Last weekend, I utilized a little secret I learned in the early ’90s when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were taking off into the stratosphere. I drove to Milwaukee to see a Bulls game.

On the surface, the 75-mile drive seems silly, when I could just drive 15 miles to the west downtown area of Chicago, but things aren’t always as they seem. My original trip to Milwaukee was caused by the difficulty and expense in getting Bulls tickets here. I went on the Milwaukee Bucks website and saw tickets were still available for that night’s game against the Bulls. We left my place around 6 p.m. and got there in time to purchase tickets at face value and get to our seats before the game started.

Another positive was street parking for $2 within a block of the Bradley Center. Chicago traffic can be horrible. Timing things is impossible. The trip to the Chicago Stadium (now the United Center) could take anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours. Parking is expensive, and dining options are limited.

Since my first trip, I have gone north of the border every year to see the Bulls play. I have enjoyed many great dining options within walking distance of the Bradley Center. We have even stayed overnight at one of the nearby hotels at a very reasonable rate. Over the years, I have seen an increasing number of Chicagoans make this same trip. Even with more Chicagoans coming north, it is still a great option. In fact, some games almost seem like Bulls home games.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor