By Astro Cat

If you are planning a trip to Evanston and have never been here before, the following may be helpful to you. Evanston is a safe, family-friendly town in which to attend a sporting event. On football weekends, you can usually find small groups of fans from other Big Ten schools roaming around, decked out in their team colors. Most of the local residents and people who work in Evanston are not fanatical about college football, so it unlikely that anyone will give you a hard time for wearing your school's colors. Keep in mind that this is the Chicago area, and life here does not revolve around college sports. The majority of local fans are focused on Bears, Cubs, Sox, and Bulls, as well as so many other entertainment options it boggles the mind.

Evanston has some aspects of a big city and some aspects of a well-heeled suburb. Like a big city, strangers may come up to you and ask you for money. You may also see vendors selling a weekly newspaper called Streetwise, which is legal way for homeless people to earn money. If you are agreeable, give them a dollar. That is the usual amount.

Evanston is perched on the shores of Lake Michigan. It serves as a buffer zone between the city of Chicago to the south and the affluent suburbs of the north shore. The three areas of interest are the stadium area (note that the football and basketball stadiums are next to each other), the campus, and the downtown area. If you think of the layout as being like a large clock laying face up, the stadium area is at ten o'clock, the downtown area at six o'clock, and the campus at three o'clock. For street maps, enter the following addresses into your favorite map site (Yahoo, MapQuest, Google, etc.).

For a map of the streets near the campus:

2200 Sheridan Rd.

Evanston, IL

For a map of Evanston's downtown:

1700 Sherman Ave.

Evanston, IL

For a map of the stadium area:

1501 Central St.

Evanston, IL

For a map of Evanston's downtown:

1700 Sherman

Evanston, IL

For the official brochure in PDF format with parking info and a local map, click here and then click on "Complete Version."

For directions to the stadium, click here.

The stadium and the arena sit on a relatively small parcel of land in the middle of an urban/residential area. There are two parking lots directly adjacent to Ryan Field (the east and west lots), which serve both football and basketball. For basketball games these two lots are open to the public (for a fee, of course) and are large enough to handle the basketball crowds. However, for football games, these two lots are reserved for season ticket holders who have enough priority points to obtain the highly coveted passes needed to park there. Everyone else must park elsewhere, and there are no other large, open areas of land near the stadium.

The rest of this section applies to football games, since parking in the stadium lots is usually not a problem for basketball games. Likewise, tailgating is not an issue for people attending basketball games.

Local fans without stadium parking passes (such as me, for example) usually know where to find street parking within a 15-minute walk of the stadium. They have knowledge of the residential streets of Evanston and Wilmette, and they are familiar with the game-day parking restrictions. In general, if you arrive early enough on a Saturday morning, you will probably find free street parking within a reasonable walk of the stadium. The key word is EARLY. Also, read the posted signs regarding parking restrictions. Several streets have two-hour parking limits during the day, and you can trust that the parking enforcement officials will be out in force.

There are a few private lots along Central Street, west of Ryan Field, and these are available for a fee on game days. For example, Maday Auto Service (on Central, just east of Greenbay Road) usually rents out their lot. However, these lots are small and they can fill up quickly. You can also find some pay lots along Green Bay road (both north and south of Central Street). These usually cost $15 - $20, depending on the crowd level. Some may offer shuttle busses to the game.

There is tailgating at the stadium for those who have parking passes. You can usually find at least a few tailgates for visiting fans going on there. I don't know how the visiting fans managed to obtain parking passes, but I suspect that they made a deal with a season ticket holder. Most of the tailgating occurs in the west lot, but the east lot has its share. For people without parking passes, tailgating occurs in the campus lots and in a few other locations.

For the reasons listed above, many visiting fans wind up tailgating in the campus lots, which are about a mile east and a few blocks south of the stadium. The campus lots are free and unlike the east and west stadium lots, they don't kick the fans out two hours after the game is over.

For more information on the campus lots, check out the following URL. When the web page appears, click on "Complete Version" to download the official Ryan Field brochure in PDF format. The brochure has a parking lot map, and on this map, the campus lots are labeled 1 through 4. These are probably your best bets for visitor tailgating.

For more information on the campus lots, click here.

The lots on the map labeled 7, 8, 11 and 12 are parking garages in downtown Evanston and I don't recommend tailgating inside a parking garage. Lot 5 is usually less than half-filled (unless it is a sold out game), but not much tailgating goes on there. I don't have any information on lots 6, 9, and 10. I would say that many visiting fans seem to use the campus lots that labeled 1, 2 and 3 on the map.

