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[noelbotevera]

I've been applying to colleges throughout the months of November and December, and one that's caught my eye is UIUC. I'm planning to go into electrical engineering and really want to move out of Chambersburg, so I figured that the Midwest would be a good change of pace. I'd still like to live somewhere cold (do not like year-round heat), though Illinois is probably a bad choice as it's known for very hot summers and very cold winters.

I digress; I figured that I could use the opportunity to visit Chicago. It'll mark the farthest west in my conscious life, and I'll be able to determine whether deep dish pizza can beat Connecticut style or New York's pizzas.

Important note: I'll be bringing my brother along the trip. Kinda have to, if we're going to be booking lodging. He's occasionally open to roadgeeky stuff, but nothing too crazy like going half an hour out of the way to see a covered bridge or clinching a county.

The plan, as I've planned it:

Day 1 (2/18)
Leave Chambersburg around 4:00 AM, arrive in Chicago around 2:00-3:00 PM. AirBNB likely somewhere on the West Side (if anyone can recommend better locations, feel free to).

I haven't decided on a route yet. Route A is the faster but pricey route, though I have a PA EZ-Pass. I don't know if I still get the discount on the Indiana Toll Road or Ohio Turnpike. Traffic likely isn't a worry on this route until the Chicago suburbs (probably somewhere in NW Indiana). Route B is my idea. It's free but adds two hours to travel time, and I'll hit two major cities along the way. I'll probably hit the morning or noon rush in Cincinnati, but I won't be crossing the Ohio River; unless taking the south side of I-275 and cutting to I-74 via IN 1 works in my favor. Not sure when I'll reach Indianapolis, but hopefully I-465 isn't as bad as the Capital Beltway of DC.

After arriving, probably dinner and walking around the city. No time for any museums, sadly.

Day 2 (2/19)
Leave Chicago as early as possible (probably 8:00), arrive in Champaign around 10:00 to 10:30.

Pretty simple day where I'll drive down and hit an 11:00 campus tour. At least there should be a campus tour on Saturdays. Other than that, I'll explore Urbana-Champaign a bit and hit up any interesting (roads or non-roads) sights. If I get too bored, I'll probably drive back to Chicago in time for dinner.

Day 3 (2/20)
Sunday in Chicago. Likely will rely on the El (L?) trains to get around the city.

I'm obviously going to hit the two big museums (Fields and Museum of Science) and maybe some of the major parks (definitely Grant, maybe Lincoln if time). Won't hit Sears Tower because that's more expensive than Fields. Will check out places in the Loop and Chinatown - feel free to rec good local restaurants around here. Don't know where to eat deep dish - the Loop is probably too much of a tourist trap.

Day 4 (2/21)
Leave Chicago around 9:00, maybe 10:00. Probably as late as noon. Arrive home via Route A, because we'll be running out of daylight by the time we cross into Ohio.


As always, calling on locals and roadgeeks to fill in some blanks here. First time driving out to the Midwest, so might as well make it count.

[NWI_Irish96]

For Day 1, Route B is nice if you're intending to hit Cincinnati and Indy on the way. If you'd rather avoid them, here's an alternative:

I-81 South => I-70 West => I-68 West => I-79 North => I-70 West => I-270 North => US 33 North => US 30 West => IN 49 North => Indiana Toll Road West => I-94 West

About an hour quicker than Route B. Only one small section of tolls on the IN Toll Road between IN 49 and I-94. Most of US 33 is 4 lanes but there are some 2 lane sections. All of US 30 is 4 lanes but there are several stoplights at Warsaw and Plymouth.

For Day 2, if you want some variety from just taking I-57 both ways, I-74 East => IL 49 North => US 136 East => IL 1 North => IL 394 North => I-94 West is a nice alternative

For Day 3, if you want to hit both museums and the Sears (Willis) Tower, get a CityPass at www.citypass.com/chicago. It allows you to skip the lines at the Willis Tower.

People will tell you one place's deep dish is the best, but the major places are all very good and you can't really go wrong with any of them. Sunday evening, especially in February, isn't a really busy time downtown so you shouldn't have problems getting a table without much wait.

[noelbotevera]

For Day 1, Route B is nice if you're intending to hit Cincinnati and Indy on the way. If you'd rather avoid them, here's an alternative:

I-81 South => I-70 West => I-68 West => I-79 North => I-70 West => I-270 North => US 33 North => US 30 West => IN 49 North => Indiana Toll Road West => I-94 West

About an hour quicker than Route B. Only one small section of tolls on the IN Toll Road between IN 49 and I-94. Most of US 33 is 4 lanes but there are some 2 lane sections. All of US 30 is 4 lanes but there are several stoplights at Warsaw and Plymouth.

