Airports – There are two main airports serving the Chicago area, both are easily accessible by taxi or train (the Blue line runs by O’Hare, the Orange line runs by Midway).
- O’Hare International Airport (ORD) – Pros: Bigger airport, more flights, this is United’s major hub. If you want to stay at a hotel by the airport, the area surrounding O’Hare is nicer than Midway; the location of our reception is also right off the Blue Line at the California stop. Cons: Almost always incredibly busy, long security lines.
- Midway International Airport (MDW) – Pros: Smaller, more quaint airport, shorter security lines, this is Southwest’s Chicago hub. Cons: Surrounding area is a bit sketchy, best not to take the train into the city if you arrive late at night (just cab it).
Hotels – After doing quite a bit of research and calling around, the two most cost effective options we can find for a hotel stay are:
- Online deals – While searching we noticed Expedia and some of the other travel sites were offering prices lower than any other hotels in the area – so instead of blocking rooms at another spot, we wanted to recommend this as a better option – but book soon!! For example, American Arlines (aa.com) has a special on Hotel 71 for $140 / night.
- Renting a private apartment or home – our families have had great success finding apartments in our local neighborhood to rent – some sites to check out are: www.VRBO.com, http://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationRentals, www.homeaway.com, www.airBNB.com, and www.onefinestay.com (Although, we can’t personally vouch for the last three).
Local Transportation –
- CTA Bus or Train (“the El”) – You can ride the bus and/or train to get pretty much anywhere in Chicago and they both run on the same CTA card. Helen highly recommends downloading an app to help you navigate the stops (her favorite for the iPhone is Buster – but you can find others on the CTA site).
- Taxi – From either airport, you’ll need to go to the taxi stand and wait in line. If you are in the city, it’s pretty easy to get a cab on the street or you can call 1-800-TAXI-CAB.