Officially, kegs are not allowed in university lots in the Big Ten. Nevertheless, I've seen them there. Use discretion.

Allow plenty of time to get to your seat in Ryan Field. I have seen VERY long lines form at the gates for the visitor sections. This is partly due to the heightened security rules that have now become a way of life at big sporting events.

This section is intended primarily for fans attending football games in Evanston. If you are not tailgating, I generally tell visitors to park downtown and use the free shuttle buses to get to the stadium. This has some advantages and disadvantages. By heading directly for downtown Evanston, you avoid the traffic jam near Ryan Field and also near the intersection of Green Bay road and Central Street. Downtown Evanston also offers many restaurants and bars for you to enjoy before and after the game. The disadvantages are that you cannot do your own tailgating in the downtown garages and you will probably have to walk back to downtown after the game because the shuttle buses simply cannot handle everyone leaving the stadium at the same time.

As for using the shuttle buses to take you from downtown Evanston to the stadium, the PDF file mentioned above shows the location of the downtown parking lots and the shuttle stops. The shuttle buses from downtown Evanston to the stadium are reliable, provided you use them at least 75 minutes prior to kickoff. If you try to use them within an hour of kickoff, you may find that the buses are already full before they get to your stop, although this varies depending on which stop you use and how crowded the game is. The main downtown parking garage is on Maple, a little north of the Century Theatres and across the street from Chili's. There is a shuttle pick-up point across the street from this garage, on the corner of Clark and Maple.

If the weather is nice, you can walk to the stadium from downtown Evanston in about 35 minutes. Walk west to Ridge Avenue, then north to Central, then west on Central to the stadium.

Other ways to get from downtown Evanston to the stadium include taxis (especially Norshore Cab which seems to have taxis stationed in Evanston all the time, 847-864-7500) and the CTA trains (board at Davis Street in downtown Evanston and go north -- away from Chicago/Howard -- and get off at Central). You can also use CTA buses, which can drop you off directly in front of the stadium on Central Street.

TThe Northwestern campus is beautiful, especially in the fall. It is right on Lake Michigan and has a scenic walking path near the lake. On the south border of the campus, the walking path connects with the jogging/biking paths of the Evanston park system. On a Saturday afternoon, I highly recommend walking around the campus and ending your walk with an ice cream cone or snack at Norris University Center. Anyone on campus can give you directions to Norris.

There are several cafes that feature free wireless Internet in Evanston. Simply walk up and down Sherman Avenue and/or Chicago Avenue. It should be very easy to find a hot zone. For example, on Chicago Avenue you will find Peet's Café (1622 Chicago Ave.), the Café Mozart (600 Davis St.), and Kafein (1621 Chicago Ave.). By the way, the Mozart Café has a mini-dessert for less than a dollar called a brownie bite, which I tend to overdose on. Kafein, which seems to be for cool people and aging hipsters, has a sandwich called "the world's greatest" that is unique and good. It's essentially a turkey melt on pita.

Location: 1711 Sherman Ave. 847-328-3105

On Sherman, a little north of Church.

Since the Osco closed, this is now the only pharmacy in the downtown area. It is within walking distance of all the downtown Evanston hotels.

What is it: an open air market where Midwest farmers sell produce and flowers

Location: The surface parking lot across from 1033 University Place. The lot is directly behind the Hilton Garden Inn. The farmer's market is held on Saturday mornings from about 7:30 AM until noon. They sell fresh fruits and produce, and it is simply a fun place to walk though. You can also buy flowers really cheap, so if you are bringing a date to the game, you can make a good impression without spending too much. It shuts down in early November.

What is it: used bookstore

Location: 1712 Sherman Ave. 847-869-6999

In the alley -- of course -- behind Seville Flowers (just off of Sherman, north of Church)

If you enjoy used bookstores or history, check out Bookman's Alley. It's a fascinating storehouse of interesting old relics, artwork, and books. Also, the guy who sits by the door has been there for decades, yet he never seems to age.

What is it: a large body of water

Location: Walk five blocks east of downtown Evanston

There is a nice park along the lake with a paved walking path. If you walk east along Church, Davis, or Grove, you will find the park and the path. Walk north on the path, and it winds itself into the Northwestern University lakefront campus, with its own set of walking paths. If you are staying in Evanston and wake up early on Saturday, it makes for a very enjoyable walk.

