It’s no secret that Chicago boasts the best skyline and one of the most beautiful coasts in the country. So cruising on Lake Shore Drive—renamed in 2021 as Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive—has got to be one of the best things about living in Chicago.
If you decide to drive or even ride your bike between the East Side neighborhood to the south and Evanston to the north, you will have passed by nearly thirty beaches and about twenty neighborhoods.
As someone who grew up in Little Village—nowhere near the lake—going to the beach was a treat. But it became a less common occurrence over the years as parking meters were installed, carne asadas policed, and curfews enforced. So driving through is the safest and quickest bet.
Not to mention growing up in the 90s; when Brown teens were wary of crossing gang boundaries, young people found Lake Shore Drive (via the I-55) to be a respite from that drama. What a way to circumvent any and all territorial divisions, including segregation.
Residents on the Southeast Side are the only Latinos I know who know what it’s like to live by the lake. Them and the old Puerto Ricans from the North Side. The rest of us only know the West Side, more specifically the Southwest Side.
For these and other reasons, “taking a cruise” on Lake Shore is a popular recreational activity for many South Siders. It’s very much a weekend or even a date night activity. People who smoke weed absolutely love to take a cruise (with their sober designated drivers).
Now I live in the South Shore neighborhood and have been here for five years. It’s not a permanent move, but when I started working at South Side Weekly, it felt important to get a different vantage point of the South Side—literally.
Not only am I grateful to live in a welcoming community with a rich Black history, it’s been a calming experience to breathe in fresh air, gaze at the horizon, watch the waves crash against the limestone, and drive south-north the fastest way possible in the city.
While I’m going to miss living near the water, Lake Shore Drive will always be there for us when we need to clear our mind, have a good conversation, and find somewhat of an escape from the stress of city life.