Driving?

If you are planning to drive to St. Charles, gas is usually cheaper than purchasing flights, especially if you are traveling as a family/group. Having a car will also come in handy for transport to the venue if you are staying in an off-site hotel. All-in-all, driving can potentially save some money if you are willing to make the journey!

Alabama friends and family, our favorite way to get to and from Illinois is to drive! Driving from the Birmingham area is about 675 miles, which takes 10-12 hours (depending on traffic and stops).

Chicago friends, if you are driving to St. Charles from the city, please allow for enough travel time considering the Friday afternoon traffic patterns. If driving is not an option, there is a Metra train service that takes you near St. Charles.

Flying?

If you are planning to fly to the Chicago area, the O'Hare and Midway airports are both viable options. Both airports are about 45 minutes from Hotel Baker (depending on traffic) and are accessible by rideshare services.

Alabama friends and family, if you choose to fly, we recommend flying from the Atlanta airport. Since it is a larger airport, ATL is typically a fraction of the cost compared to BHM and usually has lots more flight options to choose from.

P.S. If you are not able to drive to ATL and park overnight, there is a shuttle service that can transport you from the Birmingham area to the Atlanta airport. **Website linked below**