Visiting our program
For general information on Chicago, we highly recommend the How Stuff Works Chicago city guide. This great website is loaded with detailed information on city attractions, traveling to Chicago, and getting around town. A few additional notes are below.
Air travel
Chicago is served by two airports, Midway and O’Hare. Midway is located in the south section of the city, so travel into town can be faster. O’Hare is located further from town, but it’s larger and has more flights (which can be important if a flight is canceled and you need to re-book).
Weather issues can make air travel to Chicago a little tricky after mid-November, so we encourage applicants to visit earlier when possible. If you are interviewing late in the season, consider leaving some extra “wiggle room” in your travel plans to accommodate any delays.
Hotels
Although there are a limited number of hotels in Lincoln Park, where Children's Memorial is located, there are many, many hotels to choose from in the downtown Gold Coast/Magnificent Mile/River North area, which is a $2.50 bus/train ride or a $10-$15 cab ride away from Lincoln Park. Rates range from stratospheric to reasonable, so it can be worth spending a little time on Expedia or another travel booking site to find a bargain.
The program does not have an affiliation with any specific hotels, but for those who prefer a hotel close to Children's Memorial, the following links may be helpful.
The Belden-Stratford Hotel is located just over half a mile from Children's Memorial -- an easy walk if you're wearing comfortable shoes.
The Inn at Lincoln Park is also located less than a mile from Children's Memorial.
For those traveling on a tight budget, the Arlington House Hostel is located one block away from the hospital and has inexpensive, no-frills dormitory and private rooms. We have had applicants stay at the hostel in private rooms and report that the experience was satisfactory, but recent Yelp reviews have not been complimentary. If you are interested in this option, please do some research to make sure this is within your comfort level.
Transit
Unless you are planning to spend extra time in Chicago, you may want to avoid renting a car. Parking in the city can be very expensive, and hotels often add significant parking charges.
Taxis are readily available in Chicago. Both airports and most hotels have taxi stands; cabs can also be easily hailed on the street in the Lincoln Park area and downtown.
Airport shuttle services can be a reasonable alternative for transport to and from the airport. Airport Express will drop you off and pick you up from any downtown Chicago hotel. Round-trip reservations are $40 to $50 (an improvement over round-trip cab fare).
You can also take the Chicago El trains directly to and from the airport, but in that case we suggest you choose a hotel close an El stop! This link can help you choose the best bus routes or trains to get around town. Transit passes for Chicago buses and trains can be can be purchased in advance here.
Finding Children’s Memorial Hospital
Maps and driving directions to Children’s Memorial are available here.
The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is located in the Nellie A. Black (NAB) Building at 700 West Fullerton, Chicago, IL, 60614, which is directly across the street from the main hospital in Lincoln Park. When you enter the building on the day of your interview, please give Security your name and tell them that you're here to see our program coordinator, Arianne Marcoux, on the 4th floor. If you arrive early in the morning when the foyer doors are still locked, you can contact Security via the phone on the west wall of the foyer.
Once you are in the building, please take the elevators to the fourth floor. Arianne is in Room N.411, directly across from the elevators, and she will escort you to your first appointment. Each of your interviewers will escort you to your next appointment. Please consider Arianne’s office “home base” if you have any questions or issues throughout your day!