Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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.

Activities & attractions in Evanston

Lock Chicago Escape Rooms
Activities•Escape Room

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. For delicious green meals, Zentli (1813 Dempster) and Soli Grill (1709 Benson Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Evanston.

When to visit Evanston

Evanston in January
Estimated hotel price
$117
1 night at 3-star hotel
Evanston in January
Estimated hotel price
$117
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. Airlines that fly from the United States to Evanston include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The shortest domestic flight to Evanston departs from Tampa and takes around 2h 38m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Evanston. The train journey from Evanston to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $29 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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Evanston, including Amtrak, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Madison, the bus ride to Evanston takes 180 miles and will cost you around $74. From Champaign, the ticket costs about $30 for a journey of 190 miles.

Plane

When flying to Evanston, you’ll arrive at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD), which is located 12 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Evanston include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The shortest domestic flight to Evanston departs from Tampa and takes around 2h 38m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Evanston. The train journey from Evanston to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $29 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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Evanston, including Amtrak, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Madison, the bus ride to Evanston takes 180 miles and will cost you around $74. From Champaign, the ticket costs about $30 for a journey of 190 miles.

Airports near Evanston

MKEMilwaukee-Mitchell
SBNSouth Bend/Michiana

Airlines serving Evanston

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,922 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,076 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (7,961 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,287 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,317 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (851 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,459 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,066 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Evanston

Where to stay in Evanston

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include The Gem Museum Suites and Super 8 by Wyndham Chicago IL.

Most popular hotel in Evanston by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Evanston

Most booked hotels in Evanston

See all
Chicago Marriott Suites O'Hare
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 582 reviews)
$179+
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Graduate by Hilton Evanston
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 674 reviews)
$163+
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Hyatt House Chicago/Evanston
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 546 reviews)
$194+
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DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport - Rosemont
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 725 reviews)
$150+
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Hyatt Regency Ohare Chicago
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 2311 reviews)
$123+
View
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago North Shore/Evanston
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 450 reviews)
$166+
View

Renting a car in Evanston

Renting a car in Evanston costs $40 per day, on average, or $81 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 31% cheaper than airport locations in Evanston.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Evanston is Full-size (GMC Yukon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Sentra or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Evanston costs $40 per day, on average, or $81 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 31% cheaper than airport locations in Evanston.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Evanston is Full-size (GMC Yukon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Sentra or similar) are, on average, 62% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Evanston

Full-size SUV

5 Adults, 2 Bags

$53/day

Full-size SUV
Find car rentals in Evanston

Evanston Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Evanston city guide for the best Evanston travel tips. To help you organize your Evanston trip ideas, this Evanston visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.