Honeymoon in Chicago (Schiller Park, Burnham, Tremont: hotels, neighborhood, college)

[turpin.josh]

My fiancé and I will be honeymooning August 9-14 in Chicago. We wanted to stay downtown at a place where it is $120 and less a night but noticed that there are outrageous parking charges each night at all of the motels. We are now looking to stay at the Comfort Suites O'Hare in Schiller Park, IL or the Quality Inn O'Hare in Schiller Park. Both provide a 24-hour shuttle to the train station so we can get downtown. Do you think that this will be a better option? We are looking to attend a White Sox game (I think the Cubs game is sold out?) and go see Wicked the Broadway play, Sears Tower, and one of the Lake Michigan beaches. We will be getting a 7-day pass to ride the buses/trains. How do we figure out where we need to make the stops on the buses/trains? How do you actually "make the stop?" Does the buses/trains stop at every stop or do you pull a little cord like on the trolleys? Is the White Sox stadium area safe? I've heard that it is in the "south side." Thanks!

[jdiddy]

The best option would be to leave your car in the suburbs and take one of the Metra lines into the city.

If you're on a bus, you pull the chord, if you're on a train, it stops at every scheduled stop.

Yes, the White Sox do play in the "South Side". However, you'll be fine. I'd be more worried about getting shot outside Wrigley.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by turpin.josh

My fiancé and I will be honeymooning August 9-14 in Chicago. We wanted to stay downtown at a place where it is $120 and less a night but noticed that there are outrageous parking charges each night at all of the motels. We are now looking to stay at the Comfort Suites O'Hare in Schiller Park, IL or the Quality Inn O'Hare in Schiller Park. Both provide a 24-hour shuttle to the train station so we can get downtown. Do you think that this will be a better option? We are looking to attend a White Sox game (I think the Cubs game is sold out?) and go see Wicked the Broadway play, Sears Tower, and one of the Lake Michigan beaches. We will be getting a 7-day pass to ride the buses/trains. How do we figure out where we need to make the stops on the buses/trains? How do you actually "make the stop?" Does the buses/trains stop at every stop or do you pull a little cord like on the trolleys? Is the White Sox stadium area safe? I've heard that it is in the "south side." Thanks!

There is a Holiday Inn and a Ramada Inn right next to the Cumberland Avenue stop of the CTA Blue Line train which will also take you right into downtown, and at $2 per person each way, it will do it a lot cheaper than a Metra train from the suburbs. Plus, the Blue Line runs 24/7 so you don't have to worry about hustling back to the train station to catch the last train out of town like you would with Metra. Both hotels have parking lots that are free to guests. Do a Google search on "Ramada Plaza Chicago O'Hare" (including the quotation marks) and "Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare" (including quotation marks) to get contact info for each.

Originally Posted by jdiddy

Yes, the White Sox do play in the "South Side". However, you'll be fine. I'd be more worried about getting shot outside Wrigley.

Yeah, because it happens so often, what with there being about one shooting per year in all of Lakeview.

[aragx6]

Parking prices are terrible at pretty much all of the downtown hotels, which is really frustrating when you are on a budget. Staying at an airport hotel is certainly one way to get around that, but if you can afford to cough up the extra money for the downtown hotel, I know it will be more special. Commuting from O'Hare can take time away from your honeymoon, that could probably be better spent.

As far as public transit: Getting the 7-day pass is a great idea and it will get you anywhere you need to go. If you go to the CTA Website's Trip Planner, you can enter your start address as well as where you're going and it will tell you the best way to get there.

The el will stop at every stop; buses you do pull the cord to request a stop, but unlike buses I've been on in other cities, they actually announce all the stops, so it'll be easy to navigate.

You will be safe (and surrounded by many other fans) taking public transit to and from a Sox game. Seeing a Cubs game is particularly difficult that weekend because they'll be playing rival St. Louis.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Drover

There is a Holiday Inn and a Ramada Inn right next to the Cumberland Avenue stop of the CTA Blue Line train which will also take you right into downtown, and at $2 per person each way, it will do it a lot cheaper than a Metra train from the suburbs. Plus, the Blue Line runs 24/7 so you don't have to worry about hustling back to the train station to catch the last train out of town like you would with Metra. Both hotels have parking lots that are free to guests. Do a Google search on "Ramada Plaza Chicago O'Hare" (including the quotation marks) and "Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare" (including quotation marks) to get contact info for each.



Yeah, because it happens so often, what with there being about one shooting per year in all of Lakeview.

I meant to find a place to leave your car for the week and stay at a hotel downtown. Considering its their honeymoon, the ability to stay at a place downtown (if they're able to find a place at 120 night) would be far preferable to a 40 minute blue line trip at the beginning and ending of each day.

And, drover, the Cubs thing...it's a joke. To the OP, you won't have trouble at either ballpark, be it the "north side" or the "south side".

[Drover]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

I meant to find a place to leave your car for the week and stay at a hotel downtown. Considering its their honeymoon, the ability to stay at a place downtown (if they're able to find a place at 120 night) would be far preferable to a 40 minute blue line trip at the beginning and ending of each day.

I was talking to the OP, not you. And the OP had already accepted the premise of staying in Schiller Park. Based on that I was offering them a more flexible option akin to what they were already going to do. Seriously, where are they going to just leave their car for a week? Just park it on a random street on in suburbia or something?

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Drover

I was talking to the OP, not you. And the OP had already accepted the premise of staying in Schiller Park. Based on that I was offering them a more flexible option akin to what they were already going to do. Seriously, where are they going to just leave their car for a week? Just park it on a random street on in suburbia or something?

No, you weren't talking to me. But, you were mischaracterizing my suggestion. Hence, my reply to you. As to the parking issue, yes, a random street in suburbia next to a train station is exactly what I'm suggesting. However, I don't know which burbs allow overnight parking, so we can scratch that.

Back to the OP, like I said earlier, I think you'll have a much better time on your honeymoon staying in the city than a hotel outside of it, even if its easily accessible via the 24 hr blue line. I'd even suggest you leave your car parked in my neighborhood (non-permitted, overnight street parking allowed, very safe) and take the Brown line downtown.

So if you can find a hotel in your price range, I'd strongly consider that.

[Lookout Kid]

Actually, just ditching the car in suburbia isn't such a bad idea. I used to do that when I was in college and wanted to hang out in Chicago for the weekend. I'd just go to a Park-n-Ride at a safer Metra station, ditch the car, and stay in the city. It worked out pretty well, actually.

[turpin.josh]

I think that we will be looking into staying downtown now since it is more romantic. Here are the hotels that we are considering and the total for our stay (rates are from Expedia):

Congress Plaza $724.24
The Tremont $721.62
Ambassador East $648.59
Hotel Monaco/Hotel Burnham $895
Hotel Allegro Chicago $895
Best Western River North $975.94 (With Free Parking)

Our budget is $1700. Our trip is going to be roughly 7 hours to get there and 7 hours back, give or take some minutes. With our budget, could we get to see Wicked, Shedd Aquarium, Lake Michigan beaches, White Sox game, and maybe some more attractions and be able to eat and get our room and parking? What are some parking garages near these motels that aren't too expensive where we could leave our car for 4 or 5 days? These motels want to charge $40 to park. No way we can afford that.

[chet everett]

You'd be crazy to get sucked in by the "free" parking at the Best Western, other places are MUCH nicer and you can park close to downtown for about $20 a day at the Amtrak parking deck by Union Station, maybe even UIC or other places by the Medical Center district have some better rates and that is only a quick ride on rapid transit.

I would avoid the Congress, compared to the other places it is not being run well.

Have a great time!