My brother and his wife are coming up the weekend after this one for the Irish Fest at the Irish American Heritage Center at 4626 N. Knox Ave. If possible, they'd like to stay somewhere close. (They can have more Guinness if they don't have to drive all the way back to our place in the 'burbs! )

I've been there but it's been a while and I'm certainly not familiar enough with the area to be able to tell them what's around there. Anyone have any suggestions? They're looking for clean and comfortable in a safe area, not for luxury.

Thanks!

I don't know that area well, but just looking at the map at the Irish Fest website, I think maybe their best bet is to stay downtown in the loop or Michigan Ave area and take public transportation to & from the Irish Fest.

Thanks, Isabellasu. But does the el run close to the Heritage Center?

I'm just going by what I see on the Irish Fest website, here is that info:
Public Transportation

Take the CTA Blue Line to the Montrose stop. Exit the Montrose station and turn east. Follow the frontage sidewalk along the expressway (northbound) to Knox Ave. Turn right and travel one block to the Center.

Take the Lawrence Ave CTA Bus to Kilpatrick Ave. Walk one block south to the Center.

Hopefully someone more familiar with the area can help you out.

Thanks for pasting that for me, Isabellasu. I admit to being lazy and hoping that someone familiar with the area will just tell me rather than trying to figure it out from the website, CTA maps, etc.

Since we'll probably be meeting them there, we can drop them off if they choose to stay downtown. But I think they'd kind of like to stay more in a neighborhood rather than downtown. But we'll have to see what their options are.

If they want to stay in a neighborhood, I'd check VBRO or look for a bed and breakfast in Wicker Park (I think there's one called The House of Urns or something that sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery). That way they'd be close to downtown, in a neighborhood with a lot going on, and on the blue line for easy access to the Irish Fest.

Thanks, Racy!

Just before posting here, I e-mailed a friend who grew up near the Heritage Center. I just got a response from her suggesting the Holiday Inn in Skokie and have passed that along to my brother. But I'd still be very interested to hear any other suggestions.

Thanks!

Skokie won't solve the driving issue. O'Hare hotels would more public-transit-friendly.

Good point, Racy.

Whoops--I need to cut myself off--omitted the word "be" from that last one...

I'm so used to reading message boards that I didn't even notice the omission!