Evanston has more churches and places of worship within a short walk of downtown than any other place I know. Many of them are in beautiful old buildings. If you are in town for a game and feel the need to invoke some divine intervention, check one out. I recommend the First Presbyterian Church on the intersection of Lake Street and Chicago Avenue. This is where the memorial service for Coach Randy Walker was held in the summer of 2006. In the fall, Sunday services are at 9:15 AM and 11:00 AM.

Getting to Evanston from Chicago is relatively easy using either CTA trains or Metra trains. Both lines have stops at Davis street (downtown Evanston) and at Central street (the stadium).

The CTA trains (also known as "El trains" or "L trains") are elevated, electric-powered trains that run frequently and have many stops. It is relatively easy to take an El train to the game, but coming back after the game is another matter. You may have to wait in a long line to get a train back to Chicago. For information on CTA trains, click here.

Then, click on "Train Schedules" and examine the system map. The various lines are named after colors. From anywhere in Chicago, head for the Red Line and take it all the way north. It ends at Howard Street, where you transfer to the Purple Line and continue on to Central Street to get to the stadium (or Davis St. to visit downtown Evanston). Transferring from the Red Line to the Purple Line is easy and costs nothing extra. You get out of your Red Line car and walk to the other side of the platform and get on a Purple Line car (or wait a few minutes for the next Purple Line train to arrive). Avoid the Yellow Line, which takes you to Skokie.

While the system map shows the Purple line running all the way into Chicago, this is only true during weekday rush hour periods. On Saturdays, the Purple line stops at Howard Street, the southern border of Evanston.

If you are staying in downtown Chicago, your hotel desk should be able to guide you to the nearest CTA station. Once you arrive at a station, you will find vending machines that issue CTA cards with magnetic stripes. You have to put in $5 to get a new card, which is more than enough for a round trip from Chicago to Evanston.

Metra trains are diesel trains that run according to a fixed schedule and only stop in a few locations. On weekends, hourly service is the best you can expect. If you're coming from downtown Chicago and you're not too far from the main Metra station (the Oglivie Transportation Center on Madison Street), this may be the fastest way to get to the game. The stadium is on Central Street. For more information visit Metarail.com, then click on Quick Schedules, then on Metra Union Pacific North Line. On weekends, you can purchase a weekend pass for $5 that allows you to ride Metra trains all day for both Saturday and Sunday.

Evanston calls itself as the dining capital of the north shore, and it has good reason to make such a claim. Evanston is blessed with over one hundred restaurants, and a large number of them are not your run-of-the-mill chain eateries. I limited the list below to restaurants that I have tried myself and even then the list is still rather large. I include both restaurants and bars in the list, so check the description to determine the type of establishment.

Most of the restaurants are in the downtown Evanston area, which is an excellent reason to park there. Since kickoff is usually at 11:00 AM and the game will last about three hours, you can walk back for a late lunch and then collect your car. Most of the restaurants listed here serve lunch and dinner. Note that the only restaurants that will be open before 11:00 AM are the ones that serve breakfast.

Sadly, none of establishments in Evanston can be classified as a true sports bar, and I can honestly say that I don't know of any Evanston bar that can be referred to as Wildcat Central. Tommy Nevin's Pub is making an effort to fill that gap, but the atmosphere does not yet compare to sports bars at most other Big Ten schools. Still, Nevin's offers a genuine pub atmosphere with dark wood paneling and fine pub grub. They recently added several flat-screens and couple of large projection screens that definitely add to your viewing pleasure.

As for parking in downtown Evanston, it can sometimes be difficult, but certainly not the nightmare it is in some urban areas. The large parking garage on Maple Avenue, half a block north of Church Street, is a good choice. There is also a new public garage on the corner of Davis and Benson. There are many metered spaces along the downtown streets, but they are usually filled on weekends. If you happen to find an open space for metered parking, note that the meters are limited to two hours and the Evanston Parking Enforcement staff are very efficient when it comes to finding vehicles with expired meters. In downtown Evanston, you have to feed the meters until 9:00 PM (except Sundays). In other parts of Evanston, the meters stop at 6:00 PM. Also, do not leave your car in a metered space overnight. If it is found there after 2:00 AM it will be towed away.

