I'm actually very familiar with the area as I drive it very often... I guess it wasn't a detailed enough response on my part.  Once you get to the United Center... you should probably stop.  The same can apply to the south loop as it's been renovated too.  I probably wouldn't go past Cermak to visit someone (but of course there is Hyde Park as a big exception).  It really is a hard question to answer without breaking down in way too much detail.  I just threw out a general feeling.  If someone unfamiliar with Chicago is doing outcalls, I wouldn't stray far west or south of downtown.  There are exceptions and some may not be so bad depending on how comfortable you are in some areas... but without going into each specific address, there is no way to cover it all in a simple post.

I can definitely point out that west... say Pulaski and Jackson... is downright horrible.  A gas station clerk was murdered there the other day.  It's 10-15 minutes west of downtown.  Same can be said of Englewood just west of Hyde Park.  It's just too much to cover really.

-- Modified on 7/30/2012 11:04:58 PM

If you read her original post you would have noticed that she said she was getting a rental car.  My comment if you read it in context was directed at her cost of parking, not the people coming to see her.  And to your point, how long has it been since parking either downtown or Rosemont was $10?