Chicago - Wanderin' around Chicago after dark?

Just wondering if Chicago is any more/less safe than any other US city to wander around after dark?

Will be arriving into Chicago for a few nights next year, arriving at the hotel near Marina City around 9.30pm. That evening will likely be my best opportuinty to get up the JHO and take some photos of the Chicago skyline after dark. Quite happy to walk the mile or so each way (or get the Red line 2 stops north) but wondered if that was sensible or not?

I'd say it's fine. Keep your guard up as you would in any large city, there have been some incidents on Michigan Avenue (though it seems to be largely mass shoplifting of late), but it's not like it's crazy unsafe or anything.

Check the hours on the hancock, not sure if it's open until 10 or 11, so you might be cutting that close.

It's pretty safe around the Hancock. You might have to settle for the bar on the 96th floor.

We're open daily from 9:00am to 11:00pm (last admission at 10.30pm). So come in early or stay late and enjoy at the world's highest Lavazza Espression café!
http://jhochicago.com/en/plan-your-visit/our-hours-prices

Hadn't even thought of opening times; thanks for the reminder! Should arrive into Chicaho O'Hare ion an internal flight at about 8pm. How long will it realistically take to get bags and get into the city on the Blue Line? Had hoped to get to the hotel around 9-ish, literally drop the bags in the room and head straigh there. Feasible?

Hadn't even thought of opening times; thanks for the reminder! Should arrive into Chicaho O'Hare ion an internal flight at about 8pm. How long will it realistically take to get bags and get into the city on the Blue Line? Had hoped to get to the hotel around 9-ish, literally drop the bags in the room and head straigh there. Feasible?

Nope.

There are theads about how exactly to navigate ORD from T5 to the Blue line, so I'll hit the high points.

It sounds like you have checked bags, but they'll likely be on the conveyor by the time you clear immigration. The walk from the plane to Immigration will be 5-10 minutes depending on your gate (and pace) and then the immigration line could take 20 minutes or more. (Much less if you're Global Entry, but then you'll still need to wait for your bags. Then the lines for customs almost always move quickly. - Figure 30 Minutes for this step.

Then you need to get to the blue line - this involves taking the airport shuttle train to T2, walking to the Blue Line stop, buying a ticket and boarding the train. This is 15 minutes at least, but if you need to wait the max time for both the airport shuttle and the El this could add another 10-15 minutes. - Figure 30 Minutes for this step.

Then the Blue line to Lake/Clark will be 45 minutes. Followed by a quick 10 minute walk across the river to your hotel, then 5 minutes the check in and dump your bag in the room . - Figure 60 minutes for this step.

Then a 15 minute walk to the Hancock. - Another 15 minutes

That's a total of 2:15, rather than 1.

Back to your original question. While weird random things can happen anywhere at anytime, this part of Chicago is completely safe and you should have no problems at all. There will be lots of people out and about.

Hadn't even thought of opening times; thanks for the reminder! Should arrive into Chicaho O'Hare ion an internal flight at about 8pm. How long will it realistically take to get bags and get into the city on the Blue Line? Had hoped to get to the hotel around 9-ish, literally drop the bags in the room and head straigh there. Feasible?

I'm reading "internal flight" as domestic. But milepig is still right: There's no way you'll make it from gate to downtown in an hour.

From gate to baggage claim can be a 5-15 minute walk, depending on your gate & pace. From baggage claim to L station can be a 5-15 minute walk, depending on baggage claim, terminal & pace. Add a few minutes for buying a ticket. You could then wait up to 12 minutes for a train. (On weekdays, Sundays & holidays, the Blue line leaves O'Hare every 10 minutes during the 8 pm hour. On Saturdays, the Blue line leaves O'Hare every 11-12 minutes during the 8 pm hour.)

From that point, milepig's other estimates apply (though I can't remember a time when it took me 5 minutes to check into a hotel, get to my room & dump my bags...15 minutes might be a more accurate estimate).