The downtown area of Evanston, which includes most of the restaurants and bars, is generally safe during the day and early evening. However, it is probably best not to walk outside alone after midnight.

As of July 1, 2006, smoking is prohibited in:

- All businesses, including all restaurants, bars, and sidewalk cafes;

- All public enclosed areas, all workplaces, all schools;

- All common areas in apartment buildings and condominiums and housing cooperatives; and

- Within 25 feet of any entrance to an enclosed area in which smoking is prohibited.

Smoking is not regulated in:

Private residences except when used as a licensed child care, adult care, or health care facilities, or a home-based business open to the public, "provided that smoke from these places does not infiltrate into areas where smoking is prohibited" in the Evanston Clean Air Act - Smoking;

Up to 25% of hotel or motel sleeping rooms;

Retail tobacco stores; and

Private clubs or lodges.

Type: Bar on one side, full service restaurant on the other

Location: 1450 Sherman Ave., 847-869-0450

On Sherman, a few blocks south of Church and across the street from the Best Western hotel.

This is an Irish bar with wood floors and benches. It also has a restaurant with some decent Irish and American fare. Both the bar and the restaurant have outside seating in warm weather. The bar area has multiple rooms, including one with a couple of large screens that usually show Northwestern football games. People of all ages hang out at Nevin's. I've seen a lot of Evanston business owners here, along with college-age fans from Michigan and Ohio State.

Type: Bar that also serves food

Location: 1520 Sherman Ave. 847-733-8300

On the corner of Sherman and Grove, half a block north of the Best Western.

This is one of the Bar Louie chain, and as such, there is nothing Evanstonian about it. However, as bars go, it is a perfectly good one. They also have an outdoor seating area in warm weather.

Type: Bar that also serves food, student hangout

Location: 810 Grove St. 847-869-9987

On Grove, very close to Sherman and next door to Bar Louie.

This place has seen better days, but it serves well as a bar for students. It has multiple rooms, several of them with TV screens, but it does not have the reputation of being a place to find and interact with the sports watching crowd. On warm evenings during the school year, a large number of legal-age NU students stream into this place. A police car usually sits nearby on weekend evenings, and a person was shot here in June 2005.

Type: Bar that also serves food

Location: 1800 Sherman Ave. 847-733-7900

On the north side of the tall office building at the intersection of Sherman and Clark (in other words, a block north of Church).

This is a smallish bar with a nice atmosphere in the evening. Students and grad students show up here late in the evening. Not much goes on before 10:00 PM. The menu features many Thai items, which is unusual for a bar. However, they do have Tater Tots, which in my opinion is a good thing. Not too much sports watching goes on here, but they have a couple of small screens near the bar, and a projection screen that is occasionally used.

Type: Bar on one side, full service restaurant and bar on the other

Location: 1557 Sherman Ave. 847-328-0399

On Sherman, a little north of Grove, about one block north of the Best Western.

This is a high-quality steakhouse with two nice bars, one in the middle of the main dining room and the other in a separate room with pool tables. The restaurant is excellent, although the prices are steep. They usually have a live jazz combo in the evenings. With luck, you can find a seat at the bar in the dining room and enjoy the live music for the cost of a drink.

Type: Bar with live music most nights

Location: 1029 Davis St. 847-424-9800

On Davis, three blocks west of Sherman.

This is a real blues bar with live music every evening. The atmosphere is more like a gritty, neighborhood bar than any other place in Evanston. On weekends, they usually have a cover charge of $5 to $10. If you are in Evanston for the night, be sure to walk by and check out who's playing. Some top names in blues show up on the weekends. One Chicago-area artist who appears there roughly once a month is Melvin Taylor. He's a guitarist and in my opinion the heir apparent to Buddy Guy. Note that on weekday nights, the bar features non-Blues music of many varieties. They don't have much of a menu, but you can order Hecky's sandwiches.

Type: Bar that also serves food, but with a very limited menu

Location: 1715 Maple Ave.

This bar is located just off the upper lobby of the Century Theatres on Maple Ave. You go up the escalator, then through the glass doors on the right. Yes, the Evanston movie theatre has a full-service bar featuring live jazz music on the weekends. If you go to the movies, definitely stop by to have a drink before or after the movie. The Rhythm Room has a large screen, but I've never seen them show sports on it (except for a World Series). It is more a place for pleasant cocktails, and it is probably the most unique bar space in the area. The feeling is definitely upscale, with French movie posters, a cocktail pianist, and a nice view of downtown Evanston from the floor-to ceiling windows.

