AN EDUCATION, INNOVATION AND SHOPPING DESTINATION
Just 12 miles north of downtown Chicago—and also settled along the shores of Lake Michigan—Evanston was the site where a group of business leaders founded Northwestern University and Garrett Biblical Institute in 1851. Three years later, the founders made plans for a city to be named Evanston (after one of their leaders) and submitted them to the county for approval, which they received in 1857. Over the next several decades, the notable mansions and architecture by the lakefront earned Evanston the nickname “The City of Homes” by the 1920s.
Today, Evanston is still home to Northwestern University, as well as the Music Institute of Chicago and other schools. It’s also the headquarters of many organizations, such as Rotary International, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the National Lekotek Center (providing assistive technology, toys and expertise to disabled children), and a variety of fraternities and sororities. While Evanston is the recognized birthplace of Tinkertoys, its claim to being the place where the ice cream sundae was first created is contested by Ithaca, New York, Two Rivers, Wisconsin, Plainfield, Illinois, and other cities.
Hotels in Evanston, IL offer easy access to great shopping, with several commercial districts throughout Evanston, including: Downtown, which adjoins Northwestern University and has more than 300 businesses; Central Street, which is actually several shopping areas and includes specialty shops and restaurants with a “small-town,” walkable environment; Dempster Street, with over 60 shops—many of them hip and unique; Main Street Station, which is home to about three blocks of mostly independent shops and restaurants, as well as the Evanston Arts Depot; Howard Street, with many small shops along the border with Chicago.
For top-quality Evanston hotels, look for the Choice Hotels options nearby.
BOOK YOUR EVANSTON, IL HOTEL TODAY
Heading to Evanston, IL? Hotels in the area that are operated by Choice Hotels provide convenient and comfortable accommodations.