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TN Tin Man

TN Tin Man

Train Attendant
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
72
Location
Nashville TN.
I'm about a week out from my next winter Amtrak Vacation.

Feb 1st Glenwood Springs to Chicago on the Zephir (635 #6)

Overnight in Chicago 2nd - 3rd

Chicago to Seattle on the SWC / CS. Feb 3rd(330 #C) Feb 5th(1430 #E)

Overnight in Seattle 6th - 7th

Feb 7th Seattle to Chicago on the Empire Builder (830 #D)

Overnight in Chicago 10th - 11th

Feb 11th back to GSC on the Zephir (531 #14)

I haven't overnighted in Chicago since Highschool in the late 70s. My plan is to stay at the Holiday Inn Dowtown (on West Harrison)

My Questions

1. Is the HI any easy walk from the station?

2. I plan to check my bags at the Metro lounge and go to the Museum of Science and Industry. Any idea of Cab fare? (cab because of time concearns, I want to spend as much time as I can in the Museum)

3. Do cabs hang out at the museum cab stand or do I need to call one for my return.

4. There has been mention on this board of a great pizza place downtown. Name? directions from the station?

5. On my second layover I plan on just wandering downtown. I'm open to all suggestions, so fire away.

I lived in Western Washington for a number of years so I have that part covered.

Lastly is anyone travelling with me? I would love to meet some of you fine people.

Thanks

Mark
 
Hi,

I believe that Holiday Inn is the closest hotel to the station, and I would guess a 7 minute walk. I have seen it from the Clinton blue line "El" station, but never stayed there myself.

I did once take an Express bus to the Science museum, and I have a picture of my 12 year old son stood next to a yellow cab outside the museum, so I guess they would be easily available from there.. probably ask the driver on the outward journey.

Funnily enough, on the way back, we decided to have a look at the lake shore opposite the museum, but then couldn't find a bus stop.. we walked MILES back towards town, even got mixed up in a massive crowd of sports fans. (Not sure what the sport was.. definatly not cricket!)

If you are short of time I cannot recommend the walking back option!

I have a vague idea that the express bus service might have been seasonal, too.?

Cheers,

Ed :cool:
 
The cab fare from that very hotel to the museum was around $30 2 years ago when I went. Outside the museum there was a line of cabs since that express bus is pretty spotty.
 
WY Tin Man said:
I'm about a week out from my next winter Amtrak Vacation.
Feb 1st Glenwood Springs to Chicago on the Zephir (635 #6)

Overnight in Chicago 2nd - 3rd

Chicago to Seattle on the SWC / CS. Feb 3rd(330 #C) Feb 5th(1430 #E)

Overnight in Seattle 6th - 7th

Feb 7th Seattle to Chicago on the Empire Builder (830 #D)

Overnight in Chicago 10th - 11th

Feb 11th back to GSC on the Zephir (531 #14)

I haven't overnighted in Chicago since Highschool in the late 70s. My plan is to stay at the Holiday Inn Dowtown (on West Harrison)

My Questions

1. Is the HI any easy walk from the station?

2. I plan to check my bags at the Metro lounge and go to the Museum of Science and Industry. Any idea of Cab fare? (cab because of time concearns, I want to spend as much time as I can in the Museum)

3. Do cabs hang out at the museum cab stand or do I need to call one for my return.

4. There has been mention on this board of a great pizza place downtown. Name? directions from the station?

5. On my second layover I plan on just wandering downtown. I'm open to all suggestions, so fire away.

I lived in Western Washington for a number of years so I have that part covered.

Lastly is anyone travelling with me? I would love to meet some of you fine people.

Thanks

Mark
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The cab fare to the museum is around $25.00 and takes 20-25 minutes. There are plenty of cabs waiting at the museum. Transit busses are also readily available. The bus took about 40 minutes to get us back to the Marriott we were staying at on the Magnificent Mile.
 
1) The Holiday Inn is at Harrison and Canal, which is three blocks south of Union Station. Just walk straight down Canal (you'll have to go under the expressway to get there). Google Maps should give you an idea of the walk.

2) On behalf of my former employer, I'd still encourage you to consider public transportation as an option (and even if not, for anyone else considering such a trip). Since you'll be visiting on a weekday, the direct #10 bus will not be an option. However, it doesn't offer very good service, even when it does run. Instead, the #6 Jackson Park Express travels south on State Street (about 1/2 mile east of the river). A 10-minute walk, or you can take an eastbound bus from Union Station over to State Street (if taking a bus from Union Station, use a day pass or a prepaid fare card, otherwise you'll have to pay a separate $2.25 cash fare for each bus you take). The #6 stops one block away from the Museum. On return, the #6 travels north on Michigan Avenue (two blocks east of State Street). Again, you can walk from there to Union Station in about 12 minutes (walk west along Jackson or Adams), or you can catch any bus west on Adams.

4) There are a handful of folks who have a taste for Giordano's pizza. There are two locations convenient to Union Station. The first is on Jackson & Franklin (just east of the river). The other is at Van Buren & Halsted (which would be about four blocks west of your hotel, and north of the Blue Line UIC/Halsted stop). Other good places for Chicago-style deep dish include Pizzeria Uno/Due, which are north of the loop (closer to North Michigan Avenue), or Gino's East (specific locations escape me at the moment, but also a bit further away). There's also a pizza place in your hotel, which is decent if you like the greasy slop thin-crust type of pizza (but, really, you can get that kind of pizza anywhere, but you can really only get good deep-dish pizza in Chicago).

5) What to do in Chicago is dependent on the weather. If it's clear, you can go up to the top of the tower formerly known as Sears. If it's foggy, there's no point. If it's warm ("warm" being a relative term), you can take a stroll through the loop and on over to Navy Pier (also accessible by #124 bus, which ends at Van Buren/Canal, two blocks from your hotel). If you like window shopping, you can take a stroll along State Street in the Loop, or on North Michigan Avenue. However, I don't recommend actually buying any windows, as they might break on your train ride home.

