From the CTA Red Line Clark/Division subway station, walk east on Division Street. On the way, you'll pass through part of the Division Street / Rush Street nightlife district. If you'd like to have a true Chicago experience, stop-in Butch McGuire's (20 W. Division). Butch's is Chicago's most famous Irish Pub, and has been same-family owned since 1961. It attracts visitors and locals alike, and is known for its extravagant holiday decorations and neighborhood feel.

Continue walking east on Division until you reach Lake Shore Drive. For those wanting a quick look at the lake, there is a pedestrian walkway under Lake Shore Drive on the north side of Division.

To reach the Lake Shore Drive mansions, stay on the west side of Lake Shore Drive and walk north, crossing Scott Street, until you reach the mansions at 1250 - 1260 North Lake Shore Drive. The homes at 1250 and 1254 are examples of Romanesque Revival architecture, and are now joined to form luxury condos. 1258 is in a Venetian Gothic style, while 1260 is Georgian.

Imagine these homes many years ago before all the Lake Shore Drive traffic! Begin moving into the heart of the Gold Coast neighborhood by turning left (west) on Goethe Street.