First timer - a few questions - Chicago, CZ

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nccb

Train Attendant
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Jan 1, 2014
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Taking the California Zephyr with kids in a few weeks. I had a few questions....first time to Chicago & first time on Amtrak.

1 - I have the emailed boarding document from when I made my AGR reservation using points on my smart phone/email. Do I only need to show them my smartphone? Should I bring a printout as a backup?

2 - Getting to Union Station. The night before, we're staying north of the river near the intersection of Grand/State. What I would like to do is drop off our larger luggage in the morning by ~8am and then go see a few things in the city before leaving. We are in a family bedroom, so I can do this in the metropolitan lounge, correct? So I just find the lounge, drop off the luggage and then get a pickup tag? Is there someone to tip and if so how much?

3 - Getting to Union Station. I assume taxi will be best from Grand/State over to the station. Having never been to Union Station, can someone describe which entrance/street/side is best to enter the station from to get to Met. Lounge? Reminder - I will have 2 kids w me, so proximity is key.

4 - Boarding. What time is advisable/safe to be in the lounge ready to board?

5 - luggage. We will have backpacks & carry-on sized rolling bags. Do I need to worry about checking these or will they fit in the family bedroom?

6 - stuff to do before boarding. Is there time to do the Shedd Aquarium after dropping off luggage and before getting back to the station? Say, 9:30am-1pm? What about skydeck? Both? Which things would you all recommend?

I'm sure I'll come up with other questions but this is a good start. Thanks for any help.
 
Follow up questions....

7 - anywhere to eat lunch inside Union Station? What amenities are offered in Metropolitan Lounge?

8 - meals on CZ I know are included. Is there a snack bar, and are credit cards accepted?
 
1) You only need to show them the barcode on your phone, but I always bring a printout just in case. I'd hate to have my phone just up and die for no reason and then not be able to board.

2) There is a redcap hanging out in a luggage closet in the Metropolitan Lounge. Once you check in with the front desk, you can turn around and hand the redcap your luggage. They'll give you a check tag with a time written on it. I generally tip $1-2 per bag, depending on bag weight. (Laptop bag = $1. Suitcase = $2.)

3) A taxi would probably be easiest, especially with kids and luggage. The taxi can drop you off at the taxi stand on Canal St. Go through those doors, down the escalator, and then straight ahead to the lounge.

4) When you check in at the front desk, they'll give you a colored card that will grant you access to the lounge throughout the day. They'll write the time on it in Sharpie and circle it. That's when you need to be back.

5) The Family Bedroom is a bit tight, so I'd recommend storing the suitcases in the luggage rack on the lower level of the car. It will be near your room, so it's actually pretty convenient to store them there. You could bring the backpacks into the room and shove them under the seats/beds.

6) The Skydeck is very, VERY busy during the tourist season. If it's a weekend, you'll wait 2-3 hours unless you buy a FastPass. I would recommend Shedd, as you can catch a cab (go back up to the taxi stand) and shoot right over to the aquarium. I'd recommend purchasing your aquarium tickets online ahead of time. Shedd can be done in 2-3 hours pretty easily, but I've waited up to an hour or more to buy tickets on busy days. Your kids will LOVE the aquarium. There is a ton of stuff for them to look at, and they have some kid-friendly areas where they can push buttons, move things around, etc.

If you finish Shedd quickly, you could take a taxi from Shedd, up Michigan Ave, to the Hancock Center. It has a view similar to the Sears Tower (it's only ten floors shorter), but the line is much shorter. I can usually get in within 15-20 minutes, even on busy days. Sometimes I walk right onto the elevator.

If you don't have time to do that, you could still take the taxi up Michigan Ave to Water Tower Place (kitty korner from the Hancock Center). There's a huge Hershey store with lots of stuff to buy, and your kids can make their own candy bars to eat during the trip. :)
 
nccb said:
Follow up questions....

7 - anywhere to eat lunch inside Union Station? What amenities are offered in Metropolitan Lounge?

8 - meals on CZ I know are included. Is there a snack bar, and are credit cards accepted?
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7) There are LOT of places to eat. I'd recommend Metro Deli, since you have kids. It's buffet-style and has a grill, so you can get everything from spaghetti to pulled pork sandwiches to mac & cheese. Also, it's in the Great Hall, so you'd get to see the beautiful, historic area of Union Station.

If the kids are super picky, there is a McDonald's upstairs, along with a smoothie place, Gold Coast Dogs, and some other quick stuff.

8) There is a snack bar on the bottom level of the Lounge car. They do take credit cards. If you want to save some money, there is a CVS kitty korner from the taxi stand on Canal. It's huge and has many things, like a grocery store, so we usually get snacks before we head back to the lounge and just board with them. They don't count the random CVS grocery bags as carry-ons. :) We also get drink powder to add to the bottled water (which is free in the sleepers).

Edited to add: Sorry! I forgot to answer the Metropolitan Lounge question.

They have a soda fountain, coffee, and (I think) tea/hot water. They also have a basket full of snacks - pound cake in the morning and Doritos/pretzels/goldfish crackers in the afternoon. These go QUICKLY on busy days, though. Some people grab a few and stash them in their bag. :p So, as soon as you see them set out, get some before the herd gets to it.
 
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nccb said:
Follow up questions....

