Best hotels for college visits

Hello,

I will be visiting Chicago with my son to look at U of Chicago and Northwestern. We%26#39;d like to stay in downtown Chicago rather than Evanston, someplace where we can walk to restaurants, shops, museums, etc. We won%26#39;t rent a car.

What%26#39;s the best neighborhood to consider? Hotwire has some great deals on 4-star hotels but they don%26#39;t name them - just give the neighborhood such as the Loop, Miracle Mile, etc.

Any recommendations? Also what should we see in our brief time (2.5 days) there? And how extensive is public transportation? Can we get to Northwestern via public transport?

Thanks!

Best hotels for college visits

During the morning and afternoon rush you can take the Purple Line express up to or back from Northwestern. During other times of day you can take the Red Line to the end (Howard) and then transfer to the Purple Line.

Check the CTA website. Take the Purple Line express if you can, it will save you a good 15 minutes at it skips all Red Line stops after Belmont.

Best hotels for college visits

Mag Mile and River North are best areas downtown from a tourist perspective. www.betterbidding.com for Hotwire %26amp; Priceline bidding tips. You can match the amenities to the hotel list to figure out the property.

www.transitchicago.com for public transit information. There%26#39;s a trip planner function on the home page.

Here%26#39;s some info on CTA service to NU:

northwestern.edu/uservices/鈥ta.html

An alternative to the Red Line to Howard would be the Number 147 bus. It heads north on Michigan Ave, then runs express along Lake Shore Drive to the Edgewater neighborhood and ends at Howard. The ride is very scenic through Lincoln Park and quicker than the Red Line. At Howard, take the Purple Line to Davis or Foster Street in Evanston. (Note: The 147 bus runs along Foster Ave in Chicago, Foster St is in Evanston.)

To reach U of Chicago from The Loop, catch the Number 6 bus southbound on State Street to 57th Street. Cross under the train tracks and continue west about six blocks.

You can purchase visitor passes online at the CTA site or at the airport rail stations. A 3-day pass will allow unlimited rides on all trains and buses for $14.

Stay in the Loop near Michigan Avenue or State Street- most of the public transportation to the U of Chicago originates there. See the university%26#39;s website for your transportation options - there are several. Also, from the Loop, you can catch the Purple Line express during rush hours and take that all the way to Evanston. Northwestern is a short walk from the Noyes stop. Check www.transitchicago.com for the hours of operation. If the Purple Line is not running express, it%26#39;s easy enough to take the Red Line between the loop and Howard Street and transfer at Howard, but it takes about 20 minutes longer.

Thanks for the recommendations. Looking forward to it.

Any suggestions for things to do? Do most U of C students live on campus? What%26#39;s the neighborhood where they would most likely live/hang out? Is that Hyde Park? Anything to do or see there?

Definitely take the time to see Hyde Park. Besides the campus itself, the major attractions include the Museum of Science and Industry, Smart Museum, DuSable Museum, Oriental Institute, Court Theatre, FL Wright%26#39;s Robie House, some fabulous bookstores, etc. See:

http://www.uchicago.edu/community/ and follow the Hyde Park links.