What’s your favorite thing about living in Chicago? We asked readers in honor of the city’s 184th birthday

From the food to the architecture to the culture, Chicago has a lot to offer its residents. In celebration of the city’s 184th birthday, we asked readers to give the reasons why they love living here. Some answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

“The beautiful lakeshore and Gold Coast. Festivals and concerts. Museums. And just being able to walk down Michigan Avenue anywhere between Roosevelt and the Water Tower and enjoy the scenery.” — Kenya Newson

“Chicago is the best example of a melting pot of every ethnicity, every religion, every color, every class, every culture, every generation. It has the best museums and art centers, a variety of festivals throughout the year, some of the best medical facilities, some of the best schools and universities, abundant greenery from spring to fall, the best beachfront, and yes, the best restaurants. The more time I spend in other parts of the country, the more I appreciate Chicago, home sweet home!” — Manisha Makwana

“Its culture, walking down the Michigan Ave, the best museum campus, and last but not least its skyline and downtown. Also, there is nothing like Chicago in the summertime.” — Sadia Qureshi Kashif

“Definitely not winters! I love the arts and culture, the diversity, the summer festivals, the close proximity to many places I like, the lake, not having to drive everywhere, and many other things.” — Iwona Kelsch

“The people, the character of the diverse neighborhoods, the history and cultural venues, public transit, and the beautiful riverwalk and lakefront.” — J Fernando Schreck

“Corner stores that you can walk to in five minutes, street [festivals], a million restaurants, streets on a grid, miles and miles of lakefront, amazing architecture, a river that runs through it ... honestly, there are just so many things!” — Luis E. Lopez

“Each neighborhood has its own personality. The ability to get cuisine from around the world in some part of the city. World-class museums with various topics ... my favorite is Shedd Aquarium. Knowing the park system and walking trails. This city has an expert in any field and networking is awesome. The music scene from opera to reggae. You can go horseback riding, car racing, boating. The educational institutions are world-class. Chicago is it!” — Nina J. Clark

“The different cultures, neighborhoods, the food and the beauty of the architecture, and Lake Michigan.” — Sandra Gillespie McCann