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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Deerfield
Deerfield, Illinois
Deerfield is a convenient stop for a meal or a hotel near Chicago's northern suburbs, not a destination: half a day for a walk downtown and a look at the Pie House (private residence, view from street only), or one night if you need a base near Lake County.
Deerfield is a small, affluent village in Lake County, about 40 km north of Chicago. Its main draw is the unusual Pie House, a trapezoidal house built to fit a narrow lot. Most travellers use it as a sleep or eat stop when visiting the northern suburbs or heading to/from Milwaukee. The downtown has a few restaurants and a Metra station for easy Chicago access.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Deerfield, Illinois
- Best months
- May–October
- Avoid
- January–February (cold, snow)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $80–120 excl. bed · Mid $120–200 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911 · Deerfield Police (non-emergency) 847-945-8636
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Lunch (sandwich or salad) | $10–15 |
| Dinner (sit-down, per person) | $20–40 |
| Beer (domestic, bar) | $5–7 |
| Taxi from O'Hare to Deerfield | $35–50 |
| Metra one-way to Chicago | $6.00 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ORD · O'Hare International Airport
- About 25 km (16 mi) south; 25–40 min by car, or Metra + Blue Line (check)About 16 mi (25 km) south; 25–40 min by car, or Metra + Blue Line (check)
- MDW · Midway International Airport
- About 50 km (31 mi) south; 45–60 min by car (check)About 31 mi (50 km) south; 45–60 min by car (check)
Typical fares
- O'Hare → Deerfield by taxi
- $35–50, about 25 min
- Deerfield → Chicago Union Station by Metra
- about $6.00, about 50 min (check)
- I-94 toll (I-Pass)
- about $1.50 each way (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is easiest. Metra Milwaukee District North line stops at Deerfield station; about 50 min to Chicago Union Station (check). PACE buses serve the area (check).
See and do
Known for
- Pie House
- Corporate headquarters (e.g., Walgreens, Baxter)
- Metra commuter rail to Chicago
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Metra Milwaukee District North from Deerfield station, about 50 min | About 1 h 15 min |
| Schaumburg | I-94 west to I-290, about 25 min by car | About 30 min |
| Rosemont | I-94 south, about 20 min by car | About 25 min |
| Arlington Heights | I-94 west to Arlington Heights Road, about 15 min by car | About 20 min |
| Buffalo Grove | Lake Cook Road west, about 10 min by car | About 15 min |
| Des Plaines | I-94 south, about 15 min by car | About 20 min |
Sleep
- Lake Cook Road corridor
- Hotels near I-94; Courtyard, Embassy Suites, Hyatt, Marriott Suites, Residence Inn. Car needed.
- Downtown Deerfield
- Limited options; walkable to restaurants and Metra station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it?how much is it |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom?where is the bathroom |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?can I pay by card |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- I-94 can be congested during rush hours (7–9 AM, 4–7 PM).
- Downtown is small; most attractions are spread out along Waukegan Road and Lake Cook Road.
- Pie House is a private residence; view from the street only.
Deerfield has low reported crime. Typical US precautions: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible. Traffic on Waukegan Road and Lake Cook Road is the main hazard. Check current local guidance for any changes.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Deerfield yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pie House
- Corporate headquarters (e.g., Walgreens, Baxter)
- Metra commuter rail to Chicago
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Deerfield (Illinois), revision 4707587 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4707587
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
DeerfieldDeerfield, Illinois
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
- Deerfield Police (non-emergency)847-945-8636
Embassies are in Washington, DC. Consulates in Chicago: see /chicago.
English is universal.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/deerfield-illinois). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.