My strategy for visiting Chicago (Downers Grove, Lombard: apartment, how much, hotels)

[tvdxer]

I would like to make Chicago the highlight of a road trip. My plan is to book a hotel that includes free parking and free internet on Hotwire or some other site like that in a suburb for a very good rate, and to drive into the parts of the city with free parking (for example, I don't see any meters or permit-only signs here: Google Maps ), and take the L or other public transit farther into the city. Will this "strategy" work? If so, what are some good neighborhoods to park in that are relatively safe and convenient to Loop-bound public transit?

[marothisu]

If you want free parking with a good rate, you will have to stay in the burbs. You will probably want to stay near O'Hare. I suggest you stay near an El stop somewhat. If you plan on exploring Chicago, then you don't necessarily need a car.

Take the Blue Line (el stop from above) straight into the city. You can take other lines to other neighborhoods, cab it, walk, etc. Parking downtown is expensive, and while you might be able to find street parking in some areas, most of it costs some money. Cars are a big waste of time in a handful of neighborhoods here (depending on what you want). For above if you want to drive to some neighborhood in the city deeper before you take the blue line, then it depends on what day of week and when you're doing it. The traffic could suck going into the city and would be faster to just take the train sometimes.

Really depends on when. Most neighborhoods along the NW side on the blue line are fine like Jefferson Park, Edison Park, Irving Park, etc, but again...you might not be able to find parking directly near there. Really depends on a lot of factors sometimes.

[jahk]

Be aware that many neighborhoods with 'free parking' are permit only. You must live in the area and get a specific parking permit, or you can be ticketed/towed.

Last year when I was apartment hunting I stayed Hotels, Rooms, Reservations, Hotel Lodging, Motels - Choice Hotels

It wasnt' the nicest motel. But it was adequate, and parking at the motel was free. It was a short drive to the River Forest blue line station, where parking was generally easy and only $3.00/day.

And when I had no business to take care of in the city proper, I drove a little further out and wandered through downtown LaGrange.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

I would like to make Chicago the highlight of a road trip. My plan is to book a hotel that includes free parking and free internet on Hotwire or some other site like that in a suburb for a very good rate, and to drive into the parts of the city with free parking (for example, I don't see any meters or permit-only signs here: Google Maps ), and take the L or other public transit farther into the city. Will this "strategy" work? If so, what are some good neighborhoods to park in that are relatively safe and convenient to Loop-bound public transit?

Generally speaking, neighborhoods with safe, free, convenient-to-the-Loop-via-transit, non-permit parking do not exist. And, yes, if you park somewhere and "risk a ticket" you also risk getting your car towed. I've had guests both have their cars ticketed and towed for parking where I told them not to.

If you want it to be the highlight of your trip, then stay downtown and pay for parking. Otherwise you're going to be spending a couple hours every day getting to and from your hotel and/or car. Check Airbnb for other options that will enable you to talk to an actual local in person, too, and stay in parts of the city that are cool but don't have many hotels.

[chet everett]

As other suggested it is foolish to park on some random street. You will be better off trying to leverage CHEAP parking that is readily available at many locations.
There is parking for literally $3, that is less than ONE gallon of gas, at the CTA end-of-line stop for the Blue Line in Forest Park off DesPlaines Ave. There is a similar setup at the other Blue Line station at Cumberland. Both of those are designed for all day parking.

You could also drive to an area like Chinatown, park in a very low priced garage or lot, visit the destinations and then also take the Orange line to the Loop.

Same idea but a little pricier drive to a museum and experiencce the whole range of things there are do and leverage public transit for trips around the rest of the City.

Frankly the suburban hotels in Rosemont are more and more charging for parking as well. That means to get to the free parking hotel you might have to go further afield to DesPlaines or Hillside (the Holiday Inn there is literally right next to a landfill!) If you head to the "business class" places in Lombard, Westchester, Downers Grove or Oak Brook you might end up not saving any money compared to "submit a blind bid" for a hotel conveniently located in River North...

Originally Posted by tvdxer

I would like to make Chicago the highlight of a road trip. My plan is to book a hotel that includes free parking and free internet on Hotwire or some other site like that in a suburb for a very good rate, and to drive into the parts of the city with free parking (for example, I don't see any meters or permit-only signs here: Google Maps ), and take the L or other public transit farther into the city. Will this "strategy" work? If so, what are some good neighborhoods to park in that are relatively safe and convenient to Loop-bound public transit?

[A2DAC1985]

Originally Posted by emathias

Generally speaking, neighborhoods with safe, free, convenient-to-the-Loop-via-transit, non-permit parking do not exist. And, yes, if you park somewhere and "risk a ticket" you also risk getting your car towed. I've had guests both have their cars ticketed and towed for parking where I told them not to...

I live in one of those neighborhoods...

But I don't like the OP enough (no offense OP) to let that secret out.

