University of Chicago Campus Visits: Share Your Tips & Recommendations

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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Did you recently visit University of Chicago? Share your experience with the community! Post your review in the comments below.

Some ideas for what to share:

  • When did you visit?
  • Where did you stay? Would you recommend it?
  • Where did you eat? Did you try any local specialties?
  • How did you get there? What’s the best transportation mean to get to-from the campus?
  • What was the campus vibe?
  • What did you think of the dorms?
  • What are some must-see things in or around campus?
  • How were the school facilities?
  • Did you like it more or less than you thought you would? Why?
  • Did anything surprise you?

We’d love to hear any tips or recommendations you can share for people planning their UChicago visit!

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We visited during an “open house” weekend and got so much more out of it. In addition to the standard tour/info session there were several very good panels we were able to attend.

On the fun side, we did an excellent food walking tour. It was a great way to see a little bit of the city and learn so of its history.

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Hotels near UChicago campus:

  • The Study at the University of Chicago
  • SOPHY - Hyde Park
  • Hyatt Place Chicago-South/University Medical Center
  • Best Western Plus - Hyde Park Chicago
  • Chicago Lake Shore Hotel
  • Quadrangle Club (members only)

Restaurants to try in Hyde Park:

  • Medici on 57th
  • Noodles, etc
  • Salonica
  • The Nile
  • Siam
  • Snail Thai
  • Kikuya Japanese
  • Ascione Bistro
  • Roux
  • Cedars
  • Shinju Sushi
  • Rajun Cajun
  • Giordano’s
  • Pizza Capri
  • Chant
  • Valois

Must-see things in or around campus:

  • Oriental Institute (now called Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum)
  • Main quadrangle
  • Botany pond
  • Bond Chapel
  • Mandel Hall
  • South campus
  • The Rockefeller Chapel
  • Ida Noyes
  • The Booth School
  • The Regenstein Library
  • Smart Museum of Art
  • Promontary Point
  • Museum of Science and Industry
  • Jackson Park & Garden of the Phoenix

Coffee shops to try on-campus:

  • Grounds of Being (in Divinity School)
  • Cobb Coffee Shop
  • Hallowed Grounds
  • Quantum Cafe
  • Gordon Cafe
  • Plein Air Cafe
  • Everett Kovler Cafe (in Booth)
  • Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea
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Fun things to do in Chicago:

  • Architecture boat tours (e.g. Wendella)
  • Riverwalk
  • Magnificient Mile
  • Millenium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • Field Museum
  • Adler Planetarium
  • Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Navy Pier
  • Lincoln Park + Zoo
  • The Second City comedy club
  • Deep dish pizza (Giordano’s, Lou Malnati’s, Bartoli’s, etc)
  • Wicker Park walking food tour
  • Willis Tower Skydeck
  • John Hancock Observatory
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Add:

Sox or Cubs games
Bulls games
Bears games

Walk, hangout, bike the Sandy “Beach” from Navy Pier to Lincoln Park.

Eat at Alinea, Goosefoot, Elske, Oriole, EL

Any of the steak places that serve cheap but great midwestern American beef. Skip the wagyu places, any city in Japan has cheaper and better wagyu.

Have some Chicago hotdogs at Wieners Circle for the experience and order the chocolate milkshake :grinning::grinning::grinning:

Chicago Deep Dish
Chicago Square-cut Thin Crust

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Is it safe to take the Green Line from downtown to the Cottage Grove station during the day? I saw a post on TripAdvisor saying not to do it, and take the ME train instead. I’ll have a pass for the CTA and will be staying near the Green Line in West Loop, so was planning to do it that way.