Safety Concern: Chicago
Mar 13th, 2007 | 08:13 AM
#26
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
I'd go with the Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart--it's within walking distance of both Loop and N Michigan Ave "stuff."
My parents stayed there a few years ago when visiting--it's not bad.
Essex is by Grant Park but not much else, and EL stops are a ways away.
Crown Plaza is by Greektown, but you'd need to take a bus to anywhere else.
HTH,
Racy
My parents stayed there a few years ago when visiting--it's not bad.
Essex is by Grant Park but not much else, and EL stops are a ways away.
Crown Plaza is by Greektown, but you'd need to take a bus to anywhere else.
HTH,
Racy
Mar 13th, 2007 | 09:02 AM
#28
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,248
Likes: 0
We stayed at the Essex last summer. It's not terribly close to any el stops (although not a bad walk), but there are several busses that take you up to the Randolph Street area and at least one that goes all the way up Michigan to Water Tower. The location was fine for us, but it was also warm enough to walk a lot. If the Merchandise Mart area is an option, I'd take that over the Essex.
Mar 13th, 2007 | 06:58 PM
#30
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 281
Likes: 0
I may be a bit late, but I just want to scream whenever I hear how dangerous and run down the Midway area is. YOU'LL BE FINE!!! It's a middle class community filled with $300,000 bungalows. Is there crime? yes. Do people get robbed and shot in Lincoln Park. yes. Midway isn't much worse than Lincoln Park. Violent crime is not an hourly occurance here like it is elsewhere in the city. Also, all the hotels at Midway are part of the Midway Hotel Center, which runs a shuttle to the Orange Line. It's certainly nowhere near as convenient as staying downtown, but not a difficult trip. Also, it's really too far to walk from the Orange Line. It's nearly a mile away.
Mar 14th, 2007 | 05:41 AM
#31
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,253
Likes: 0
I know, flamingomonkey. I know, sometimes I just don't post on Chicago threads at all re this and related issues. Not just about Midway neighborhood either. Every- "I'm moving to Chicago- where should I live?" gets the same answers. And these are the people who "know" Chicago. Right!
Midway and many other Southside, Southwest, Southeast neighborhoods are strong middle class or working class vibrant life locations, despite the belief systems of people who have never lived there nor have visited for 20 or 30 years, or ever. And they are also NOT cultural wastelands.
Yet these same people do frequent places that have more crime, albet they are trendy. I know longer argue or get mad- it doesn't help to support with real information ($300,000 bungalows) be it reality or not. And most are the very same people who are righteous against "generalization".
Right!
Midway and many other Southside, Southwest, Southeast neighborhoods are strong middle class or working class vibrant life locations, despite the belief systems of people who have never lived there nor have visited for 20 or 30 years, or ever. And they are also NOT cultural wastelands.
Yet these same people do frequent places that have more crime, albet they are trendy. I know longer argue or get mad- it doesn't help to support with real information ($300,000 bungalows) be it reality or not. And most are the very same people who are righteous against "generalization".
Right!
Mar 14th, 2007 | 06:22 AM
#32
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Reserved a room at the:
CHICAGO-MART PLAZA (RIVERVIEW)
350 WEST MART CENTER DRIVE
$478 ($154 per night)
Seems like a perfect location to walk to many attractions.
The main reason we switched from staying at Midway no longer was the safety concern, it was the commute back and forth each day to get downtown and back to the hotel. No, we only have to do the 30 minute ride from the airport and back.
Everyone has different views: People in my area go over the bridge into Virginia all the time but people in Virginia act like coming to my area is like driving into another dimension. Just depends on what you are used to or how you grew-up.
I'll let everyone know how my trip went....thanks for all the help.
CHICAGO-MART PLAZA (RIVERVIEW)
350 WEST MART CENTER DRIVE
$478 ($154 per night)
Seems like a perfect location to walk to many attractions.
The main reason we switched from staying at Midway no longer was the safety concern, it was the commute back and forth each day to get downtown and back to the hotel. No, we only have to do the 30 minute ride from the airport and back.
Everyone has different views: People in my area go over the bridge into Virginia all the time but people in Virginia act like coming to my area is like driving into another dimension. Just depends on what you are used to or how you grew-up.
