Hotel near El to keep bags while at Wrigley!
 

We're going to see the Cubs play the Mets at Wrigley on May 11th. The game is at 1:20 and our flight out of O'Hare is at 7:21pm. I'm trying to figure out what hotel to stay in so we can keep our overnight bags there while we attend the game and then after the game, quickly back to the hotel and off to O'Hare. I know we're going to be tight on time. We've been told we'd be nuts to rent a car because that would take longer. I'm not sure since we have to stop someplace to pick up our bags. I don't want to stay out by the airport. We fly in on the 10th and are going to a night game then. I wanted to be able to walk around downtown before the night game and before the day game the next day. Any ideas? Thanks, Susan

Samejia, tight on time is saying it mildly. A 1:20 pm game will probably be over about 4:30 pm if there are no extra innings--and then you have to get through game traffic to the hotel and out to the airport.

My suggestion would be to leave the game at a specific time (maybe 4 pm) even if it isn't over.

Yes, renting a car would not be a good alternative because you would be stuck in rush hour traffic PLUS the game traffic after the game.

The quickest way from Wrigley to O'Hare would be to take the Red Line to the Loop (State/Lake) and transfer to the Blue Line (Clark/Lake) - 2 blocks away; or a little further south at State/Washington for the Red Line and the Washington/Dearborn stop (at Daley Plaza) for the Blue Line. Even taking these routes would be about 15 minutes downtown and then 45 minutes out to O'Hare.

However, if you are asking about a hotel in the immediate vicinity of these stations, it would be the Hotel Monaco or the Renaissance Hotel for the first two stops mentioned and the Burnham Hotel for the second two. Make sure you confirm their check-out times though and if they will hold luggage for you.

Thanks, exiledprincess. I'm wondering if there's a way to avoid the after the game traffic by parking someplace further out. Maybe this would save time stopping back by a hotel to pick up bags?

First of all, take the train. O'Hare is undergoing a lot of construction in the dropoff areas, and it is very crowded at your departure time. Allow extra time to clear security - try using the small security stations in terminal 1 at the far left as you enter, or in terminal 3 at the far right.

If you stay at the Hotel Burnham (State and Washington Sts.) in the Loop, you'd be able to pick up your bags when you double back (you go through the Loop to change to the O'Hare train.) I agree with the poster who says to leave Wrigley by 4 p.m. on weekdays. Traffic near 5 p.m. is horrendous, both on the streets and on the packed trains.

If you rented a car and parked by Wrigley, it will still be quicker to drive out to Ohare than doubling back downtown to get your bags. My suggestion would be driving and leaving the game in the 8th inning to avoid all post game traffic. Also, take Irving Park to the highway, not Addision - it moves much better at that time of day.

Enjoy the game.

Samejia, please keep in mind that if you get a rental, you also have to contend with the time in returning it.

Weimer, the only other issue would be returning the car. Do you have to take a shuttle after returning the car?

Yes you have to take a shuttle. I live by Wrigley so I contend with this El/cab/driving issue a lot. I estimate another 20 minutes to return the car.

Even with horrible traffic, assuming you leave before the game is over, it will not take you more than hour to drive from Wrigley the rental car place.

The El will take you 45 to the airport from downtown but I would leave at least 30 minutes from Wrigley to downtown - just to cover yourselves.

4 runs in the 5th - Cubs are winning!

Samejia, sorry that I didn't post this before but I thought I better mention this to you just in case you haven't looked into this.

Parking around Wrigley...you may not be aware that you just cannot just park on a side street somewhere. The area has parking by permit only (for residents) during Cub games in many areas for blocks around the ballpark. (Tow-aways happen all the time.) You need to take into consideration if you are going to park in one of the lots close to the ballpark ($$$) or walk some distance to get to/from your car (and the time it takes to do so as well).

I know that this may not seem like such an important point by itself, but in the whole schematic of things, you want to have the way which is 1) most time-saving to meet your flight and 2) least expensive.

Can you get a later flight?

You've all been so helpful. No, I can't get a later flight. I have to get home to the kids. Babysitter has to go home that night. As it is, I get back to NJ at 10:27. I may try to suck it up and pay for the expensive parking near the park to avoid the backtracking to pick up our bags. You've all given me more to think about. We're going to 2 games so I guess it won't be horrible if we leave one early; unless of course the game is tied and the METS have the bases loaded with no outs and I have to go:-)

With Weimar's experience, he is probably able to navigate the Wrigley Traffic Snarl better than a novice would. I mean, there are a lot of little tricks involved in getting west on Irving around 5 p.m. But the train is a no-brainer, with the station just a block from Wrigley. It runs every five minutes, and there is a one block transfer downtown at Washington. Estimated time to airport: 75 to 90 minutes.

A rental car is a burden in Chicago, and yes, you do have to take a shuttle from the car lot to the airport. You also will be parking a few blocks away from the field, and you will have to leave no later than the 8th inning regardless of the time because you can't afford to get caught in the crunch. Be sure to tell the lot you're leaving early, and hope to God they don't block you in with other cars. Walk to car: 10-15 minutes, drive to O'Hare: 50-75 minutes. Drop off car and take tram to airport: 15-20 minutes.

Thank, patq. I just called Wrigley and they said there are lots closer than theirs to the park but to be careful about getting blocked in. I need to find a shuttle service that I'm sure doesn't exist to be able to hold our bags for us while we're at the game and pick us up. That would shave the time off of dropping off the car. Thanks for your advice.

I take it Wrigley security will not let you store bags with them. Did you check out the Hotel Burnham? It is right at the transfer point from the Red Line (Wrigley)to the Blue Line (O'Hare) so you wouldn't go out of your way at all to pick up your bags.

Thanks, Patq. I'll check that hotel out.

Is the Embassy Suites on North State STreet as close to the El as the Hotel Burnham is? I'd like to be able to get 1 room for the 3 of us and the Burnham is expensive for 2 rooms?

Here's a hotel map, although it's a hard one to use for your purposes:
http://www.choosechicago.com/hotels_location.html
Embassy is #13 in the North Michigan section. Burnham is #3 in the Loop. The Red Line is a subway at that point, traveling under State Street. The nearest stop to the Embassy would be Grand Avenue, two blocks south.

If you return to the Embassy to get your bags, I would take a cab to Clark and Lake, the last downtown stop for the O'Hare Blue Line. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.

Another hotel (with some suites) nearer to the Burnham would be the Silversmith at 10 S. Wabash (one block east of State at Madison St., one block south of Washington. You get to skip the cab ride, but it will be about 15 minutes extra walking to get the bags. After sitting at Wrigley, though. a little leg-stretching is welcome.

How about the Best Western at 3434 North Broadway? www.hawthorneterrace.com It's within walking distance to Wrigley, they have parking in case you do want to do the rental car thing plus it's close to the El & buses to downtown.

Susan,

Wrigley is a very friendly area especially for a day game. My suggestion for your trip would be to stay at a hotel downtown and for the game on the 11th, bring your bags along to the Wrigley, go to Murphy's Bleachers for lunch and a beer before the game, leave your bags there, cut out at the 7th inning stretch, have a quick beer at Murph's, pick up your bags and catch a cab to the airport. You'll be able to listen to the end of the game in the cab and will get to O'Hare with time for a decent dinner.

Enjoy Wrigley,

Kevin (a Cardinal fan who always gets treated well at Murphy's)

Kevin, have you left your bags at Murphy's? Did you arrange it beforehand? I can't imagine taking the chance and being stuck with them. A very intriguing idea.... I really want to stay closer to the downtown area so my husband and I can walk around if my uncle wants to hang out at the hotel!