A truck from Texas (at least the plates were) was sitting in front of my apartment for 2 weeks before it got a notice for being towed, then about 3-4 days later it was towed.


For the OP: Park at a Park and Ride on an 'L' line that is not an airport Park and Ride, pay the, what, $3-$5 for 24 hours, and just make sure to visit a neighborhood(s) on that train line at least once a day to renew your parking... and explore a different neighborhood on the way out or back

Downtown Chicago is great, but where the city lives and gets its character is out in the neighborhoods... where the Park and Rides are.

I don't think $30-$60 a day for parking in the Loop is worth it when there are 16 Park and Rides available for 1/6 of what could pay for parking in/near the Loop.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by A2DAC1985

...
I don't think $30-$60 a day for parking in the Loop is worth it when there are 16 Park and Rides available for 1/6 of what could pay for parking in/near the Loop.

People keep saying that, but let's say you pay $45/night to park downtown and that saves you 90 minutes per day in getting to a car in a remote lot and you're in town for 4 nights, saving you $180. That sounds pretty good until you realize that you've spent 6 hours commuting to your car on your vacation. What else could you have done in those six hours? How much did you pay to be in the Chicago area overall and what portion of that does $180 reflect? In other words, it's very easy to be penny-wise, pound foolish when it comes to things like saving on parking for a rare trip to a city.

[A2DAC1985]

Originally Posted by emathias

People keep saying that, but let's say you pay $45/night to park downtown and that saves you 90 minutes per day in getting to a car in a remote lot and you're in town for 4 nights, saving you $180. That sounds pretty good until you realize that you've spent 6 hours commuting to your car on your vacation. What else could you have done in those six hours? How much did you pay to be in the Chicago area overall and what portion of that does $180 reflect? In other words, it's very easy to be penny-wise, pound foolish when it comes to things like saving on parking for a rare trip to a city.

Go to Albany Park? Go to Lincoln Square? Go to Edgewater/Uptown? Go to Wicker Park? Go to Andersonville, Etc...

If the OP parked at a place with 24 hour parking, they could make the trip once a day and pay $5 maybe (to park for 24 hours at a time), AND EXPLORE a different neighborhood along that particular train line that also had their Park and Ride lot on it. $30 will buy you 24 hours in the Loop, if you're lucky.

If you want to "force" people out into the neighborhoods to find something "uniquely" Chicago, then taking an 'L' line everyday (because they are, mostly, elevated) to pay for cheap parking, gives people a chance to look at the neighborhoods, and maybe stop into places that catch their eye.

Unless you suggest people "experience" Chicago by staying in the Loop and Magnificent Mile area.

[tvdxer]

I actually did some more research and found this hotel: Chicago Hotels | Chicago South Loop Hotel | A Hotel near McCormick Place , which has unusually mixed reviews (some very good, others quite bad) and free parking and internet, as well as good rates on Hotwire.com (from about $75 / night). It appears from maps to have convenient access to the Metra line along the shore.

By the way, why are the museums there so expensive? The Chicago CityPass gives you access to 5 attractions (albeit with some perks) for $94, but that works out to be $18.80 per attraction.

I also want to check out Gary, Indiana. Is there public transit there or should I take my car?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

I actually did some more research and found this hotel: Chicago Hotels | Chicago South Loop Hotel | A Hotel near McCormick Place , which has unusually mixed reviews (some very good, others quite bad) and free parking and internet, as well as good rates on Hotwire.com (from about $75 / night). It appears from maps to have convenient access to the Metra line along the shore.

My friend stayed there once before I knew him. No, it's not that near the Metra line and it's not near an El stop either. The location is not good unless you plan to spend most of your time in Chinatown (which is still a little bit of a walk).

It's about 3/4 of a mile walk to that Metra station and about the same distance to the nearest El station (Chinatown).

There are hotels with better location near "downtown" that you can get for the same price like Congress Plaza Hotel which I believe is around $75/night on Hotwire and much closer to things and in a way more walkable area.

By the way, why are the museums there so expensive? The Chicago CityPass gives you access to 5 attractions (albeit with some perks) for $94, but that works out to be $18.80 per attraction.

Because the museums are world class and huge and feature things you won't find everywhere?

The Art Institute has 273 galleries and is 1 million square feet. It's the second largest art museum in the US behind the Met in NYC. It has stuff by Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne, Frank Lloyd Wright, Picasso, Warhol, etc to name a few. $18 for that? Good deal IMO if you love art.

Field museum is huge and has a ton of stuff, like the largest T-Rex on earth.

Shedd Aquarium is not that much smaller than the Georgia Aquarium and has a ton of stuff.

Museum of Science and Industry is in a building that was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and is very cool.


What I think is overrated on there is the observation deck at the Sears Tower. John Hancock is much better.

I also want to check out Gary, Indiana. Is there public transit there or should I take my car?

That's a first LOL. Gary is dirty (no offense to it, but it is).