Where is a safe area to spend the night prior to move-in day? We have decided to make the 12 hour drive to Chicago instead of flying this first time since my DD is bringing her cello. We are coming up from the South. I was looking at the Oak Brook area on the map. Would this be good? Or should we just deal with the downtown hassle and parking and find somewhere closer to Hyde Park? If it makes a difference this will actually be the week before the official move-in day, as my DD will be doing a pre-orientation program on campus.
Oak Brook/Hinsdale is the most affluent address in the western suburbs with many million dollars mansions. It is definitely a safe area. The hassle will be the morning commute. It will be an hour and ten minutes or longer drive to the Main Campus when the trip should normally take 45 minutes without traffic. If you are flexible in time and don’t mind driving, then Oak Brook can be a good choice as it offers nice accommodations and convenience of suburbs.
On the other hand, if you don’t want to do the daily driving once you arrive at Chicago, Hyde Park is probably a better choice. There are two main hotels at Hyde Park right now: Sophy Hotel and the Hyatt Place Chicago-South/University Medical Center. I have stayed in both. Both of them are on 53rd Street. Hyatt Place is a very basic Hyatt. If you stay there, try to book the King Bed One Bed Room Suite. The price difference from a standard room is usually around 20 to 30% but it doubles the size of a standard room - perfect for a small family. Sophy opened recently and it has the feel of a far more upscale hotel. Service is great. Both hotel operates shuttle to the Main Campus.
Since you arrive at a week before orientation, you may still be able to find a room but they definitely won’t give you a nice discount rate you will find in January. Both hotels should offer AAA discount. Not much but it helps.
South Loop might also be an option but that takes you north of HP. I’d also check out the hotels by Midway Airport. Some will have free parking and there are several decent ones. But be prepared to spend in the mid - upper $100’s per night (before tax). Suburbs are cheaper.
@85bears46 what about Oak Lawn?
@JBStillFlying I am not that familiar with Oak Lawn. But if I am willing to drive to Oak Lawn from Hyde Park, I will drive an extra 7 to 10 minutes to go to Orland Park. Orland Park is the nicest town in that part of southwest Chicago suburbs. It has plenty of shopping and big chains there just in case OP needs to get anything for their DD.
We also drove our son last year for move-in. We stayed downtown and happy with our choice - we were able to enjoy the city and the drive to Hyde Park wasn’t bad at all. Our overloaded car stayed in the garage until move-in day and everything was “safe”. Not sure what the programming is for pre-orientation, but if you are going to stay in town for a few days I’d recommend staying in either Hyde Park or downtown.
My DD lives in Woodlawn just south of the University, helped moved her in and didn’t think it was “unsafe” at all. Anywhere in Hyde Park would be fine. Frankly nobody wants a carload of stuff, maybe something that is small and valuable but I’d take those things inside anyway.
Tinley Park is another idea - they have a convention center so lots of lodging options there.
A lot depends on which interstate you’ll be travelling. I wouldn’t wander too far from the path to Hyde Park. If Oak Brook or Orland Park / Tinley Park are en route, they should be fine for breaking a trip before hitting the big city (assuming that’s your plan). If you are driving the final leg on a Saturday, you won’t even have to worry about commuting traffic.
Judge how much to bring in with you when you get to your lodging - if a good amount of the “stuff” is secured and out of sight (and not something like a cello or computer) then it’s going to be fine.
@JBStillFlying way past your bedtime…
@CU123 - Not quite 
We drive back and forth frequently, though in our case it’s only 2/3 the distance that OP is planning. I still break the trip in one of the outer-rings if the alternative is to be crawling for an hour or more in Chicago traffic (things might be different coming from the south rather than from our direction, and of course time of day matters as well). Summer driving is also subject to road construction slowdowns so it’s hard to plan the length of a long-day road trip with certainty.
OP was asking about a place to spend the night prior to early move-in. Unless they really had their hearts set on getting to Chicago as quickly as possible, breaking the journey south or west of Hyde Park and finishing the next morning might be preferable; it will definitely be more economical and less of a hassle. I’d rather spend those 60 - 90 minutes enjoying dinner and a nice glass of wine than creeping along in traffic.
If OP is looking for something other than an overnight prior to move-in and was seeking advice on where to stay for a few days after arriving in Chicago, then different story.
Would totally agree that parking anywhere in HP or Woodlawn is safe and no one’s going to be interested in a bunch of bedding and clothes hangers. The biggest problem with parking near UChicago these days isn’t lack of safety but lack of availability :neutral:
Thanks all! I will look into these possibilities. This would be for 1 night, and my DD says she doesn’t really need to enjoy the city since her pre-orientation program is all about getting to know Chicago. So, yes, just looking for a safe , clean place to keep the car en route, have dinner and sleep. If there are stores nearby that would be a bonus, and we will take up all valuable and important things including her cello and computer. Her pre-orientation program starts on Sunday, the 15th, so maybe driving into Hyde Park on Sunday morning won’t be as bad?
If we don’t deviate from google maps, we would go up on I55 to Joliet and then head east on I80 and then I57. This would be close to some of the towns mentioned above - Tinley Park and Orland Park. Oakbrook and Hinsdale would be a slight detour to the north. I initially chose Oakbrook because when I googled safe suburbs of Chicago that is one that was consistently listed, but I’m not familiar with the area.
Thanks again! My DD had her first summer advisory phone appointment yesterday so she is pumped, and anxiously awaiting class scheduling and dorm assignments.
