Blue line first-timer questions and quick layover sights from the O'hare (Chicago: hotel, buy)

[basquesheep]

I'll be in Chicago in mid october for a conference and I'd like to go to a Wait Wait Don't Tell Me taping at Chase bank auditorium. Is the best way to get tickets just to check online 6 weeks ahead?

My hotel will be near the airport. The Residence Inn O'hare. They advertise a free shuttle from the hotel to the airport so I was planning on taking the Blue Line. I'm assuming I can buy a ticket at the airport? Please let this first timer know if there's anything non-intuitive about the trip :-)

How long will the trip take? Google maps says airport to auditorium takes about an hour?

Would it be safe for a young female to take the Blue Line back to the airport around 10 pm on a Thursday night?

My conference will be over at 1 on Sunday but my flight isn't until 5:30. Do I have time to make it into the city for 1 really quick touristy thing? What would you recommend? Or would it be a better use of my time to explore the airport?

Thank you!

[Jandur]

You will need to add money to a CTA fare card to ride the blue line, which you can do at the airport. The machines are right by the terminal. The ride takes about 45min or so then probably another few to walk to the auditorium.

The blue line is perfectly fine. You might see some sketchballs on it but there are also tons of people who use it to/from Ohare.

[chirack]

A smart move if possible is to stay downtown, that way you can maximize the touristy things you can do in your limited time rather than haul on the blue line 45 mins to an hour every day.

[Drover]

iPod and cell phone snatchings are becoming an epidemic. If you have these things, keep them in your purse/pocket while you're on the train, especially at night when there's fewer riders.

See if you can get the shuttle driver to take you to the Rosemont Blue Line station instead. That will save you a lot of aggravation of trying to find the Blue Line terminal in the airport.

I wouldn't chance trying to get all the way into town and back with a 4.5 hour window.

[Lorielicious]

Originally Posted by basquesheep

I'll be in Chicago in mid october for a conference and I'd like to go to a Wait Wait Don't Tell Me taping at Chase bank auditorium. Is the best way to get tickets just to check online 6 weeks ahead?

Yes. And you really have to stay on top of getting these tickets, especially if there's a specific date you're looking for, as they can be a bit of a hassle to get.

I'm assuming I can buy a ticket at the airport? Please let this first timer know if there's anything non-intuitive about the trip :-)

You can buy a ticket at the airport; it's just as easy as it sounds. Exit terminal, head to train station, buy ticket, board train. My very first time ever in Chicago, I made my way downtown easy peasy. There are signs all over clearly indicating where the CTA is, and there are ticket machines right outside of the station.

How long will the trip take? Google maps says airport to auditorium takes about an hour?

Would it be safe for a young female to take the Blue Line back to the airport around 10 pm on a Thursday night?

A little under an hour sounds about right. Yes, it's perfectly safe to take alone and/or at night. I'm a 28 year old female who lives off the Blue Line and takes it at all kinds of crazy hours.

My conference will be over at 1 on Sunday but my flight isn't until 5:30. Do I have time to make it into the city for 1 really quick touristy thing? What would you recommend

I'd recommend you go to the airport when your conference is over.

Have fun.

[basquesheep]

Thanks for all the advice! I'm staying near the airport because that's where the conference is during the day. I wasn't planning on going into the city much since it would take 2 hours round trip on the train and I'd only have evenings available because of the conference.

That being said, any must see recommendations along the Blue Line worth the trek? Also Sprach Zarathustra with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra looks pretty awesome and maybe I can snag cheap student seats. The museums wouldn't be open at 7pm would they?

[Attrill]

It depends on what you like. There are loads of good entertainment options (restaurants, bars, concerts, shopping) around the Division and Damen stops. A lot of great restaurants at other stops as well - Smoque at Irving Park and Longman & Eagle at Logan Square are two of my favorites.

[It'sAutomatic]

^ I was thinking just that. Get off at Damen and walk around there.

[basquesheep]

Yum. Longman and Eagle looks delicious. Thanks for the tip!

[Drover]

An overlooked gem at the Irving Park stop is Shokran.

Another place that just opened right down the street from Shokran is Al Dente. Haven't tried it myself yet but early reviews are quite favorable.