<p>My husband and daughter are also visiting Chicago in August. The School of Communication presentation at Northwestern is supposed to end at 4:15PM, and their flight home leaves from Midway at 7:10PM. Is this doable during rush hour on a Friday afternoon? If so, would it be better to rent a car, or take a cab? (I’m assuming that public transportation is out of the question.)</p>
<p>Wow–I haven’t heard anybody mention Ann Sather in a long time! We’re a Gino’s East family, although my husband will admit that Lou Malnati’s is pretty good; too bad our daughter didn’t end up at Northwestern.
I will second the river/architecture tour–there are some very famous buildings, including some by Mies van der Rohe. And there’s always the Art Institute.
Good luck with the school tours.</p>
<p>Yolk on N. Wells was recommended to us for breakfast by the concierge at our hotel and it didn’t disappoint! Friendly people, good food. We took the architectural boat tour (the one run by the Chicago Architecture Foundation) and it was great. We tried to get tickets for the 3:30 tour on Thursday that morning but it was sold out and we had to take the next available which was at noon the next day. Well worth it. Also, the Art Institute is free from 5-9pm on Thursday and Friday. Head over there, then see what’s playing at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. When we did the dual tours we started at NU, then headed into the city for the night and went out to Hyde Park the next morning. We did drive.</p>
<p>For a real Chicago experience for breakfast, go to Lou Mitchell’s in the South Loop – really good food!</p>
<p>And if the weather’s good, and you’re in Lincoln Park, (and aren’t watching your cholesterol!), get a Chicago hot dog with everything from Demon Dogs, or an Italian sub from any number of places, or gyros from the Athenian Room, and picnic in the park.</p>
<p>Take the transit boat from Union Station to Michigan Ave. The view on the river as you pass under the bridges and look up at the buildings is fantastic.</p>
<p>HotTix will get you half off tickets for theater – I think they do Second City, as well.</p>
<p>There is more to improv in Chicago than just Second City. Improv Olympics (IO) is also a famous incubator of comics and has several shows a night: [iO</a> Chicago Theater](<a href=“http://chicago.ioimprov.com/]iO”>http://chicago.ioimprov.com/)
It is less on the tourist path so more a real Chicago neighborhood and there is a great Irish bar just south of it a block or less.</p>
<p>Also the troupe – I forget their name now – which does 60 plays in an hour or something like that, all improv – it’s called “Too Much Light Makes the Baby go Blind.”</p>
<p>Love Demon Dogs! The Wieners Circle is a close second (if you’re not real particular about restaurant hygiene or being verbally abused by the staff, lol).</p>
<p>“The School of Communication presentation at Northwestern is supposed to end at 4:15PM, and their flight home leaves from Midway at 7:10PM. Is this doable during rush hour on a Friday afternoon? If so, would it be better to rent a car, or take a cab? (I’m assuming that public transportation is out of the question.)”</p>
<p>parmavision - about your question^ my thought was they will be cutting it close - anyone else weigh in on this?</p>
<p>Let’s see - if you rent a car, you probably won’t even leave campus til 4:30; Google maps puts the drive at an hour; add an hour for traffic - you should be okay, but I agree it’s a close call. You’ll be on I-94, which is definitely tough on a Friday. I wonder if a car service might be easier. </p>
<p>Google maps also did it by public transit - and that’s 1.5 hours; but at least you wouldn’t have to deal with car traffic. I programmed in Northwestern to Chicago Midway.</p>
<p>That’s kind of what I was thinking 4gsmom --they would also need time to return a rental car. </p>
<p>Pamavision - in Evanston you can’t flag a cab, you would need to arrange ahead of time to have a cab pick you up - if you go that route.</p>
<p>Friday afternoon to Midway can be brutal!!</p>
<p>I would recommend having a pre arranged cab.
<a href=“http://www.303taxi.com/default.aspx[/url]”>http://www.303taxi.com/default.aspx</a></p>
<p>I have used this service. It is a flat rate. (I think there is a surcharge for extra passengers…can’t remember.) You can request a mini van. I would, it will be a better ride.
They put the time from Midway from Evanston at 55-60 minutes. It might take 30-45 minutes more if the traffic is bad.</p>
<p>If you take the CTA.</p>
<p>You will take the Purple Line to Howard
switch to the Red Line
the Red Line to the Orange Line
switch at either Lake or Roosevelt.
The Orange line to Midway</p>
<p>Hopstop puts the trip at 1 hour 37 minutes, but that does not factor in waiting time for trains. The walk to the closet station in Evanston will be about 10-15 minutes</p>
<p>You may want to consider taking a cab to the Orange line, State of IL building I believe, then Orange line straight to Midway. Back to food: near NW in Skokie is Walker Brothers Pancake House, absolutely amazing breakfasts. Also, for a real Chicago treat try an Italian beef sandwich, unbelievably good. If you are staying in the loop, try Al’s #1 Italian Beef at 169 W Ontario.</p>
<p>Thank you to all for the advice. My husband lived in Chicago for a few years as a child, but hasn’t been back there in - 50? - years, so your expertise is much appreciated.</p>
<p>Check the schedule for Metra commuter trains (Union Pacific Line) from Evanston (Davis St. Station) to Chicago, only about 30 minutes to the west Loop, much faster than CTA or a cab at that hour. From the station in Chicago (Ogilvie Center) it’s easy to catch a cab for the second leg of the trip to Midway. Lots of cabs dropping off outbound commuters at that hour.</p>
<p>The NU to Midway schedule sounds tight to me during rush hour. I don’t think a rental car is doable. If I were you, I would prearrange a cab service (either 303, referenced above, or American Taxi), tell the cab EXACTLY where you want it to pick you up, and be in that cab by 4:20 pm. That should get them there by 6 pm at the latest and then they’ll be fine for a 7:10 pm flight. </p>
<p>There are no cabs roaming around Evanston, so it has to be prearranged. </p>
<p>Bclintonk is right in terms of the public transportation routes to take, but I’m not sure how much time it would really save you, once you wait for trains and so forth. </p>
<p>Hey speaking of which (thread hijack) - anyone know how to use public transportation to get from Union Station to the Adler Planetarium? D is looking at an internship there. Our Metra takes us into Union Station, but I can’t figure out a bus route to the Adler. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, go to Googlemaps.com</p>
<p>Click on “get directions.” </p>
<p>Make point A: Union Station, Chicago, IL
Make point B: Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL</p>
<p>Then click on “by public transit.” </p>
<p>You’ll get several different options; each take about a 1/2 hour.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl - The #130 goes directly from Union to Adler but only on weekends during the summer months, <a href=“http://metrarail.com/Travel/Union_Station.pdf[/url]”>http://metrarail.com/Travel/Union_Station.pdf</a>, otherwise he will need to take 2 buses.</p>
<p>You can walk to State St. and take the 146 bus. It’ll take you directly to the Museum campus. This is probably the quickest way.
You can buy CTA passes at Union station. Go to where you would buy Metra tickets and you’ll find a regular kiosk and a kiosk where you can buy 1 day, 2 day, etc CTA passes.</p>