Staying Downtown

Accommodations Downtown
By staying in downtown Chicago, you can enjoy all that the city has to offer just steps away from your hotel. Chicago is a city of world-class status and unsurpassed beauty. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of the Midwest, Chicago is home to world-championship sports teams, an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, renowned architecture, award-winning theater, and much more. The prices for hotel rooms downtown can be a bit more expensive than for other parts of the city, but you can save on parking and other transportation costs.

Transportation Downtown
Staying downtown makes access to the seminars, dining, tourist attractions or nightlife very easy. The “Loop” is the public transportation hub of the city and all the major train lines and buses pass through there. You can purchase a three day pass (http://faremedia.chicago-card.com/store/main.aspx?DepartmentId=34) that allows for unlimited rides on CTA buses and trains for only $14.

If you are driving, parking at hotels downtown runs about $20 per day. This can vary, so please check with your hotel for their latest rates.

If you are driving from a hotel outside the city, parking downtown can cost between $14-50 per day if you arrive by 8 am and stay until 6 pm. You can go to http://chicago.bestparking.com/ to find the best deals.

Staying Outside the City

Accommodations by O’Hare
Because Chicago hosts so many conventions every year, there are many world-class hotels that are quite affordable near O’Hare Airport. These hotels can be much less expensive than staying downtown. They are close to major public transportation lines and highways, so travel to and from the seminar location and nightlife is not difficult.

Transportation by O’Hare
O’Hare Airport is serviced by the Blue Line train. It takes about 45 minutes to get downtown by train and is easy to access inside the terminal. The train is clean and safe and a relaxing way to get around. Taking the Blue Line you can change to any other line downtown. You can get the map of the train system in Chicago at http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/maps/ctatrainmap.png. Again, if you plan on using public transportation it is best to purchase a three day pass from the CTA (see above link).

Driving from O’Hare to downtown can take 17 minutes when there is no traffic, but can be as long as 45-60 minutes in traffic. Parking downtown after driving can run from $14-50 per day (in by 8 am and out by 6 pm) or about $8 per hour if you decide not to stay the whole day. Other neighborhoods in Chicago have metered street parking for about $1.25 per hour.