Northwestern Trip

tihaberman

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I'm planning to cross Ryan Field off of my B1G stadium list and travel down for the Gopher Game on 11-18. Looking for advice on a few things from those who've been there. Most likely going to fly out early on Friday and have Friday to mess around and head back to MSP early Sunday.

- Looks like staying in the city and taking the train is the best way to get there, is that accurate?
- What area do you recommend staying in? Looking for a fun neighborhood with a few bars to have a little fun the night before. Not looking for a club, just good neighborhood bars.
- Are there any bars / pre game spots around the stadium?
- How is the tailgating scene in the lots surrounding the stadium? Is it worth buying a parking pass off Stub Hub?

Any advice is appreciated! SKI-U-MAH!
 

My take based on 2 trips...
1. Stay in city and take train to game is easily the best way to do it.
2. Stay downtown. Anything you want for food, bar, etc. is there.
3. Nothing near the stadium.
4. Nothing near the stadium. I would really recommend just staying downtown and taking the train there before kickoff.
5. Buy tickets on stubhub not the U. We sat 50-yard line 20th row for like $35 a couple years back.


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I've been there twice. Tailgating scene is like an MIAC game. We made it fun though. We stayed outside the city closer to Evenston. We weren't looking for a bar scene so can't help there. Easy place to get a ticket and their fans are easy to stomach.
 

My take based on 2 trips...
1. Stay in city and take train to game is easily the best way to do it.
2. Stay downtown. Anything you want for food, bar, etc. is there.
3. Nothing near the stadium.
4. Nothing near the stadium. I would really recommend just staying downtown and taking the train there before kickoff.
5. Buy tickets on stubhub not the U. We sat 50-yard line 20th row for like $35 a couple years back.


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Agreed. Love going to this game and staying downtown. There is virtually no where to park around the stadium. If you do park you are right on the lake but it isn't a bad walk. It is a beautiful neighborhood.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I went a few years ago...Echo the above on logistics. Two more things.

1. Wear your warmest gear...that stadium is really exposed to the elements near the lake.
2. Arguably the worst concession experience in college football. Don't count on them having a big variety, much for hot food, or what is even on the menu after the first quarter.
 


And - the stupid wildcat "roar" they play over the loud speakers will make you miss the chainsaw from last night.


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Wildcat roar is much much much more annoying than the chainsaw. The chainsaw was brutal.

DO NOT PLAN ON GOING OUT PREGAME IN EVANSTON. THERE IS NOTHING. NOT EVEN A BUFFALO WILD WINGS. Tailgating was pretty weak when I was there and I was looking for a great time.

Stay downtown or near Wrigleyville. I don't have a map handy but Wrigleyville is on the North side. Closer than downtown and 10000 cool neighborhood bars. I just spent a weekend on the North side and loved it. Was truly amazing. Easy über/train/etc to Ryan Field. Expect a lame atmosphere.

There IS a solid hot dog stand near the stadium. It is called Mustards Last Stand. Really solid dogs.
 

Stay at the Hilton Garden North Shore or Hilton Orrington Evanston. You are a lot closer to Ryan Field.

There are tons of eateries and bars. The World Of Beer is about three blocks away from either hotels.

You can catch the train a block away from either hotel to Ryan Filed.

Just a suggestion. Wrigley Field area is is further south.
 

If you stay downtown shoot for the River North neighborhood...huge number of great restaurants and bars and walkable to virtually everything you need/want in the loop. Don't know how old you are, but Wrigleyville bars are typically pretty young, which if you're also young is like shooting fish in a barrel. Take a short walk east on Addison from Wrigley and turn south on Southport for another strip of outstanding bars. Everything is a reasonable Uber away from downtown. Everyone else is right about getting to the stadium: take the Red line to Howard from any subway station on State. Transfer at Howard to the Purple line and take that to Central. The stadium is about 4 blocks walk from the L stop. Tailgating is extremely lame, as is the Cats' fan support. If you're okay without having tickets you can absolutely get a steal from scalpers, who will sell you great tickets for about $20 apiece, since Northwestern has no fans, Gopher fans don't travel in large numbers, and we have very little alumni presence in Chicago. Enjoy, Chicago's an amazing city, you'll want to come back every time the Gophers play here.
 



I like the Bucktown area, which is just west of Lincoln Park (a tad south of Wrigley), or the Old Town area, which is just south of Lincoln Park. Lots of great places to eat and drink, and you can typically find hotels that are a tad cheaper than in the Loop.
 

Be prepared to see a stadium about a 3rd full. Went to the game 2 years ago. It was their homecoming, and it was about a 3rd full if I remember correctly. That was the year they did really well, and shut us out in the game, and their fans just seemed disinterested.
 

I like the Bucktown area, which is just west of Lincoln Park (a tad south of Wrigley), or the Old Town area, which is just south of Lincoln Park. Lots of great places to eat and drink, and you can typically find hotels that are a tad cheaper than in the Loop.

I have always been a huge proponent of the River North area, especially since you can get an easy cab ride for not too much money right up into LIncoln Park, or jump on the Red Line under State street and head north.

There are enormous numbers of great restaurants and bars in the River North area, plus the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue for retail and access to the lakefront between the Oak Street and North Avenue beaches, or Navy Pier. There are a lot of nice hotels in this area, (new and old, refurbished), and I have stayed at many, with good results at the giant hotels (Hyatt, Sheraton) on the river, and some of the midsized ones (Courtyard, Embassy suites Navy Pier- a great hotel)

Having said all that, my understanding is the hotel options in Lincoln Park have increased greatly in recent years, and Lincoln Park can be a lot of fun as well. I really like the area from North Avenue up to Wrigley on Clark Street, but years ago there fewer hotel options up there.

The one area I'd avoid, and it can be troublesome to avoid if you are picking hotel zones on Priceline or other "blind" sites is the main loop area, on South Michigan Ave. by Grant Park. There is not anything wrong with that area, but my experience is that it gets real quiet and dull after the sun goes down and is somewhat of a ghost town, much like downtown St. Paul. I'd stay just north of the river. The old hotels down there are also a little on the worn out side, or at least have small dated rooms.. (Big Hilton, The Palmer House)
 




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