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 Atlanta and takes around 1h 50m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Evanston, followed by Lufthansa. The train journey from Evanston to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $26 for a 2h 05m 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 Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Evanston, including Bus, Amtrak and Greyhound. From Milwaukee, the bus ride to Evanston takes 80 miles and will cost you around $76. From Monona, the ticket costs about $77 for a journey of 175 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 Atlanta and takes around 1h 50m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Evanston, followed by Lufthansa. The train journey from Evanston to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $26 for a 2h 05m 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 Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Evanston, including Bus, Amtrak and Greyhound. From Milwaukee, the bus ride to Evanston takes 80 miles and will cost you around $76. From Monona, the ticket costs about $77 for a journey of 175 miles.

Airports near Evanston

Airlines serving Evanston

Lufthansa
Good (4,679 reviews)
KLM
Good (843 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,616 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,583 reviews)
Air France
Good (977 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,112 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,435 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,977 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,988 reviews)
Finnair
Good (856 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (836 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,754 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,581 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (4,542 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,357 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (752 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (487 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,323 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (960 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, 824 reviews)
$207+
The Westin O'Hare
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 401 reviews)
$204+
Hyatt House Chicago/Evanston
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 281 reviews)
$236+
Graduate Evanston
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 669 reviews)
$167+
Hyatt Regency Ohare Chicago
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 969 reviews)
$152+
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago North Shore/Evanston
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 404 reviews)
$172+

Renting a car in Evanston

Renting a car in Evanston costs $63 per day, on average, or $126 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 7% cheaper than airport locations in Evanston.

Expect to pay $3.90 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 $46.79 and $62.38. 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 Full-size rental cars (Ford Fusion or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Evanston costs $63 per day, on average, or $126 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 7% cheaper than airport locations in Evanston.

Expect to pay $3.90 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 $46.79 and $62.38. 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 Full-size rental cars (Ford Fusion or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.