For Day 2, if you want some variety from just taking I-57 both ways, I-74 East => IL 49 North => US 136 East => IL 1 North => IL 394 North => I-94 West is a nice alternative

For Day 3, if you want to hit both museums and the Sears (Willis) Tower, get a CityPass at www.citypass.com/chicago. It allows you to skip the lines at the Willis Tower.

People will tell you one place's deep dish is the best, but the major places are all very good and you can't really go wrong with any of them. Sunday evening, especially in February, isn't a really busy time downtown so you shouldn't have problems getting a table without much wait.

I was more interested in the scenic value of Route B (I-68 and OH 32) rather than visiting Cincy and Indy. I hear OH 32 is a great drive across Ohio, and certainly faster than US 50 across the state. US 33 doesn't look like a bad route in scenery, and 4 lanes is always a nice bonus.

CityPass looks interesting, but I'm not interested in the additional benefits of the tickets. Going to Chicago just for an aquarium isn't on my radar, along with the 3D theater included at the Fields. I'm pretty sure I can get student discounts at both museums, and lines likely aren't an issue for a Sunday in February.

[GaryV]

Take Route B (either going or coming back) and you could make a slight diversion to schedule a visit at Purdue.

[jmacswimmer]

Day 3 (2/20)
Sunday in Chicago. Likely will rely on the El (L?) trains to get around the city.

I'm obviously going to hit the two big museums (Fields and Museum of Science) and maybe some of the major parks (definitely Grant, maybe Lincoln if time). Won't hit Sears Tower because that's more expensive than Fields. Will check out places in the Loop and Chinatown - feel free to rec good local restaurants around here. Don't know where to eat deep dish - the Loop is probably too much of a tourist trap.

For MSI & Lincoln Park, keep in mind the L (rather than EL, as I understand it) doesn't get close so you'll either want to drive or transfer to a CTA bus (off the top of my head, the 6 runs on State in the Loop and continues towards MSI, and the 156 runs on LaSalle in the Loop and continues towards Lincoln Park).  If you're into zoos, definitely check out the Lincoln Park Zoo - it's free!

People will tell you one place's deep dish is the best, but the major places are all very good and you can't really go wrong with any of them.

Agreed with this - I've been gradually trying the different ones on different Chicago visits.  So far I've hit Giordano's, Connie's, & most recently Lou Malnati's, and I think they're all good in their own ways.  Though I will note that I find Giordano's to be the thickest & most aggressive of the bunch, so keep that in mind depending on how, er, your body responds to massive amounts of dairy 

Hoping to hit the original Uno's & Due's on future trips as well.  And if you feeling like bucking the trend and getting thin-crust instead, I'd highly recommend Parlor Pizza Bar - looks like they have several locations, but I tried the one in River North and it was some of the best wood-fired thin-crust I've ever had.

One more thing to note - make sure you bring your vaccine card.  As of 1/3 (which happened to be my last day there on a recent trip), the city requires proof of vaccination to dine indoors.

[abefroman329]

If you want to be an E² major, and you're gonna be in Chicago anyway, why not visit IIT as well? 

[noelbotevera]

Take Route B (either going or coming back) and you could make a slight diversion to schedule a visit at Purdue.

If you want to be an E² major, and you're gonna be in Chicago anyway, why not visit IIT as well? 

Good ideas, but the issue with that is that...well I haven't applied to these places. Fairly pointless to visit them when their admission deadlines have likely passed and so I can't get in. Maybe if there's time?

Day 3 (2/20)
Sunday in Chicago. Likely will rely on the El (L?) trains to get around the city.

I'm obviously going to hit the two big museums (Fields and Museum of Science) and maybe some of the major parks (definitely Grant, maybe Lincoln if time). Won't hit Sears Tower because that's more expensive than Fields. Will check out places in the Loop and Chinatown - feel free to rec good local restaurants around here. Don't know where to eat deep dish - the Loop is probably too much of a tourist trap.

For MSI & Lincoln Park, keep in mind the L (rather than EL, as I understand it) doesn't get close so you'll either want to drive or transfer to a CTA bus (off the top of my head, the 6 runs on State in the Loop and continues towards MSI, and the 156 runs on LaSalle in the Loop and continues towards Lincoln Park).  If you're into zoos, definitely check out the Lincoln Park Zoo - it's free!

Hot diggity dog, never thought I'd see a free zoo outside of DC. According to Google, it looks like the closest L stop to Lincoln Park is at Sedgwick and North Avenues...but that's the south edge of the park and I'd have to keep walking or take a bus to the zoo. Is it a free transfer to go from the L to the bus system, like in New York?

