Moving from Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL

It’s time to trade the center of the country music industry for Chicago, an alpha+ global city, third most populous in the nation and the most populous in the American Midwest, home to 2.7 million residents. Chicagoland, the city’s metropolitan area, hosts 9.8 million between the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, & ranks third only to New York City and Los Angeles. Home to the blues, true jazz, comedic roots and skyscraper innovation, Chi-Town is one of the world’s greatest cities. Beginning with railroads and airplanes and growing into a Midwest hub for finance, industry, commerce, transportation, telecommunications & more, featuring iconic neighborhoods, multiple landmarks, a picturesque skyline and the waters of Lake Michigan, it doesn’t get much better in Chicago. Judge for yourself, and make your way to Chi-City soon!

Traveling from Nashville to Chicago

• A mere 470 miles separate Nashville from Chicago, meaning the seven hour drive can be easily arranged for the morning or evening with little to no complication along the way!
• Treat Indianapolis as a kind of midpoint when traveling from Nashville to Chicago. There, you can take a break from the road, have some fun, and still make it to Chicago in time!
• Kill an hour or so at Indianapolis Zoo or the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, visit the Indiana State Museum, or if you really have the time, be in the crowd at the Indy 500!
• The drive won’t be terribly taxing, but a flight can still be arranged if needed. Nonstop flights start from $328 last an hour and 25 minutes.

Chicago’s weather

• Chicago doesn’t lie in the humid subtropical climate zone, meaning a lot more snow and generally colder weather than Nashville. Still, enjoy four distinct seasons and plenty sun!
• Chicago summers are hot and humid, with average highs for July rising to 84.2 F. While spring and autumn are mild, spring commonly shares thunderstorms with summer!
• Winter in Chicago can be brutal with January’s average low at 18.2 F and average 37.8 inches of snowfall per year! Winter can be mild, just remember the infamous winds!

Getting around Chicago

• It’s easy to navigate Chicago, thanks to consistent block numbers across the whole city, north-south “avenues,” east-west “streets,” half-mile arteries and per/mile thoroughfares!
• Driving in downtown Chicago is awful, and something to avoid at all costs. If you do drive, watch for stray pedestrians, pricey garages, multiple street levels and privatized meters!
• Utilize CTA within the city (you will at some point or another) for full-coverage bus service via Transit Card, Metra & South Shore for commuter train lines, and Pace in the suburbs!
• Movement defines Chicago, and locals are proud to trample the streets, subway terminals, and parks each day! Biking has a place as well along the Lake’s shores, even on the roads!

Learn in Chicago

• Chicago Public Schools contains 600+ public elementary and high schools, as well as many selective-admission magnet schools citywide, educating more than 400,000 students!
• The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among “National Universities,” sporting a 15,000-student enrollment, University of Chicago Press, & Joe and Rika Monsueto Library!
• Other top universities include Loyola University Chicago, Northwestern University, DePaul University, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Chicago & many more!
• 79 public libraries, including the central library, two regional libraries, and many branches across the city (i.e. Harold Washington Library) are operated by Chicago Public Library!

Eat and have fun in Chicago

• First thing’s first: Chicago deep-dish pizza! Try Vito and Nick’s—you’ll never look back! Great for foodies, Greek Islands serves up a mean flaming cheese!
• Try Tony Hu’s three-chili chicken courtesy of Lao Sze Chuan’s authentic Sichuan cuisine! Jackowo is Polish delicacy, while Belmont-Central is an Eastern European culinary heaven!
• Lincoln Park is home to Alinea, Grant Achatz’s unique, magical creation—try the black truffle! Geja’s Cafe is a nearby gem serving fondues in a romantic flamenco guitar setting!
• The Maxwell Street Polish hot dogs are another Chicago creation—try one at Portillo’s! As for the Italian Beef sandwich, yet another native delicacy, try Mr. Beef or Luke’s Italian Beef!

• The Magnificent Mile, a stretch of Michigan Avenue, is Chicago’s most famous shopping street. Lincoln Square is eclectic, Wicker Park cutting-edge, & Southport browser-friendly!
• Marvel at modern sculpture on the Loop Art Tour, find a number of museums including a collection of free ones in Hyde Park, or study the awe-inspiring architecture of the city!
• Ascend some of the tallest towers in America, including Willis Tower, Trump Tower, Aon Center, and the John Hancock Center! Plus, tour an array of colorful neighborhoods!
• Walk the miles of sandy beaches on Lake Michigan, visit Navy Pier’s Ferris Wheel or the Loop’s lakefront Grant Park, attend a free music festival, or see the Cubs at Wrigley Field!

It’s high time you started moving from Nashville to Chicago, “The Windy City”!

Wondering the best way to move from Nashville to Chicago? U-Pack can help! We offer affordable moving services where you pack and load, but we do all the driving. Get a free moving quote to compare rates, or find a service center near you.