<p>I have somehow landed myself the job of securing hotel rooms for my lab for a big neuroscience conference we’re attending in Chicago this October. The hotel lottery for the conference opens tomorrow, so I’d love some inside information on Chicago – the last time I was there, I was eleven, so I don’t know much about the city.</p>
<p>Our conference is being held at the McCormick Place convention center, but most of the hotels reserved by the conference are some distance away. (There’s a map of hotels reserved [url=<a href=“Society for Neuroscience - 404”>Society for Neuroscience - 404]here[/url</a>], if anybody wants to check it out.) Will it be convenient for us to get to the convention center on the Metra, or should we count on catching the buses the conference will be running?</p>
<p>Are there any areas where I should avoid reserving a hotel? Most of the hotels seem to be near the middle of town (Near North Side?), but there are some closer to Grant Park. We will probably be returning to the hotel around 10-11 PM each night.</p>
<p>And finally, does anyone have any suggestions for lunch places (preferably very close to the convention center) or dinner? Price is almost not an object, as the lab pays for everybody’s meals. Any other tourist advice is welcome too!</p>
<p>Mollie, the most convenient (and very nice) hotel to the conference is the Hyatt McCormick Place (its on the map). That being said, its a ways from anything you might do in the evening.
The Hotel Burnham, a Kimpton Hotel, is in the north loop and right near the Randolph Street Metra stop. Plenty of restaurants etc. in the neighborhood or within walking distance. Also close to Millenium Park, the Art Institute, the CHicago Architectural Tours on the river and walking distance to shopping on Michigan Avenue. Hotel Monaco (also a Kimpton Hotel, I like them…free wine hour in the evening and coffee in the lobby in the morning) and the Renaissance are also just south of the river and near the Randolph Street Metra stop. Close to Metra may be your best bet, because I don’t see any El stops near the convention center. Good Luck. (and ps, I’m staying at the Hotel Monaco next weekend and can give you a better idea of what’s around it after that.)</p>
<p>I’d stay up in the Mich Ave, North Loop area and just taxi or bus it back and forth to the convention. Most conventions seem to have fleets of busses running from the hotels to the convention center which is basically in nowhere land. Chicago taxis are plentiful and reasonable.</p>
<p>I think it will be easier overall to use the conference buses or catch a taxi in groups. Metra serves the area, but the conference buses maybe more frequent and convenient.</p>
<p>In terms of lunch/dinner near McCormicks Place you might want to plan on catching a bus to one of the hotels and finding something nearby. It’s been a long time since I was at McCormicks Place, but barrons is correct, it’s just sort of there. </p>
<p>I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott on Ontario a few years ago in October. My stay was very pleasant. I was there for a shopping trip though so it was close to my destination spots.</p>
<p>The El and Metra do not have stops near McCormick Place. The best bus to take from Michigan Ave to McCormick Place is the #2 bus, if I recall correctly. That bus goes down Michigan Ave until Roosevelt Rd, and from there it goes around the south side. It stops right next to McCormick place.
It appears the association will have its own shuttle buses, so that won’t be an issue.
There are plenty of restaurants a little north of McCormick Place near Roosevelt Rd and State St.</p>
<p>The Metra Electric line drops off at McCormick Place, but it doesn’t run as often as the Els do. If you’re willing to spend the money on taxis each day, then the whole downtown area is your playground. There’s really nothing within walking distance of McCormick Place, i.e. restaurants, etc., due to the layout of the roads, etc. You’d basically be crossing Lake Shore Drive or I-55, which you don’t want to do.</p>
<p>Looking at the map, the two most southern hotels on Michigan Ave. would be nice since they’re across the street from Grant Park; they are also the closest to the Metra Electric Line if you choose that for transportation. However, the further up north you go, the more ‘typical’ landmarks and restaurants/shopping there is. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>runnersmom, I made a spreadsheet of the available hotels and ranked them by several factors (free internet, distance to the convention center, star rating, and price), and the Hotel Burnham won. I hope we can get it – I’ve stayed in Kimpton hotels before, and I think they’re so fun.</p>
<p>I’m disappointed to hear there’s not much in the way of lunch around the convention center. We’ve been spoiled the last two years with conventions in San Diego and Washington, DC, where there are lots of little lunch places within a quick walk of the convention center. 35,000 neuroscientists get pretty hungry.</p>
