How to use this guide.

Navigating sections

The guide is organized into topic sections — trains, food, parks, records, and more — each with its own row of place cards. Tap ☰ Menu at the top-right of the page (on any device) to open the full list of sections, plus links to the map, feedback, and this guide; tapping one jumps straight there.

Below the search bar, the row of pill-shaped buttons under Show: does the same thing a different way — tap a section's name to show only that section, or tap Everything to bring all of them back.

Search & filters

The search box at the top filters every card on the page as you type — try a place name, a category like "sushi," or a chain like "CVS." Clear the box to see everything again.

• 📍 Sort by near me — asks your browser for location permission, then re-orders every section's cards by actual walking distance instead of the default order.
• ☰ Compact list view — hides the descriptions so each card shows just the name, walk time, and links, for fast scanning. Tap it again to bring the full cards back.

The map

The map section pins every place in the guide at once, color-coded by category. Tap any pin for a popup with the walk time and a link to open it in Google Maps.

• The color key under the map lets you tap a category to hide or show just those pins — handy for decluttering the map to one or two categories at a time.
• A Hide map / Show map button collapses the map if you just want the live-transit links below it.

Live transit

The map section also links out to real-time transit trackers, since live arrival times change constantly and aren't worth trying to reproduce inside the guide:

• CTA Bus Tracker links for the #66 Chicago and #65 Grand routes — real, live bus arrivals.
• CTA Train Tracker for Blue Line arrivals at Chicago & Grand.
• A link straight into the Google Maps app's transit layer, which shows buses and trains moving on the map in real time.

Stars & My list

Every card has a star (☆) in its top corner — tap it to save that place. Tap ★ My list in the filter row to show only your starred places across every section at once.

Starring works immediately, with no account needed — your list is remembered on this device.

Signing in & account sync

Signing in is optional. Tap Sign in at the top of the page (it stays visible in the bar, next to the ☰ menu), enter an email address, and a magic link arrives by email — no password to set or remember. Click the link in the email to finish signing in on that device.

Once signed in, your starred places sync to your account, so the same My list follows you across devices instead of staying tied to one browser.

How can we make this better for you?

One box near the bottom of the page (reach it fast via the Feedback link in the ☰ menu) takes anything you want to pass along — a place that's closed, a broken link, an idea for what the guide should cover next, or just a note. It's a plain message box with an optional email field, works whether you're signed in or not, and needs no account.

Leave an email if you'd like a reply; leave it blank for a quick, anonymous note. After you send, the box collapses to a small green "thank you."

Rating a section

Every section has a 👍 / 👎 next to its heading — tap one to say whether that section was useful. The tap itself is all that's required; nothing else is asked unless you want to add more.

After tapping, a small panel offers a few one-tap reasons (different options for 👍 vs 👎) and an optional text box for anything more specific. Both are optional — tap Skip, the × in the corner, or Send to finish. Either way the whole thing then tucks itself away into a small "✓ Thanks" so it's out of your way while you keep reading.