Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Appendix:
Fast Facts, Toll-Free
Numbers & Websites
1
FAST FACTS: CHICAGO
AAA has a nationwide emergency r oad
service telephone number (
&
800/AAA-
HELP [222-4357]).
BABYSITTERS
Check with the con-
cierge or desk staff at y our hotel, who ar e
likely to maintain a list of r eliable sitters
with whom they hav e worked in the past.
Many of the hotels wor k with the
Ameri-
can ChildCare Service
(
&
312/644-7300;
www.americanchildcare.com), a state-
licensed babysitting service that can match
you with a sitter. The sitters are required to
pass background checks, pr ovide multiple
child-care r eferences, and be trained in
infant and child CPR. I t's best to make a
reservation 24 hours in advance; the office
is open from 9am to 5pm. Rates are about
$19 per hour , with a 4-hour minimum
and a $20 agency fee (you're also expected
to give the sitter a cash tip).
BUSINESS HOURS
S hops generally
keep normal business hours, M onday
through S aturday fr om 10am to 6pm.
Most stores generally stay open late at least
1 evening a week. And cer tain businesses,
such as bookstores, are almost always open
during the ev ening hours all w eek. Most
shops (other than those in the Loop) ar e
now open on Sunday as well, usually from
noon to 5pm. M alls ar e generally open
until 7pm and on Sunday as well. Banking
hours in Chicago ar e normally fr om 9am
(8am in some cases) to 5pm M
AMERICAN EXPRESS
T ravel-service
offices ar e located in the Loop at 55 W.
Monroe St. (
&
312/541-5440
) and just
north of the Tribune Tower at 605 N.
Michigan Ave.
AREA C ODES
The
312
ar ea code
applies to the Loop and the neighbor-
hoods closest to it, including River North,
North M ichigan A venue, and the G old
Coast. The rest of the city is under the
773
area code. S uburban ar ea codes ar e
847
(north),
708
(w est and southw est), and
630
(far west). You must dial “1” plus the
area code for all telephone numbers, ev en
if y ou are making a call within the same
area code.
ATM NET WORKS/CASHPOINTS
S ee
“Money & Costs,” p. 39.
AUTOMOBILE ORGANIZ ATIONS
Motor clubs will supply maps, suggested
routes, guidebooks, accident and bail-bond
insurance, and emergency road service. The
American Automobile Association (AAA)
is the major auto club in the United States.
If you belong to a motor club in your home
country, inquir e about AAA r eciprocity
before you leave. You may be able to join
AAA even if you're not a member of a recip-
rocal club; to inquir e, call AAA (
&
800/
222-4357;
www.aaa.com). AAA is actually
an organization of regional motor clubs, so
look under “AAA Automobile Club” in the
White P ages of the telephone dir
onday
ectory.
