OP_120618

22 | December 6, 2018 | The orland park prairie life & Arts
opprairie.com
get out of town!
Chicago a winter wonderland with the right perspective
Or, how I learned to
stop worrying and
love the snow
Bill Jones, Editor
Ride or drive
One of the most surreal
days I spent in Chicago was
a Christmas Eve two years
back. I was off work, and I,
on a whim, drove alone to
the Fulton-Randolph Market
neighborhood early that
morning.
I figured I might stop by
Publican Quality Meats to
get a few extra things for our
Christmas dinner (and a couple
of Slagel Family Farms
dry-aged rib-eyes). I thought
maybe I would swing by Perman
Wine Selections to see
what was among their wine
club offerings for the month,
the now-defunct West Loop
Salumi for some good charcuterie.
I did no research, and most
of the neighborhood was
closed for an extended holiday.
I accomplished nothing,
but the experience was wonderful.
As I wandered the desolate
streets, devoid of both people
and somehow less vehicles
than usual, it could have had
the eerie feeling of a ghost
town, with little sound but
the winds. But somehow the
remainder of some melting
snow and the brick of the
old meat-packing-districtturned-restaurant
hot spot
made it feel more like a living
postcard.
And so, I just walked. I
walked in the middle of side
streets with no traffic to impede
me. I crossed Randolph
without hassle. I peeked into
numerous storefronts I’d
passed countless times before.
And it solidified just
how much I love visiting
Chicago in the winter.
Christmas Eve in 2016: The streets of the West Loop/Fulton Market are largely empty.
The only thing that could make it more enjoyable are some snowflakes.
Bill Jones/22nd Century Media
It seems counterintuitive
to enjoy a city more when its
winters make travel a nightmare,
when its windchills
provide an extreme endurance
challenge as good as
any and when, at its worst,
most of its outdoor attractions
are off limits. But those
are the types of things that
discourage normal folks, and
for me that means an opportunity
to explore a usually
bustling cityscape without as
much of the bustle.
Sure, Michigan Avenue
draws a crowd for the holidays.
Yes, the shirtless maniacs
will still load up on brews
and pack Soldier Field (maybe
this year into the playoffs).
And rush hour traffic does not
stop because of the change in
the seasons. But I generally
find it easier to get around.
And Chicago, already a
beautiful city, takes on an
extra-special vibe around this
time of year. From the way
snow changes the landscape
to the skyscrapers lighting it
up for the season to the winter
coats and scarves, Chicago
simply looks right in
winter.
And the cold has a way of
Another Perspective
We asked readers on social media about their favorite
things to do in the city during the winter. They said…
“Museum of Science and Industry,
Christmas Around the World!”
—Jason Matthew
“MSI to visit the trees! My maiden
name is on the Austria tree. Walnut
Room, my Granny worked for
Macy’s. Memories of the holiday
party back then I share with my
daughter.”
—Michele Overstreet
making you appreciate the
warmth of the destinations
even more. It encourages you
to duck into new spots (stop
in for a blast of heat, stay for
the things). It makes that hot
chocolate (or hot toddy) that
much more special.
Plus, from afternoon tea
at The Drake’s Palm Court
to that classic buffet around
the Walnut Room tree to
the displays at Macy’s or
ice skating in Millennium
Park, there is no shortage of
seasonal activities designed
to warm the heart.
But we’ll get to some more
Assistant Editor
Amanda Villiger
makes a case for
taking the train
Amanda Villiger
Assistant Editor
Going downtown in
Chicago can be tricky. Between
traffic, parking and
the fear of being involved
in a collision, it is enough
to scare away people who
are not used to driving in
the city.
Luckily, for people in
the suburbs there is another
option: train.
When comparing prices,
riding the train generally
seems less expensive.
A one-way ticket from Orland
Park to Union Station
will cost $6.75 or $7.25,
depending on the station.
A round-trip makes
it roughly $15 to take the
Metra. Add in a couple of
dollars for parking, and
the trip downtown likely
will still cost you less than
$20.
Planning to go downtown
Saturday and/or
Sunday? Metra’s weekend
pass is $10, and you
can ride as much as you
want all weekend. Some
stations even have free
parking on the weekends,
of what I like to do in Chicago
in the next column.
Get out of Town! is a monthly
travel column focusing on
taking that cost out of the
equation altogether.
That brings us to the
topic of parking, which
in downtown Chicago can
put a hurt on your wallet.
According to SpotHero,
a phone app that helps
people find parking spaces,
parking can cost $50 or
more for 24 hours in some
garages, with the average
rate across the city still
being nearly $35.
Even if you are staying
at a hotel overnight, the
hotel may charge you a
pretty penny to park there,
as well.
So, how do you decide
whether to take the
train or drive when going
downtown?
A few things to consider
when deciding whether to
drive or take the train are:
the size of your group,
weather conditions, final
destination, amount of
luggage and time constraints.
Personally, I almost
always elect to take the
train, since I hate traffic
and I am usually traveling
in a small enough group
that carpooling does not
defray the cost of parking
enough to make it worth it.
Plus, I don’t mind walking
downtown and taking the
CTA, which makes my
decision easy.
relatively local destinations
and activities, with helpful tips,
readers’ stories and more. This
is Part I of a two-part winter
fun in Chicago entry.