Most out-of-town visitors fly into one of two major airports: O'Hare (ORD) or Midway (MDW).

1. O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is northwest of the city and serves many major airlines. It's connected to downtown Chicago by the CTA Blue Line, which runs 24/7 and costs just $5 from the airport.

2. Midway International Airport (MDW) is on the southwest side of the city, closer to the University of Chicago and Hyde Park. It's a hub for Southwest Airlines and is connected to downtown via the CTA Orange Line.

Both airports offer taxi, rideshare, and shuttle services, and each is a reasonable option depending on your home airport and airline. We recommend checking flights to both to find the best schedule and fare.

There is so much to do! If you're coming from out-of-town, and you have the weekend to spare, we highly recommend taking the chance to explore. There are so many iconic landmarks, charming neighborhoods, and fun museums. This website is a great place to get started planning. We also always recommend the architecture boat tour.

Our venue in Evanston has a sister hotel The Gem Suites. It's a convenient choice right across the street from the venue and with easy access to nearby restaurants. We'll be inquiring about a hotel block. However, keep in mind that it is fairly north of the city and can be a far drive to anywhere south of downtown (~45 min to the welcome party in Hyde Park). A more central option is to stay downtown, especially if you plan to explore the city and you like public transit. Otherwise, Chicago has plenty of hotels and Airbnbs in Evanston, downtown, and other neighborhoods, so you can choose based on your schedule, budget, and interests.

Chicago has great easy-to-use public transit, especially if you will be downtown. The "L" (short for "elevated") train system and CTA buses cover most of the city. You can pay for trips using a Ventra card (or the Ventra app), cash, or just tap with your credit card using contactless payment. The Chicago transit website has many helpful maps to reference, including a "downtown sightseeing by transit" map if you're planning to explore! Walking is often the best way to explore neighborhoods, and Divvy bikes or scooters are great for short trips. If you prefer to travel by car or will be traveling further outside of downtown (like to our venue in Evanston), rideshares like Uber and Lyft are widely available, and taxis are generally easy to find down town.

No, renting a car isn't necessary. Parking is expensive and often hard to find, and traffic can be heavy. Public transit, rideshares, and walking are more convenient for getting around. However, if you strongly prefer driving, and you don't plan to explore downtown, it would be OK to rent a car since the parking situation is not bad north of the city near our ceremony/reception venue in Evanston.

The welcome party is at Seven Ten Social in Hyde Park, right by the University of Chicago (1055 E 55th St). From downtown, you can take the Metra Electric line south to 55th-56th-57th for $3.75 (20-30 min) or the 6 CTA bus for $2.25 (40-50 min). It is also pretty easy to get a Lyft or an Uber from anywhere. If you have a car and are planning to drive, there is free street parking along 55th street and all the nearby side streets, though it can fill up so you might need to park a block or two away.

If you have Google Maps, you can click on the map in the "Schedule" section above and it will give you the directions!

The venue is located in Evanston (1560 Oak Ave), north of Chicago. I recommend driving or getting an Uber/Lyft. There will be plenty of street parking if you have a car, and the drive from downtown is 30-40 min depending on traffic. If you want to take public transit, it is inconvenient (1.5+ hours) but possible using the "L" (short for "elevated") train system with a transfer to the purple line.

If you have Google Maps, you can click on the map in the "Schedule" section above and it will give you the directions!