Traveling to Chicago
Visiting the Chicago area can be a real eye opener for those coming from the East Coast or even the West Coast. Living in California, Florida, or Maine, one becomes pretty used to beaches, and while these are great, there are other ways to enjoy water and terrain. Take a car to and through the Chicago area and you will run into very different driving situations. And not different in a bad or good way. Just in a different way.
Many people agree that one of the finest and most scenic highways in the Chicago area is the Lakeshore Drive. It is colloquially referred to as LSD or the Outer Drive or The Drive by the locals. It is kind of an understatement to say that traveling along this freeway-standard expressway, and simultaneously the shoreline of Lake Michigan, you will end up seeing lots of lake activity, like sailing, boating, fishing, and more. But this is a rare treat for visitors from dryer areas of the country, so enjoy it. Just keep in mind that before you travel along the Lakeshore Drive on the outside of the city, you visit an auto repair shop that performs Chicago brake repair so that you may have your vehicle’s brakes checked out and, if necessary, repaired. This way you can be sure that if traffic gets bad and you enter into a stop-start situation, you can stop yourself properly and avoid fender benders or more serious accidents. Enjoy the Lakeshore Drive expressway and its many vistas, including several small stopping points and piers in various places, great for walking, resting, and stretching your legs. Lakeshores like this simply do not compare to ones you may have visited in other places. You can also enjoy stopping at places like the Lake Point Tower…if you make it out that far…or take a walk across the beautiful Oak Street Beach. The whole drive is an extremely picturesque and beautiful piece of roadway with great views of the city, beaches, and architectural structures.
Beautiful as this terrain is, though, I have to say it again: you may not be used to the kind of traffic that Chicago has, especially on this freeway. Definitely take the time to have your vehicle checked out at your local mechanics to make sure everything checks out before your trip, or find a place in Chicago for any last minute or necessary fixes.