[abefroman329]

Is it a free transfer to go from the L to the bus system, like in New York?

Two free transfers within 24 hours, although it's a moot point if you get a CTA pass.

Honestly, Google Maps is going to be your best friend when it comes to finding the best ways to get around on public transit.

[SkyPesos]

Hot diggity dog, never thought I'd see a free zoo outside of DC.

You'll enjoy the St Louis Zoo if you ever make it there then. St Louis have the most free museums/zoos in a city after DC.

[paulthemapguy]

I literally went to UIUC for engineering (civil engineering because it's the one with roads), and I have lived all of my life in Chicagoland.  I graduated in 2012 and one of my roommates was in their ECE program.  Feel free to message me if you have questions about what it's like to go to UIUC.

The biggest tip I can offer you if you're taking a road trip to Chicago:  paying for parking costs a ton.  Every time you move your car you might have to shell out $20-$40 or even more.  That's why I like the idea of taking public transit, in general.  Public transit has its share of creepers, so be mindful of yourself and your belongings.  But it's a great way to get around the city.  The biggest tourist trap in Chicago is Navy Pier; there's no point going there.  Sunday is perhaps the only day in the entire week when traffic isn't cripplingly bad, so driving around to places is good to do on a Sunday; but again, there's those hefty parking fees, particularly at the big tourist destinations like museums.

Comments on individual destinations:

• Millennium Park has "the bean" and the ice skating rinks, which are cool things to see but don't require much time to see.  It's positioned at a place where you can easily pass through it on the way to another tourist destination, so it's worth passing through. The Art Institute's museum is right next door, if you're into that--that's a museum that can occupy a whole day on its own.
• The Lincoln Park Zoo is great, especially for a free zoo.  There probably won't be a ton of animals outdoors because of the cold and snow, but there are plenty of places where you can view the animals from the warm indoor "houses".
• The Field Museum is world-class excellence.  If you go there, be sure to go to the "Walk Through Time" tucked away on the second floor in the back corner of the museum.  It puts all of natural history into perspective better than anything I've ever seen, and it's where all the dinosaurs are housed!!
• I haven't been to the Museum of Science and Industry a whole lot, but everyone I know whose opinion respect seems to love it a lot.  Keep in mind that neither this, nor the Field Museum, nor Lincoln Park are easy to get on "The El."  But there are definitely buses that go to them.
• My favorite thing to see in Chicago is the Shedd Aquarium, one of the best displays of marine life I've ever seen...in a landlocked state.  The Aquarium is home to dolphin shows, beluga whales, sea otters, penguins, and of course, tons of different fish.  It and the Adler Planetarium are right next to the Field Museum.  Both are good choices.

You could reserve a full day to see either of the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute, or the Adler Planetarium.  It looks like you have a limited timeframe, though.

Another note- The worst traffic you'll see in Chicagoland is on Friday evenings, especially from 3pm onward.  The earlier you get to Chicago on that Friday, the better.  DO NOT stay on the west side of the actual city itself--the neighborhoods there are very very destitute.  If by "west side" you mean the suburbs, you'll be fine.  Be careful to plan your accommodations to be right next to a train station if you're planning on taking the train.  If you stay in the suburbs, consider taking Metra, the Cumberland Park-and-Ride, or Forest Park Park-and-Ride.

[noelbotevera]

Booked a hotel right near the Loop, on Illinois Street. It's the Springfield Suites, if anyone is familiar with the hotel and/or area. Looks pretty darn touristy, so no worries about crime. It does put me in a unique position, where Lincoln Park is somewhat out the way and it's easier to hit the Art Institute and Field. Museum of Science is still a trek, but nothing a bus can't fix. Will consult with my dad about which is more worthwhile (definitely pushing Museum of Science since they have MakerBot, one of the few souvenirs I'd actually want).

Of note - it seems there's a railroad station right by the Museum of Science on 55th-57th Streets. Is this a Metra stop?

Any other big parks to hit? There's Washington Park by the University of Chicago, but being cognizant of the fact that it's winter - there's probably nothing big there for the season.

Will keep parking in mind - is it as bad as New York? I've had lucky breaks where I can parallel park or the hotel already has parking and we use public transit + Uber to get around.

Other than that, the hope is that we leave Chambersburg around 3 - 4 AM and reach Chicago by 4 PM. Will definitely hit traffic on the Dan Ryan - wondering if it's worth the effort to use LSD or the double decker street system to get through downtown. Is weekend traffic worse or better, considering the lack of tourist traffic right now?

