13 hotels across 8 Great Lakes campuses in 5 states, every one within a mile and a half of the campus it serves. 10 are under a mile, close enough to walk back between a ceremony and dinner, or to drop a carload of boxes and come back for the rest.
Distances are straight-line, measured from the hotel to the campus, which means they are consistent from one entry to the next and you can check them. The full method, and why there are no walking times, is in the main college stays guide.
Illinois: Hotels Near Illinois & Northwestern
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University are roughly 130 miles apart, one in a flat twin-city campus town and the other on Lake Michigan's shore in Evanston, just north of Chicago. Plan them as separate visits, and note that Evanston hotels carry Chicago-level demand during Northwestern's big weekends.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
I Hotel And Illinois Conference Center, 0.6 miles from campus. A hotel and conference center on South First Street in Champaign, with an on-site restaurant and easy access to the south end of the Illinois campus.
Yugo Guest Suites, 1.3 miles from campus. A suite-style property on North Lincoln Avenue offering more space than a standard hotel room, a practical choice for families settling in a student for a longer stay.
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Northwestern University
Graduate by Hilton Evanston, 0.7 miles from campus. A hotel on Hinman Avenue in downtown Evanston, a short walk from Northwestern's lakefront campus and steps from the Metra station for trips into Chicago.
Indiana: Hotels Near Notre Dame & Indiana
University of Notre Dame is on the north edge of South Bend, while Indiana University Bloomington is about two hours south, so these are two separate trips. South Bend hotels fill fast on home game Saturdays; Bloomington is a compact, walkable town where parking near campus is limited.
University of Notre Dame
Morris Inn, 0.5 miles from campus. A traditional full-service hotel on Notre Dame Avenue, directly on the Notre Dame campus perimeter and the natural choice for graduation and football weekend stays.
Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend, 0.9 miles from campus. An all-suite Embassy Suites on Angela Boulevard, a few minutes from Notre Dame's main gate, giving families a separate living area and a cooked-to-order breakfast.
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Indiana University Bloomington
Showers Inn, 0.5 miles from campus. A small inn on North Washington Street in a restored historic home, a few blocks from the Indiana University campus and the Monroe County Courthouse square.
Grant Street Inn - Bloomington, 0.4 miles from campus. A bed-and-breakfast on North Grant Street in a quiet residential block, suited to parents who prefer a low-key stay close to the IU campus.
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Michigan: Hotels Near Michigan & Michigan State
Ann Arbor and East Lansing are about 70 miles apart, so families visiting both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University will need a car and at least two nights. Ann Arbor is a walkable college town; East Lansing is quieter and more spread out around campus.
University of Michigan
The Vanguard Ann Arbor, Autograph Collection, 0.4 miles from campus. A design-forward hotel in downtown Ann Arbor, close to Main Street dining and a short walk or drive from the Michigan campus.
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Michigan State University
Marriott East Lansing at University Place, 0.8 miles from campus. A full-service Marriott on Mac Avenue in the heart of East Lansing, within easy walking distance of the MSU campus and downtown restaurants.
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Ohio: Hotels Near Ohio State
Columbus is a large city, and Ohio State University's main campus is on the north side, well away from downtown. Both hotels listed here are close to the Oval and the medical center, which is useful if your visit involves more than one building.
Ohio State University
The Blackwell Inn and Pfahl Conference Center, 0.6 miles from campus. A full-service hotel and conference center on the northwest edge of Ohio State's campus, well suited to families who want a quiet base close to the Oval and main academic buildings.
Marriott Columbus OSU, 1.3 miles from campus. A Marriott property on Olentangy River Road, convenient for families driving in, with easy access to Ohio Stadium and the main campus from the western side.
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Wisconsin: Hotels Near Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin-Madison campus runs along the southern shore of Lake Mendota, with State Street connecting it to the Capitol Square. Madison is easy to navigate on foot, and both hotels listed here put you within reach of the main academic buildings and the Memorial Union.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Madison Concourse Hotel, 1.4 miles from campus. A full-service hotel at the corner of West Dayton Street in downtown Madison, a short walk from the Wisconsin State Capitol and the University of Wisconsin's Bascom Hill.
Graduate by Hilton Madison, 1.0 miles from campus. A hotel on Langdon Street along the University of Wisconsin's fraternity row, putting families directly beside campus and the Memorial Union on Lake Mendota.
See all hotels near University of Wisconsin-Madison
Book around the campus calendar
Move-in in late August and commencement in May are the two dates everyone wants at once, and in a small college town there is nowhere else to put people. Family weekend and homecoming in October usually land on a home game, which doubles demand. Check the athletics calendar before the academic one.
If your dates are fixed and a pick above is full, use the "see all hotels" link under each campus. It searches from the campus rather than the city centre, so results come back in the right order.
