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Title : Travel Tips to Chicago
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Travel Tips to Chicago

Welcome! The 2017 Urban Sketchers Symposium is going to be Chicago, Illinois, USA - a spectacular city built on the shores of greatness where the world’s best food, architecture, museums, shopping, live music and all that jazz converge! The heart and soul of Chicago resides in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods. Each one is brimming with its own personality, history, culture, energy and of course, architecture!

There’s a lot to see and sketch! So here are some travel tips to consider straight from locals so you can travel smart and don’t miss a thing. They love Chicago and are sure you will too!

Arriving & Departing

• From O’Hare International Airport to downtown, take CTA Blue Line. This is a direct trip without changing trains. The La Salle stop is closest to the Symposium Hub (Goodman Center). Fare: $5.00
• From Midway Airport, take CTA Orange Line directly downtown. The sStation is located at the airport. State and Van Buren stops are closest to Symposium Hub (Goodman Center). Fare: $5.00
• You can buy a Ventra card at the train station. It will serve you for your whole stay in Chicago. Read about ways to use the Ventra card here: http://ift.tt/JvDD1h
• Uber and Lyft are alsogood options to get to downtown Chicago downtown. Shared (pool) rides are budget friendly. Expect to pay around $40 - $45 for an unshared ride from O’Hare to downtown. 
• Taxis are the most expensive option: $55 - $60 plus tip to get downtown. 
• Your hotel may offer a free shuttle to and from the airport. Email the hotel to ask. 
• When departing, getting from Chicago downtown to O’Hare will take about an hour. International security checkpoints can have long lines, so allow ample time. Have a safe flight!

Electricity 

• Electric outlets in the US are 110v.
• Electric appliances for 220v will need both voltage and plug converters. 
• Electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops) will adjust for the different voltage automatically, but will need a plug converter. 

SIM cards, phones and WIFI

• You can buy SIM cards downtown at the Best Buy in John Hancock Center http://ift.tt/2qfBvnS
• You can also ask your hotel’s’ front desk for a closer cellular store.
• Free wifi will be available in our Symposium Hub, most hotels’ lobbies, in some hotel rooms and in many coffee shops and restaurants. At a cafe, ask your server for passwords. 
• A free wifi “blanket” covers Millennium Park and Grant Park. Look for Chicago Park District or a variation on this name. The connection strength may vary. As with any public wifi, be aware of the risks.
• Many cellular carriers offer international data packages for travellers. Check with your carrier at home. It is a good idea to have a small data package in case you need it before you buy a local SIM card.

Public Transportation

• To use public transportation in the city you will need a Ventra card. A Ventra card can be bought at any “L” train !station. It can be used for trains and buses. The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) app can be useful for bus and train
• Routes and estimated times. - Download it from http://ift.tt/2prCazG
• CTA Fares & Tickets 

       “L” train- $2.25
         Bus fare-$2.00
         Transfer- $0.25
         Passes to load on Ventra card and other options-
         http://ift.tt/2qfNWQB

• Consider using a shared bicycle service with multiple downtown locations. http://ift.tt/136hUDL
• To navigate in the city, download an offline maps app that will not use up your data. Add a Chicago map. Try Google Maps [http://ift.tt/2k8t1fn] or CityMaps2Go by Ulmon- http://ift.tt/1Oq35SF. There are many similar ones.
• To visit the Chicago suburbs, use Metra - https://metrarail.com

Eating and retail

• Tax for food and retail items is not included in listed prices. The tax of about 10% is added at the payment point. Hotel tax is 17.4% and is added at checkout.
• When eating at sit-down restaurants, tipping is expected. A tip of about 15% is considered average.
• In cafeterias/coffee shops where you buy food at a counter, tips are not expected, but appreciated.

  

Tourism

• Stop by the Chicago Visitors Center in the basement of Macy’s Department Store - 111 N State St, Chicago, IL 60602. You’ll find the best price on Chicago cityPASS, a 10% Coupon for Macys, many brochures, and CTA and city maps.
• If you plan to visit museums and sites, consider buying a Chicago cityPASS at participating locations or online - http://ift.tt/J8kCBB. It will save you a combined total of about $80 on admission of 5 of these sites: 

          - Field Museum http://ift.tt/1G7w1ZQ
          -Shedd Aquarium http://ift.tt/MV2Tev
         - Skydeck Chicago at Willis (Sears) Tower http://theskydeck.com
         - Either Museum of Science & Industry http://ift.tt/2gFLcrd or John
           Hancock Center Observatory http://ift.tt/1noWbzA
         - Either Adler Planetarium http://ift.tt/LI0Yxd or Art Institute Of Chicago                           http://www.artic.edu

• Some museums offer free admission on select days so you can schedule your visit accordingly.
• The Art Institute of Chicago is free on Thursdays from 5pm-8pm.
• For destinations and directions, stop at the Symposium Hub to ask questions
• and get information.

 

Safety

• Chicago’s downtown is safe and tourist friendly. Al Capone and John Dillinger are now part of Chicago’s long-gone colorful history.
• If venturing out to an area away from downtown, check with one of the Chicago volunteers at the Hub to be safe. 
• Chicago is a big city, so be aware of your surroundings. Beware of pickpockets. 
• Wear your backpack in the front in dense crowds and make sure it is zipped. 
• Pay attention to your passport and your phone. Keep them and your valuables in a hidden pocket. 
• Make copies of your passport and other important documents and keep them separate from originals.

Weather

• Chicago weather in July is sunny, hot and humid. Sunblock, hats and drinking water are highly recommended.
• Temperatures: 

         Day: 81 - 87 °F (27 - 31 °C). 95 °F (35°C) is possible.
         Night: May fall to 61 - 66 °F (16 - 19 °C)

Useful Phone Numbers
Police non-emergency: 312-746-6000
Police, Fire or Medical Emergency: 911

24 Hours Walgreens Pharmacies

• 641 North Clark 312-587-1416
• 501 West Roosevelt Rd 312-492-8559

Urgent care: Physicians Immediate Care
600 West Adamas (60661) 312-506-0900

• Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 8PM
• Saturday - Sunday 8AM - 4PM

Plan and gear up for your trip accordingly.
See you in Chicago!

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