Are you considering living in Ravenswood, Chicago? Residents choose to live in this popular Chicago neighborhood for many reasons. Although it’s part of the big Windy City, it has a small town charm with vintage Victorian homes and courtyard-style buildings.
Yet, it’s still a unique blend of urban living with many walkable retail, dining, entertainment, and public transportation options nearby.
Whether you’re an Illinois local or moving from out of state, learn what it’s like to live in Ravenswood and why it’s worth consideration for being your next home.
Where is Ravenswood in Chicago?
Ravenswood is on the North Side of Chicago and is mainly located within the Lincoln Square community. Since Lincoln Avenue is the main street of Lincoln Square, Ravenswood has close access to its major dining and entertainment strip. Lincoln Ave features local boutiques, French restaurants with piano lounges, the annual Taste of Lincoln Ave festival, and more.
As an uptown neighborhood, Ravenswood is only a 10-minute drive to lakeside beaches with stunning views of Lake Michigan. It’s also about 10 miles from downtown, with plenty of public transportation to travel around Chicago easily.
5 Fun Things to Do in Ravenswood, Chicago
As a Ravenswood Chicago neighborhood, there are many fun things to do within this vibrant community. Below are the five most popular destinations to check out.
1. Go Brewery Hopping Through “Malt Row”
Ravenswood is known for having a high concentration of local craft breweries in one area, known as Malt Row—Chicago’s most diverse beer destination. Since Ravenswood is a historically German neighborhood, you’ll find plenty of German-style lager and artisan spirits, along with taprooms and restaurants for easy (and responsible) bar crawling.
Some of the most highly-rated breweries in Malt Row include:
•Begyle Brewing: A craft brewery and taproom that’s a neighborhood staple, offering barrel-aged beer and IPAs. Take a brewery tour, join weekly trivia night, or sit on their patio with onsite food trucks.
•Cultivate by Forbidden Root: Chicago’s first botanic brewery and taproom, offering craft and botanical beers, spirits, wine, and bar snacks. They also offer a full menu with $2 oysters every Tuesday, Sunday brunches, and private party events.
•Vin312 Winery: If beer isn’t your thing, Vin312 is one of the few wineries in Malt Row, offering a wide selection of red, white, and rosé wines from California and Washington. Enjoy public, private, and even virtual wine tastings with wine-tasting kits shipped to you as you learn from their resident winemaker online.
2. Explore Giddings Plaza
Giddings Plaza is a community hub between Ravenswood and Lincoln Square. It’s a public plaza with live music and seasonal events like free summer concerts and annual Christmas tree lighting. You can eat al fresco when the weather is nice at nearby cafés and soak in the scenery with German-inspired architecture and a large fountain.
The Western subway station is a one-minute walk from the entrance via the Brown Line. The Western & Lawrence bus stop is also a minute walk away via Bus 11, 48, 49B, and X49.
3. Visit the Lillstreet Art Center
If you love arts and crafts, you should visit the Lillstreet Art Center. You can get creative with your friends, family, or significant others for special occasions and fun day activities.
Lillstreet Art Centers offers classes and workshops, including:
•Ceramics
•Jewelry Making
•Painting
•Book Arts and Printmaking
•Textile Designing
•Drypoint Etching
These classes are taught by a professional artist for all skill levels. They also offer private events for bachelorette or kids birthday parties and more. If you’re a local artist, you can even take advantage of their free open studio hours.
The Montrose & Ravenswood bus stop is located right in front of the entrance via Bus 78. Or, get off the Ravenswood Metra station, which is only a three-minute walk away via the Green Line.
4. Shop at the Ravenswood Farmers Market
The Ravenwood Farmers Market is a weekly and seasonal open-air market from June through October on Wednesday afternoons. Enjoy diverse vendors, like fresh farm produce, vegan bakeries, and pop-up artisans. It’s also family-friendly with kids’ activities, like bounce houses and play areas.
The Damen & Ainslie bus stop is right outside the entrance via Bus 50. You can get off the Ravenswood Metra via the UP-N line, which is a two-minute walk. Or, the Damen subway station via the Brown line, only a one-minute walk away.
5. Dance at the Old Town School of Folk Music
Are you a music enthusiast? The Old Town School of Folk Music is a vintage music venue with almost nightly concert events available. You can enjoy folk, world, jazz, blues, and country, global artists.
This venue is also heavily involved with the local community as a non-profit organization. They have over 700 accredited class offerings, private lessons, and workshops for dance, theatre, and visual arts.
The Western Subway station sits right outside the entrance via the Brown Line. Or, take a four-minute walk from the Western & Wilson bus stop via Bus 49.
The Old Town School of Folk Music also has a Lincoln Park location if you’re traveling within this other popular Chicago neighborhood.
Benefits of Living in Ravenswood, Chicago
Now that you know some fun things to do in Ravenswood, living here also offers many benefits for residents, including:
Easy Access to Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
As a Chicago neighborhood, Ravenswood has convenient public transportation access to plenty of CTA options. It has its own Ravenswood Metra station located on N Ravenswood Ave via the Union Pacific North (UP-N) line that connects to the Brown Line, Bus 50 Damien, and Bus 81 Lawrence. You can conveniently travel in, out, and throughout Chicago for work or fun.
Plenty of Community Events
If community living is important to you, Ravenswood Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce hosts annual community events that bring locals and visitors from all over. Their most famous events include wine strolls and Lincoln Square Restaurant Week, featuring local Ravenswood and Lincoln Square restaurants with pre-fix menus.
Ravenswood has its own annual events, too. The weekend-long Ravenswood ArtWalk features over 60 local art vendors, live music, and food trucks. Malt Row also hosts a two-day Ravenswood on Tap festival, where the craft brewery and distiller community come together. This event includes axe-throwing, street food, and, of course, delicious craft beer.
A Unique Neighborhood
The Ravenswood neighborhood is truly unique. It’s a blend of artistic-urban and family-friendly living for all lifestyles. As a vibrant city, there are plenty of things to do within walking or short public transportation distance. Yet, it still offers that homey feeling with tree-lined residential streets and public amenities, like parks and libraries for raising children.
Rent Your Perfect Ravenswood Apartment with TLC Management
Looking to rent an apartment in Ravenswood? TLC Management has over 36 different properties within and around Chicago, with the local expertise to help you find the perfect palace to live. We also manage our properties to offer our tenants the best renting experience.
Our Ravenswood Terrace Apartments offers unique amenities, including a resident-exclusive dog park, a rooftop lounge with Chicago skyline views, and a bicycle storage area. Enjoy luxurious apartment living with gourmet kitchens, central A/C, balconies, in-home laundry, and more.
Ready to find your new home sweet home in Ravenswood?
Browse our Chicago apartment listings or contact us at info@chicagorentals.com for more information today!