If you're looking for some good breakfast, go to Lou Mitchell's (note: cash only, they don't take credit cards), which is on Jackson, just west of Clinton. Good lunch/dinner (non-pizza): Miller's Pub (Wabash, just north of Adams), or Weber Grill (State/Grand, can be a little on the pricey side). There are plenty of other options as well. If you don't mind traveling out of downtown, and are looking for some seriously good barbecue: Smoque. Blue Line to Irving Park, exit at the south end of the platform (towards downtown) to Pulaski, south a block and a half to Grace. For the record, I don't have any financial interest in any of the above restaurants. They just serve really, really good food.

Any other questions, let me know.
 
There is a metra electric stop at 57th street near the museum. You would catch those from the milleneum station near Randolph and Michigan. The service is frequent enough, and the schedules are on the Internet. I think it would be about 5 dollars rt plus 4 dollars rt to take cta from the hi to the millineum station.

Use google maps to plot out the locations.

Hope this helps.
 
My wife and I miss you by one day from Seattle to Chicago. We are Feb 6.

We always stay at the Holiday Inn Suites at Harrison and Canal Streets. It is nice and an easy walk from Chicago Union Station. The easiest walking route is to exit the Great Hall of Union Station at the "back entrance" and it is a short two block walk. We have taken a cab, but you get odd looks from the driver due to the short distance.

For the Museum of Science and Industry, we go to Randolph Street Station downtown, and take the commuter line (for $ 2.35) to the 55-57th Street Station and walk over to the Museum.
 
A great (and IMHO) a a better alternative to the Holiday Inn is the Silversmith Hotel, corner Wabash and Madison. Huge rooms with frig and all the necessary things, and CHEAPER than the Holiday Inn, even though it's plusher. It's right in the loop, close to the El lines and no more than a 10-minute walk from Union Station (down Adams to Wabash, left 2 blocks, or exit Union Station north concourse in the underground passage to Ogilvie station and go up stairs at Madion, then just walk straight down Madison to Wabash, hotel on the right).

At the Silversmith, you're just two blocks away from the Randolph St. terminus of Metra's South Shore Electric Line commuter train, which can get you to 55/56/57th St. station (all trains stop there) or 59th St. (hourly) in 15 minutes. Then you're a quick walk away from Science and Industry. $2.35 one way on Metra.

Also, the Silversmith is very close to the Chicago Art Institute, which again, IMHO, is a must-see even for those who don't particularly fancy art museums. It has fabulous collections of art, photos and sculpture; even a full room of medieval body armor from various European countries.

And if you've got the time, the Shedd Aquarium is a short bus ride from the Loop, bus 146 on State Street (one block over from Wabash) and an incredible collection of underwater creatures from all over the Earth.

Have a great trip!
 
If you start taking cabs going around the City of Chicago it can get expensive in a hurry. On our June trip to Chicago we will pick up a rental car at Union Station. Hertz and Avis both have booths there. If your company has a corporate rate or you take advantage of one of the many discounts like AAA or try Hotwire, Travelocity or Orbitz you can get a good rate.
 
I'll be getting on the SWC in KCY on 2/3, my roomette is in 331. Then I will transfer to the CS and I will be in 1430. I'll get off in PDX to catch the ED. I am going to be doing the KWD-CBS loophole - which I will be happy to discuss with you on either the SWC or the CS. Look for the guw with the hat :lol:
 
RRrich said:
I'll be getting on the SWC in KCY on 2/3, my roomette is in 331. Then I will transfer to the CS and I will be in 1430. I'll get off in PDX to catch the ED. I am going to be doing the KWD-CBS loophole - which I will be happy to discuss with you on either the SWC or the CS. Look for the guw with the hat :lol:
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RRrich

I think I'm a day behind you, I'll be on the SWC 3/4 Feb. I would have loved to learn more on the Loophole, Living Close to Denver (splits zones) I've wondered if I could milk both zones by departing from there.

Mark
 
Mark,

Simplest thiing to say about loopholes is to tell you to go to Arrow (Amtrak.com) and look at a trip from KCY (Kansas City) to CBS (some little town one stop west of Milwaukee) - quite a ride - you can book an AGR ticket for a one zone fare. CHEAP

You do have an AGR number & an AGR Mastercard don't you?
 
We Fly to Chicago 2/3 (VERY early 5:30am flight) Leave on the CZ 2/3, staying in Oakland 2/5-7, on the CS on 2/8 overnight in Seattle on 2/9. EB to CHI on 2/10, overnight in CHI then Cardinal back to Richmond on 2/13.
 
In September, wife and I will have a rental car waiting for us as long as EB isn't too late into Chicago (the desks close at 6pm, or so I've heard). I'd like to visit the Museum of Science and Industry as I haven't been there since the 1960s and wife never. Should we allow a full day for that visit?
 
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Jeremy said:
In September, wife and I will have a rental car waiting for us as long as EB isn't too late into Chicago (the desks close at 6pm, or so I've heard). I'd like to visit the Museum of Science and Industry as I haven't been there since the 1960s and wife never. Should we allow a full day for that visit?
Click to expand...
The Museum of Science and Industry is a massive and wonderful place. You could easily spend the day there. Heck, to see everything would require several days. I've been going there since I was a little kid (and that's a long time ago) and I always enjoy a return visit. If you have a car, the museum has an underground parking lot. The Pioneer Zephyr resides in a part of the parking structure before you enter the main part of the museum. Don't miss it!
 
Other than Lou Mitchell's, are there any other recommendations for breakfast?
 
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