Planning a Trip to Northwestern Game...Help

[tschu]

akita Evanston is on the the North Side, bro, North Side is nice.

[Green and White]

Best advice in Chicago? Have your concealment license. Do I need to post links with all the violence going on there. Have a native of the land to direct you around so that you do not accidentally wander into a bad part of town. When some one walks up to you and says " Hey let me talk at you!" Slowly pull up your shirt and say go ahead from there. That is all.

 

It's fun reading the posts on needing a 'concealment license' to walk the streets of Chicago... Yes, some areas of the West, and South Sides are quite tough as you can imagine, but 'Downtown Chicago', State Street, Michigan Ave. is usually safe if you plan your trip and be sensible! If you look for trouble, you certainly will find it... It's no different than most any other Big City as you can imagine!

 

As tschu mentions above, Evanston is on the North Side of the City and is very, very nice... travel along Lake Shore Drive (LSD) and check out the numerous mansions along the Lake. NW is simply located in a 'Top Shelf' area of Chicagoland. I've lived in the Chicagoland area (South West Suburbs) my whole life and know most of the areas to avoid. As always, if you're not familiar with the city simply travel with a group and have fun! Ask the locals of the area, your hotel staff, etc. what spots to avoid and what areas are safe.

 

Chicago is an exciting, dynamic, relatively expensive city which can offer you most anything you can imagine in the way of sights, history, resturants and entertainment... Just be sensible... hmmmmm, didn't I say that before???

[rdg25]

Metra or L?

 

Anyone recommend one over the other? Looks like they both have stops right by the stadium.

 

What are people doing Saturday before the game? Tailgating or downtown bar or Evanston bar?

Everyone i've talked to on NW boards have said to take the L trains around, and it's also cheaper, metra charges by distance, i'm just getting an all day pass for L trains for $5.75, like my above post we are going downtown first and going to nike town, then game, then getting deep dish pizza somewhere, then wrigley, then home.

The Metra trains are a lot nicer than the L train, but less frequent. They have a weekend pass for about $7.00, that covers Saturday and Sunday, but weekend schedules esp Sunday are very limited and make every stop. Also, if there is a Metra ticket office open at a station (like Ogilvie Center downtonw) and you don't buy your ticket there, there is a $2 surcharge to pay the conductor on the train. With the L trains you have to make a transfer at Howard street (coming from downtown Chgo) on the red line to the Purple line in Evanston. One advice on the L trains is don't flash around your Iphone or Ipad, guard it carefully, there have been some thefts of those but rare. The L trains/bus pass will get you around easier and more frequent. The Kirkwood Bar is near Wrigleyville stop (Addison), but a closer stop is either Wellington or Diversey on the Brown line. The Northwestern campus has a nice lakefront walk too, a beach on the north and a beach on the south, the shuttle buses at the stadium can take you down Sheridan road to the campus to available parking. There are closer "L" stations near the campus, such as the Noyes street stop.

[thebitjockey]

I was originally turned off by the high prices for this game, especially after dumping a wad on the Wiscy game. However, now the whole family is headed up to Evanston today... tickets are very available and cheap on stubhub.. Paid $35 each for sideline 35 YL, 9 rows up.

[thebitjockey]

Best advice in Chicago? Have your concealment license. Do I need to post links with all the violence going on there. Have a native of the land to direct you around so that you do not accidentally wander into a bad part of town. When some one walks up to you and says " Hey let me talk at you!" Slowly pull up your shirt and say go ahead from there. That is all.

 

Just in case anyone wants to take this bad advice. Let it be known that Illinois is the only state without conceal carry. Hopefully we can get some change to that soon.

[suh_fan93]

 

People in Chicago do have a thick accent. Try not to laugh. Also, they can be abrasive and rude so don't be shocked, it's normal. In case you haven't figured it out yet, Midwesterners aren't quite the same as people in the Great Plains states.

 

Now I'm getting excited for this game. I need to get a ticket.

 

That last paragraph is ridiculous. It's a big frickin city...of course there will be rude people. However, of all the big American cities, Chicago is by far the friendliest IMO. It's not even close.

 

Totally. Also if you're in Chi-Town and want to watch the Husker game go to the Bird's Nest. Not nearly as crazy packed as Kirkwoods, seating will be easy in other words and Kip the owner is an awesome dude. Good food as well. The only place I go to watch the Huskers when I'm in town.