Type: Restaurant with a small bar area

Location: 1932 Central St. 847-424-0420

On Central, about a block west of Green Bay road. It is a ten-minute walk from Ryan Field. This is a small restaurant with a few flat screen TVs that usually show the Northwestern games. Because it is west of Green Bay road, few fans seem to be aware of it. On more than one occasion, I've actually found seating here immediately after a home game.

Type: Bar on one side, full service restaurant on the other

Location: 626 Church St. 847-864-4507

On Church, half block east of Orrington.

This is in the same space that used to be Roxy's. I heard that it was started by renegades from Tommy Nevin's Pub, so don't be too surprised that the menu is similar. It is much smaller than Tommy Nevin's, and the bar area has very limited seating. On Saturday afternoons it does not aim for the sports watching crowd. During the summer, they served "High Tea" on Saturday and Wednesday, which by the way is kind of fun, especially if you like scones. Of course, any place that serves Irish beer is okay in my book.

Type: Bar in the front as you come in, full service restaurant up a few stairs towards the back

Location: 1727 Benson Ave. 847-475-2229

On Benson, half block north of Church.

Land of BBQ in the form of ribs and pulled meat sandwiches. The bar has a Texas theme, and it is one of the more interesting bars in Evanston. They have a number of small, flat screens, scattered about. The back room has a large, projection screen.

Type: Bar in the front, full service restaurant in the back

Location: 1502 Sherman Ave. 847-864-8328

On Sherman, one block north of the Best Western (but on the opposite side of the street)

The front room has a bar and some tables, as well as large projection screen. The dining room is in back. They serve mostly American gourmet dishes, and the bar has a good selection of beers. Check your ticket stub because it sometimes has a discount coupon for this restaurant.

Type: Chain restaurant with a bar

Location: 1765 Maple Ave. 847-328-9068

On Maple, a half block north of the Century Theatres (and across the street from the large parking garage).

This is one of the Chili's chain and it seems to have done well in Evanston. The menu is rather diverse, and yes it does include their baby back ribs. The bar area has several small TV screens.

Type: Restaurant with a bar

Location: 1631 Chicago Ave. 847-869-3900

On Chicago Avenue, just south of Church.

A classy, but not too expensive, place for Italian food. The bar is mostly for people waiting for seating. No TV screens anywhere, even in the bar.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 1635 Chicago Ave. 847-864-6000

On Chicago Avenue, just south of Church.

Homemade pasta with large portions and low prices. This place has been an Evanston favorite for years.

Type: Restaurant with a bar

Location: 1615 Chicago Ave. 847-866-9900

On Chicago Avenue, halfway between Church and Davis

A Spanish tapas restaurant, which means small portions that are shared by all at the table. It has a bar area, but it is mostly for people waiting for a seat in the dining room. On warm evenings, there is a nice outdoor seating area.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 825 Church St. 847-733-9030

On Church, just east of Benson.

As you would expect from the name, this establishment serves Cajun food and other Southern specialties. The dining room is small, but the place is fun.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 1033 Davis St. 847-475-4940

At the intersection of Davis and Oak, which means it's about three blocks west of the main downtown.

It may be called the Pine Yard, but they serve Chinese food. There are many Chinese restaurants is Evanston. For some reason, I tend to frequent this one.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 1012 Church St. 847-328-0031

On Church, three blocks west of Sherman.

Carmen's has endured for over twenty years as an Evanston pizzeria. It is a bit smaller now, because they made room for new Brazilian restaurant next door, which I have not yet tried.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 707 Church St. 847-570-0100

On Church, between Sherman and Orrington.

The thing to order here is their amazing custom stir fry. They also have an interesting beer selection.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 817 University Place 847-328-2555

Near the intersection of Benson and Emerson, which is about two blocks north of Church

This Mexican restaurant has been around for many years. The prices are good and the portions are large. They usually give you free chips and salsa and will refill it as many times as you ask. Of course, they have Margaritas.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 501 Davis St. 847-869-3474

Davis Street, two blocks east of Sherman.

This is the most popular seafood restaurant in Evanston. They have a small bar area, but it is usually used only on weekends by those waiting for a seat in the dining room.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 1735 Benson Ave. 847-864-8600

On Benson, almost a block north of Church.

