Originally Posted by
gringo
Plenty of great areas inside the city as well, complete with the "suburban" feel. Ravenswood Manor and Lincoln Square (not to be confused with Lincoln Park) are two fantastic neighborhoods ridiculously family friendly with great schools, and I would move there in a heartbeat if the wife would let me. Ravenswood Manor especially; you'd be walking the neighborhood completely oblivious to the fact that you're inside Chicago city limits. And you know it's good; Federal Prisoner 40892-424, Rod Blagojevich, called that neighborhood home, and rarely spent any time at the Governors Mansion in Springfield while he sold, I mean held, office.
Outside of the city limits, I also liked Oak Park, as well as Elmhurst. Glen Ellyn, Oak Brook (McD's headquarters) Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills offer some exceptional choices.
I live in Ravenswood, and just bought a house there. It's a great quiet neighborhood with lots of new stores/restaurants/bars moving in. You can walk to everything and has public transport options. Plus you're only a mile from the lake and 30mins via train to downtown. I drive or take the bus to the blue line, and can make it in 40mins door to door