HOTEL | AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION | CAR RENTAL

All conference events will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, steps from Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile and an easy walk to Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Creative Freelancer Conference attendees will receive discounted rates of $158 single occupancy and $183 double, for the dates of August 27-29, 2008. To reserve your room at these rates, call 312.565.1234 or 800.233.1234 and use Group Code HFWP.

NOTE: Reservations made after July 28, 2008--or after the Creative Freelancer Conference discounted room block is filled--are on a space- and rate-available basis.

Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago IL 60601
312.565.1234
Website: Hyatt Regency Chicago

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION

The Hyatt's website lists several options for getting to/from O'Hare International Airport, the least expensive being the "L-Train" which has a station in the airport, near baggage claim.

TIP: This can also be the fastest option, especially during rush hour, and it's only $2.00 each way. You just have to be a light traveler (you'll encounter stairs, escalators and turnstiles along the way) willing to walk or cab the seven blocks from the Clark/Lake stop, the one nearest the Hyatt.

Walking directions from the Clark/Lake stop: Walk east on Lake St. (toward Dearborn St.) to Stetson St., turn left onto Stetson and walk one block to the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

http://chicagoregency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/services/transportation/index.jsp

CAR RENTAL

If you're flying to Chicago and plan to rent a car, note that Avis is offering CFC attendees special discounts, good for one week before to one week after the event. To learn more about this offer, visit Avis online or call 800.331.1600 and use AWD #J991707.

See special discount from Avis.

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The following is but a teeny, tiny fraction of things to see and do in Chicago. But since you won't have much conference down-time, we narrowed the field to activities that are (a) creatively inclined or otherwise inspiring, (b) inexpensive or free, and (c) within an easy walk of the conference hotel. Here we go:

1. The Art Institute of Chicago
On every must-see list is this world-famous museum with works by Picasso, Seurat, Hopper, Van Gogh, Magritte, Matisse, Monet, Renoir and more. Hours vary by day. General admission is $12 for adults, free 5:00 – 8:00 PM on Thursdays.
111 S. Michigan St. at Monroe St.

312.443.3600

2. Chicago Architecture Foundation ArchiCenter
Architecture aficionados should make a beeline to this combination gallery, shop, ticket counter and meeting point for some of Chicago's best architectural tours (everything from Frank Lloyd Wright to Millennium Park to modern skyscrapers). Open daily, 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

NOTE: One of the CAF's most popular tours is the 90-minute, docent-narrated Architecture River Cruise, which departs daily from the Riverside Gardens Dock, just steps from the Hyatt Regency Chicago. This tour often sells out, especially during the summer months, so reservations are strongly recommended.

Santa Fe Building
224 S. Michigan Ave. at Jackson Blvd.
312.922.3432

3. The Magnificent Mile
Just a few steps from the Hyatt, the Michigan Avenue bridge is the perfect entry point for Chicago's famous retail district, home to some 460 stores and 200 restaurants—and, during the summer months, more than 35 blooming gardens. Serious shoppers may want to consult this Area Guide in advance, but most of the biggies, such as Crate & Barrel's flagship and the grande dame department stores, are easy to spot from Michigan Avenue. The "mile" culminates at 900 North Michigan Shops, about 13 blocks north of the Hyatt.

4. Millennium Park
One of Chicago's most celebrated spaces, featuring the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion concert venue, plus the 110-ton stainless steel "Cloud Gate" sculpture, the LED "Crown Fountain" that projects images of 1,000 Chicagoans, and the 2.5-acre, contemporary Lurie Garden. Handy downloads from the park's website: a map, a brochure and an MP3 audio tour narrated by the park's architects, artists and designers. Open daily, 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Admission is free.

NOTE: The Chicago Jazz Festival, staged at Millennium Park and Grant Park, runs August 28-31.

Michigan Ave. at Randolph St.
312.742.1168

5. Museum of Contemporary Photography
The only museum in the Midwest devoted exclusively to photography, the MoCP occupies a ground-floor space inside Columbia College, the largest arts and media college in the nation. The museum's permanent collection includes some 8,500 images, with an emphasis on American works from 1959 to the present. Hours vary by day. Admission is free.

Columbia College Chicago
600 S. Michigan Ave. (at E. Harrison St.)
312.663.5554