Use the links on the right side of the page for quick access to great carless-related blogs, online tools, transit agencies, and other organizations. Also recommended:
Books & Other Publications
Lake Claremont Press, the publisher of Carless in Chicago, produces a wealth of excellent Chicago-related books, including A Native’s Guide to Chicago, which makes a great companion to CiC.
Offering a more general take on carless living, Chris Balish’s How to Live Well Without Owning a Car offers great information for those going car-free in the Windy City and beyond.
For those interested in earning that capital C cyclist status, Urban Bikers’ Tips & Tricks by fellow Chicagoan Dave Glowacz (aka Mr. Bike) offers an in-depth guide to four season biking over city terrain.
For those just starting to learn the joys of pedestrianism, City Walks: Chicago, a collection of 50 historically interesting walks around town compiled by Christina Henry de Tessen and Bart Wright, would be a nice place to start.
Order paper copies of the RTA and CTA maps for free online.
If getting more acquainted with the CTA trains has made you interested in their history, Greg Borzo’s The Chicago “L” offers a great overview.
There’s no shortage of great Chicago guidebooks for visitors and natives, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight some of the work by my personal Chicago guidebook guru, Margaret Littman: The Dog Lover’s Companion to Chicago, The Little Black Book of Chicago, and VegOut! Vegetarian Guide to Chicago.
Gear
If you’ve read the book, or even just spent 30 seconds with me in an elevator, you probably know I’m a pedometer evangelist. The Omron HJ-112 is my favorite. (Or, this fancier model, the HJ-720ITC interfaces with health management software on your computer.)
As you explore your new carless lifestyle you may find it handy to keep notes about what you discover. The Moleskine Chicago City Notebook incorporates selected maps, a street guide, and other handy features for recording your journeys.
