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Comment by kristie 09/016 on November 13, 2011 at 1:59pm

Ok, thanks!! We plan on hanging around as long as we can, so traffic shouldn't matter too much.

Comment by spontino on November 13, 2011 at 1:56pm

We parked on base and it was very easy and didn't have a long walk to get in...they say if you are trying to get off base quickly after PIR that there is a lot of traffic.   But for us, we hung around for a little bit so it didn't matter and there wasn't a wait to get off base.

Comment by kristie 09/016 on November 13, 2011 at 12:51pm

@whitsmom, so are you saying the best place to park for PIR is in the train station parking lot? I thought we could park on the base? How much did parking at the train station cost you? And what train station is it?

Comment by WandaG on November 13, 2011 at 12:37pm

Thanks Whit's Mom but we will not be driving. We will be using Sarge's service to get picked up and dropped off, except for Chicago. We plan to take the train in for that.

Comment by Whit and Stephen's Mom (Ann) on November 13, 2011 at 11:59am

Wanda G - The best advice I got last weekend was the train station parking!  The driveway/road literally ends in the parking lot.  Just keep to the left, as everyone else will be turning right onto the base.  Get your "space number" because you will need it when you pay for parking.

Comment by WandaG on November 13, 2011 at 10:22am

Bellachella, I figured my daughter would not have the energy to go into the city. She liked the idea of staying fairly local. She really liked the idea of hanging out at the Gurnee Mall and eating at Cracker Barrel then head to the hotel and just relax and talk. All she wants to do is talk and catch up with us. So since her father needs to spend time with her separate from us. He will spend time with her Friday and Sunday and my family and I will go into Chicago after PIR on Friday and hang; Saturday will be our time with her. We'll have her the whole day :o) Sarge also told me the train station is 100 yards away from the base; easy walk. So we may just do that since it's a lot cheaper as well. I can't wait for PIR which is November 18.

Congrats to you and your sailor!

Comment by WandaG on November 8, 2011 at 10:39pm

Has anyone who's been to PIR taken the "Navy Tour Chicago" bus? It's a bus or shuttle that takes you all over Chicago. $40 round trip. It departs from the base at 11am after PIR and returns you around 7pm. Just wanted to get someone else's take on it.

Comment by Bandito's Mom on November 7, 2011 at 1:10am

We were surprised that there is a large commissary off base in Great Lakes.  Has more memorabilia to chose from then NEX and was so much easier to shop there.  If you don't have to go to NEX for pics, I would just head on over to the off-base commissary.

Comment by jacketfan24 (corpsman mom) on October 30, 2011 at 5:42pm

Just got back from my son's PIR on the 28th.  It was amazing, and just wanted to share my limited experiences.  We stayed at the Residence Inn, which was really nice (we drove all night and got in about 10am and they let us check in early).  We decided to go to Sarge's Meet and Greet since most of the people I have gotten to know best were going there, and it was really nice.  About 10 families came, which wasn't many, but with two to pick from, I think most went to the more established one.  He had great info and is a really nice guy. 

We were actually able to drive directly onto base without having to wait in a line, which is almost unheard of, from what I understand.  There was not a long line inside, either.  We were not asked to show my 11 year old's birth certificate there, but did need it for the gate pass at the airport.  We sat about halfway up in the bleachers, and unfortunately, I had not checked out the camera I planned to use before I went, and it wasn't working properly, so I didn't get the pictures I wanted.  I got some, but there were blurry.  Definately check out your equipment before leaving home!  We waited at the NEX for him to go back to the ship to get his pictures, so we ordered the DVD while we waited.  Major crowds in the NEX; wouldn't recomment going there right afterward.  I got a sweatshirt for my younger son and realized when I got home it was a woman's size, not a men's size, so he can't wear it.  It was just to crowded to shop.  We went to lunch and to Verizon to upgrade his phone and get a hotspot for A school since he can't get internet there without it, and then just hung out at the hotel.  We met him at the airport the next day.  We didn't use a taxi service and didn't have time to tour Chicago, so I don't have any info on those things.  It was a great experience, but next time we visit him, I will NOT drive there!  It was a long trip. 

Comment by MomAnt on October 30, 2011 at 12:05pm

Thank you so much Kathy!

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