General
ALA 2005 Annual Conference Travel and Accomodations
Transportation
The ALA Annual Conference is being held at the McCormick Place Convention Center in the South Loop. The Convention Center is best served by the CTA bus lines #3 King Drive and #21 Cermak.
From Michigan Avenue, take the #3 King Drive southbound to McCormick Place.
Rush hour afternoons only: X4 Cottage Grove Express.
If you are staying near the Red Line “L” stations, you can transfer to the #21 from the Cermak/Chinatown “L” stop.
The two major Chicago airports are also served by "L" lines:
Midway Airport - Orange Line
O'Hare Airport - Blue Line
Cost: Subway or Bus -- $1.75; transfer $.25, second transfer free (transfer must be made within 2 hours of first ride); 1-Day Visitor Pass $5; 2-Day Visitor Pass $9; 3-Day Visitor Pass $12; 5-Day Visitor Pass $18.
For further information about CTA service, visit the CTA web site at www.transitchicago.com.
Lodging
All of the lodgings listed here are near public transportation:
Price legend:
($) $75 and under, ($$) $76-120, ($$$) $121-150
South Loop/Hyde Park
Essex Inn
800 S. Michigan Avenue
Phone: 1-312-939-2800
www.essexinn.com
($$ - $$$)
Best Western Grant Park
1100 S. Michigan Avenue
Phone: 1-800-780-7234
www.bestwestern.com
($$)
Ramada Inn Lake Shore – Chicago
4900 South Lake Shore Drive
Phone: 1-800-2Ramada
www.ramada.com
($ - $$)
Downtown/Loop/River North
Club Quarters
2 locations in Chicago
Central Loop: 111 W. Adams St.
Wacker at Michigan: 75 E. Wacker Dr.
Phone: 1-212-575-0006 (New York Headquarters)
www.clubquarters.com
*Many educational institutions are members; check with your organization. Rooms can also be reserved through online travel services such as Orbitz, etc.
($$ - $$$)
Best Western River North
125 W. Ohio
Phone: 1-800-780-7234
www.bestwestern.com
($$$)
Lenox Suites Hotel
616 N. Rush Street
Phone: 1-800-44LENOX
www.lenoxsuites.com
($$$)
Travelodge Hotel Downtown
65 E. Harrison
Phone: 1-800-578-7878
www.travelodge.com
($$ - $$$)
Hostelling International-Chicago
24 East Congress Parkway
Phone: 1-312-360-0300
www.hichicago.org
$33/dorm bed
Things To Do
How to Get Around Chicago on the Cheap
www.ehow.com/how_8810_around-chicago-cheap.html
Chicago Reader Online (free print version published on Thursdays) – great for local events, music, theater, and food recommendations.
www.chireader.com
How to Get Around Chicago on the Cheap
www.ehow.com/how_8810_around-chicago-cheap.html
Chicago Reader Online (free print version published on Thursdays) – great for local events, music, theater, and food recommendations.
www.chireader.com