7 - anywhere to eat lunch inside Union Station? What amenities are offered in Metropolitan Lounge?

8 - meals on CZ I know are included. Is there a snack bar, and are credit cards accepted?
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YEs there are places to eat in Union Station. I don't know the details though. In the metropolitan lounge you can find softdrinks and some bags of chips/cookies/pretzels.

On the CZ there is a snack bar and yes, they accept credit cards.
 
Oh, and the lounge has free Wi-Fi. There are outlets hidden behind some of the chairs, tables, and loveseats. Don't worry about pulling furniture out a bit to check. I do that all the time. ;)
 
As a former Dear Old Oak Parker I hated it every time I would entertain guests, especially after imbibing considerably at a convention, who wanted to go to the top of Sears Tower. I have two real issues in life, claustrophobia and heights and this little excursion used to max out both. I quit going to the railing at the top, and wold put my back against the wall letting the tourists go to the edge. I would routinely forget what followed "Holy Mary". I did once see lighting below us but the building sway finally did me in. Haven't been up there for more than twenty years.

The Shedd or the Adler Planetarium are marvelous alternatives to up up and away. Enjoy the Windy, and enjoy the CZ.
 
Great answers, Sarah! I only have a couple things to add:

3. The directions to the lounge are correct, but a certain Hubby couldn't find it even with directions, so I'd add that when you walk straight forward from the escalator, you should go till there's a wall right in front of you. Look slightly to your left, and find a frosted glass door in the wall, with the name on it. Here's a photo:

page27_31.jpg


7. Yes, the Metropolitan Lounge has a boiling water tap and (Lipton) teabags. I think they have paper cups for the tea and coffee, but I almost always have my own thermal mug with me.

Have a great trip, you and the kids sound like you're well-prepared to have fun!
 
You mentioned heading to Union Station around 8am. I don't want to discourage that, or worry you, but I did want to mention that if it is a weekday, Union Station will be VERY busy during rush hours. You might find it somewhat difficult to navigate at that time, especially if you have never been there/aren't sure where you are doing, are handling luggage, and have children with you. Certainly not an insurmountable problem, just something I thought might be worth bringing to your attention.
 
Don't know where you're going on the CZ, but if you're traveling through the mountains, or even just as far as Denver, you'll certainly be a lot higher up with much more spectacular views than the measly 1000 feet that Sears Tower offers. That said, I'd second Sarah's suggestion about the Hancock observatory. Considering that you'd be within walking distance at the hotel, it might even be an activity to do the night before. Kids might enjoy some of the stuff at Navy Pier and there is a free shuttle from Grand & State.
 
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NorthShore said:
Considering that you'd be within walking distance at the hotel, it might even be an activity to do the night before. Kids might enjoy some of the stuff at Navy Pier and there is a free shuttle from Grand & State.
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That's a good point. I highly prefer the nighttime view over the daytime view.

Also, Navy Pier is a blast. The Ferris Wheel is a true treat. :)
 
I think the Shedd Aquarium is a great thing to see during a morning layover in Chicago. I'd also recommend the Lincoln Park Zoo, which has the added advantage of being free. If you do want to see Shedd or the zoo, there's a bus that goes directly to the Museum Campus and back. It leaves right outside Union Station - I think the first one is around 9:00 am during the summer.
 
Another vote for the Chicago Federal Reserve Exhibit. You can:

--See a million dollars in ones

--Get a free picture of yourself with a million dollars in a suitcase

--See 1000, 50,000, and 100,000 dollar notes

--Leave with a souvenir packet of shredded money.

--Learn about the economy and what the Fed does.
 
I had no idea at all about the Federal Reserve exhibit. Going to have to check that out sometime.

Board of Trade is a truly grand Art Deco building breathtaking inside and out. They have a nice little reasonably priced restaurant, Ceres Cafe, just off the lobby.
 
NorthShore said:
I had no idea at all about the Federal Reserve exhibit. Going to have to check that out sometime.

Board of Trade is a truly grand Art Deco building breathtaking inside and out. They have a nice little reasonably priced restaurant, Ceres Cafe, just off the lobby.
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Ditto, and I've been in that area multiple times. I love the Rookery's lobby.

I'm currently writing a paper about the CBOT. It is a gorgeous building.
 
tomfuller said:
The Federal Reserve Bank is on Jackson Blvd. a few blocks east of the Willis (Sears) tower. They have a free interesting self guided tour where you and the kids can learn about money.

Across from the FRB is the Chicago Board of Trade.
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They can see why their parents can only afford one trip on the train - the government has all their money! :giggle: :giggle:
 
Apparently the building it replaced was, in some sense, even more gorgeous. I believe there is still some sort of statuary from it in the outdoor courtyard.
 
D.P. Roberts said:
I've been to the Chicago Metropolitan Lounge half a dozen times. I always get a soda there, but I've NEVER seen food there. Not even a crumb. Who are these Snack Hounds? Are they Hobbits?
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The Attendants will periodically put out small bagged snacks suck as Goldfish or Pretzels and mini-muffins in the morning, but before you can blink they are often gone, quantities being ratholed into folks purses and grips.
 
OK next followup question.... being on a sleeper I know the meals are included. How do tips work? I assume I would still tip 15-20% of whatever the meal would have cost, correct? If so, can I use credit card for tip only? Or do I need cash there?
 
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