Any Tips for Parking in Chicago on Black Friday?

[Jean DeVries]

OK, I'm starting to freak out. Myself and 6 other people are driving to Chicago next Friday to catch the matineee of Wicked.

Yes, the day after Thanksgiving.

The biggest shopping day of the year. In one of the biggest shopping towns in this part of the country.

I'm freaking out about not being able to find a parking spot. I don't even care if it's near the theater. We'll have two cars. We don't even need to park together.

Anyone have any good tips? Any reassurance? Anyone that can tell me for sure, "Hey, good job smoking crack on that scheduling of when to go to Wicked?" Any alternatives to parking in town?

We're spending the night in Schaumberg, so a train from GR to Chicago isn't feasible. Plus, the other 6 people aren't that adventurous.

 

[Gina M]

How about a train ride from Schaumburg once you check into your hotel? I'm not sure how the trains run out of there but once you're in town you could cab it to the play.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Hi!

We thought about that....I can't find Schaumberg on the train line schedule though. Any idea which train it is? Maybe I'm not looking at the right schedule/picture.

Eek.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Check the METRA map at http://metrarail.com/System_map/index.html because, depending on where your hotel is located, you might be better off going to Palatine or Arlingtion Heights. If you call the hotel, they may be able to tell you which station is the closest. (Try to take an express, you'll be a lot happier!)Most METRA trains come into the Oglvie Center, some into Union Station. Either one should be about a $10 cab ride to the Ford Theatre on Randolph. After the show, DO NOT let one of the local homeless guys summon a cab for you - it's a scam. Just stand on the curb with your hand up - the available cabs will have the white light on, when a cab is hired, the light is off.Have fun! It's a GREAT show!

 

[Jean DeVries]

Thanks KG! We thought also about just parking at a park & ride on the line somewhere, but Palatine or Arlington Heights looks good too.

And thanks for the homeless cab hailers tip. My mom is such a sweet, generous soul, she'd think nothing of not only letting them hail the cab, but she'd give them dinner money along with it.

Her and I saw the show in April...amazing! Can't wait to see it again with people who haven't seen it. Love that "holy cow" look on their faces!

Jean

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

That's essentially what the stations are - park & ride lots - with a platform for the train to stop. I've done that a couple of times. Most recently, I was working out in Arlington Heights and took METRA into town to meet The Rocket Scientist and his family. They were downtown for some kind of meeting and I just went down to have dinner with them.You can even http://metrarail.com/TBI/index.html - you're going to need 14 tickets (7 in and 7 out) and they're sold in 10 packs, but you can probably find someone on here who can use the other 6.

 

[caynreth]

There's a Metra Station in Schaumburg, but the easier one to get to is probably the Cumberland blue line Park n Ride. Just take 90 E to the Cumberland exit and it's right there when you exit. Lots cheaper than the Metra and easier to find.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

See? You're gonna get more advice in the next few days than you can possibly use?

 

[DebbieJ]

Is the Blue line still under construction? In that case, the Metra might be a better bet.

 

[Debala715]

Is the Blue line still under construction? In that case, the Metra might be a better bet.

I just went to O'Hare a couple of weeks ago to pick someone up and that line was being worked on.

Use this link to plan your train trip from the hotel to the theater. Put in your hotel address at the start and the theater in the finish and it should tell you what trains or buses to take.

 

[caynreth]

ALL of the CTA lines are being worked on. Perpetually, it seems. My son has had to start leaving 15 minutes earlier for work to ensure he gets there on time.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

The four seasons in Chicago are Not Quite Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Well?We never heard back from you!How was the trip?How was the show?How was your adventure?Enquiring minds want to know!

 

[Jean DeVries]

Hey there!

Amazingly enough, there was less traffic in Chicago than I have EVER seen. We took the skyway through, got right off downtown, and parked in the Grant Park parking structure, where there were very few other cars. In fact, it took so little time we had like 2 1/2 hours to spare before the show.

We heard on the radio going in that even the malls weren't that busy, because apparently in the Chicago area, everyone starts their Black Friday sales earlier in the week, so the crowds are dispersed.

Show was awesome, as usual. We sat in the second row of the balcony, right in the middle. Great seats!

After the show we walked down Mich. Ave to go to Trader Joe's, the American Girl store (not my choice, trust), and then waited 2 hours for a table at the Cheesecake Factory. The only bad part was that the Cheesecake Factory is on the complete opposite end of Michigan Avenue from our car, so it was long, coooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllddddddddddd walk back to the parking garage

It was a great trip, thanks for asking!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Pssst - the big yellow, white, and white and orange cars with the white lights on top? They would have given you a ride back to the Grant Park garage for about 6 bucks and it would have been a lot warmer!Wicked is wicked, isn't it?

 

[Jean DeVries]

Yes, I know, but my companions had some bug in their butt about walking off their cheesecake.

Whatever.

Wicked is definitely wicked. I could watch it a thousand more times (provided someone else paid for my ticket....)

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

October 31, 2006