I'll let everyone know how my trip went....thanks for all the help.
Mar 14th, 2007 | 07:14 AM
#34
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,253
Likes: 0
GoTravel, read duke158's post on this thread.
Actually many people I know who want to do Chicago on the cheap stay outside of downtown. It is vastly doable, just not as convenient. Some great food, quality AND prices, are not lost this way either. Downtown IS getting prohibitive on price if you try to do it "last minute" circa 2007.
And it is never, ever in any of these Chicago threads forms alone, so to speak, in a covert question or answer but always implied. And quite skillfully at times (not straightforward and logical as duke158's was stated here- and please, I do NOT want to come down on them for their opinion).
It is just that we majority (in area AND in numbers) Chicagoans get sick unto death of the comments re areas here that have absolutely false implications and summations to what we see and experience each day.
jedivader, good choice. And you DO understand- in that last about total relativity re the eyeballing of anything.
One time I had to defend an area that was called a "ghetto" because she saw older buildings which had some store window barring going on. Hey, it's someones $400,000 storefront with vintage living above. To each his own, and some of the BEST of Chicago is entirely outside of the downtown area.
Actually many people I know who want to do Chicago on the cheap stay outside of downtown. It is vastly doable, just not as convenient. Some great food, quality AND prices, are not lost this way either. Downtown IS getting prohibitive on price if you try to do it "last minute" circa 2007.
And it is never, ever in any of these Chicago threads forms alone, so to speak, in a covert question or answer but always implied. And quite skillfully at times (not straightforward and logical as duke158's was stated here- and please, I do NOT want to come down on them for their opinion).
It is just that we majority (in area AND in numbers) Chicagoans get sick unto death of the comments re areas here that have absolutely false implications and summations to what we see and experience each day.
jedivader, good choice. And you DO understand- in that last about total relativity re the eyeballing of anything.
One time I had to defend an area that was called a "ghetto" because she saw older buildings which had some store window barring going on. Hey, it's someones $400,000 storefront with vintage living above. To each his own, and some of the BEST of Chicago is entirely outside of the downtown area.
Mar 21st, 2007 | 07:01 AM
#35
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
We are back!
Had a good time in Chicago, a very cool city. Lake Michigan is beautiful. Stayed at the Holiday Inn @ Merchandise Mart....perfect location. I am glad we moved.
Friday: Walked to the Navy Pier. Got some lunch a Dick's Last Resort (servers not in character as much as the time I ate in Boston). Took the Green line to the Science Museum to see Body Worlds 2. After riding the train and getting off at Garfield, I can see what people were talking about with south Chicago. That area was very run down, but it reminded me of many places around my house. Didn't bother me much but one of our group lives in a different type of area and I think she was scared for her life. Crashed back at the hotel and picked up a pizza from Lou Malnati's.
Saturday: St. Patrick's Day was not that great because there were so many people there. We were expecting a lot, but still did not expect that many. Had a hard time getting a good spot for the dyeing of the river and by the time we walked with the thousands of people to the parade route, we were about four to five people deep and could hardly see anything. Decided to leave the parade after about 15 minutes and find a bar. In and out of one bar because the bartender never looked our way. Walked around for a while in the Loop trying to find a place and settled at the Midtown because they were having $3 Irish beer specials. Horrible planning on their part, when we got there, they were already out of Bass. By the time we left, they were out of Harp too! Left the Loop and headed up to Wrigleyville. Saw Wrigley Field and tried to get into some Irish bars there but they all had lines 10-15 people deep outside. Settled on Chen's.....yes, a Chinese place. We sat there and drank for a while and watched the lines grow outside of all the other bars. Headed back towards the Loop but got off the train a little early to walk. Had dinner at Jake Melnick's (food not very good).
Sunday: Walked to Soldier Field (had a Chicago style hot dog: surprisingly good) and the Buckingham Fountain (not turned on). Had lunch at Kitty O'Shea's (food not very good and $6.25 for beer, Killians at that). Everyone in my group went up into the Sears tower while I walked around outside. They had a good time in the tower and I happened to run into Union Station (saw the "Untouchables" steps and had a beer). Headed up to Clybourn and spent the rest of the night at Goose Island brewpub.
