I won’t be able to this year, but with those dining options in addition to ZMF goodness, I will have to another time fooooor sur.Festivus II: Information for Travelers!
We are so excited that ZMF crew is flying in from literally all around the world. Festivus will be a great time AND Chicago should not yet be a wintery disaster. I may have just jinxed us here guys, sorry...
Flying In:
Chicago has 2 main airports that both have our L train (elevated subway) just outside their doors:
O’Hare- North of the city (closer to Festivus venue) The Blue Line train is available here.
Midway- South of the city (Southwest airlines flies in here exclusively) The Orange Line train is available here.
Getting Around:
We have CTA buses, The L trains (various colors), and Uber, Lyft, and Taxi Cabs.
Places to Stay:
There are not too many hotels right around the festivus venue but here are some options:
Ø Easy & Cost Effective
-If being close to the venue is paramount: AirBnB has a selection of rooms, apartments, and full homes you can stay in. https://www.airbnb.com/
-O’Hare Airport is 9.9 miles from Festivus. Airport hotels can be pretty cost effective. You would be able to take the blue line L train from an airport hotel right to the Festivus venue.
-This Hotel in Skokie, IL is 4.5 miles from the Festivus venue https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/skokie/chisk/hoteldetail
Ø Fun Spots to Stay (further from Festivus, more costly)
-Hotel Lincoln is near the city’s free Zoo and the lake. Walk to cafes, shops, etc. https://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/il...gle-local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb
-Ace Hotel is in the epicenter of all of Chicago’s best restaurants. Ask folks in the thread about their experience staying there last year. https://www.acehotel.com/chicago/
- Michigan Avenue hotels… will be expensive BUT, if you want to stay in the most “downtown” area where you can see the lake, do some shopping, and have the big city feel check out this area.
Amazing places to eat:
Little Goat Diner- Really great play on diner food manned by real chefs. Everything is made from scratch even the breads and rolls.
Green Street Meats- Best BBQ in the city. A Bevin & Zach date night classic.
Au Cheval- There will be a long wait and line— mostly drinks but the few food items are pretty great.
Pizza- Lou Malnotti’s for the classic Chicago deep dish or Pequods a little further north.
Beatrix—Great fresh ingredient food dining.
Hub 51- Very broad menu, nice dining downtown
Parson’s Chicken & Fish- The best place for chicken and waffles in the city.
Furious Spoon- Great Ramen. They play hip hop music very loudly here.. just an FYI in case that’s not your thing.
Smoque BBQ- by the Festivus venue and our second favorite BBQ joint in the city.
Things to do:
- Walk by the river on the “Riverwalk” there are places to eat, watch the boats or grab a drink.
- Explore a Neighborhood-
- Go to the Museums-
- Find Live Music-
- EAT-
The spoiled Portland foodie in me was like... I just ate, but also: want.