loubiblu

Booked our flights to head out to Chicago on our first recce. We're looking to rent a large (min 5 bed) family home within 30-45 mins of Schaumburg. Have had recommendations of Barrington, Weaton and Napperville. Opinions please

phodg

The towns you listed are all about an hour from Chicago, but within 30-45 mins of Schaumburg. Naperville is very popular with families and has a nice downtown. Barrington is also nice. Wheaton would be third on that list for me.
Much like anywhere else, the closer you get to the city the more expensive the property tends to be (although towns like Lake Forest, Hinsdale etc. are exceptions to that).

loubiblu

Thanks. OH office will be in Schaumburg. He is looking to cut his current 1.5-2 hr commute by at least half. We still want some 'city' feel (eg culture, eating out, theatre) without living in the city.

RICH

Try the John Hancock maintenance tour
BBC News - Workers carry out maintenance on Chicago tower

jeepster

Barrington, Inverness, Barrington Hills, South Barrington are all upscale. Naperville and Wheaton are a bit of a commute. Palatine is closer, so is Arlington Heights both are located along the commuter train. You may want to look at Park Ridge (borders Chicago Proper).

loubiblu

Thank you, we noticed a few nice places in Arlington Heights on Zillow. Do these neighbourhoods have walkable amenities or will I have to drive to grab milk etc? I'm used to walking and cycling everywhere.

jeepster

Des Plaines, Mt. Prospect, Arlington Hts., Palatine are closest to Schaumburg and along the train (Old Chicago and Northwestern line, Metra) to get you to downtown Chicago. They all have Main street shopping areas and bicycling and walking is doable and people do it, but it's the exception and not the rule. Most people drive in Suburban America. In your case (5 bedroom house, boatload of kids?) get a mini van for you and what ever for hubby commuting to work. Chicago has a green belt along the Des Plaines river (nearby above villages) and bicycle paths through the forest that go on forever, most bicyclists are there.

Pulaski

For about 4 months it will be too cold to cycle or walk. If you think the cold doesn't bother you, you haven't lived in Chicago in winter. And for about 4 months it will be too hot, unless you enjoy turning up at your destination dripping in sweat.

loubiblu

Will certainly be getting 2 cars. That Blue Line corridor from O'Hare is where we've been concentrating our internet searches so far. Trip out for a proper feel of an area though.

Colder than the North East Pulaski? We don't wear coats up here

Still gives me 4 months of cycling (I'm a bright side kinda girl!)

Pulaski

Trust me, the mid west gets COLD, like we don't get in the UK; I am from Yorkshire BTW. The closest the UK gets is when the winter winds come off the Polish plain and temperatures plunge well below freezing. In Chicago temperatures plunge below 0° .... Fahrenheit. The average daily high temperature in January is 32°F.

loubiblu

I'll schedule a visit to 'Layers R Us' before we head out :-). Thanks for all the great advice so far.

phodg

Oh yeah. It's going to be 91F here this weekend. But last January we had high temperatures of -17F (-27C) without windchill. That's -41F (-42C) with windchill. Plus 82 inches of snow over the Winter. You haven't felt cold until you've been here in Winter, believe me. The hairs in your nose actually freeze when you breathe in.
It was so cold last year that a lot of businesses actually closed for a day or two, because it was dangerous to go out.

jeepster

A mild winter in Chicago is like London, a cold winter is like Moscow and curiously Chicago is on the same latitude as Rome, Italy.

phodg

Yeah. I've been here 23 years now and the Winters usually aren't that brutal. Last year was the worst combination of snow and cold I can remember. We usually get a lot of one and a bit of the other, not both together.

Pulaski

As with most things in life, prepare for the worst, and be happy when it isn't that bad.