Monday: Sat at Rock Bottom Brewery for a bit, walked to Garrett's Popcorn, then got lunch at Gino's East.
All in all a good time. Gino's deep dish was the best. I love micro brews and Chicago is not the place to go for beer. The same thing was on tap everywhere we went. I did not like the Goose beer that much (IPA and Honker's were the best). With the exception of one CTA employee, everyone we talked to or asked directions of were very nice and helpful. The CTA was pretty easy to get the hang of and getting the visitor's pass was perfect for jumping on and off the trains and buses. I think we walked 1 million miles while we were there.
Oh, we cut our time to get back to Midway very short because our Gino's pizza took 45 minutes to cook. We almost missed out plane. We got back to the hotel, got our bags and got to the "L". The Orange train was broken down and we ended up waiting at the station for over 30 minutes. Finally the Orange got to us and they turned it into an express because a lot of people were trying to get to the airport. We got to the airport with less than 20 minutes before our flight left. We had to run from the "L" to the check-in. Two of our group went through security to get to the gate and speak with the Southwest people and two of us went to check our bags in. Luckily the baggage line and security were not long at all. The two of us sprinted through the airport and finally found our gate with the plane already loaded. They let us on!! Never again, will I cut a flight that close. I could hardly catch my breath and my mouth tasted like I had a bag full of cotton balls in it. It didn't help that I had just eaten two pieces of deep dish and washed that down with a few pints.
Thanks for all the help.
Had a good time in Chicago, a very cool city. Lake Michigan is beautiful. Stayed at the Holiday Inn @ Merchandise Mart....perfect location. I am glad we moved.
Friday: Walked to the Navy Pier. Got some lunch a Dick's Last Resort (servers not in character as much as the time I ate in Boston). Took the Green line to the Science Museum to see Body Worlds 2. After riding the train and getting off at Garfield, I can see what people were talking about with south Chicago. That area was very run down, but it reminded me of many places around my house. Didn't bother me much but one of our group lives in a different type of area and I think she was scared for her life. Crashed back at the hotel and picked up a pizza from Lou Malnati's.
Saturday: St. Patrick's Day was not that great because there were so many people there. We were expecting a lot, but still did not expect that many. Had a hard time getting a good spot for the dyeing of the river and by the time we walked with the thousands of people to the parade route, we were about four to five people deep and could hardly see anything. Decided to leave the parade after about 15 minutes and find a bar. In and out of one bar because the bartender never looked our way. Walked around for a while in the Loop trying to find a place and settled at the Midtown because they were having $3 Irish beer specials. Horrible planning on their part, when we got there, they were already out of Bass. By the time we left, they were out of Harp too! Left the Loop and headed up to Wrigleyville. Saw Wrigley Field and tried to get into some Irish bars there but they all had lines 10-15 people deep outside. Settled on Chen's.....yes, a Chinese place. We sat there and drank for a while and watched the lines grow outside of all the other bars. Headed back towards the Loop but got off the train a little early to walk. Had dinner at Jake Melnick's (food not very good).
Sunday: Walked to Soldier Field (had a Chicago style hot dog: surprisingly good) and the Buckingham Fountain (not turned on). Had lunch at Kitty O'Shea's (food not very good and $6.25 for beer, Killians at that). Everyone in my group went up into the Sears tower while I walked around outside. They had a good time in the tower and I happened to run into Union Station (saw the "Untouchables" steps and had a beer). Headed up to Clybourn and spent the rest of the night at Goose Island brewpub.
Monday: Sat at Rock Bottom Brewery for a bit, walked to Garrett's Popcorn, then got lunch at Gino's East.
All in all a good time. Gino's deep dish was the best. I love micro brews and Chicago is not the place to go for beer. The same thing was on tap everywhere we went. I did not like the Goose beer that much (IPA and Honker's were the best). With the exception of one CTA employee, everyone we talked to or asked directions of were very nice and helpful. The CTA was pretty easy to get the hang of and getting the visitor's pass was perfect for jumping on and off the trains and buses. I think we walked 1 million miles while we were there.
Oh, we cut our time to get back to Midway very short because our Gino's pizza took 45 minutes to cook. We almost missed out plane. We got back to the hotel, got our bags and got to the "L". The Orange train was broken down and we ended up waiting at the station for over 30 minutes. Finally the Orange got to us and they turned it into an express because a lot of people were trying to get to the airport. We got to the airport with less than 20 minutes before our flight left. We had to run from the "L" to the check-in. Two of our group went through security to get to the gate and speak with the Southwest people and two of us went to check our bags in. Luckily the baggage line and security were not long at all. The two of us sprinted through the airport and finally found our gate with the plane already loaded. They let us on!! Never again, will I cut a flight that close. I could hardly catch my breath and my mouth tasted like I had a bag full of cotton balls in it. It didn't help that I had just eaten two pieces of deep dish and washed that down with a few pints.
Thanks for all the help.
Mar 21st, 2007 | 08:17 AM
#36
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,253
Likes: 0
Oh, isn't Midway doable!
Well, if you liked micro brewery places than you should have come to Orland Park and Tinley Park. We have a bunch, and they are super. It is NOT a speciality of downtown, or much North either, because they just don't have the room for such sizable venues.
You didn't hit good restaurants, and I'm really sorry that you had the mob experience. If you ever want to come to a great St. Patrick's Day parade, with micro brewery, close participation and all the dotted i's and crossed t's, you need to come to the Chicago Southside Parade that is done the Sunday BEFORE Mar. 17- every year. It runs on Western Avenue and NOT in the areas you frequented by the Mus. of Sc.& Ind. and on the way there.
The area in Beverly and surrounds is exactly what you were looking for too, I knew it from your posts before, but it was too late to change weekends.
This year there were 300,000 at the Southside as well- but the crowds were not as you viewed for observation logistics and the spaces are entirely different.
You saw a side of Chicago that is not optimal, in my opinion, as I do NOT go downtown for anything with that many people, as I am short, and have had the same experience as you- plus never got service well either.
One exception was when the Sox came home. There was 1.75 million that time but they strung it out over a much larger area, and I had Dye and Burhle right in my face. Ah, was that tickertape worth it! Better than the one when the astronauts came down State, that's for sure. We had ticker tape past our knees, like snow.
Well, if you liked micro brewery places than you should have come to Orland Park and Tinley Park. We have a bunch, and they are super. It is NOT a speciality of downtown, or much North either, because they just don't have the room for such sizable venues.
You didn't hit good restaurants, and I'm really sorry that you had the mob experience. If you ever want to come to a great St. Patrick's Day parade, with micro brewery, close participation and all the dotted i's and crossed t's, you need to come to the Chicago Southside Parade that is done the Sunday BEFORE Mar. 17- every year. It runs on Western Avenue and NOT in the areas you frequented by the Mus. of Sc.& Ind. and on the way there.
The area in Beverly and surrounds is exactly what you were looking for too, I knew it from your posts before, but it was too late to change weekends.
This year there were 300,000 at the Southside as well- but the crowds were not as you viewed for observation logistics and the spaces are entirely different.
You saw a side of Chicago that is not optimal, in my opinion, as I do NOT go downtown for anything with that many people, as I am short, and have had the same experience as you- plus never got service well either.
One exception was when the Sox came home. There was 1.75 million that time but they strung it out over a much larger area, and I had Dye and Burhle right in my face. Ah, was that tickertape worth it! Better than the one when the astronauts came down State, that's for sure. We had ticker tape past our knees, like snow.
Apr 3rd, 2007 | 02:35 PM
#38
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
I just now came across this great string of posts and appreciate all the interesting comments. First of June, we'll be in the Chicago area in a 20-foot camper van, and I'm wondering about the easiest way to park it for a few days. We'd prefer to stay in a downtown hotel, but I don't imagine that parking would be possible (or practical, or affordable) since it won't fit in typical garage entrances.
... Midway seems a possibility since hotels there, I gather, have ample parking lots and the train station isn't too far away. ... Any other suggestions? Any chance of parking near a suburban train station while staying in a downtown hotel for the weekend? I checked the Metra web site and apparently they don't allow overnight parking. Thanks for any help.
... Midway seems a possibility since hotels there, I gather, have ample parking lots and the train station isn't too far away. ... Any other suggestions? Any chance of parking near a suburban train station while staying in a downtown hotel for the weekend? I checked the Metra web site and apparently they don't allow overnight parking. Thanks for any help.
