Best Dirt Alley

Hyde Park/North Loop between Avenues G & H

Something magical happens when you go off the beaten path. Take the stretch that runs from East 56th to East 45th in the Hyde Park/North Loop area. Trees on either side of the alley hang over and shade the caliche, dirt, and crushed gravel. If you walk them at the right time of year, you can forage overhanging figs. An alley cat or two may join you on your journey, but that's all the more reason to take it slow. Point A and point B don't matter so much when you've already arrived.