Returning Car before Chicago?

We will be driving to Beloit from O%26#39;Hare, and then returning to Chicago for a few days of tourism. I%26#39;ve read that I should ditch the car for Chicago, so I%26#39;m asking advice on rental pick-up and drop-off locations. I want to pick-up at the airport; if I return the car there, can I then get a shuttle to a tourist-area hotel? Or is there another way to do this? All suggestions are most welcome!!

Returning Car before Chicago?

depending on which rental company you use, there are some downtown companies. You can return to Ohare, the subway ride is about an hour. Ditch the rental, parking is too expensive and everything is relatively close or a short cab ride away.

Returning Car before Chicago?

If you drop the car at O%26#39;Hare, you can take the blue line El (subway) to the downtown area for $2 per person, about 45 minutes is the estimate although I%26#39;ve heard recently that the trip is taking longer because of repair work.

Some rental agencies have locations in downtown Chicago, not sure if there are additional charges that would apply for a different drop off location. But you have to pass O%26#39;Hare on the way from Beloit so unless you have a ton of luggage and can%26#39;t manage it, I%26#39;d probably get rid of the car at O%26#39;Hare.

I%26#39;d drop off the car downtown...if memory serves me correctly the rental companies charge you 25 or 50 cents a mile between locations for a one way rental (which essentially is what it is). That means you%26#39;ll get an additional 5 or 10 charge...

the blue line is taking an hour and 15 then if your hotel is on mag mile you%26#39;ll need to take another bus or cab to get there.

by the way to clarify you won%26#39;t need a car downtown...ditch it...I just recommend ditching it downtown. Call your rental car company to confirm my assumptions however...I%26#39;ve never done a one way rental.

We are flying into milwaukee and getting a rental there with budget. We are spending 3 nights in the Door country area, then driving to the Indiana dunes (where I grew up) for 2 nights and then heading to Chicago.

We will drop the car off in chicago when we unload at the hotel. Budget has a location near the swiss. Mapquest said it was around a mile away. My husband (I%26#39;ll make him do the dirty work) can either walk back or I guess get a bus. My total for the week was only like 170 for a full size car. I didn%26#39;t think that was bad. I still have unlimited miles.

Gwen

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I think I will rent at ORD, go to Beloit, and then drop-off on Mag Mile later the next day. Does anyone recall nice hotels lw/ car rentals nearby on Mag Mile? It seems as though Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz may have businesses there, but I am not yet familiar enough with addresses to figure out the distances. Since we are only in Chicago for one full day, I would like to see view from Hancock, and either visit a Museum of Contemp. Art, maybe Lookinglass Theater show and/or due a ';tour'; of Chicago by mini-bus. Any feedback is most appreciated!!! This full-day will be on a Saturday, and we are flying out very early on Sunday morning. One more idea, was for us to stay near the airport and just shuttle into the city for the full day. That may make even more sense. I really need help figuring out my plan.

Thanks.

You should compare hotel prices before you decide whether to stay downtown or at the airport. Downtown could easily be twice as much,. The Marriott Renaissance Suites, which is near O%26#39;Hare and walking distance to the Blue Line train connecting O%26#39;Hare to downtown, has had rates near $100 on some weekends.

If you do stay downtown, there is an Avis dropoff at 214 N. Clark Street (Clark and Lake Streets). Most car companies don%26#39;t have downtown offices; if you%26#39;re looking, addresses under 1000 would be close to the Loop.

Avis, Hertz, %26amp; Enterprise have locations in Loop. Budget has one in south Loop. I suggest you choose your hotel based on your tourist interests, then decide how/where to return the car. Most likely you can drop the car then take a short CTA and/or cab back to your hotel.

If I remembered correctly, Hertz had a small Local Edition garage near a Courtyard. I used the local edition on Clark. I looked at the map and saw it was a short bus ride with the bus one block from my hotel. I%26#39;m sure the Budget location is just as easy, just make sure you specify on the rental which location you will return to as if you change anything, rates increase like a bad repair bill. Have fun.