Hotels in Boystown

If you're heading to the Windy City for its fabulous nightlife, Boystown is the place to go. Known as Chicago's LGBT community, hundreds of thousands descend upon the neighborhood every year for one of the country's largest pride festivals. Boystown promotes equality and values non-discriminatory fun for guests to join in with.

This lively area is situated directly east of Wrigleyville and is a convenient location for baseball fans who only have to cross North Sheffield Avenue to catch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

Things to see

Oracle Theatre

This is a great place to experience some of the city's best live theatre, with productions presented free of charge. Running successfully since 2005, it presents art, dance, film and performance art. The theatre's inventive set designs add a final element of intrigue.

Wrigley Rooftops

Baseball fans will surely know about the Wrigley Rooftops, where fans sit on the tops of houses located across the street from the ballpark to watch the games. The ones beyond the right field fence are actually located in Boystown. These vantage points are as historic as the stadium itself and Cubs fans have watched games from there since 1914, the same year that Wrigley Field opened.

Center on Halsted

The Midwest's largest LGBT community center welcomes hundreds of people every day who take advantage of its public programs. If you are a sports fan, make sure to browse the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame, which has been located here since 2013. Note that everyone is welcome at the Center on Halsted.

Annual events

Chicago Pride Parade

Welcome to the party that attracts people of all sexual orientations from all over the globe. Celebrate gay pride in Boystown on the last Sunday of June. It was first held in 1970 in front of several hundred appreciative supporters. By 1990, that total reached 100,000, and the mass of people on the streets of Boystown surpassed a million in 2013.

Northalsted Market Days

If you're going to be in the Windy City in August, the Midwest's largest festival is held over a two-day period this month. Its highlight is the live music that has been performed by singers such as Olivia Newton-John and Joan Jett over the years. Your mouth will likely be watering when you see the food available here, and plenty of merchandise is on sale to ensure that you can take home souvenirs from this vibrant event.

Transportation

The L

Boystown is conveniently connected with downtown and the rest of Chicagoland via the L train system. One of its most convenient stations is Addison, which is located across the street from Wrigley Field on the edge of the neighborhood's western border. Regardless of whether you are taking a bus, train or plane into Chicago, the L can take you around Boystown during your stay. A trip from O'Hare International Airport will necessitate a trip downtown and a change of trains.

Climate

If you are in Boystown during the winter, make sure to bring warm clothes, as the weather can be extremely cold that time of year. Average low temperatures in January are in the teens.

A trip that coincides with one of Boystown's fun summer celebrations will allow you to enjoy temperatures in the 80s or high 70s. Grab some drinks and enjoy all that this vibrant neighborhood has to offer.