Chicago Hostel
 

Has anyone ever stayed at the IHSP Chicago Inn at Damen? Wondering if it's in a safe area. It's not far from Wicker Park. I don't know Chicago well and want to take my teenage son to see the sights.

Hi, travelteri.

Sorry... never stayed but location is nice for the blue line train. Wicker Park is west of city sights, so you and your son would be on the Blue line train (or an east-west bus) to get downtown. The neighborhood is artsy, and lively enough. Feels very young to me... 20-something hipsters on the main sidewalks.

A better location Hostel is one I walk by often on Congress Parkway nearer Michigan Avenue...
looks very nice, and you're much nearer everything.

http://www.hichicago.org/

More budget options: look at the Cass Hotel (good location), the Inn of Chicago at Michigan Ave., the Days Inn Lincoln Park (not downtown, but in a fun, busy neighborhood) or the Inn at Lincoln Park, or farther north (than Lincoln Park) in Lakeview/Boys Town is the Best Western Hawthorne Terrace. I'd recommend those areas over Wicker Park.

Or try quikbook.com to see if there are any good rates for the nights you're in town.

http://www.casshotel.com/
http://www.daysinnchicago.net/
http://www.innlp.com/wp/
http://www.innofchicago.com/chicago_vacation.html
http://www.hawthorneterrace.com/

I think you'll be quite fine on Damen Ave/Wicker Park though, if the rates are very good.
Have a great time in Chicago.

When are you visiting? Chicago is a big convention city and large events drive hotel rates up. It will help you greatly if your dates are flexible. There are several meetings between June 10 and 13 that will bring about 50,000 people into the city. The first week of July will bring 10,000 people for an Irish Dance competition and early August will see another 15,000 attending conventions in addition to Lollapalooza in Grant Park.

Also, consider the bidding sites for hotels downtown. On most weekends, you can get good hotels for under $200. Check www.betterbidding.com or www.biddingfortravel.com for tips.

Most of the tourist sites are within a relatively small area that's easily accessible by foot or public transit from the downtown hotels. For what to see, check www.choosechicago.com or www.explorechicago.org. For info on free events, concerts, restaurants and more, check www.chicagoreader.com or www.chicagomag.com. For transit info, the CTA site has maps, a trip planner and info on how to track buses and trains with your smart phone at www.transitchicago.com.

Thank you both so much. Great info. We're arriving by train from St. Louis on the June 11 and it sounds like the city will be very crowded! I guess I should have researched that a little better. I was wondering why the hotels were so expensive! Will the museums be crowded or do you the crowds won't get bad until the meetings let out. I'm wondering if we should get to Shedd very early. Last time I was there during spring break and the line was around the building!

Hi, travelteri.

Difficult to say about the Shedd being crowded on a weekday. If you go on that Monday, you may still have the long-weekend tourist crowd which I'm noticing a lot now just walking on Michigan Ave or in the loop. At least school groups won't be there. Maybe give a call to the Shedd's ticket office to pick their brain, but I'm always one to get anyplace kinda early.

Hope you and your son have a nice time. If you're on the Amtrak into Union Station, you should be able to buy a CTA Daily 3-day or 7-day "fun pass" (unlimited rides on Chicago Transit Authority subways, elevated trains and buses). (1-day Fun Passes are available, but I don't believe you can buy them in the machines... I usually buy mine for visitors at a currency exchange or a Jewel-Osco Grocery STore.

Also, I hope we didn't put you off the Damen area hostel. It's a really fine neighborhood, and for a teenager, lots of "hipster" and other trendy type shops.

Oh, and re: CTA passes or fare cards at Union Station. The vending machines are located where you buy the Metra (suburban train) tickets. Here's a link:
http://www.transitchicago.com/travel...ines.aspx#pass

Not mentioned so far is where we have stayed various times...
Heart O Chicago in north Edgewater area (5990 N. Ridge).
It is basic but certainly reasonably priced.
www.heartochicago.com

Bill in Boston

The biggest and probably best is the one at 24 E Congress.
http://www.hichicago.org/
My wife and I have stayed there and would go back again.