Chicago - Early June
 

We just purchased tickets to a Cubs game on June 2. When checking for hotels, it appears that the places we usually stay downtown are booked. What's going on that weekend? Also, any suggestions about getting a place to stay downtown?
Thanks!

What hotels do you normally stay in? You might try Quikbook.com. I always use them for Chicago so I can specify my hotel and also get it's best rate.

Curious

Over the last few years we have stayed at the Best Western Chicago Inn on Ohio and the Fairfield Inn on Ontario.

That weekend is an oncologist convention and the Gospel Fest.

There are several small hotels near Wrigley that are within a block of major bus or train lines to downtown. The Best Western Hawthorne Terrace is about 8 blocks away from Wrigley Field and only a 10 minute bus ride to Michigan Avenue. The Majestic Hotel, Willows Inn or Days Inn on Diversey would also be good options.

Unused rooms that are blocked for large conventions are usually released about 30 days before the event. So, you could have a second chance at finding something downtown in early May.

"That weekend is an oncologist convention and the Gospel Fest." LOL I hope not in the same building :))

Citylights,
Thanks for the suggestions. I tried all of those hotels and they are booked also.

I guess we can look at staying futher out, although we really wanted to park the car at the hotel and use public transportation. Any suggestions?

I'm hoping maybe we can reserve a place further out for now and then get lucky and get a place downtown closer to our trip.

You may want to consider Rosemont near O Hare. Then take the Ble Line to Addison street and hop the 152 addison bus to Wrigley.
Go Cubs

Isn't the big jazz festival or blues festival the beginning of June?

I ended up booking rooms at the Best Western in Evanston. Looks like easy transport via the purple and then red line downtown. I will probably still try closer to our trip to get something downtown, but otherwise this seems like a decent option.

I can't believe there are no downtown hotel rooms at all for that weekend! Wow. Have you tried Priceline and Hotwire?

Evanston is a cool town--fun to walk around, and there are some great restaurants--but it'll take you awhile to get downtown via the el... close to an hour. And that's when the Purple Line Express is running; when it isn't, it'll take longer. Just something to keep in mind.

Dougieshoney, the Purple Line Express runs from Howard Ave north to Evanston all day. During M-F Rush hours, it extends south of Howard to the loop. To reach Wrigley Field on Saturday, you'll have to transfer to the Red Line at Howard and take that to Addison.

You can also take the Red Line all the way to the loop for sightseeing. An alternative that's a bit quicker is to exit the train at Howard and catch the Number 147 (Outer Drive Express) bus outside the station. You'll go through the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods before the scenic, express ride down Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue.

The 147 bus passes by a Frank Lloyd Wright house on Sheridan about 3 blocks south of Howard and the building used for Bob Newhart's apartment in his TV series at Sheridan and Thorndale.

If you have time, take the Purple Line north to Linden Ave. A short two-block walk east of the station is the Baha'i Temple overlooking the lake. It would only take an hour total, but is definitely worth a visit. Check http://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple.