I’ve lived in Chicago for seven years now, and I have decided that by now I get to claim the title of Chicagoan. I grew up in Minnesota, and I moved here from Missouri after graduating college. Over that time, I’ve lived in three neighborhoods, I can give tourists directions to “The Bean”, and I’ve collected my fair share of go-to spots for food, drinks, entertainment, and more.
However, one thing I’ve had to navigate that many others don’t is experiencing Chicago in a wheelchair. I’ve been disabled since birth, and I use a manual wheelchair around the city. Read more about some of my favorite spots around Chicago, complete with my assessments on their accessibility for folks with different mobility challenges.
The Long Room
This place has a little bit of everything. In Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, it serves up coffee in the morning and cocktails and beers on tap in the evening. And it has a delicious rotation of local businesses whipping up food—everything from Cajun to pizza and more—from a take-out window across from the bar. But I’ve saved the best for last. Once you have your drink and food in hand, head out to Long Room’s enclosed patio at the back of the bar. This multi-level hangout is a great place to enjoy Chicago summer and fall, while we can.
Accessibility tips: The Long Room features a step-free entrance. There is booth seating toward the back of the bar that’s easy to transfer into or roll up to, as well as bar and high-top seating. The latter may be too high depending on your mobility needs. The popular patio’s main area is accessible, but two sections of it include steps so try to go early to claim your spot. There are two private bathrooms that should be able to fit most wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
Lagunitas Brewing Tap Room
Head on down to Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood and go to Lagunitas Brewing’s tap room. From the moment you arrive, you feel transported into a different world as you walk (or roll) through a tunnel of lights while Gene Wilder’s “Pure Imagination” plays over the speakers. From there, you’ll enter a massive warehouse with an industrial vibe, where beer kegs, brewery equipment, and high ceilings set the scene to enjoy a menu of bar food and a full selection of Lagunitas’ beers.
Accessibility tips: Lagunitas’ Tap Room is just a short commute from the California Pink Line stop, an accessible CTA station. The establishment itself is equally accommodating for disabled customers. You can find a seat to enjoy your beverage at one of the long picnic tables set up throughout the room, and the bathrooms are spacious, making it easy to maneuver in and out.
West Ridge Nature Park
Tucked away just south of Chicago’s Little India neighborhood is the West Ridge Nature Center. This preserve is an oasis on the North Side where you can stroll down paved trails amid lush vegetation carefully maintained by the Chicago Park District. Stop by the pond in the center of the preserve and admire ducks, turtles, birds, and more in their natural habitat as you let your worries melt away.
Accessibility tips: The nature center’s trails are paved, and wheelchair users will be able to enjoy nearly every aspect of the preserve, except where there is the occasional step or two. You can get to West Ridge Nature Park on the Western bus, which is accessible for people with a variety of disabilities.
Lookingglass Theatre
If you’re looking to watch a play in Chicago, look no further than Lookingglass Theatre Company. Located in the Water Tower Water Works Building on the Magnificent Mile, it’s a memorable venue to see what makes Chicago’s theatre scene one of the best in the country.
Accessibility tips: There’s a winding ramp leading up to the entrance of the building. Inside, there’s an elevator to take you up to the theaters, and the lobby bathrooms are spacious and can accommodate any mobility needs. At every show, Lookingglass…
Read More: Accessibility in Chicago: a local shares his favorite wheelchair-friendly spots