HI-Chicago is a fabulous place to stay and Chicago is one fascinating city! Sure I was there for two days of meetings. (HI-Chicago has meeting rooms!) But here's what I worked in around the edges. My on-time American Airlines flight, a 30-minute (more or less) blue-line ride from the airport to the LaSalle Street station, and a short walk east on Congress Parkway brought me to the HI-Chicago lobby by 11:30 AM. (Caution! When the sign says, "NO CHANGE" and the CTA rep says "NO CHANGE" what they mean is "NO CHANGE." However much money you slide into the slot gets credited on your card and you get NO CHANGE. It only costs $2.25 to get 15-plus miles to downtown ...unless you only have $20s.)
A fellow committee member said, "Let's try
The Gage Restaurant for lunch." A short walk away on Michigan Ave (across the street more or less from the Art Institute of Chicago, this restaurant served up a scrumption plate of scallops for my friend and a yummy mushroom sandwich with side salad for me. Yep, I'd go there again in a hot minute if I wasn't trying to stay on a budget or wanted to treat someone to something special.
I stepped out of my comfort zone and walked several blocks northwest over the Chicago River to the Ogilvie Transportation Center and bought a roundtrip ticket to Braeside about 20 miles north of Chicago ($9). Paul usually handles train tickets and timetable deciphering, but I'd made up my mind to visit the
Chicago Botanic Garden. Somewhere I'd read about Evening Island and the Japanese Gardens. I loved the garden's fee system...no fee to come in, but $20 to park a car. Riding the train more than paid for itself. (And I met a kindred spirit whose conversation made the return trip back a pleasure.)
A hat from the Gift Shop gave me some portable shade. It WAS hot...but breezy by the lake that covers most of the Garden property and shady on Spider Island and in the Sensory Garden and near the waterfalls. Water fountains were everywhere, with little signs letting you know that it takes three times the amount of water to make a water bottle as it does to fill a water bottle ... so please re-fill your water bottle here! Having forgotten my water bottle, I was pleased to find drinking fountains aplenty.
Keeping up the walking-for-my-health-around-all-these-meetings idea, I got up early enough on Saturday and Sunday mornings to take quick walks ...over to the Lake through the Shedd Aquarium campus and north on Michigan Street. I walked home from dinner (with a very gracious family in a Grand Ave home with a rooftop deck) through the streets of Chicago...now that was a Saturday night alive. Not just dressed-up couples and groups of young people, but families with small children were out for movies, concerts, parties, dinners ...and sliding down the Picasso in Daley Square.
Now about this hostel. I can't wait for you to hear about HI-Chicago's plans for its 7th floor. Stay-tuned! I enjoyed the benefits of the first stage plans...a double bed in a private room with fluffy pillows and plush blanket. Four bedrooms share bathroom, kitchen and living space so there's still room for connecting with fellow travelers. One key card secures your room and lets you get into everything you need to get in to. And it was quiet enough for a good night's rest.
The staff people were soooo.... helpful and encouraging. I might never have made my trip to the Gardens without the front desk intern's encouragement and suggestions about getting there.
Thanks a million HI-Chicago for a GREAT hostel stay! I'll be back. I certainly understand why lots of people think HI-Chicago is the BEST hostel in the world!--Lynn Wilson (aka Carolina Wanderer)