Travel

Hotel

Sonesta Select Chicago Elgin West Dundee

Sonesta Select Chicago Elgin West Dundee is the recommended hotel, where we are have a group room block set aside. This hotel additionally offers shuttles so after the ceremony people may drive back to the hotel, and arrive to the reception The Brix on the Fox via shuttle if they would like to return back at the end of the night via shuttle. We will place the Group Block information by the end of November. Please note that this link and Discount code will no longer work after your cutoff date of April 30, 2025. Additionally, if we find that we have a lot of guests that have flown in or taken the train we are happy to look into coordinating a shuttle bus to go from the hotel to St Marys, and back.

Discount Code - GALINDO2025

Hotel

Holiday Inn & Suites: Chicago Northwest - Elgin

Holiday Inn & Suites: Chicago Northwest - Elgin is a skip-and-hop away from the first hotel listed and appears to offer more room styles. This hotel is considered a 3 star hotel (with a 4.3 Google Maps rating), and appears to be competitively priced.

Hotel

Extended Stay America - Chicago - Elgin - West Dundee!

Extended Stay America - Chicago - Elgin - West Dundee is also a skip and hop away from the first hotel listed. It is rated 2.7 stars on Google maps, but it does appear to be more budget conscious. Amenties included are Free grab-and-go breakfast, and each room comes with a Kitchen ( refrigerator, microwave, and stovetop ).

Flight

O'Hare Airport

O'Hare Airport. Chicago has two major airports, O'Hare is the larger one and has more flights, particularly international ones.

Flight

Midway Airport

Midway Airport is the other Chicago Airport, known for it's domestic flights.

Train

Chicago Union Station

Chicago Union Station We've taken Amtrak Train several times, from Michigan to Chicago Union Station. A great affordable way (Train tickets can be as low as $40 one-way, if you buy them early) to travel between states, with the ability to read a book, play a video game, or watch a movie while traveling. Amtrak trains have a restroom in each cart, a snack cart on the train, and also have family seating where 4 people face each other with a table in between. Additionally, it is free to take two suitcases (but you generally need to carry your own luggage) . If I (Victoria) was a guest for this wedding from Metro Detroit Area and traveled by train and left a day before the wedding, I would go to the Amtrak Ann Arbor Train Station as it is familiar, safe, and has free extended stay parking lot at this station. I would take the interstate Amtrak Wolverine 351 to Chicago which leaves the Ann Arbor station at 7 am ET and arrives at Chicago Union Station as early as 10:30 am CT but often arrives more along the lines of 10:45-11:00 am. Upon arrival, I would go to brunch/lunch either inside the Union Station or a nearby restaurant, and then return to Union Station to take the suburban Metra Train from Union Station to Elgin which leaves at 12:30 pm and arrives at The Elgin Metra Station at 1:45 pm, and then take a short 10 minute Uber/Lyft from the Elgin Metra Station to the Hotel to Check-in. If I wanted more time to explore the city, I would upon arrival to Union Station store my luggage in parcel check which is available for $10 per bag, explore the city and return back to union station to take one of the later trains to Elgin (Ex. There are departures at 2:30,4:30, 6:40 and 8:40 pm ). The Amtrak, and Metra trains are generally safe and clean as they all have a conductor on board who collects tickets and inspects the cars. The CTA is the subway/ "L" Elevated train in Chicago, which does not have conductors on board and can vary more.

Travel Note

Things to do by Chicago Union Station

Regarding things to do by the Chicago Union Station without getting on the CTA trains, buses, or getting a taxi: *Lou Mitchell’s is a classic Chicago breakfast place nearby. *Willis Tower (formerly known, and still known in many of our hearts, as Sears Tower) *Union Station is next to the the Chicago River. Upon exiting the the Station you can cross the river to the west side of Wacker; if you Walk north you can enjoy architecture like Sears/Willis Tower. Then where Wacker curves to the east you go downstairs to the riverwalk which is nice for food drinks and people watching. For those who don't mind a longer Walk: *The bean / Cloud Gate is about 1 mile away from Chicago Union Station, near the Art Institute of Chicago, heading towards the Lake. *Lurie Garden is about 2 mins away from The bean / Cloud Gate, heading towards the Lake. *Maggie Daley Park is about 5 mins away from The bean / Cloud Gate, heading towards the Lake. If you keep following the series of parks, and Lake front trail, then in another mile you end up at Navy Pier, this Former Navy training center draws crowds with carnival rides, restaurants & shops.