Yes, Chicago Has An East Side: Here's Why You Need to Visit
When you ask about East Side, many Chicagoans will look at you quizzically and say, “What, like Lake Michigan?” But it’s so much more than that. Once a bustling industrial corridor, East Side and surrounding communities near the Indiana border have become a hub for environmental restoration and the city’s Mexican community. Maya Rodriguez’s family has been in the area for at least three generations. She and host Jacoby Cochran meet at Big Marsh Park to talk about things to eat, see, and do around the Southeast Side.
Maya’s recs:
Big Marsh Park (Check out Winter Fest on Saturday)
Rowan Park
Indian Ridge Marsh
Edgars Grove/Wolf Lake
Calumet Beach
Southeast Chicago Historical Society
Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.
Follow us @citycastchicago
You can also text us or leave a voicemail at 773 780-0246
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Chicago and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
School Board Hopefuls, Traffic Court Confusion, and Murakami Homers Again … And Again
This year, for the first time, Chicago will fully elect the 21-person school board. Candidates had to get their petitions in this week wi...
A Chicago Mayor and Pope Walk Into a Schlitz Bar…
Mayor Brandon Johnson is in Vatican City this week to meet Chicago’s very own Pope Leo XIV for the first time. The two are expected to di...
WIll Parents Face Charges For Teen Trends? Plus, Chicago Expands CARE Teams
After multiple large gatherings of young people over the weekend, including at 57th St. Beach and North Ave Beach, Ald Brian Hopkins is p...
Will CTA Safety Task Force Make a Difference? Plus, Chicago's Best Inventions
Earlier this month, CTA announced a new transit safety task force and made adjustments to 2025 ridership totals. With ongoing concerns ab...
Tipped Wage Compromise, Lead Pipe Removal Lags, and Del Sur Expands
City Council reached a near-unanimous decision to pause the subminimum wage hike for tipped workers this week. When they voted to free th...
Who Wins Summer in the USA? Chicago Makes Its Case
City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson hosts this showdown where 12 City Cast reps, including City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran, c...
Pritzker Disses Johnson … Again. Plus, New Northalsted Bar, and Chicago’s Favorite Rivalries
Gov. JB Pritzker voiced support for a mega projects bill that incentivizes the Bears’ move to Arlington Heights, while shading Mayor Bran...
Which Neighborhood Doesn’t Have a Library? Plus, CHA Wait Times and Plover Eggs
Getting into Chicago Housing Authority units is hard enough, but the agency is also processing hundreds of relocation requests for curren...
CPS to Cut Teachers, UChicago Covers Tuition, and Lolla Schedule Drops
Chicago Public Schools are planning to cut teacher positions to minimize the $732 million budget deficit. Meanwhile, CPS CEO Macquline Ki...
What Are Mental Health Courts? Plus, United Center Tax Break and Obama Center Gentrification
Mental health courts have proliferated in Illinois, but how effective are they? Grace Hauck with the Illinois Answers Project joins Justi...