For those who want something more elegant (and expensive). They offer 32 wines by the glass, and even if the restaurant is filled, you may be able to find a seat at the small bar for a glass of wine.

Type: Restaurant

Location: 1010 Church St. 847-905-1550

On Church, 2 1/2 blocks west of Sherman

This is a more upscale Mexican restaurant (at least compared to Las Palmas), but still not too expensive.

Type: Chain restaurant

Location: 1850 Sherman Ave. 847-328-5400

On Sherman, two blocks north of Church (where Yesterday's used to be)

Those who loved Yesterday's restaurant will probably never forgive the Malnati's chain for opening a restaurant in that space. However, they make an amazing pizza with such high-quality ingredients that I have to forgive them, even if it is a chain restaurant. The dining room is small, and they do a hefty take out business.

Type: Breakfast and lunch

Location: 827 Church St. 847-328-4880

On the corner of Church and Benson. This is one of the most popular places to have breakfast in downtown Evanston.

Type: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Location: 720 Clark St. 847-864-1610

On Clark St., half a block east of Sherman (and slightly west of Burger King)

They usually have seating available even when the other breakfast places are filled. They are also open late most nights.

Type: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Location: 153 Green Bay Road, Wilmette 847-251-6000

On Green Bay road in Wilmette, about a mile north of Central Street.

Walkers Brothers' Tiffany-style stained glass windows and amazing breakfast fare are a legend on the North Shore. Although Walker Brothers is now a chain, the original restaurant maintains its unique atmosphere. The real specialty here is breakfast foods, especially the huge baked apple pancake and the Belgian waffles a la mode. On many mornings, there is long line waiting for tables. When I was student, a long night of partying usually ended with going out for breakfast at Walker Brothers.

Type: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Location: 1565 Sherman Ave. 847-570-0600

On Sherman, half a block south of Davis.

For those who are fond of crepes, a restaurant dedicated to this food type.

Type: buffalo wings, burgers, and dogs joint

Location: 812 Clark St. 847-328-5525

On Clark, west of Sherman and east of Benson

This place is one of the favorite haunts of many Northwestern students and fans. Their specialty is buffalo wings, which you can order with three different sauces: mild, spicy, and suicide. They also have a grill that can cook up a surprisingly diverse array of burgers, dogs, and sandwiches, as well as chili, baked potatoes (of many kinds), fries (they call them buffalo chips), and even corn on the cob. It's all counter service, where you place your order and pick it up when ready. What I like about this place is that they offer beer, which is rare for a restaurant without a wait staff. The beer selection is small, but you can get Rolling Rock or Berghoff for $2.75 a pint, which is very reasonable by Evanston standards. This is probably the best place in Evanston for wings and beer. They have a second location on Green Bay road, just north of Emerson, but that location does not serve beer.

Type: carry-out barbecue

Location: 1902 Green Bay Road 847-492-1182

On the corner of Emerson and Green Bay Road.

Everyone around here knows their motto: "It's the sauce." They specialize in carry-out ribs, chicken and other BBQ items, plus some of the best cornbread ever made. They are most certainly an Evanston institution.

Type: hot dog and burger joint

Location: 1613 Central St. 847-864-2700

On Central, just west of the stadium.

This hot dog/burger joint is a legend in Wildcat athletics. Over the years, virtually all NU players have eaten here. In the old days, when you were allowed to exit the stadium and get back in by showing your ticket, some people used to come here at halftime. Even today, you can usually find a crowd of people here before the game. Sometimes they have live music playing in the outside seating area. While I like Mustard's Last Stand, I have to admit that they just can't handle a large number of people. If the line is long, you may wait can seem like forever. This place is also an Evanston institution.

Type: Carry-out pizzeria

Location: 1001 Davis St. 847-328-0990

Davis, two blocks west of Sherman.

Thin crust pizza by the slice and grill items. Ask for the "super sausage" sandwich, which is made out of a large flat slab of the same sausage they use for pizza and covered with melted cheese, or the "super combo" sandwich which is similar but also has Italian beef. They have tacos that simply drip with grease (quite wonderful actually).

Type: Chain custom pita place

Location: 1571 Sherman 847-905-1455

On Sherman, a little south of Davis

Here you pick and choose what meats, veggies, and sauces you want on your pita. The meats are grilled, and the resulting pita-wraps are quite large and filling.

