Housing and Transportation for Saga Dawa in Chicago

Hi Friends,

Here is some information to get you started if you're coming to Chicago for the Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha Saga Dawa teachings with Drupon Rinpoche and/or the Kalachakra Empowerment with Garchen Rinpoche and Drupon Rinpoche. We can help as well with specific questions, directions or other necessary information.

Hope to see you here in a few weeks,

Bill Pope

Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha

TRANSPORTATION

Midway Airport is generally a little easier to manage than O'Hare. Not as crowded or as large. Midway is closer to downtown and KTC. O'Hare is closer to CRSS. It's a fairly long walk at either airport to get to the El, but you can't beat the price as long as you allow plenty of time.

CTA Mass Transit costs $2.25 for each trip. http://www.transitchicago.com/

The Orange Line Elevated train goes from Midway Airport to downtown. It has a stop (Library) 2 blocks from the hostel.

The Blue Line El goes between O'Hare and downtown, and has a stop (Montrose) about a 10 minute walk to Ratna Shri

The Pink Line El goes southwest from downtown and it's last stop (54th/Cermak) is about a 4 block walk to KTC

EVENT VENUES

Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha (directions, maps, etc.) http://chicagoratnashri.org/

This is the location for the Saga Dawa teachings May 30 through June 3

Chicago Karma Thegsum Chöling (directions, maps, addtl. housing recos., etc.) http://www.chicagoktc.org/contact.shtml

This is the location for the Garchen Rinpoche teachings June 5 through 7.

HOUSING SUGGESTIONS

The J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Hostel http://www.hichicago.org/index.shtml

This is a very inexpensive, well located and nice hostel in downtown Chicago. $29-35 plus local and state tax, per person, per night. Great central location if you are attending both teachings, don't want to deal with a car (their parking is $27 per day!), and may want to spend some time in the city at Millenium Park, The Art Institute or shopping on Michigan Avenue.

Carleton Of Oak Park http://www.carletonhotel.com/

This hotel is located in a beautiful old neighborhood. It would work best if you have a car, as it's located roughly between the two teaching venues, some distance from downtown and not convenient for mass transit to either teaching venue. Nice neighborhood to explore with a number of Frank Lloyd Wright homes and buildings, many interesting places to eat and and shop.

Other hotels http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/?RegionId=2121 Lonely Planet provides extensive listings for hotels in all price ranges. Don't assume that the prices they show will be what's available, though. Go to the hotel's site for current info on prices for the exact dates you need.

Note: The very few spaces for people to stay with sangha members were snapped up quickly. I don't know, at this point, if any more will become available. We will certainly let you know if that's the case.

Kalachakra Map Here is the link to an interactive map with the key locations noted along with some photos and a few comments. We'll keep adding to this as we have more to add. You can get directions to or from any of these locations. If you would like any other specific places added, please let me know.

http://www.communitywalk.com/chicago/il/kalachakra_logistics/map/374031