[kevinb1994]

Booked a hotel right near the Loop, on Illinois Street. It's the Springfield Suites, if anyone is familiar with the hotel and/or area. Looks pretty darn touristy, so no worries about crime. It does put me in a unique position, where Lincoln Park is somewhat out the way and it's easier to hit the Art Institute and Field. Museum of Science is still a trek, but nothing a bus can't fix. Will consult with my dad about which is more worthwhile (definitely pushing Museum of Science since they have MakerBot, one of the few souvenirs I'd actually want).

Of note - it seems there's a railroad station right by the Museum of Science on 55th-57th Streets. Is this a Metra stop?

Any other big parks to hit? There's Washington Park by the University of Chicago, but being cognizant of the fact that it's winter - there's probably nothing big there for the season.

Will keep parking in mind - is it as bad as New York? I've had lucky breaks where I can parallel park or the hotel already has parking and we use public transit + Uber to get around.

Other than that, the hope is that we leave Chambersburg around 3 - 4 AM and reach Chicago by 4 PM. Will definitely hit traffic on the Dan Ryan - wondering if it's worth the effort to use LSD or the double decker street system to get through downtown. Is weekend traffic worse or better, considering the lack of tourist traffic right now?

I don’t remember having much problem parking while in The Loop (this was in 2018, however, so things may have changed since then), so you should be OK.

Metra Electric is the line serving the Museum of Science. It runs into Millennium Station.

[froggie]

I'd still like to live somewhere cold (do not like year-round heat), though Illinois is probably a bad choice as it's known for very hot summers and very cold winters.

Not necessarily.  Climatologically, the summers are not much hotter and the winters are not much colder in Champaign than they are in Chambersburg.  Both your average snowfall and your average precip are a little lower, but otherwise the climates are similar.  Probably the biggest difference is that, in Illinois, you're more prone to see thunderstorms and severe weather.

[1]

From what I understand (and I didn't read this anywhere but figured it out myself), the hottest it gets in most places with high humidity is about 100°F, regardless of the minimum temperature. Siberia was in the news somewhat recently for hitting 100° for the first time, Miami Beach's record high is just below (and just above if you go inland), and where I live in Massachusetts, it hits 100° occasionally but less than once per year.

I imagine Illinois might be hotter because the closer you get to the plains, the more of a dry heat you get, but I'm not sure.

[hbelkins]

Does flatness affect heat? 

[froggie]

the hottest it gets in most places with high humidity is about 100°F, regardless of the minimum temperature

Not necessarily.  Most places in the Southeastern US have high humidity and can get well above 100F...I've personally seen 106F in Meridian, MS.  Another factor that most non-meteorologists don't realize is that humid air is less dense than dry air.

The three biggest factors that affect whether a location gets triple-digit temperatures are Latitude (i.e. sun angle), land cover (i.e. vegetation, bare ground, or concrete/asphalt), and proximity to large bodies of water which can have a cooling effect since it takes 3 times as much energy to warm water as it does warming land.

[abefroman329]

Booked a hotel right near the Loop, on Illinois Street. It's the Springfield Suites, if anyone is familiar with the hotel and/or area. Looks pretty darn touristy, so no worries about crime. It does put me in a unique position, where Lincoln Park is somewhat out the way and it's easier to hit the Art Institute and Field. Museum of Science is still a trek, but nothing a bus can't fix. Will consult with my dad about which is more worthwhile (definitely pushing Museum of Science since they have MakerBot, one of the few souvenirs I'd actually want).

The MSI is fantastic - if you can only hit one museum on this trip, that is the one I recommend.

I think you meant SpringHill Suites?  It's a chain owned by Marriott, so you should not have any issues at all.

Of note - it seems there's a railroad station right by the Museum of Science on 55th-57th Streets. Is this a Metra stop?

Yes, it's a stop on the Metra Electric line, and I think the South Shore Line trains stop there as well.

Will keep parking in mind - is it as bad as New York? I've had lucky breaks where I can parallel park or the hotel already has parking and we use public transit + Uber to get around.

There will not be a whole lot of street parking around the hotel where you can leave the car without moving it for several days.  Check out ParkWhiz and SpotHero for discounted parking nearby.

[noelbotevera]

As I iron out little things, I think I'm more or less ready.

