5 Burdensome Things That Can Completely Ruin the Chicago Experience

Every time I'm headed to Chicago, I experience a special level of excitement.

It's a city that's filled with so much life and oftentimes blissful levels of chaos. In my experience, you're never going to be bored in the Windy City because there is always something going on that's going to be entertaining.

I'll be honest with you though. When visiting there, we all run into major pains. So, if you're headed to Chicago, here are some things you should be aware of and prepare for.

Important Things To Know Before Visting Chicago

First things first, before you head there you better be aware of the biggest pain you're going to run into!

Major Amounts of Traffic + Traffic Jams

This, I can confidently say, is probably the most jarring of obstacles. People drive crazy and 20 miles over the speed limit, get super bad road rage and much more.

If you're driving into the city, you'd better give yourself ample travel time. I have yet to drive in and not be in a traffic jam.

CTA Reroutes

Every visitor has more than likely taken the CTA at one point.

As you may know, Chicago brings in a lot of super fun events. And sometimes, those events lead to road closures... which lead to reroutes on public transportation systems.

I always triple-check the routing of certain buses, because they've changed on me before and I do not want to deal with that again! You'll notice a common theme... plan accordingly!

READ MORE: Where Are The Safest Spots in Chicago + The Surrounding Area?

Getting Lost + Directionally Confused With No Help

Raise your hand if you've ever gotten lost in the city! *slowly raises hand*

Key tip, ALWAYS look for a CTA person or an officer for directions. Chicago attracts a lot of tourists who also have no idea where they're going, and I've never had any luck asking people (other than CTA workers and officers) for help.

Luckily, the people are usually very nice there. Just be sure to keep your eyes open for the bus stops if you're lost and want to get directions from someone who for sure knows the area.

Massive Amounts of People Everywhere

Any event or place you go to, sometimes even restaurants, get ready to deal with a lot of people.

You're probably thinking, "Well that's obvious." And you're right, but I've literally been out to eat and not able to sit down because of the amount of people at the restaurant. And that was just a casual day where nothing big was going on in town.

At least it gets you comfortable socializing with people, because you'll probably be forced to sit with strangers or small talk with them as you wait for a concert to begin.

RELATED: What? You'll Never Guess Chicago's Most Overrated Tourist Attraction

It's Very Expensive

"Save your dough- before you go - to Chicago!"

Like that rhyme? I made it up myself because it's true. there are many things you can do for cheap there, but almost everything is pretty pricey.

If I'm going, I save some time beforehand just to be safe because you never know what is going to pop up while you're there. Between eating, entertainment, transportation, etc, it can get pretty spendy!

Anything else I missed?