# Visiting Chicago **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274 "2011-05-09T14:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/1 "2011-05-09T14:42:02Z")
Hi, all- My husband and I are planning a visit to Chicago June 2nd through June 5th. We’ll be flying in. Are there any neighborhoods that are El-accessible, but not necessarily in the city proper? We would like to limit car rental to one day only, if possible, but have always been pretty disappointed with downtown hotels, which nickel and dime you for everything. It would be very nice to actually have a public computer, for example, so we can get directions to sites, but downtown hotels generally charge an arm and a leg for that. I would like to visit a blues club while we are there. Any thoughts on a good one for non-locals to visit? Any restaurants or sites we shouldn’t miss? We are planning on going to a Rick Bayless restaurant, but haven’t decided which. I’ll also be checking dates to see about going to a Cubs game. Being from Red Sox central, I have an affinity for the Cubs fans. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/2 "2011-05-09T14:59:26Z")
Essentially, all of the neighborhoods are accessible to downtown via public transportation, although some take longer and more transfers than others. Sounds to me like Wrigleyville/Lakeview would be a good center of operations for you. There are at least half a dozen blues clubs nearby, that’s where the Cubs are, and it’s about 20 minutes into the Loop from there, via the Brown/Purple and Red lines. I can’t recommend a specific hotel, but googling **Wrigleyville hotels** gets several hits. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/3 "2011-05-09T15:04:56Z")
Wrigleyville/Lakeview is good suggestion. Check out [City Suites](http://www.chicagocitysuites.com/) and their affiliated hotels, The Majestic Hotel and The Willows Hotel. All are in the same neighborhood and easily accesible to the Red Line. I don’t know about pricing but I would imagine they have to be a better deal than places on Michigan Ave. or in The Loop. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/4 "2011-05-09T19:10:11Z")
You can also get up to Evanston on the Purple Line. I know that there are hotels in downtown Evanston, though I have no idea of the pricing. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/5 "2011-05-12T12:06:01Z")
Evanston has both 'spensive and reasonable hotels, but it’s far from the action. If you’re interested in visiting Chicago neighborhoods or suburbs, Evanston might be of interest, but I wouldn’t recommend staying there. It’d be a lonnnng el ride every day to get to wherever. If you’re looking at neighborhoods, my suggestion would be north of the loop but along the el-lines. Avoid the south, which tends to have … um… bad areas. Also, there ARE some smaller and less expensive downtown hotels. I know the Seneca, for instance, tends to be around $160 per night but I don’t know about internet access. That’s not cheapo, but it’s not as expensive as the big chain hotels, and it’s conveniently located for the downtown attractions. There are certainly others, this just happens to be one that I have used. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/6 "2011-05-13T02:10:01Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > If you’re interested in visiting Chicago neighborhoods or suburbs, Evanston might be of interest, but I wouldn’t recommend staying there. It’d be a lonnnng el ride every day to get to wherever. Or 20-some minutes on the Metra [Union Pacific North Line](http://metrarail.com/content/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/metra_system_map/up-n/schedule.html?schedule-start=EVANSTON&schedule-end=OTC&schedule-day=up-n_weekday&schedule-time=21%3A00&schedule-submit.x=67&schedule-submit.y=16#focus) from downtown Evanston. Which really only helps you if you’re going to the Loop (or, less likely, to Rogers Park or Clybourn or something). ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/7 "2011-05-13T03:47:58Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Evanston has both 'spensive and reasonable hotels, but it’s far from the action. If you’re interested in visiting Chicago neighborhoods or suburbs, Evanston might be of interest, but I wouldn’t recommend staying there. It’d be a lonnnng el ride every day to get to wherever. > > If you’re looking at neighborhoods, my suggestion would be north of the loop but along the el-lines. Avoid the south, which tends to have … um… bad areas. > > Also, there ARE some smaller and less expensive downtown hotels. I know the Seneca, for instance, tends to be around $160 per night but I don’t know about internet access. That’s not cheapo, but it’s not as expensive as the big chain hotels, and it’s conveniently located for the downtown attractions. There are certainly others, this just happens to be one that I have used. Based on personal experience, I can attest to the fact that the rooms at the Seneca can be a bit…how do I say it?..threadbare and worn?..in need of a makeover? I wouldn’t recommend it based on what I have seen recently. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visiting-chicago/581274/8 "2011-05-16T01:06:25Z")
Maifest is that weekend in Lincoln Square (Western stop on the Brown Line, easily accessible from Lake View).