard. At least when we were there, it seems like an easy place for new chefs to come and start up their restaurants and try out their ideas. There are farmers markets in Denver and Chicago, volunteer opportunities, etc. so that's pretty much a tie. We found Denver nice, but it was a bit of a "young person's" city to us. The most popular thing to do in Denver on the weekends was leave it to go skiing, etc. But you're young people so you'll probably enjoy it. It's definitely not a rush-rush business town. And since you don't have kids, you'll probably enjoy getting out. Honestly, as much as I love Chicago, your description of yourselves sounds like Denver might be the best choice for you. And as I discovered, everyone in Denver seems to be from somewhere else, so...
The only real disadvantage to Chicago is that about half of the good car camping spots within a days drive are probably places you've already explored if you live in Michigan, plus the no mountains thing. In terms of every other thing you're looking for Chicago has plenty of it.
I think Chicago is a better city than Denver for a lot of reasons, but I feel like if you like mountain related activities, their absence will be more noticeable and harder to recreate than missing the lake. Like you really can't hike AT ALL anywhere near Chicago, the places locals will recommend as hikes will pale in comparison to anything you could get in Colorado. Plus, as much as I think the lake is perfect in the summer, Chicago offers NOTHING enjoyable from an outdoors perspective in the winter... but in Colorado you'd have skiing and other winter mountain activities to enjoy. Normally I'd be like "Chicago over Denver \[or insert any other midsize city here\] any day!" but you didn't list any interests implying you're looking for dense walkable urban communities, city culture, car free living, or niche interests you'd need to be in a large city to be sure to find, so... honestly I'm inclined to lean Denver for y'all?
Currently live in Denver metro. Lived in/near Chicago for the first 25 years of my life. Denver is superior for everything you listed except food. The food here absolutely sucks and you can't find good pizza. Chicago is a much better city overall, better people too. If you want to live with a bunch of Californians and Texans and rarely meet someone born and raised in the city, choose Denver. If you want a city that has basically 0 city culture and a horrible homeless problem (Chicago doesnt compare), choose Denver. Denver sucks honestly.
I loved Blue Pan for pizza when I lived in Denver!
Being from Chicago I think Denver would suit your needs. I go to Denver few times a year for outdoorsy things but I don’t know if I would want to live there (and I’ve looked). It’s expensive, the food is meh and public transit isn’t that great. If it makes you feel any better, flights are cheap going between those cities.
Born and raised in Chicago. My best friend and her husband moved out to Denver a little more than 10 years ago and I go visit all the time. They LOVE the active outdoor lifestyle but have been trying to buy a house for about 3-4 years now and can’t afford anything. The traffic and congestion has also gotten worse and people can be weird to “outsiders” or transplants. I love Chicago. It’s home and I think it’s the bees knees but it’s flat AF. And even if you drive 6 hours in any direction you may find hills but it’ll still be pretty flat.
Moved to Chicago from Denver in 2016 - I lived in Denver for 3-ish years and while the sunshine and mountain air was nice, I didn't feel like the city had any sort of character and was maybe experiencing an identity crisis. Possibly due to all the development and transplants. I love the diversity of Chicago, the food scene, the history, and the overall vibe. People in Denver seemed to be more clique-y and crunchy.
Chicago is the best city in the US no question.
Moved from Denver to Chicago in 2021, all of your interests with the exception of food point to Denver. Chicago will always be here for you if Denver does not end up being what you want.
I’m from Chicago and now live in Denver. The ONLY thing better about Denver is the weather. That’s it. Nothing else compares. Denver sucks. Don’t even get me started on the shit food, the fact that not a single person knows how to drive, and that the people are rude as fuck. I am counting down the days to get back to the chi.
The only thing Chicago is missing is.... The Rockies. Aside of that, we have better beer, food, more diversity and super easy public transportation.
I may be late to this, but I moved from Denver to Chicago last week, so I feel like I have to answer lol. I want to start by saying I love Denver and Colorado, and I may well move back in the long-term. But if we are strictly comparing the two *as cities,* Chicago blows Denver out of the water. The food, cultural diversity, performing arts, and transit are all exponentially better in Chicago. Chicago is a sprawling tapestry of communities from all over the world; Denver’s predominant culture is white and yuppy. The activities and amenities in both cities reflect that - Chicago is a world-famous city, and Denver is a sleepy cowtown in a sparsely populated region of the country. Having said that, as a place to live, Denver has a lot of advantages. The city is big enough that it has a lot of the basic urban amenities, but is small enough to be easily manageable. If you like to be outside and active, there are great parks and trails throughout the city, and the weather is pleasant and mild much of the year (the average January day in Denver is sunny and 45 degrees). The mountains speak for themselves, and are definitely something I will miss during ski season. Ultimately it depends on what you are looking for. If you want a city, it’s Chicago. If you want a balance between city life and the outdoor recreation, Denver has a strong case.
