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
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