<p>^ Either airport is fine, but don’t overlook Midway. Besides Southwest which flies only into Midway, there are also ATA, Continental, Delta, and Frontier flights in and out of there, and from some markets it can be a lot cheaper to fly into Midway than O’Hare. Often the airfares are the same, but I have to say I’ve never found it cheaper to fly into O’Hare than Midway, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to make a comparison. Public transportation on the El from Midway to the Loop is about 25 minutes v. 45 minutes from O’Hare. And a cab from Midway to the Loop is about $25 and takes 15 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic, v. $40 and 25-90 minutes from O’Hare. (All figures from the Chicago Department of Aviation which operates both airports).</p>
<p>It is looking pretty positive. I am looking for a halfway decent airfare but not having much luck.
Where would be the best area to stay. Mother and D. This will is my first and probably only visit to Chicago. D has just been there once for the day. We want a good location so we can walk most places. Obviously we want a safe area. I will be flying. D will probably be driving from Indiana. (she is considering Amtrak but the train looks like it only goes once a day and the timing doesn’t work for her). I know parking her car is going to be expensive.</p>
<p>mom60 What part of Indiana is she in? If she is in South Bend or between there and Chicago the easiest cheapest way to get into the city is the South Shore Line. It runs several times a day, takes about 90 minutes, runs right into the heart of the Loop (Randall Street) and costs about $10 one way. Heck, she could drive to the South Bend Airport, pay for long term parking, and take the train from there for less then she will pay to park in Chicago.</p>
<p>Long term parking at the South Bend airport runs $9 a day, quite a bit less then the forty some dollars a day most downtown hotels charge.</p>
<p>lololu- she is in Lafayette.</p>
<p>Ah, then driving is her best bet.</p>
<p>mom60</p>
<p>Millenium Park is the redeveloped area between S. Michigan Ave. and Lakeshore Dr. Many of the museums are within walking distance of that area. So is shopping on N. Michigan. That is, assuming you like to walk.</p>
<p>If you can afford them, I would suggest some of the hotels in that general area. There are a lot of restaurants in that vicinity, as well. </p>
<p>I just googled the term “hotels near Millenium Park” and it produced this map of the area with some hotel suggestions. </p>
<p>[Map</a> of Hotels Near Millennium Park in downtown Chicago, Illinois](<a href=“Chicago Hotels - Chicago Traveler”>Chicago Hotels - Chicago Traveler)</p>
<p>I’ve stayed at the Palmer House, that is a great location. I don’t know too much about the others just around there, but if you go further north on Michigan Ave, there are a lot of hotels. I’ve stayed in some of them as well, but it can be a long walk to the museums from there.</p>
<p>My H’s favorite sight in Chicago, for reasons that completely befuddle me, is “the Bean” at Millenium Park. Be sure to check it out. Or not.</p>
<p>Has anyone stayed at the Conrad? They are giving the fourth night free.
Midmo- thank you for that link. It has a lot of information.</p>
<p>Also I can use points at The Drake.
D would also like to possibly see a show. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>mom60,
I’ve never stayed at the Conrad but I’ve heard it’s a very nice hotel, great location on N. Michigan Avenue at Grand (it has a Rush St. address but it runs the full block to Michigan Ave.) just north of the Chicago River, so easy walking access to the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, and the Streeterville and River North areas. Lots of hotels in that area. The Conrad is the old McGraw-Hill building, a 1920’s mid-rise office building that Hilton converted to a hotel a few years ago, so it should be relatively new and nicely furnished.</p>
<p>The Drake is a grand old dowager of a hotel a little farther north on Michigan Avenue, at Lake Shore Drive, so basically the north end of the Magnificent Mile. Great views of Lake Michigan from rooms on that side of the building, which probably go for a premium. This has been an elegant top-of-the-line hotel since it was built in the 1920s. I haven’t been there in years so I don’t know how well it’s held up, but the Hilton folks often do a pretty good job with classy old properties like this, and the Drake’s website is currently boasting that it was just named to the Travel & Leisure Magazine list of “top 500 hotels in the world” so they must be doing something right. Still, I’ve had experiences in older elegant hotels like this where it’s clear the owners are pouring money into the place, but I ended up with a dingy room that’s clearly still on the list for future updating—not where they put the Travel & Leisure reviewers.</p>
<p>As for theater, I’d check out the listings and reviews in the Chicago Tribune and/or Chicago Sun-Times online. The Steppenwolf and the Goodman are Chicago’s traditional heavyweight hometown theater companies, and if you like Shakespeare the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier is usually pretty good (fun location, too). But the great thing about Chicago is that there are a lot of talented actors, directors, and writers there willing to work on a shoestring and investing their all in new work, some of it just riveting, so you never know when a terrific production is going to pop up in some hole-in-the-wall neighborhood venue. And the reviewers know that and are proud of it, not disdainful of it, so if they see something they like they’ll give it its props alongside whatever’s showing at the bigger venues downtown.</p>
<p>D thinks Conrad might be stuffy. She would prefer something more hip.</p>
<p>Try the Palomar or the Wit.</p>
<p>^ Well, the Drake won’t be hip, either. Are you using Hilton reward points? I don’t think the Hilton family of hotels does “hip.” Not sure what is considered hip these days. (Actually, my own daughters tell me the term “hip” is . . . well what we used to call “square,” as in old-fashioned and outdated, and “nobody says that anymore,” so I’ve pretty much deleted it from my vocabulary). </p>
<p>Something like the Allegro? The W? A little boutique hotel like the Dana?</p>
<p>IMHO, the Drake ain’t what it used to be. Go there for tea or a drink, but don’t stay there.</p>
<p>Just to make sure no one gets lost: Millennium Park is on N. Michigan, not S. Michigan. And the Metra station for the park is Randolph Street, not Randall.</p>
<p>If you haven’t seen “Million Dollar Quartet,” that’s the show I recommend. One of the few that is likely to please young adults and their parents.</p>
<p>Hip was the word I used to describe what she is looking for. I have the points with American Express. If I don’t use them for the hotel I can use them for my airfare.
