This Review of Chicago Went Viral For All The Right Reasons

Sometimes, it takes an outsider to remind us just how good we have it here.

A visitor from Oklahoma recently hopped on Reddit to share their thoughts after spending just 2.5 days in Chicago, and honestly? It’s the kind of reality check we all need.

While the national news likes to paint one picture of our city, this traveler had a very different experience.

They called Chicago “so, so underrated” and pointed out a few things that locals might take for granted.

Here are the highlights from their review that has everyone talking:

The “Safety” Reality Check

While people constantly ask if Chicago is dangerous, this visitor dropped a truth bomb:

“Safety? I felt more safe in Chicago than in LA, Rome, and Paris. I was walking around all by myself as a small guy taking buses and trains from sunrise to sunset.”

The “Ocean” Effect

We know it’s a lake, but to visitors? It’s massive.

“Want to see the ocean? Go to the lake (it’s indistinguishable from the Pacific to me).”

Our Transit is Actually… Good?

We love to complain about the CTA, but for someone coming from a car-dependent state, our trains are mind-blowing.

“For someone from Oklahoma, it’s just cool to see that public transit is actually a thing… Having accessible trains running to O’Hare and Midway is a huge deal.”

The Hospitality

“The people? Nice and friendly and at least I wasn’t treated like a walking money bag like how they treated me in Rome or Venice.”

The Locals Weighed In

The comment section turned into a massive love letter to the city.

Locals warned the original poster about the “Chicago Trap.” It starts with a summer visit, and ends with a U-Haul.

As one transplant put it:

 “I visited Chicago for my first time ever Memorial Day 4 years ago. Two months later, I moved and will never be leaving.”

Another added: “Summer in Chicago is why most of us stay! It’s a wonderful time.”

The Verdict?

The original poster ended their review with a thought a lot of us have had: “Maybe I should move?”

To which the rest of Chicago answered: YES!

You can read the full review here:

What do you think?

Is Chicago underrated by the rest of the world, or is it our best-kept secret? 👇