<p>You should stick to NU. Otherwise you’ll be running around like a chicken with no head, and if you miss your tour or flight…</p>
<p>It’s about $35 in a cab to NU. If you stay near campus and take a cab back, you’ll spend less than a car rental mid-week.</p>
<p>We use American Taxi in the suburbs. You can call them from the airport for a pickup, and should probably prearrange the return trip as well.</p>
<p>^^ Thanks for that tip. I may go that route- will save time and maybe even money. I was afraid that the NU campus and Evanston might be too sprawling to fully appreciate without a car. It looks big on the map.</p>
<p>Downtown Evanston and the NU campus are walkable. I second the suggestion of the Hilton Garden Inn. I stay there often. Very nice AND convenient to NU.</p>
<p>Quick question: Chicago doesn’t start its academic year until October. (or September 28 or 29?) but Orientation Week is next week. So if you are visiting campus next week, you and your D would see a lot of first-years who know as much or less about the campus than you do :-)</p>
<p>Northwestern’s O-Week is this week, it looks like, and academics start up next week.</p>
<p>Evanston is a good size, but the campus and downtown are quite close together at the northeastern tip of the city. Much of the rest of Evanston is residential.</p>
<p>Since you are arriving so late, you should know that Evanston has very few restaurants open after midnight. This pizza place will deliver to your hotel:
Sarpino’s Pizzeria
847-598-0273
2428 Main St., Evanston, IL</p>
<p>Make sure to check the admissions office website about construction. Over the summer, you can’t access the office from 57th street (it’s where your GPS will likely direct you); instead, you take it to 58th, I think.</p>
<p>Since you haven’t seen Northwestern, I’d go there first. Spend as much time there as you need. Your daughter may fall in love and want to spend the whole day there, or decide in 10 minutes she hates it and wants to go talk to students at UChicago. In other words – be flexible. </p>
<p>I can’t help you on the transportation stuff, but I would go with whatever gives you greater flexibility.</p>
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<p>It is long and narrow, hugging the lakefront. You’ll hear people refer to “North Campus” and “South Campus” but it’s somewhat of a misnomer - it’s all one campus.</p>
<p>I’d stay at either the Hilton Garden Inn or the Orrington Hotel - the Orrington is an even better location but is likely more expensive. </p>
<p>If you look at a map of Northwestern or Evanston online, this will make more sense to you: Basically, the area of downtown Evanston that you want to make sure you walk around and explore is bounded by Sherman Avenue to the west, Clark Street (which is the southern border of NU’s campus) to the north, Hinman Avenue to the east, and Davis Street to the south. Of course you can go beyond there, but that, I think, is really the core area to get a sense as to what Evanston offers that is relevant to students.</p>
<p>The admissions office, where I suspect your tour will start, is located at the corner of Clark and Hinman. </p>
<p>Sheridan Road is the main thoroughfare that runs through the campus – though, more accurately, the majority of the campus is east of Sheridan, between Sheridan and the lake front. You’ll want to walk all the way up and down Sheridan (don’t be fooled by the map, it’s really only 10 minutes from bottom to top of campus), and you’ll also want to go out on the lakefront. I strongly advise printing off a map, because much of the campus consists of buildings that are sort of scattered on the lakefront part without roads (aside from footpaths) or clear north-south-east-west markers, and it’s easy for a visitor to get turned around. </p>
<p>If you have a beautiful day (and it’s been lovely here in Chicago), you will have an awesome visit. Enjoy!</p>
<p>
[quote=]
Since you are arriving so late, you should know that Evanston has very few restaurants open after midnight. This pizza place will deliver to your hotel:
Sarpino’s Pizzeria
847-598-0273
2428 Main St., Evanston, IL
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I could vouch for Sarpino’s. Whenever my friends and I order pizza, that’s usually what we get even when there are other options available. Late at night, there’s also Papa Romeo, but Sarpino’s is much much better. Both deliver until 3 am (I think you must place an order by 2) on weekdays and 4 am on Fri/Sat/Sun. </p>
<p>For future reference, GrubHub.com is a good site to find places that deliver. You can even place an order online.</p>
<p>I’d try to see both schools. Both are outstanding, and they’re very different. I don’t think this is that hard. Arrive at O’Hare, pick up rental car, stay wherever you get the best deal in the Loop, South Loop, or Near North Side. In the morning ask the hotel desk how to get to Lake Shore Drive, take that south to 57th St. Tour U Chicago campus. Grab a quick bite, head north on Lake Shore Drive which dumps you onto Sheridan Rd on the far North Side, follow Sheridan Rd into Evanston. Tour Northwestern campus, then make tracks back to O’Hare (take Dempster west to I-294, I-294 south to O’Hare, 30-45 minutes depending on traffic).</p>
