5 Amazing Stops Off Chicagos Red Line To Check Out

Chicago’s L trains make navigating the city super simple. Some trains run east to west, others north to south; transfers are easy and cost only $.25, making almost every neighborhood accessible. The Red Line, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, runs in a fairly straight line from the Howard station near Evanston to the 95th/Dan Ryan station on the far south side. With 33 stops, there’s a lot to see and do via the Red Line. Here are five stops you won’t want to pass by.

Thorndale

On Chicago’s north side, nestled between Edgewater and Edgewater Glen, is the Red Line’s Thorndale station. This stop is a great one for anyone who loves Ethiopian food or antiques. Ras Dashen Ethiopian, a restaurant owned and operated by Zenash Beyene, who landed in Chicago in 1981 after fleeing persecution for being both Ethiopian and Jewish, won the Jean Banchet Award for Best Ethnic Restaurant in 2018. There’s also Ethiopian Diamond Market, a go-to for anyone who loves cooking with Ethiopian spices or ingredients. Finally, Broadway Antique Market offers up vintage furniture, artwork, décor, and more from 75 unique vendors. With 20,000 square feet (1,858 square meters) and two levels, it’s impossible not to find something remarkable to take home.

Argyle

Monroe

After eating some of the best food that Chicago has to offer off the Thorndale and Argyle stops, continue along the Red Line through downtown and into the Loop. The Monroe station pops riders out along State Street, just blocks away from Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago. Be sure to stroll through the five acres of Lurie Garden, an eco-friendly area of the park dedicated to flowers and plant life. The Art Institute on Michigan Avenue boasts some of the country’s (and the world’s!) most famous works of art. Two pieces you’ll want to catch: Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks and Georgia O’Keeffe’s Sky Above Clouds IV.

“Yellow Hickory Leaves with Daisy, 1928” is one of many paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe on display at the Art Institute of Chicago

Cermak/Chinatown

It may be obvious from the station’s title, but the Cermak/Chinatown stop off the Red Line is the best place to experience authentic Chinese cuisine and culture in Chicago. In 2012, Chinatown celebrated its 100th anniversary; today, the neighborhood spans 30 blocks and over 400 businesses and restaurants. Visitors can check out the Dragon Column Monuments built in the 1990s and the Chinatown Gate, a feng shui landmark built in 1975. Beyond the countless restaurants serving ramen, dim sum, tea, and more, the Chinese American Museum of Chicago provides an opportunity to learn about the journeys Chinese-Americans have taken since the 1800s.

Chicago’s Chinatown celebrated 100 years in 2012

Sox/35th Street

Baseball fans everywhere can appreciate the Guaranteed Rate Field off the Sox/35th Street Red Line stop on Chicago’s South Side. Tours of the park are available with reservations during the week. History buffs will also appreciate visiting Comiskey Park Homeplate across the street, the site of the original Comiskey Park from 1910 through 1990. Nearby, treat yourself to some true African cuisine at Yassa. When Madieye and Awa Gueye opened this restaurant in 2004, it was the only place serving up Senegalese food on Chicago’s South Side. Yassa has tons of dishes to choose from that feature ingredients such as plantains, lamb, chicken, and cabbage.

Chicago’s White Sox play at dusk at Guaranteed Rate Field

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.