Just wondering if Chicago is any more/less safe than any other US city to wander around after dark?

Will be arriving into Chicago for a few nights next year, arriving at the hotel near Marina City around 9.30pm. That evening will likely be my best opportuinty to get up the JHO and take some photos of the Chicago skyline after dark. Quite happy to walk the mile or so each way (or get the Red line 2 stops north) but wondered if that was sensible or not?

I work just across the river from Marina City and live about 10 blocks north up towards the Hancock. I walk to/from work every day that I am actually in Chicago which often involves heading home late at night. Plus the wife and I are often wandering home from restaurants in the vicinity. IMO, as far as crime is concerned you're fine as long as you take the usual precautions involved in any major city. There are often a few homeless people on State St and Dearborn St bridges asking for spare-change though I personally find them harmless enough.
The one thing I would caution on is keeping your eyes peeled when crossing the road late at night. Some of the natives here like to drink and drive and I have personally had a few close calls crossing a road with the cross-light and almost being mowed-down.

I'm reading "internal flight" as domestic. But milepig is still right: There's no way you'll make it from gate to downtown in an hour.

Oh - I read that as "International".

I have made it from ORD to the LaSalle stop in an hour but the cards all allgned perfectly. Gate B10 and no checked bags, so just down the steps twice and a quick walk to the CTA station - 15 minutes. Got to the platform just as a train was ready to depart - no slow zones and off at LaSalle exactly 45 minutes later - that's an hour. From there I live just across the street (no, not at the MCC) so I was actually in my living room 60 minutes from the time we hit the gate. But, this has happened once in hundreds of trips. 90 minutes is probably a better average time from an ORD domestic gate to the Loop, all in. From that point you need to begin to add travel time to your hotel, etc.

Instead of going to the observatory, you can probably get all the pictures you want from the Signature Room Lounge on the 96th floor. There's a separate elevator - usually shorter lines - and there's no charge. Just buy a drink (~$10) once you get up there. The windows face south and west, back toward downtown.

Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 11:00 am to 12:30 am
Friday & Saturday 11:00 am to 1:30 am

There are some pics of the view from the Signature Lounge (http://www.signatureroom.com/Signature-Lounge/) website.

Thanks all,

You're correct that I'll be arriving on a domestic flight; I'll be heading in from another meeting in the US so will have already cleared Immigration, but I will have checked bags. Will see if I can do gate to hotel in 90 mins!

The Lounge idea looks good if I'm running late. I'd planned the obsevatory as I understood there was an open-air observation deck which I thought would be better for photos (less reflection off the glass) but I'm pretty sure I'll not be the only one in the lounge with a camera doing the same thing. Presume it'll be pretty busy on a Friday night, though?

I work just across the river from Marina City and live about 10 blocks north up towards the Hancock. I walk to/from work every day that I am actually in Chicago which often involves heading home late at night. Plus the wife and I are often wandering home from restaurants in the vicinity. IMO, as far as crime is concerned you're fine as long as you take the usual precautions involved in any major city. There are often a few homeless people on State St and Dearborn St bridges asking for spare-change though I personally find them harmless enough.
The one thing I would caution on is keeping your eyes peeled when crossing the road late at night. Some of the natives here like to drink and drive and I have personally had a few close calls crossing a road with the cross-light and almost being mowed-down.

What the good Captain said.

I work in the South Loop and live across the street from the Hancock. I usually walk home anytime between 8 and 11 pm. Never had an issue (hope that statement wasn't the Kiss of Death :eek: ).

You should be fine.

Presume it'll be pretty busy on a Friday night, though?
That's an interesting question. I don't think I've ever been on a Friday night. Usually late afternoon. It's always been almost-full and most people took time to walk around and take pictures. The room is arranged so that you can fit between tables to get right up to the glass.

If you end up going, I'd like to know what you find.