<p>I agree to start with Northwestern first and to stay over night in Evanston. I highly recommend renting a car unless you want to budget at least $300. or more for taxis because it is a long drive from Evanston (N. of Chicago) to U. of Chicago (S. of Chicago)-plan on at least 1.5-2 hours drive depending upon traffic. I also suggest you look into the real cost of changing your flight to Midway which is much closer to U. of Chicago. The cost to change flights might not be bad. In fact, if your tickets are with Southwest Airlines, they will refund you the difference if you find the price of your ticket goes down. Personally, I think it is way too much to do both schools in one day especially if your D wants an interview at U. of Chicago. If you decide to continue with the interview, schedule it at the end of the day at U. of Chicago.</p>
<p>OP initially stated that they can’t switch flights and SW only flies from Midway anyway.</p>
<p>I can’t advise about the details but from my experience with Chicagoland traffic agree with those who suggest staying south Loop, going to U-C first, then up to Northwestern and out to O’Hare. However, the city just started resurfacing LSD right along Grant Park and were closing off two lanes yesterday evening - no idea how long the project will last. It’s part of the stimulus package! It looks like other N-S loop arteries are also being done so best to check right before the trip to see if detours are recommended.</p>
<p>[City</a> of Chicago - Chicago stimulus-program street resurfacing projects](<a href=“http://www.ci.chi.il.us/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?blockName=Transportation%2FI+Want+To&deptMainCategoryOID=&channelId=0&programId=0&entityName=Transportation&topChannelName=Dept&contentOID=537055836&Failed_Reason=Invalid+timestamp,+engine+has+been+restarted&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=%2Fwebportal%2FportalContentItemAction.do&context=dept]City”>http://www.ci.chi.il.us/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?blockName=Transportation%2FI+Want+To&deptMainCategoryOID=&channelId=0&programId=0&entityName=Transportation&topChannelName=Dept&contentOID=537055836&Failed_Reason=Invalid+timestamp,+engine+has+been+restarted&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=%2Fwebportal%2FportalContentItemAction.do&context=dept)</p>
<p>Realistically, the OP has about 8-9 hours between the time she and her daughter leave their hotel in the morning (8? 9?) to the time they have to leave for the airport (probably no later than 4:30 for a 7:00 flight). Unless they are staying right in Evanston, there will be some meaningful transportation time even if they only visit Northwestern. And they can’t stay right in Hyde Park.</p>
<p>Any way you cut it, trying to see both universities probably adds 2 hours of transportation/parking/finding your way time. So the question is, is 6 hours enough time to split between the two and still have both visits be meaningful and unfrenzied?</p>
<p>Maybe, but I doubt it.</p>
<p>^Maybe, but it was like pulling teeth to get my son to spend 3 hours on any campus. He thinks sitting in on one class out of hundreds is silly at this point. So he does the tour, goes to the info session and eats at a local campus eatery - lunch or a snack. Does the gut test (can I see myself here?) and then moves on. We didn’t eat at GW because he rejected it after walking around campus.</p>
<p>vicariousparent - Assuming that you’re doing the O’Hare to Evanston strategy, also note that entering Evanston / Northwestern from the west is the least attractive way - that is, don’t judge the area by what you’ll drive through to get there. You could get three VERY different impressions of Evanston / Northwestern depending on how you approach it:</p>
<p>From the south: Wow, a cool little suburb just north of the city that offers lots to see and do – a mini city in and of itself.</p>
<p>From the north: Wow, what a rich residential area. Hopefully my kid will be in one of these houses along Sheridan Road some day!</p>
<p>From the west: What’s all the fuss? I just see some working class and middle class homes, nothing to write home about.</p>
<p>(And if you’re approaching Evanston from the east, you’re all wet. Ha ha.)</p>
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<p>Right on JHS. S2 and I visited NU a few weeks ago, it seemed like every road in Chicagoland was undergoing construction, I think 2 hours of travel time is extremely optimistic when you consider the Hyde Park-Evanston-O’Hare loop. On top of that, that added stress of clock watching would probably distract from the visit. Visit NU and then go back when you’re accepted and are trying to decide.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, too true. My Dad grew up in Lake Bluff and his oldest brother settled in Evanston. Mostly we approached from O’Hare though I had one memorable cab ride from the airport where the cabbie had no idea where he was going and no map we went all up and down the lake. Luckily I had asked my cousin how much cab fare should be.</p>
<p>Oh, c’mon people. Hyde Park isn’t at the ends of the earth, it’s a short 15-20 minute drive south of the Loop along Lake Shore Drive. And unless you’re traveling at rush hour or there’s heavy construction, it’s about a 40-minute drive on Lake Shore Drive/Sheridan Rd from the U of C to Northwestern. If you get yourself to Hyde Park by 8:30 or so, take 3 hours to see the campus, then grab a sandwich to eat along the way, you can easily be in Evanston by 12:30 which gives you plenty of time to see Northwestern. The most grueling part of this will be getting from Evanston to O’Hare during the evening rush, but you don’t avoid that by skipping U of C.</p>
<p>I just returned from a road trip to Evanston/Chicago. There are constructions everywhere (e.g. Golf Road to Evanston). Expect traffic delay due to constructions!!</p>
<p>You can thank the stimulus for that – road construction in Chicago is everywhere!</p>