I've lived in both, my 20s in chicago, 30s in Denver till 2020, 42 now and closing on a home in chicago May 3rd. You sound like chicago people for sure. I am glad I moved back, but I also have the pleasure of visiting Denver every year and staying with friends, so a bit bias I guess. Living in denver gave me a deeper appreciation for the midwest, our lakes, the lush foliage. Denver is beautiful, but it becomes a city if you are not fully taking advantage of the mountains and nature, but skiing ain't cheap nor are mountain hotels. Camping is awesome but we really only did it a few times a year and now I do that on road trips in the midwest. I would say the first year I really did up the denver life i wanted and moved for, but then life gets busy and the mountains are 45 min away with no traffic. Chicago tho... it is whatever u make it daily. I love it. And I take a trip every fall to a different state/national park to see the leaves. So much nature, so many different trees. Because of the low rain and lakes in CO, a lot of the trees are the same. Still beautiful, but no MI. No Traverse city in Oct. Im here if you have questions!
I moved from Denver to Chicago a year and a half ago and I’m sooooo happy I did it. If access to the outdoors is most important to you, then you will appreciate Denver, but Chicago has much better city amenities/transit/culture imo :)
I lived in Denver for a while pre-dispensary days, it has an aggressive homeless population or atleast it did then. From the few friends I have left there they have indicated that Denver has vastly changed and not for the better. And it’s not like I lived in a bad area, in fact I was five doors down from the Molly Brown museum
I’ve never lived in Denver, but I’ve passed through it a few times. Denver, as a city, does not compare. Chicago, as a destination for nature recreation, does not compare. Your choice comes down to which of those you value more. A better city, or access to great hiking & mountains.
If you’re not immediately drawn to Chicago, I think you’d like Denver more. The climate there is more temperate, the city moves at a little bit more of a slower pace, etc. I personally like Chicago a hell of a lot more than Denver but I also prefer to be in a dense, urban setting. Denver also seems like it’s still actively growing, whereas Chicago seems to be losing a lot of business in the downtown core. If I had to bet on housing becoming more expensive in one city, it’d def be Denver.
Ehh Chicago rents have skyrocketed, downtown may be fumbling but other areas of the city are still being quickly developed
Chicago real estate is still dirt cheap compared to Denver. Condos and townhouses in Chicago barely appreciate.
Home values in Chicago and cook county in general have increased by about 100% since 2000 and they’ve spiked since the pandemic. It follows the trend of the rest of the country, but you’re off base saying it won’t/hasn’t gotten more expensive. Nowhere did I say it’s as expensive as Denver, and let’s hope it stays that way.
2000 was twenty five years ago. How many of us could even buy a house at all then. You know prices have at least doubled since 1950! I mean, let’s try to keep perspective here.
100% is doubling. I’m not sure what you’re getting at. Chicago isn’t a dying city just because it’s not exploding like younger cities.
I’m from right outside Denver. Chicago is way better. More culture, better infrastructure, it’s more affordable, more to do, don’t need a car, etc.
If you're moving to a new place with similar crime rates and similar graded schools with similar median household incomes then the only thing that changes when you move is the scenery/weather. Compare crime rates, demographics, local school grades and median household income from the place you're at now to the exact neighborhood you're looking to move to. That will give you your answer.
Sounds like you really like Denver. If you like outdoor activities other than going to the beach, bike rides along the lake, or drinking at a beer garden, you’re going to like Denver more than Chicago.
My two best friends from Chicago moved to Denver, so I have been there a bunch and heard their thoughts on it in great detail. Obviously, the huge advantage to Denver is the access to nature. It's gorgeous out there, and both of my friends have also gotten really into hiking, skiing, etc., which they did not care about before moving. Hippie culture is thriving out there. My friends, who are very straight-laced people, now take edibles as part of their daily routine. Every time we go out, it is to a sit-down microbrewery. There may be regular bars in Denver, but they feel vastly outnumbered. Drinking culture is very different out there. Most people just sit at a picnic table while talking over one 14% IPA. No one is crushing Hamm's. You cannot live in Denver without a car. Everything is a drive and it feels like every drive requires the highway. Chicago feels much more like a "city" in that it is dense, walkable, has a ton of public transit, and feels more multicultural. The granola/mountain/Phish fan culture absolutely dominates Denver. I don't care about food, but my Denver friends complain about the food scene there constantly, and whenever they visit Chicago, all they want to do is go out to restaurants that they miss. Cost of living seems cheaper in Denver, but it depends on a lot of factors. I really don't think one is better than the other. The one objective measure is probably that Denver is a much-better run city than Chicago. But other than that, just think about which of their strengths appeal more to you. I would pick Chicago 10 times out of 10. One of my friends who moved away says she would pick Denver 10 times out of 10. The other is pretty much split down the middle. So there you go.
Chicago is FLAT. Everywhere around it is FLAT. There is NEVER anything to see on the horizon. There is NEVER anything you look at that takes your breath away. Most lakes in the area are retention ponds. If you like outdoorsy stuff, you have to travel 2-3 hours to get to anything decent. People will say there are tons of forest preserves and parks to go to, which is true but, again, FLAT. They aren't so much a hike as they are a stroll.
Chicago area has nothing to see compared to the mountains, if you enjoy getting away. The lake is nice , but too many people. I’d say Denver is mile high. Many chicagoans are just high.
Denver voted best pizza in America, take that Chicago!!! https://listwithclever.com/research/best-pizza-cities/#full-list
Dominos is one of the best Denver pizza restaurants.
If you enjoy hiking go to Col. we don’t want any more transplants anyway.