<p>My DS is very interested in UIUC for the Ag Engineering program and has been accepted. We decided to visit during February break and include a trip to Chicago as well (we are from CT). We have booked our flights in and out of O'Hare (cheap) and now I am trying to decide on the method of transportation to campus. BTW...we are planning on staying near campus Sunday and Monday night in order to explore the campus fully. </p>
<p>So here is the advice I seek: </p>
<p>Best way to get from Chicago to campus and back - Should we rent a car? Can we park easily around campus? Amtrak? Bus? Do we need a car to explore campus/town?</p>
<p>What should be be sure to see/do while on campus?</p>
<p>Where should we check to see a list of campus activities while we are on campus?</p>
<p>I’d rent a car at the airport and take the 294-S tollway to I-57 to avoid as much of the morning and/or afternoon Chicago rushhour as possible. It’s a 2.5-3 hour trip though some quite uninteresting corn and soybean fields, but once your down there, in the vicinity of the campus, the town and campus intertwine seemlessly. Be aware that parking is at a premium on campus, so if you can get a room at the Illini Union, that would be ideal, since I think they have spaces set aside for their guests. You’ll find the area around campus very nice with tons of restaurants. There are many things to do on campus to keep the students busy, and the bus service is very good. The student’s themselves really don’t need cars when they’re down there.</p>
<p>When I visited in the summer, we took a car from Omaha. Parking wasn’t easy as pie, but wasn’t impossible either. We parked in a metered parking lot, not on the street.</p>
<p>We ate at Alexander’s Steak House, just because it was close to the hotel we were staying at. It was awesome, but wasn’t on campus.</p>
<p>Visit the Illini Union, and also try to get a feel for the general surrounding area (walk around on campus and in town)</p>
<p>Congratulations on your Ag Eng acceptance. It is a program on the rise.</p>
<p>You can rent a car if you want to drive around campus; however, the bus system at the U of I is ranked as the best in all of United States, and so you won’t need it necessarily.</p>
<p>As someone who travels out of state once every month, I can tell you that the way I get to campus is by bus. There are two companies based in the Champaign area specifically catered towards Illinois students (the most popular by far, of course) – Suburban Express and Lex Express. Lex Express often has problems and is more expensive, so I’d suggest Suburban Express. Once you purchase the tickets here ([Suburban</a> Express | Northbrook Old Orchard Woodfield Oakbrook Crestwood Tinley Park Champaign Urbana | Express Service to Suburbs | Peoria Charter](<a href=“http://www.suburbanexpress.com/indexuiuc.html]Suburban”>Suburban Express | Speedy Reliable College Bus Service | Northbrook Old Orchard Woodfield Oakbrook Crestwood Tinley Park Champaign Urbana | Express Service to Suburbs | Peoria Charter)) and land at the airport, go to the Bus Shuttle Center and at Door 4, you should be able to get on your bus at the scheduled time. After 3 hours of cornfields, you should be able to get on campus (different dropoff locations). </p>
<p>The Illini Union is a good place to for visitors to stop by for some information and tours. This is the 10th largest university (population) so you should be able to find good things to eat. Good luck!</p>