Bloomington/Normal is en route as well, though farther down the road from your destination. It has quite a few options for lodging. A lot will depend on what you need to get done that long travel day (travel, shopping, etc.) vs. what time to show up for check-in the next day. If the latter is 8 or 9 am, then a suburb is your best bet. If it’s noon, you can always break the trip earlier. All these places will have a Target, Starbucks, etc.
Sunday morning traffic into Chicago should be fine.
@lilchaz If you are looking for hotel in Orland Park, there is a Homewood Suite there that is perfect for family. Orland is very safe. Across from the Homewood Suite is actually a Costco: perfect place to fill up the gas tank after a long drive (assuming you are a Costco member). There are plenty of shopping and restaurant choices at Orland. Nothing super fancy but solid and reasonably priced selections. Based on what you told us, I think Orland should be your best choice for a layover before going to Hyde Park.
If you want to stay close by in Hyde Park, La Quinta Lakeshore is a lower priced (as compared to the Sophy and Hyatt Place), recently renovated hotel with free parking. The parking is not a secured garage - it’s a covered lot than anyone can walk into, but the area seemed quiet and safe the 2 times that I’ve stayed there.
Last summer we stayed 3 hrs away with family in Indiana. Woke up and left at 7am. Arrived at 9am (thanks to the time zone change). Coming into UChicago from the East is easy as it is the second exit out of Indiana on the Skyway.
Of course you don’t have to stay so far away, but you definitely don’t have to stay in the neighborhood the night before.
We spent the next night in the south loop area. You are on your own Saturday night (the college takes your child from you) so we spent the evening seeing Hamilton and then drove back for Sunday.
Saturday was ok, my wife and I did some of the parent programming. They had an organization fair where I tried to score as many free pens as I could to offset the tuition price ?. Did the library tour, obligatory bookstore visit for various UChicago swag. But all in all it was a pretty boring day.
I’m glad we stayed for Sunday. The morning sessions were good. I watched the previous years convocation on YouTube and the program for us was pretty much the same program, so if you can’t stay for that or the mixer, you will most likely be ok. The parade is moving, but also on YouTube. But if you can make the three information sessions in the morning it is worthwhile. Part of me wished they would have moved those to Saturday afternoon.
Campus North garage was free all weekend, so you can just leave your car there and Uber to downtown and back. Or you can pay $40 bucks for parking at the hotel.
Lol. I also tried to score as much as I could including magnets.
At some point, the kids march in the parade, and enter Hull Gate to signify entrance to college life (I believe they march out of that gate at graduation), and then the gates are closed behind them, leaving us parents outside to cry.
Not sure if Oriental Institute is open for free during that time, or it may have been during Family weekend in Oct., but there’s a large King Tut statue in their museum right on campus.
I really enjoyed my time on campus (and also in Chicago in general), even the obligatory school store Barnes and Noble run. Got carried away with all the school spirit, etc. and bought a bunch of t-shirts (long lines at register.) So if you see a parent in Manhattan wearing a UChicago t-shirt, that would be me ?.
OP - drove into Hyde Park from the South for four years. Typically stayed with friends in Elmhurst (near western suburbs). Upside was cost (haha), downside was negotiating traffic into town, unless you are driving in early on a weekend. When we did not stay in the western suburbs, we stayed south loop or in HP if we could find a place. The one thing for certain is that the drive from central Chicago to HP (South on Lakeshore past Soldier Field etc) is a fairly quick (and beautiful) drive at all hours. Good luck to you and hope you enjoy it all.
“Not sure if Oriental Institute is open for free during that time, or it may have been during Family weekend in Oct., but there’s a large King Tut statue in their museum right on campus.”
OI is always free - they have a “suggested donation” box at the front desk if you feel so inclined (we usually do). That King Tut statue is worth a look as are so many other exhibits there. Call ahead or check the website to understand what’s currently under renovation. They’ve been re-curating the exhibits now for over a year.
“At some point, the kids march in the parade, and enter Hull Gate to signify entrance to college life (I believe they march out of that gate at graduation), and then the gates are closed behind them, leaving us parents outside to cry.”
Following Convocation parents rush to line the parade route and look for their kid as he/she passes. They march through the northern gates (Cobb, maybe Hull can’t remember) and congregate in front of the Reg. for their class pic. Parents are invited to a separate reception. This might have been posted above (and certainly posted elsewhere) - say your good-byes BEFORE Convocation because you won’t be allowed in Rock. Chap. with your kid (no room) so will need to watch the event from large screens placed in the quad. Some of the surrounding buildings will also be available for those needing AC (temps are unpredictable in Sept, although later is usually more pleasant),.
Well Bloomington /Normal is two hours away so don’t do that. Look up Arbnb. There are many areas that have it and I would assume Hyde Park, West Loop etc. My area is around Wrigley Field (Lakeview) so North and safe and an easy drive to UChicago on Lakeshore drive. Tons of shopping, restaurants, etc.
Thanks all for the continued comments on this thread! I appreciate all of the feedback. I currently have a hotel reservation in a western suburb, but I’m monitoring prices in the city for Hyde Park, South Loop, and McCormick Place in case something pops up at a good deal.
I’ll be sure to say goodbye before Convocation. Thanks for the tip. What do they do if it’s raining?
Last year a little rain would have been welcome. It was hot. My wife and I found a tree to sit under in the shade, which looked like a good plan. Then little worms on silk started descending into our hair. Didn’t really bother me, but did freak out my wife and a few other shade dwellers.
If you like meeting new people the reception was ok. But, we left after about 1/2 an hour as we had a long drive ahead of us. It is cool to see your child in the parade. It’s kind of a tradition that you get to participate, which is rare.