Some changes:
-Debating on whether to take the south side of I-275 around Cincy, and cut over to I-74 via IN 1. Is it faster to stay on I-275 or take IN 1? Furthermore, is it faster to take the north or south side of I-465 around Indy? Google says north side is faster followed by going straight through Indy.
-Split up the trip roughly evenly; leg 1 being Chambersburg to Parkersburg (4 hours), Parkersburg to Cincinnati and beyond (3 hours, 4 if we stop for lunch in downtown Cincy), and SE Indiana to Chicago. Assuming we leave at 2 or 3 AM, we'll reach Chicago around 3 PM (because of time zones, but also having to stop) which should still be okay.
-Probably not going to officially tour UIUC but instead hit all the major buildings and sites. This is because I don't feel like sitting around listening to a presentation when I could be touring campus. Instead, I'm planning to use the morning in Chicago to hit a museum, then leave for Champaign afterwards. Parking at the Art Institute looks like a pain, so that's probably out of the picture.
-Any local, less touristy sites and/or restaurants to recommend? Any neighborhoods that should be visited or avoided? I figure it's better to have more options than less, and the museums all seem pretty touristy.

[NWI_Irish96]

As I iron out little things, I think I'm more or less ready.

Some changes:
-Debating on whether to take the south side of I-275 around Cincy, and cut over to I-74 via IN 1. Is it faster to stay on I-275 or take IN 1? Furthermore, is it faster to take the north or south side of I-465 around Indy? Google says north side is faster followed by going straight through Indy.
-Split up the trip roughly evenly; leg 1 being Chambersburg to Parkersburg (4 hours), Parkersburg to Cincinnati and beyond (3 hours, 4 if we stop for lunch in downtown Cincy), and SE Indiana to Chicago. Assuming we leave at 2 or 3 AM, we'll reach Chicago around 3 PM (because of time zones, but also having to stop) which should still be okay.
-Probably not going to officially tour UIUC but instead hit all the major buildings and sites. This is because I don't feel like sitting around listening to a presentation when I could be touring campus. Instead, I'm planning to use the morning in Chicago to hit a museum, then leave for Champaign afterwards. Parking at the Art Institute looks like a pain, so that's probably out of the picture.
-Any local, less touristy sites and/or restaurants to recommend? Any neighborhoods that should be visited or avoided? I figure it's better to have more options than less, and the museums all seem pretty touristy.

IN 1 between I-275 and I-74 is very scenic but hilly and curvy. It's probably slower, but not by a whole lot.

Coming from Cincy on I-74, the fastest way around Indy is going to be around the north side.

[SkyPesos]

-Debating on whether to take the south side of I-275 around Cincy, and cut over to I-74 via IN 1. Is it faster to stay on I-275 or take IN 1? Furthermore, is it faster to take the north or south side of I-465 around Indy? Google says north side is faster followed by going straight through Indy.

It's about the same time between using I-275/74 and IN 1 (IN 1 is 1 minute slower from a Google search). I would choose the IN 1 option as it's shorter and goes through possibly more scenery than the interstate.

As for Indy, I-465 along the north side is definitely faster than the south side, though traffic can get bad sometimes (I hit a bad one at 9pm coming home from Lafayette last December), so if that's the case, take 74 WB -> 465 NB -> 70 WB -> 65 NB. This will also take you through the I-65/70 North Split project, if driving through construction projects interests you in any way (like for me).

-Probably not going to officially tour UIUC but instead hit all the major buildings and sites. This is because I don't feel like sitting around listening to a presentation when I could be touring campus. Instead, I'm planning to use the morning in Chicago to hit a museum, then leave for Champaign afterwards. Parking at the Art Institute looks like a pain, so that's probably out of the picture.

If you're signed up for a guided tour, I would recommend listening to the presentation as well. From the one guided college tour I went on (only one bc I applied last year during covid), they give some really useful information in the presentations that you could skip over looking at the college on your own.

[kevinb1994]

Most of Chicago’s neighborhoods aren’t bad, but there are some exceptions. I’ll note two of them.

Fuller Park has been dealing with hardships such as poverty, food insecurity, and high unemployment. It is also a low-income neighborhood. In addition, there is a lack of trust in neighbors here.

West Garfield Park is now a food desert after losing grocery stores. Hopefully things turn around, but there’s been pessimism due to the years of disinvestment.

If you are looking for some safe neighborhoods, I’ll list some of them:

Andersonville is pretty cool from what I’ve heard. It has Swedish immigrant roots and has a Viking pub crawl. Plus there’s Sommerfest.

If you’re looking for some family-friendly areas, one of them is Edgewater, where you can look at antiques.

If you want to see the South Side, Bronzeville is a good place to start-it’s the Black Metropolis.

[paulthemapguy]

In general, your college experience has very little to do with what your campus looks like, compared to their programs, opportunities, culture, staff, your housing situation, your major, your professors, the courses offered, etc.  I'd recommend taking in their presentations and orientation material, so long as they aren't just blowing a bunch of smoke, but that's just my two cents.  I'd prioritize that over just learning the appearances and geographical layout of everything.