The University of Chicago is located in the neighborhood of Hyde Park, seven miles south of downtown Chicago. U Chicago, one of the world’s premier institutions was founded in 1890 through a gift from John D. Rockefeller. The campus is as impressive as the academics, boasting architecture ranging from Neo-Gothic to Contemporary.  Most undergraduate classes are in the Main Quadrangle; the heart of U Chicago’s campus, itself a botanic garden. A short car ride away, the 53rd Street corridor has become Hyde Park’s center for restaurants, shops and entertainment.

Visitor Information: Tour U Chicago

Transportation: If you choose to fly to Chicago for your visit, there are two major commercial airports in the Chicago area: O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport. Midway International Airport is approximately eight miles west of the University of Chicago campus. Midway is easily accessible from campus by public transportation, car, shuttle, and taxi. O’Hare International Airport is approximately 30 miles northwest and is also accessible from UChicago by public transportation, shuttle, car, and taxi. PARENT TIP: Try not to book the last flight of the day when there is potential for bad weather. All Amtrak trains serving Chicago arrive at Union Station. 

Stay: The closest option to campus is the Hyatt Place Chicago South, located right in downtown Hyde Park just off 53rd Street. In downtown Chicago, the Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue offers a discounted rate for UChicago guests. An added incentive--for every guest who stays at the Hilton, the hotel will make a donation to the University of Chicago’s Odyssey Scholarship program. Looking to stay in style? The Four Seasons and Peninsula also offer a discounted rate—be sure to say you’re visiting the University. For a smaller, more boutique option, check in to the Thompson Chicago. With a fantastic location across from Millennium Park, The Chicago Athletic Association is a unique stay. The 1890’s club has been reborn as a hotel with a rooftop restaurant and bar and large epic game room with built-in bocce, shuffleboard and billiard tables—fun and funky.

Coffee: Purchase some gear and your morning brew at The University Bookstore Café.  UChicago has many student-run coffee shops around campus that offer specialty coffee from Grounds of Being, Bow Truss Coffee Roasters, TeaGschwendner Tea, and fresh pastries from Labriola Baking Company.

Breakfast: Pret A Manger is very popular on campus. On a nice day students congregate on the lovely outside patio, usually hunched over laptops doing work. Hyde Park is where the Obama’s called home before the White House and Washington beckoned, and classic diner Valois is known as one of Obama’s favorite haunts. This old-school neighborhood landmark serves breakfast all day—eat at Obama’s favorite table complete with a life-size portrait of the 44th President under the glass tabletop.

Lunch: Staying on campus head to Café Logan, conveniently located within Logan Center for the Arts, for gourmet sandwiches, salads, and small plates. Plein Air Cafe, also on campus, is a French atelier-inspired café serving a nice array of tartines, bowls, and salads. Off campus students hang out at Medici on 57th, serving American fare staples such as burgers, pizzas, and sandwiches. Delicious tortas, tacos, and guacamole make Cemitas Puebla another popular student spot. Over by 53rd Street get your fix of Chicago’s famous deep-dish pizza at Pizza Capri or Giordano’s.

Dinner:

Casual: Transport yourself to the islands without leaving Hyde Park when you order a Ja’Rum Punch to sip alongside Jamaican specialties at Ja’Grill. Red Fish, Bleu Fish brings an infusion of comfort and seafood fare to Hyde Park. 

A Step Up: The Promontory is everyone’s favorite choice when their parents are in town for farm to table cuisine in a stylish, modern space.

Local Attractions: Hyde Park has many interesting sights to see after your tour. Just a short block away from the heart of campus, tour the Robie House. Frank Lloyd Wrights’ famous Prairie school gem is considered one of the most important buildings in the history of American architecture. Stop by the Gothic reading room of the Harper Memorial Library, the university’s first library. Allow ample time to explore the Museum of Science and Industry, the largest Science Museum in the Western Hemisphere. Other highlights include: the DuSable Museum of African American History, UChicago’s Smart Museum of Art and Oriental Institute Museum which houses the greatest collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Cairo and The Renaissance Society, one of the oldest contemporary art museums in the country.