Travel arrangements for P.I.R. 10.09.09

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Hello everyone. i have planned to go to my husbands graduation by myself. I am much to young to rent a car but I have made travel arragmente to and from grad, hotel and airport. Though he has weekend liberty and i am going to stay the entire weekend. is anyone going for the same PIR, planning on staying and traveling chicago. if so do you have room for two on board? I can help with gas of course. We would love to travel chicago for our first time. If not does anyone have inforamtion or tour comanies or cab companies close to RTC?? I would appreciate all the help i can get. thanks to all.

[LizaJane]

I do believe you can take the train into and out of Chicago....It's near the Naval base....
We didn't go into Chicago, so I"m not sure about all the details....I'm sure someone else will come along with more info for you....

[Suzanne]

The train to and from Chicago from RTC is very affordable, relatively inexpensive, and safe. My daughter lived in Chicago last summer (working) and used it often. We didn't use it the weekend of my son's PIR because the weather was terrible and much too wet to think about trying to see the sights. I'm sure you'll see many other sailors and their families on the trains. Just a reminder - leave Chicago in PLENTY of time to get your sailor back on base before liberty expires. They are very nervous about this.

[JunieB]

When we went for my son last year we rented a car for stuff around town (I understand you can't) but for $5 each you can get weekend passes for the 'Metra' train. The train station is right next to RTC. It stops many places between great lakes & Chicago. (Kenosha Winthrop Harbor Zion Waukegan North Chicago Great Lakes Lake Bluff Lake Forest Fort Sheridan Highwood Highland Park Ravinia Ravinia Park Braeside Glencoe Hubbard Woods Winnetka Indian Hill Kenilworth Wilmette Central Street Evanston Main St Rogers Park Ravenswood Clybourn Ogilvie Transportation Center ) You can Google those towns to see what there is to see. We stopped at Lake Forest an had breakfast at "Egg Harbor" Mmmmm best breakfast I ever had.
But..... Make sure you leave Chicago with an extra hour to spare, the train is full in the evenings an it takes longer for each stop.


Also within walking distance is on the Main Base thy have a movie theatre and there is a USO to check out. I don't know what the requirements are to get onto the base (we were there for 4th of July weekend & it was open to public) but it is something you might check out.