Evanston travel guide

Evanston Tourism | Evanston Guide

You're Going to Love Evanston

With a population of 74,486, Evanston is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Evanston deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Evanston

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Stained Glass (1735 Benson Avenue) and Oceanique (505 Main St) are great picks.

When to visit Evanston

Evanston in January
Estimated hotel price
$125
1 night at 3-star hotel
Evanston in January
Estimated hotel price
$125
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Evanston

Plane

When flying to Evanston, you’ll arrive at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD), which is located 12 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Evanston departs from Miami and takes around 3h 10m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Evanston. The train journey from Evanston to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $14 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $24 for a 1h 54m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Evanston is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 12 miles from Evanston. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Evanston, including Amtrak, Bus and Greyhound. From Milwaukee, the bus ride to Evanston takes 80 miles and will cost you around $76. From Lafayette, the ticket costs about $43 for a journey of 165 miles.

Plane

When flying to Evanston, you’ll arrive at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD), which is located 12 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Evanston departs from Miami and takes around 3h 10m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Evanston. The train journey from Evanston to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $14 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $24 for a 1h 54m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Evanston is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 12 miles from Evanston. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Evanston, including Amtrak, Bus and Greyhound. From Milwaukee, the bus ride to Evanston takes 80 miles and will cost you around $76. From Lafayette, the ticket costs about $43 for a journey of 165 miles.

Airports near Evanston

Airlines serving Evanston

Lufthansa
Good (4,666 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,540 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,615 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,962 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,120 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,467 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,863 reviews)
Finnair
Good (871 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,653 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,606 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (4,544 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (773 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,352 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (477 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,329 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (963 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Evanston

Most booked hotels in Evanston

Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 810 reviews)
$207+
The Westin O'Hare
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 396 reviews)
$198+
Hyatt House Chicago/Evanston
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 286 reviews)
$233+
Graduate Evanston
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 656 reviews)
$147+
Hyatt Regency Ohare Chicago
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 957 reviews)
$142+
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago North Shore/Evanston
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 405 reviews)
$169+

Renting a car in Evanston

Renting a car in Evanston costs $59 per day, on average, or $119 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Evanston.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Evanston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Evanston is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Supplier choice rental cars (Class Special SUV or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Evanston costs $59 per day, on average, or $119 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Evanston.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Evanston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Evanston is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Supplier choice rental cars (Class Special SUV or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.