Type: Chain sandwich place

Location: 630 Davis St. 847-328-1800

The address says Davis Street, but they actually face Sherman, just south of Davis.

Although they are quite numerous in the midwest, people from outside the area may be unfamiliar with this chain. They offer hot sandwiches and real milk shakes. I mention them because they are open until 11:00 PM each night. They offer good milk shakes, too.

Type: Caramel corn and kettle corn

Location: 1739 Sherman Ave. 847-733-1300

On the east side of Sherman, between Church and Clark.

This place makes gourmet popcorn of all types. You can buy a small bag to munch on while walking around Evanston, or a large can to share.

Evanston has a number of hotels that are within a short drive of the stadium. Prices vary greatly depending on what events are going on in the local area. Around graduation time, getting a room can be almost impossible. The same is true when Ohio State or Michigan visit Evanston for a football game. For most other football weekends, expect to pay $130 to $250 per night. The neighboring suburb of Skokie also has a few hotels, but they tend to fill up for big games, too.

Even when the Evanston hotels are filled, it is almost always possible to find a reasonably priced room within a 30-minute drive of Evanston. Besides Chicago and Skokie, you can check for hotels in Glenview, Lincolnwood, Northbrook, and Wheeling. Glenview in particular seems to have hotel rooms that are not affected by the events going on in Evanston, and you can usually find rooms there for under $100/night.

I do not include a listing of Chicago hotels simply because there are so many of them. In general, you can drive or take public transportation from a downtown Chicago hotel to the stadium in 35 minutes to an hour. There are also plenty of hotels elsewhere in the metropolitan area, but keep in mind that it can take well over an hour to get to the stadium from some suburbs, especially from the western and southern suburbs.

Location: 1501 Sherman 847-491-6400

The Best Western (formerly a Holiday Inn), is on the corner of Sherman and Lake. It is across the street from Tommy Nevin's Pub. The stadium shuttle (well, actually a school bus) stops at this corner. The glowing Best Western sign at the top of this 12-story structure is nice landmark for finding your way around.

1625 Hinman Ave., 847-475-3300

This is an extended stay hotel with 90 rooms in a classic building that dates from the 1920's. They have several types of rooms ranging from "guest rooms" to two-bedroom apartments. For short stays (less than a week), they offer only the guest rooms. This establishment has an on-site restaurant called Quince. The hotel is about three blocks east of downtown Evanston. It offers indoor parking for its guests.

Location: 1710 Orrington Ave., 847-866-8700

The Hotel Orrington (formerly the Omni Orrington) is located on Orrington, between Clark and Church. It was completed revamped in 2004 and is now a very upscale hotel. This is probably the highest-priced hotel in Evanston. The Coaches Café, which used to be located in this hotel, is no more. It has been converted into the Globe Café. The food there is okay, but the Wildcat sports theme is gone. The main restaurant, Narra, is a European style steakhouse and on the expensive side. This hotel has a ballroom and convention center. The building itself is old, and even though it was fully remodeled, the room sizes are still small by today's standards. The rooms are well decorated, but the corridors are a bit drab. There are no nearby parking lots or garages, so you end up having to use valet parking. This hotel probably has the highest level of service and amenities of all the major hotels in Evanston. However, if the additional services are of no interest to you, then the value proposition may be better elsewhere.

Location: 1818 Maple Ave. 847-475-6400

The Hilton Garden Inn is located on the corner of Maple and University Place. It is very close to the Century Theaters and the large public parking garage. This hotel is only five years old.

Location: 1566 Oak Ave. 847-869-2273

The Margarita European Inn is located on Oak, between Davis and Grove. Think of it as something halfway between a hotel and a bed-and-breakfast. They often have rooms available when everything else in downtown Evanston is sold out. It's in a vintage building and has "European charm," which means that some rooms are dormitory style (no private bath). Also, I'm not sure if any of the rooms have air conditioning. The Va Pensiero restaurant on the ground floor is very good, if you can afford it.

The suburban town of Skokie is just west of Evanston. While I have not confirmed it, I suspect that all of the Skokie hotels listed below have free on-site parking.

9333 Skokie Blvd, Skokie 847-679-4200

One of the Comfort Inn chain, this hotel is located on Skokie Blvd a few blocks south of Golf road. The location is not as convenient as the Double Tree, but it is not bad either. Because of its proximity to Evanston, this hotel will cost more than you would usually expect for a Comfort Inn. It will take about 10-minutes to drive to the stadium, but allow more time if you arriving within an hour of kickoff.