She suggested the W or the Allegro or the Sax.</p>
<p>We haven’t seen anything! My D has seen three professional theatre productions in her life. Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and one other.
I will cross the Drake off the list.</p>
<p>mom60</p>
<p>We stayed at the Essex Inn on Michigan Ave. because of the location – walking distance to Millennium Park and Art Institute, and #6 bus stops right in front of hotel (which goes to U. Chicago – and Oriental Institute). Of course in March you wouldn’t get to take advantage of its best feature – a rooftop sunning area overlooking the lake and park, adjacent to the heated pool, but it was more reasonably priced than a lot of downtown hotels are. I don’t know how “hip” it is, but it certainly wasn’t stuffy. A good breakfast place – Yolk (I think) – is right down the street. If you like to walk, you could head north on Michigan Ave. from the hotel and get to Navy Pier and the area with the most spectacular buildings, not to mention the celebrated shopping. </p>
<p>A film starring Gene Hackman called “The Package” was shot next door at the Hilton. It might be fun to watch the movie before you make your trip to Chicago.</p>
<p>As someone who came to Chicago for college in 1982 and stayed ever since, I was decidedly unimpressed by Marshall Field’s. Yes, they had a nice downtown State Street store. (Even then, it was no more impressive than what every major downtown had as a flagship store … Chicagoans went on and on about it, but every city had the same thing.) </p>
<p>First, I lived in Evanston, where the Marshall Field’s was a dumpy, unkempt store that catered to old-lady tastes, even though they were a block away from a sorority quad and could have easily catered to young tastes. They weren’t even bright enough to throw some purple clothing into the mix which would have attracted NU students. No one went there except to buy the occasional pair of pantyhose for a job interview. Really, they must have had the most unintelligent management ever, not to leverage the pocketbooks of NU girls who had beaucoup money to spend.</p>
<p>Then, I lived in Oak Park. The Marshall Field’s in Oak Park was similarly dumpy and unkempt. </p>
<p>Then, I worked up north where my closest mall was Old Orchard / Skokie. The Marshall Field’s in Old Orchard had OK clothing, but the most surly and unhelpful help you could imagine.</p>
<p>Then, I moved to where my closest mall was Oak Brook. Ok, the MF there was a nice store. But after 3 dumpy experiences? Why would I have developed any loyalty to MF when they clearly didn’t care about the customer? </p>
<p>I remember when Nordstrom came into Chicago and kicked MF’s butt. Good for them! They provided more stylish clothing, nicer looking stores and better help. No faux-sadness here when Macy’s took over MF. Good riddance!</p>
<p>Tickets are purchased and hotel is booked. Flying into Midway and out of O Hare. I wanted The Conrad and D wanted the Sax. We compromised and are staying at the Allegro. Used points so hotel is covered.
I am looking forward to hearing about mehappykid’s trip and what they did.</p>
<p>Mom60-
We will fly from NY to o’hare. Bought ticket for million dollar quartet too. Looking forward to see it altjought we have some different voice about blue man (my H) and Bon Jovi (kid) but we finally all agree to see million dollar quartet. Found chicago really has so many shows to see.<br>
Now, we are packing for the luggage. Not sure what kind od clothes we should bring? The heavy winter coat?</p>
<p>Have fun. When do you get back? I am hoping I don’t need a winter coat. I live in coastal Ca so I don’t really have a warm coat.</p>