Travel

Hotel

Hotel in Carbondale (TBD)

A block of rooms will be available Friday and Saturday nights at a discounted rate in the the university town of Carbondale. Our wedding venue is only a 20 minute drive away. Stay tuned for the hotel specifics! Note: A complimentary shuttle will be available between the wedding venue and this hotel only.

Train

Amtrak

If you're traveling from Chicago, there is an Amtrak route from Union Station to Carbondale, but we don't recommend this because ride shares and taxis are so limited in southern Illinois. Instead, it would be best to rent a car or carpool with others who are driving. (See "The Cornfield Drive" section below.)

Flight

St. Louis & Marion Airports

If you're traveling from out-of-state, the closest major airport is the Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, which is a 2.5 hour drive from the hotel in Carbondale. A connection can also be made from Lambert to the Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion, which is a 20 minute drive from Carbondale, IL.

Shuttle

The DD Express

October 31, 2020 2:30 pm - 11:30 pm

A complimentary shuttle will run between the hotel in Carbondale and the Historic Bell Hill wedding venue every half hour in the afternoon and evening. The first shuttle will leave the hotel at 2:30pm and the last shuttle will leave the reception at 10:30pm. Please note that the shuttle will not be running between 4:30pm and 9pm. The first shuttle to pick up guests from the reception will leave at 9:30pm.

Flight

Nashville Airport

For those flying from the west coast, there are typically more non-stop flights available to and from Nashville than St. Louis. The Nashville airport is about a 3 hour drive from Carbondale.

Travel Note

Rental Cars, Ubers, & Taxis

If you choose to fly into Southern IL from St. Louis, a rental car can be reserved at the Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion. Otherwise, rental cars can be picked up at the St. Louis and Nashville airports. As always, we recommend booking ahead! Uber (not Lyft) is available in Southern IL, as well as pre-booked taxi services. However, Ubers and taxis are fairly limited so it's not always a reliable option.

Travel Note

The Corn Desert: Driving from Chicago to Southern IL

If you're driving from Chicago, most of the scenery along Route 57 will be corn and soybeans (don't worry, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you see our venue). Luckily, there are some worthwhile stops along the way. Champaign, home of our shared alma mater, has some great restaurants, and since it's halfway between Chicago and Carbondale, it's a perfect place to stretch your legs. We recommend Radio Maria, Black Dog BBQ, Seven Saints, Dos Reales, and Maize Mexican Grill, but feel free to check out the TripAdvisor link below.

Travel Note

Parking

Whether you're driving your own vehicle or renting a car, there will be free parking at the Home2 Suites in Carbondale if you decide to stay there. If you stay elsewhere, it's best to inquire, but free parking is fairly standard in the area. As for the wedding venue, free parking is available, but please take advantage of the shuttle if you don't plan to "drink responsibly." ;)

Hotel

Other Places to Stay

We really hope you can take advantage of the rooms we reserve in Carbondale, but if you're looking for something different, there are several smaller hotels, inns, motels, B&B's, and Airbnb's in the area. We suggest searching in Carbondale, Makanda, Cobden, and Anna in order to be within a reasonable distance of the venue. Check out the TripAdvisor Hotels link below.