Originally Posted by
mlbcard
Thanks milepig, that's really helpful. I am beginning to think the same thing as you. I've had long commutes before (I used to live in the DC area), and I don't really want to waste my life that way.
If Metra is an option, you might want to consider other suburbs as well: Winnetka, Wilmette, Glenview, or even Northbrook. You can live within walking distance of a Metra station, and your wife may have a bit easier commute. While I can't think of any other suburb offering an equal combination of a lively downtown and lakefront, quite a few people enjoy Glenview's proximity to major roads and amenities at The Glen (
http://www.theglentowncenter.com/home_live.html). Just a thought; not meant to confuse you.
I lived in Evanstion and commuted to the city every day, and later commuted to Arlington Heights every day. It wasn't fun (especially the driving part), but being able to walk places was great. Not using major freeways may actually be a blessing in disguise: your commute time will be roughly the same all the time, while freeways are sometimes a crap shoot.