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Backwoods country boy going to the big city, and Chicago's "L".

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Jeff7

Jeff7

Lifer
In June, I'm going to be getting a train to Chicago's Union Station, for a convention being held at a convention center (makes sense, right?) near the O'Hare airport.

So....how safe is the L? Is this a rough part of town, or...anything else I need to know? I rarely use public transportation, as it's just never been available wherever I've lived. Am I better off renting a car and attempting to get through Chicago traffic? Will this be the last anyone ever hears of me? Will Luke Skywalker ever reveal his terrible secret?

Per good old Google though, I can get on the Blue Line near Union Station, and then ride over to a place near the Donald E Stephens Convention Center.


(9hrs on a train in coach, then 1hr on public transit, then only about 4hrs until the convention is over, then 1hr back on public transit, then 9hrs on the train to get back, then drive home. Woo. :\
Oh, and I need to kill some time after the convention. There's about 4hrs there that's basically just waiting for the train of the night to leave.)
 
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You'll be fine on the blue line going in that direction. Do not rent a car.

Union Station isn't far from the The Art Institute of Chicago. Highly recommend you go there.
 
Balt said:
You'll be fine on the blue line going in that direction.

Union Station isn't far from the The Art Institute of Chicago. Highly recommend you go there.
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Hm, perhaps.

Any more...sciencey museum sorts of things around there? 🙂


...or I may be more interested in finding a place to nap. The train ride is from about 1am to 9am. I've never tried to sleep while riding coach in a train.
 
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Jeff7 said:
Hm, perhaps.

Any more...sciencey museum sorts of things around there? 🙂
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There's also the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Both are excellent.

MSI is a bit farther away from Union Station, though.
 
IronWing said:
Are you lugging luggage? Field Museum isn't too far. What time of day will you be marking time?
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Getting there in the morning, and then getting the train back that same night. I don't anticipate much luggage, more than maybe a few items along the lines of a toothbrush.



Balt said:
There's also the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Both are excellent.

MSI is a bit farther away from Union Station, though.
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Ooh, and the Field Museum is right there at the station...



Xed said:
You can grope a stingray at the Shedd Aquarium atm.
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...though I haven't groped many stingrays lately either.
 
You can also just take the Metra North Central Service to O'Hare and grab a cab to the convention center if that works better than the blue line.
 
IronWing said:
Field Museum open 9-5
Shedd Aquarium open 9-6 except June 5th - closes at 5pm.
Museum of Science and Industry open 9:30 -4
Art Institute 10:30 - 5
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D'oh.

Well, I guess that means I'd be able to get the train back from the convention center in time to spend a quick 45 minutes blowing through any of these places. :\


Ok...any other forms of a few hours of time killing that don't assume that you're (blissfully?) un- or non-employed or retired?


That poor stingray might not receive its groping.
 
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