We were city people. City people who agreed the suburbs were for people who‘ve decided to trade a social life for t-ball meetings, Friday night bingo, and worst of all... subpar restaurants.
We toted a toddler around the city for almost 3 years before learning we were expecting our second little boy. Almost instantaneously, the walls felt like they were closing in. Our condo shrunk as my belly grew, and we started dreaming about our very own yard.
But where would we go? What would life look like? Would anyone like us? And for goodness sake, will we be able to get a decent meal?
These questions were all very real to us. As we started our search, it became very real what the wrong suburb would look like.
I’d encourage you to make a “wrong suburb” list for yourselves. An example of ours would have been:
We said NO to any suburb that:
-was far from the city.
15 or more miles from downtown Chicago was too far for us. We still enjoy hitting up the city to meet friends and to visit our favorite parks restaurants.
-doesn’t have many NON-chain restaurants.
There had to be *plenty* of restaurants nearby that we could enjoy. We actually had breakfast, lunch, and dinner at 3 different local places before agreeing that the dining experience was impressive in Oak Park.
-doesn’t have like-minded people.
Do your research.
What’s the social climate like? For example, what do people do for fun? Is there a bowling alley nearby? A movie theatre? Is anyone out past 9pm on Saturday night? And if politics are important to you, find out what the political climate is like. A simple drive through the neighborhood can tell you what (and who) people support. If it’s overwhelmingly different to your thoughts, it might not be the best place to plant your roots.
-isn’t walkable.
An active lifestyle is very important to us. Walking the kids to school was a mandatory requirement, but so was walking to get a cup of coffee, or a bite to eat, and even walking to catch a movie.
If you’re searching for the best place to plant your roots, make sure you don’t settle on a suburb that lacks the things you crave. If the suburb isn’t a good fit for your lifestyle, chances are you’re not going to have the best possible experience living there. Make a list. Check that thing often. And whatever you do, never settle for a place you don’t fall in love with- if you can control it.
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