Help with Chicago trip

<p>Huge help. Thank you all so much!</p>

<p>Driving from NU to Midway during Friday rush hour would be brutal and nerve-wracking if you have to catch a flight. Public transportation would be your best bet. Or, better yet, stay an extra night and eat at some of the suggested restaurants in Evanston.</p>

<p>I have to say the Athenian Room is incredible. Besides the incredible gyros, the Greek chicken is probably the best I’ve ever eaten. Italian beef is another Chicago food you just don’t find anyplace else. And the person who suggest Al’s Italian Beef on Ontario was dead on. It’s fabulous!</p>

<p>For anyone interested in Middle Eastern food, here are 2 suggestions Reza’s has 2 locations, one downtown and one in Andersonville. Also, you could try Masouleh at 6653 N. Clark. It’s a small, storefront Iranian restaurant with a very authentic menu. Food at both of these is terrific.</p>

<p>I’m starving after reading through these. Can’t figure out where to eat tonight.</p>

<p>People make the southside sound so awful…when it’s really not that bad in some areas :(</p>

<p>But the traffic is bad on the southside, and practically everywhere else in chicago, between 4:30 and 6. I live not far from Northwestern, and would allow about 2 hours to drive to Midway and return a rental car. And I, in theory, know where I’m going. </p>

<p>By public transportation, the Purple Line express should be running. You don’t have to change trains at Howard Street, but the transit guide recommends changing at Belmont to the Red Line. You then change again at Roosevelt to the Orange Line. Again, 90 minutes is close but probably not quite enough time.</p>

<p>The Metra train is probably the quickest option. Allow 20 minutes to walk to the station, more if you are on the north end of campus. There is a 4:27 PM train that arrives in downtown Chicago before 5 PM. You would have a four block walk (10 minutes) to Washington and Wells, where you change to the Orange Line.
[Metra</a> - Welcome to Metra](<a href=“http://www.metrarail.com%5DMetra”>http://www.metrarail.com), Union pacific North line, Davis Station to Ogilvie Station.
You can get exact times and directions on the trip planner at <a href=“http://www.transitchicago.com%5B/url%5D”>www.transitchicago.com</a></p>

<p>^ midwesterner,</p>

<p>Good thought. I’d still take Metra downtown, then a cab. A good cab driver should be able to wind through the near southwest side without encountering expressway snarl, e.g., by Ogden or Archer.</p>

<p>You can transfer directly from the Purple line to the Orange Line in the Loop.</p>

<p>Thank you all again for all your help.</p>

<p>Give us a trip report when you get back. Have fun!</p>

<p>I wouldn’t count on a good cab driver.</p>

<p>It’s hard to get a cab on the south side of Chicago. It’s sad but another case of currently operating racial profiling. Just about two years ago I was stuck there for hours and kept calling the cab dispatch, I finally screamed I AM WHITE, the dispatched knew exactly what I was saying.</p>

<p>I had a similar incident, Theresa. I’m a psychologist and I had to do a home visit in Kenwood. My cab driver was not thrilled to take me there (even though Kenwood isn’t exactly the slums) and was afraid to leave me there. He asked me how long I’d be there and asked if he could please come back and get me. He didn’t want me to have to wait for another cab and said if I called for a cab, dispatch would never send one for me.</p>

<p>When we did the UC/NU trip last year we purposely limited ourselves to public transportation as I wanted my son to get a feel for what it would be like when he was a student. I also let him figure out the routes and the schedules. Very eye opening. We did the same in DC and NYC. He grew up in a small suburban town and I wanted to make sure that he could manage public transportation. On our final visit to NYC to visit Columbia [his final choice] he had mastered the subways and felt completely at home. Glad I started early with the Chicago and DC trips. It gives me piece of mind when he leaves at the end of the month.</p>

<p>I just took three high school classmates to Chicago two weekends ago. We went Saturday night and stayed downtown at the Courtyard Marriott. On Sunday morning we took the architectural boat tour; we went to the Art Institute and walked around. Highlight was the improve comedy place, second city, on sunday night. Did nw in morning on Monday and UC in afternoon. At UC eat at Medicci’s and go Seminary book co-op</p>

<p>Some very good choices, obsessedparent.
I have lived and worked in New York, Boston and Chicago, and Chicago is by far the most accessible, people friendly and affordable.
My first two college students have become “eastern elitists”, but are increasingly surprised and impressed when they come back to town.</p>

<p>Well, now that the NJ/NY/NE/PA trip is done (10 schools driving), we are ready to finalize our plans for U Chicago and NU. If anyone can comment, please do as I am going to try priceline. We fly into Midway at 10 on Monday night, we would like to stay in Chicago so I am going to priceline Millenium Park/Loop and North Michigan Ave/River. (Should I do both?) I was told we could take the orange line from the airport (3 day pass) to this area.</p>

<p>The next day we will visit NU on the purple line (seems to be same time as the Metra train plus we’ll have the pass). Then hang around CHicago.</p>

<p>The next day we will visit U CHicago and head back home.</p>

<p>Do you agree with the areas of priceline? Should I try one or the other before both? What price do you suggest I try? I see priceline says “best value” or something like that on 4 star, but even 3 or 3 1/2 would be acceptable to us. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. Also if it is dangerous to take the orange line at 10:30 from the airport, please let me know.</p>

<p>No, the trains are really very safe. The Orange Line originates at the airport and will take about a half hour to downtown. Either the Loop or North Michigan Avenue/River North will work, but the Loop will be closer to the trains and buses you want, meaning fewer transfers - I do think this could be an important factor on your arrival. </p>

<p>For NU, check the times that the Purple Line runs express from the Loop to Howard (rush hours) - it will save you about 20 minutes travel time. Otherwise, you will need to take the Red Line and change trains at Howard.</p>

<p>There is a regular poster on Tripadvisor’s Chicago forums who posts the hotel deals of the week.</p>

<p>North Michigan Ave/River will be a more “touristy” area (nice shopping, dining), whereas Millenium Park / Loop is more “businessy”, but either area is fine and both should be perfectly safe. Do make sure when you visit NU that you hit downtown Evanston (which is just south of the campus) and walk up and down Orrington, Sherman, Church and Davis Streets so you see what cafes, restaurants, shops, etc. will be accessible to the students. There are 3 el stops - Davis (south of campus / downtown Evanston), Foster (mid-campus) and Noyes (north campus). I have to be honest, I think NU doesn’t “show” well when you approach it from the el stops.</p>

<p>Thanks to all for help on this trip. It worked out well – we stayed in the Loop which allowed us to visit NU and U of Chicago. We also used all public transportation which wasn’t so difficult given the suggestions on this board. Thanks!! If anyone else is interested in this trip, just let me know and I’ll share the details.</p>

<p>Thanks for the report! CC at its best.</p>