Welcome to Gold Coast
Prestigious neighborhood with many upscale amenities.
Gold Coast is an affluent neighborhood of grand historic homes and high-rise luxury apartment buildings overlooking Lake Michigan. This prestigious neighborhood first became a haven for Chicago’s elite with the construction of the lakeshore Palmer Mansion in the 1880s. Other wealthy residents followed millionaire businessman Potter Palmer in constructing grand residences. Though the Palmer Mansion was demolished in the 1950s, many landmark residences remain, including the 1882 Charnley-Persky House designed by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright and Hugh Hefner’s original Playboy Mansion.
Gold Coast real estate features striking upscale condo towers and elegant historic rowhouses in a range of styles. Gold Coast also features premier hotels and some of Chicago’s finest shopping, dining, and nightlife. The endless retail options of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile line Michigan Avenue to Gold Coast’s immediate south. Contact Bruce Glazer to find luxury homes, houses & condos for sale in Gold Coast Chicago.
What to Love
- Spectacular historic mansions
- Luxury lake view apartments
- Prestigious neighborhood
- Upscale shopping and dining
People & Lifestyle
Gold Coast is one of the United States’ wealthiest urban neighborhoods. Residents of this well-heeled community enjoy access to lots of upscale businesses that cater to the Chicago elite. With Lake Michigan serving as its majestic backdrop, it's easy to see why Gold Coast has long been the neighborhood of choice for Chicago’s most affluent residents.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
The prestigious Gold Coast neighborhood offers some of Chicago’s most unforgettable dining experiences. Maple & Ash is an elegant steakhouse pairing mouthwatering flame-grilled prime meats and decadent seafood towers with an impressive wine list. The historic Three Arts Club building is home to upscale furniture showroom Restoration Hardware and its opulent atrium restaurant 3 Arts Club Café. Nearby 3rd Coast Café & Wine Bar is a more casual local favorite serving New American entrées alongside craft beer, wine, and cocktails.
Whispers serve gourmet burgers, tacos, and salads in a delightful setting overlooking the sands of man-made Oak Street Beach on Lake Michigan. Other Gold Coast dining highlights include seasonal Mediterranean cuisine prepared with specialty flavored olive oils at Fig & Olive and classic steaks and chops at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse. The lively local bar scene includes longtime favorite Butch McGuire’s, delicious comfort eats and cocktails at LUXBAR, and Cuban-style rum cocktails and craft beer at Sparrow. Gold Coast is located to the immediate north of the iconic Magnificent Mile shopping street. Here, you’ll find flagship stores from premier fashion brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton and shopping malls such as 900 North Michigan, which features a six-level Bloomingdale’s department store.
Things to Do
When the sun is shining, Oak Street Beach is one of Chicago’s most popular hangouts. Lake Michigan laps against the sands of Oak Street Beach, where volleyball is a popular activity and a variety of professional and amateur tournaments take place throughout the year. The 18.5-mile Lakefront Trail runs alongside Oak Street Beach, offering great views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Towards the northern end of Gold Coast, the Chess Pavilion is a unique attraction featuring giant chess piece sculptures and benches with chess boards built into them.
The nearby International Museum of Surgical Science is another one-of-a-kind Gold Coast attraction with thousands of exhibits detailing different aspects of the history of Eastern and Western medicine. The museum is housed within one of Gold Coast’s many landmark historic buildings, a grand 1917 mansion modeled on a building at Versailles. The Charnley-Persky House is a strikingly austere structure designed by architect Louis Sullivan and his apprentice Frank Lloyd Wright in 1892. Guided tours are available of the three-story Charnley-Persky House’s elegant interior.
Schools
Gold Coast is served by the City of Chicago School District.
- Lincoln Park High School, Public, 9-12
- The Ogden International School of Chicago, Public, K-12
- The Latin School of Chicago, Private, PK-12
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