Downtown Chicago is synonymous with the Loop, the country’s second-largest commercial area. All things Chicago begin here, from the history and the public transportation to the government and the literal street map. It’s a skyscraper-filled area bordered by the Chicago River and Lake Michigan and it's home to the city’s most notable cultural and commercial enterprises. To live in the Loop is to live Chicago at its finest. The Loop is walkable in all weather, with running paths and bike trails everywhere you look, with a ‘round-the-clock menu of retail and recreation. It is convenient to that seriously Great Lake (with beaches and other assorted amusements), which in combination with its wide rivers give the central city a great boating culture. The downtown dining scene is incredible, its museums unmatched, its arts vibrant, and its public spaces clean and green — though winters can be a little cold if you’re not used to them.