<p>I would stay in the central loop area - Embassy Suites on State Street, Palmer House, Hampton Inn; rather than at the Hyatt at McCormick Place. You will get a much broader sense of the city. A recent find for us in the South Loop (think Museum Park area) was the restaurant Opera. It is Asian fusion and has a fixed price meal on Tuesdays and Wednesdays? It was awesome!</p>
<p>I am originally from Chicago and usually make one or two trips back every year. Where you should stay depends on what you want to do when not at the conference. Although the area between the Loop and McCormick Place is being gentrified, there isn’t much for a visitor to do. If you want to visit the Art Institute, Museum of Natural History, Grant Park, Millennium Park or attend a play/musical, I would suggest one of the six hotels on your map that are south of Wacker Drive on Michigan Avenue or State Street. If you want to shop or window shop I would suggest any of the hotels north of Wacker Drive. Your map shows a number of hotel options along or near north Michigan Avenue. The Loop area (south of Wacker Drive) is going to be rather dead in the evenings (except Grant and Millennium Parks). The Mag-mile is far more vibrant in the evenings, has great choices for dining and shopping.</p>
<p>Since we’re on Chicago, I’m going to slightly hijack the thread for a second. I apologize to the OP. I promise not to monopolize … but a quick question: </p>
<p>We’ll be staying in Chicago in a couple of weeks at the Doubletree on Ohio St, near Navy Pier. We’re going to 2 cubs games: 1 evening, 1 daytime. Other than a taxi, anyone know if there’ a reasonable way to get from that area to Wrigley that doesn’t involve 6 transfers and a donkey. And, if we need to take a taxi, is there a place we should catch them for the return trip outside Wrigley? Seriously, we love Chicago … last time we stayed there (on the Miracle Mile), we didn’t have a car and used public transportation from the time we arrived at O’hare until we left, including going to a couple of Sox games; they were in town that time. </p>
<p>zebes, whose daughter can’t wait to go to the Harry Potter exhibit at The Museum of Science and Industry. She’s 18, LOL, and beside herself. <g></g></p>
<p>I will be at the convention center next week. The Hyatt at the convention center is convenient during the day. You can always go back to the room and take a mid day snooze. As already mentioned, in the evening all of the activities will be downtown and the convention center area will be pretty much dead. The liveliest area is Rush St near Northwestern U. I opted for the Palmer House. The convention center buses are fine during the day and in the evening I can walk or take a quick cab ride.</p>
<p>zebes - yes, the El has a stop within a block or so of Wrigley. When you get off, just follow the crowds (which means the El will be packed prior to and after the games). You just have to figure out where to board, depending on where you are at the time.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, we stayed at the Blackstone Renaissance near Grant Park, in the South Loop, and it will without doubt be our first choice in the future.</p>
<p>zebes, Im going to Chicago in a few weeks and staying at the same DoubleTree. It will be my first time at this hotel. To answer your question about getting to Wrigley without multiple transfers, I would suggest taking the L. I think there is an L stop (Red Line) on Grand Avenue and Chicago Avenue around Wabash or State Streets, which will be only a few blocks from the DoubleTree. The Red Line has an Addison Street stop you can walk or take a west bound bus on Addison to Wrigley. Check with the hotels staff for more specific directions. Sorry I cant be more specific I always rent a car at the airport and drive.</p>
<p>tutu,
Thanks! Actually, just called the hotel. The red line is 5 1/2 blocks from hotel on E. Grand. Yeppers, take that baby on down to Addison. They say it’s .1 miles from there. Looks like we’ll do buses to Harry Potter (can’t miss walking through Haggred’s hut, LOL). We try to avoid cars while in the city; hate to pay for parking at hotel and elsewhere. Will get a car when we leave the city. Concierge says there are two rental places nearby. Thanks, guys!</p>
<p>The L stop from Wrigley field is less than a block away. </p>
<p>It does get very crowded before and after games and can take some time to get on a train.</p>
<p>If you want to take a cab, it is easy to get one. You might have to walk a block or so, because sometimes the streets are closed right in front of Wrigley right after games.</p>
<p>If you want some dining recommendations let me know. (Either near Wrigley or off Michigan Ave.)</p>
<p>At the risk of perhaps steering this thread slightly off-topic, I just want to encourage anyone who may be coming to Chicago in the near or distant future to try to make every possible effort to stop by the Art Institute – specifically, the new (just opened in May) Modern Wing.</p>
<p>Standing in this light-drenched space (in the company of artworks that need no introduction) will – let’s see, how can I put this so it won’t seem just ridiculously over-the-top (oh, heck, I’ll just say what I feel) – change your life.</p>
Any other tourist advice is welcome too!</p>