Location: 9599 Skokie Blvd., Skokie 847-679-7000

This hotel is in Skokie on the corner of Golf road and Skokie Blvd. Until recently, it was a Doubletree hotel, and before that a Hilton. It is in a great location for those who love to shop. On the opposite corner is Old Orchard shopping center (now officially called Westfield Shoppingtown at Old Orchard). Also, the North Shore Performing Arts center is next door, so you might be able to combine a football game with a concert or a theatre performance. It is about a 10-minute drive to the stadium, but allow more time if arriving within an hour of kickoff.

Location: 5201 Old Orchard Road, Skokie 847-583-1111

The Hampton Inn & Suites Skokie is on Old Orchard road right at the Edens Expressway. It is within a 10-minute walk of Old Orchard shopping center, and it has a Ruby Tuesday restaurant next door. You can expect a 10-minute drive to the stadium, but allow more time if you arriving within an hour of kickoff.

Be sure to walk through the stadium tailgating areas (either east or west sides) and chat with the fans. If you are unable to score a free beverage from the tailgaters, you should visit an area north of the stadium called Wildcat Alley. They usually have free beer, courtesy of Goose Island Brewery. Each adult can get two drink tickets just for the asking. It opens two hours before kick-off. Wildcat Alley is located just north of the big building (Welsh-Ryan Arena, AKA McGaw Hall) that is immediately north of the stadium. The marching band plays a concert in Wildcat Alley approximately one hour before kick-off.

Wildcat Alley is a family-friendly place, and several activities for kids can be found there. Note that the beer is served in a roped-off area. Once you have a beer in hand, you are free to carry it into the rest of Wildcat Alley; you just can't carry it outside of Wildcat Alley. If you need a restroom, head into the lobby of Welsh Ryan and use their indoor restrooms, which are nicer than the portable ones near Wildcat Alley.

Enter the stadium and find your seat about 20 minutes before kickoff. If you are sitting in the areas designated for visiting fans, allow plenty of time to get to your seat. With the higher level of security, very long lines can form at some entry gates.

The Northwestern band will take the field about 15 minutes before kickoff. This may not be true for games in early September, as the band members may not have arrived on campus. At Northwestern classes do not start until late September, so early season games are often played without any students in the student section and with only a small pep band to provide music. While you are waiting for the band, check out the Wildcat statue in the south end zone.

The band will line up in the south end zone and march onto the field. They then pause as the drum majors are introduced. At this point, the three drum majors will bend over backward so that the tops of their hats touch the ground behind them. Next, the band will play the fight song and march to the north end zone to welcome the team. As everyone is waiting for the team, the large video screen will show images and animations to excite the crowd. At some point, a miniature UPS truck will drive onto the field to deliver the game ball. Willie the Wildcat has to sign for it.

The stadium is U-shaped, with the open end facing north. There are three main parts to the stadium: the west stands, the east stands, and the south stands. Only the west stands have an upper deck.

The stands in the south end zone are just an extension of the east stands that wrap around the southern end of the stadium and almost (but not quite) connect with the west stands. Even though the south stands do not connect with the west stands, fans can still move between the east and west stands by walking along the concourse corridor that underlies that west, east, and south stands.

The visiting team enters the field from the SW corner of the stadium. The west stands have two towers, and the entrance to the visitor's locker room is at the base of the south tower. The passageway that the visiting players must use to enter and exit the field intersects the above-mentioned corridor that the fans use to move between the east and south stands. Security personnel are on hand to block the corridor for roughly five minutes when it is time for the visiting players to enter or exit the field.

As some point during the game, usually at the start of the second quarter, they open up Touchdown Terrace. This is the low building immediately north of the north endzone. The Terrace is actually the rooftop of this building. It offers an end zone view of the field and they usually have some food vendors there.

When the game is over, you can walk back to the campus lots or to downtown Evanston. I do not recommend taking the shuttle busses, because too many people will be trying to use them at the same time

After the game, check out the clock tower in downtown Evanston, across the street from Burger King. When it gets dark, the face of the clock will glow either white or purple. It glows purple after a Northwestern victory. It's white after a loss. During the football season, the clock face will stay the same color until the next game. A few weeks after the football season is over, the clock reverts back to white.