Join fellow retreatants for fun, fellowship and sight-seeing in Chicago before and after the retreat! Events are being hosted by local volunteers on Thursday evening, July 25th and Friday, July 26th, as well as on Sunday afternoon/evening, July 28th.
If you would like to stay Sunday evening, July 28th, in the Chicago area, we are recommending retreatants stay at Springhill Suites Chicago O’Hare. It is convenient for those flying out on Monday from the O’Hare airport and has a free shuttle to the blue line. Though our group rate is no longer officially available, you can call and reserve a room and mention that you’re with “National Catholic Singles Retreat”. The phone number is 888-287-9400.
July 12th update: Friday’s bus for downtown Chicago is filling up. Registrations for Friday’s activities will close Sunday, July 21st. If the bus fills up first, certain options will no longer be available.
For those who’ll be arriving on Thursday afternoon/evening, we are planning to eat dinner off campus at Tighthead Brewing Company. We will gather at 6:15pm in building 300P (Conference Center Lodging and Registration) and carpool (or Uber) from there over to the brewery at 6:30pm. If you are arriving in Mundelein later than 6:15pm, feel free to come directly to the brewery and join us. We anticipate a fun and relaxing evening listening to live music, and enjoying food from Pizzeria Deville with a beer on the side!
Location: 161 N. Archer Avenue, Mundelein, IL 60060
Option 1 – Architecture TourJoin other retreatants for sightseeing downtown and lunch on Navy Pier! The group will take a 75-minute architecture tour by boat with the opportunity to see many of Chicago’s landmark buildings. Lunch together at one of the many great restaurants on the Pier will follow. July 21st: Please note the bus is sold out from Mundelein to Chicago and back, but there is still room on the Architecture boat tour. To register for this trip, please click here!
Schedule (Subject to change)
9:00am – Depart from USML Conference Center (meet at the Purple Parking Lot by 9am) in Mundelein for Navy Pier (with time to explore the pier)
11:15am – Meet at Shoreline Sightseeing on Navy Pier.
11:45am – 1:00pm Architecture Tour
1:00pm – 2:30pm Lunch
4:30pm Arrive back at retreat center
Costs:
Architecture Tour: $42
Round trip transportation from Mundelein to downtown Chicago: $13
Lunch: (Avg $15-$20 per plate, depending on restaurant – bring cash, lunch not included with online registration)
Option 2 – Catholic Church TourEnjoy a professionally guided visit through some of Chicago’s most gorgeous and historic churches. Join us to see one of the most magnificent paintings in Chicago, a restored apse mural of the heavenly hosts, to walk at the catacombs of a unique reliquary crypt, and to visit the church voted the Most Beautiful in 2016! To register for this pilgrimage, please click here! July 21st: Please note the bus is sold out from Mundelein to Chicago and back, but there will be space on the bus during the actual tour, so if you’d like to join the church tour by meeting the group at the first church, please purchase a ticket, and plan to travel to/from Chicago by another means of transportation.
Schedule (Subject to change)
9:00am – Depart from USML Conference Center in Mundelein for Chicago
11:30am – Navy Pier, drop off boat tour participants
11:50am – Holy Trinity Polish Mission: Exquisitely painted ceilings, brightly glided column and crypt reliquaries
12:45pm – St Stanislaw Kostka: “Mother Church” of Northside Poles & Sanctuary of Divine Mercy
1:30pm – Picnic at Pulaski Park: 1920s style park building and grounds.
2:30pm – St John Cantius, tour and meeting point for others returning to USML St John Cantius is known for full choirs and orchestral music, precious artwork and generous congregation – voted the most beautiful church in America in 2016.
4:30pm – Arrive back at USML retreat center
Costs:
Guided church tour – $42 (includes all transportation)
Boxed Lunch (sandwich, fruit, chips) – $13
Option 3 – Bus to Navy Pier for DIY sight-seeingCatch a ride on the bus from Mundelein to Navy Pier and enjoy some relaxed sightseeing on your own or with others. Don’t want to stay on Navy Pier? Take the free trolley and explore the Magnificent Mile and other Chicago attractions. Please note, the bus will return to Mundelein from St. John Cantius church, so you will need to take city transportation to arrive there (exact time of departure TBA). Cost: RT transportation from Mundelein to downtown Chicago: $15. SOLD OUT
Note on Transportation:
From Mundelein: For those staying Thursday night in Mundelein, a private bus will depart the retreat center for downtown Chicago at 9:00am. The architecture tour group will go to Navy Pier and the church tour group will continue on to visit the churches.
From Chicago: If you have your own transportation and would like to meet the tour groups downtown you are welcome to!
Architecture tour: meet at Shoreline Sightseeing on Navy Pier at 11:15am.
Church tour: meet at Holy Trinity Polish Mission, 1118 N Noble St, Chicago, IL 60642
We’ll be carpooling down to Chicago after the retreat ends on Sunday to explore the city with new friends, and enjoy dinner together before heading home, or to the airport/hotel. We’ll be able to stroll through Millenium Park and by Buckingham fountain and either:
Visit Shedd Aquarium – please purchase a group ticket here.
Or
Visit the Art Institute of Chicago – sign-ups will be available at the retreat and you can purchase your ticket at the door.
Whether you would like to visit the Aquarium, the Art Institute, or just stroll downtown, please sign up here if you’d like to be part of the carpooling crowd on Sunday.
Or just enjoy the afternoon with the other sights in the area: