1.5 Days in Chicago during trip...Couple of questions! (Addison, Lincoln: hotel, safe area)

[Pippi333]

Hello!

I'm planning a D.C./New England trip for next Fall. Participants are myself, husband, and 3 kids (ages 6-13 at the time of the trip). We're taking an Amtrak train from the West Coast.

I'm planning to break the train part of the trip up into segments, one of those "breaks" being in Chicago. We'll get into town around 1pm, and will leave the following night around 7pm.

My questions are:

1) Is it reasonable to plan to find a good pizza place, AND maybe visit Wrigley field in the amount of time we will have?

2) Is it safe to take public transit from Union Station to the Wrigley field area? (Keep in mind we are from the L.A. area, so we are accustomed to large cities, however I'll be honest and say we've never used L.A. public transportation as parents toting kids around).

3) If it IS safe to use PT to get around with kids from Union Station to the Wrigley field area, does anyone have suggestions for easy pizza to get in the area? Preferably walking distance?

I went through Chicago twice as a kid on the train, but didn't venture too far outside the train station during my 7 hour long layovers (I was 13 and traveling alone), so I really don't know much about the city (aside from what I've seen on The Travel Channel, lol).'

Thanks in advance for any help and/or suggestions! I appreciate it!

[chirack]

1. Yes although you might feel a bit rushed. You can have the pizza delivered to your hotel rather than go to a restaurant to make things a bit less hectic.

2. Yes, and the same line that takes you to Wrigley to the north also takes you to Sox’s park (to the south). It is called the red line. It runs 24 hours a day. It will be located in the state street subway downtown.

3. You might have a slightly better selection of pizza in the downtown area rather than in walking distance of Wrigley. Another thing you can do is vist Lincoln park zoo if you are heading to the north side. However most touristy things to do in Chicago are located downtown.

The CTA has a one day passes that allow unlimted rides for 24 hours. A one day pass will be 5.75 per person vs. 2.25 each ride if paying cash on the bus.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by chirack

...You might have a slightly better selection of pizza in the downtown area rather than in walking distance of Wrigley...

The CTA has a one day passes that allow unlimted rides for 24 hours. A one day pass will be 5.75 per person vs. 2.25 if paying cash.

There are only a handful of good pizza places near Wrigley Field. I think downtown has a way bigger and better selection of pizza than really close to Wrigley. However, places like D'Agostino's (pretty much more of a bar though-you might want to avoid bringing kids in there) and Leona's (a restaurant that does have liquor) are pretty good (both are about 4 blocks from the park though.)

Welcome to D'Agostino's Pizza - W. Addison

Leonas Restaurants In Chicago Since 1950

To save more time-the CTA passes can be bought it advance (I recommend this) and mailed to your home.

http://faremedia.chicago-card.com/

[chirack]

My favorite is Giordano’s pizza, there is one in the downtown area and they do deliver.

[Pippi333]

Thanks so much for your feedback!

So, ALL of this is safe to do with kids? We've walked around downtown L.A. many times, but again, not since becoming parents. And, not in a long time.

I will mapquest distances, but can somebody please tell me a street name to punch in when searching for a downtown location? (or maybe even the name of a specific pizza shop?) We could always focus on hanging around downtown during our first afternoon in the city, and then do the ballpark thing the next day....or vice versa. We're flexible.

L.A.'s Union Station is in a decent area...would the same be true for Chicago's Union Station?

[chet everett]

Chicago's Union Station is teaming with office professionals commuting from affluent suburns in the AM & PM rush hours. Middays some of this same workers head to the fast food outlets on the mezzanine. Safety is first rate.

The main shopping strip in the Loop has traditionally been about six blocks north and east of Union Station, at about Washington and State, where the former Marshall Field flagship store is under the domination of Macys. Nearby the Chicago Theater is landmark facade and venue, west of there is the "Broadway in Chicago" district, south of there the Loop campus of DePaul is about a block north of the fairly recent Chicago Public Library Main Branch. Each of those locations will be positively filled with kids on most summer days... Further east Millenium Park ,Navy Pier, museum campus (Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Field Musuem, Art Institute) are all kid focused...

[Mr Downtown]

Yes, all of it is safe with kids. Union Station is in a perfectly safe area, west of the main part of downtown. The theoretical center of downtown is State & Madison. Wrigley Field is 4.5 miles north of Madison.

Many of us feel the best Chicago pizza is from Pizzeria Uno, at Ontario/Wabash, or its offshoot Pizzeria Due, a block south. This is not the same Pizzeria Uno you have in suburban strip centers nationwide. Others like Lou Malnati's, Giordano's, Edwardo's, or Gino's East. All these have at least two downtown locations.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

...Many of us feel the best Chicago pizza is from Pizzeria Uno, at Ontario/Wabash, or its offshoot Pizzeria Due, a block south...

Really? That is news to me. On this forum at least Uno and Due are way down the ladder.