Great Lakes Navy Graduation: Family Van Travel Guide

published on 28 October 2026 | updated on 28 October 2026

Your recruit has made it through boot camp, and now the family is heading to Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois, to watch the graduation ceremony, known as Pass-in-Review, at Recruit Training Command (RTC). Many families fly in to O'Hare or Midway and then need to get everyone to the base early, on time and together.

This guide covers the drive north, the graduation week timeline, base access, liberty and nearby things to do. Chicago Van Rentals is a private rental company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Navy. Rules at RTC can change, so always follow the current guidance on the official RTC graduation page and what your sailor tells you.

Quick facts

Where: Naval Station Great Lakes, North Chicago, IL, about 40 miles north of downtown Chicago.
Drive time: about 45 minutes to an hour from O'Hare and about an hour or more from Midway, depending on traffic.
Ceremony day: Pass-in-Review is held on Thursdays, with the ceremony listed from 9:00 to 10:30 AM.
Best season: graduations take place throughout the year. Summer is best for the lakefront and seasonal attractions; in winter, pack warm layers for the early-morning wait by Lake Michigan.
Which van fits: the 7-passenger minivan for a small family; a 12 or 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter when grandparents, siblings and luggage come along.

Flying in: O'Hare or Midway, then north to Great Lakes

O'Hare is the closer airport to North Chicago. Our Melrose Park location (3217 W Lake St) is about 13 minutes from O'Hare, and our Berwyn location (6825 Ogden Ave) is about 13 minutes from Midway. See our O'Hare van rental and Midway van rental pages for details.

Pickup locations are open 7 days a week from 8 AM to 5 PM, and you can book online 24/7. If you land in the evening, plan to pick up the van the next morning. Many families stay in Lake County hotels near the base, in towns such as Gurnee, Waukegan and Libertyville. The base's Navy MWR travel page (navylifegl.com/rtc) lists area hotels, some with graduation rates; the listings are not a Navy endorsement.

The round trip uses only a small part of the 250 free miles included with every rental day, pooled across your rental. See our North Chicago van rentals page.

Graduation week timeline

Exact dates depend on your sailor's division, so check the official schedule. A typical week looks like this:

Before graduation week: your recruit lists guests on the Security Access Form, which must be submitted before the Monday of graduation week. Only the recruit can change the list.
The day before graduation: fly in, pick up the van and drive north. Every guest picks up a free ticket in person at the Recruit Family Welcome Center, off base at the Navy Exchange (NEX) Burkey Mall, 2650 Green Bay Road, North Chicago. The official page lists hours of 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM the day before graduation. Check before you go.
Graduation day (Thursday): the Welcome Center is also open from 5:30 to 8:30 AM. The gate and drill hall open to guests at 6:30 AM, guests must be seated by 9:00 AM when the doors close, and the ceremony runs until about 10:30 AM. RTC suggests arriving about 1.5 hours early.
Liberty: the official page lists liberty on the day after graduation from 0800 to 2100, with sailors back in their division compartment by 2100. News reports from 2025 describe overnight liberty for eligible sailors from Thursday night. Ask your sailor what applies to them.
Departure: RTC notes that sailors going to "A" school at Great Lakes will likely transfer right after graduation, and those going out of state may leave the next day. Ask your sailor for their departure details. The Navy transports sailors to their next command, so they cannot ride home or on to school with the family.

Relatives who cannot travel can watch: RTC livestreams the ceremony on Thursdays at 9 AM Central on its Facebook and YouTube pages.

Base access and what to bring

These points come from the official RTC graduation page at the time of writing. Read the current page before you travel.

Guest list: the official forms are for three or four guests. Children 2 and under do not count toward the limit; everyone 3 and older, including military guests, must be on the access list.
ID: guests 18 and older need a REAL ID, a valid passport or another accepted combination of ID. Minors can use a student ID, driver's permit, Social Security card or birth certificate.
Bring: your photo ID and your graduation ticket. If you drive on base, the driver needs a driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance or the rental agreement, so keep your rental paperwork in the van.
Allowed: a small bag or purse, a small diaper bag, a small camera bag and a personal wheelchair or walker. Strollers and car seats are allowed but discouraged.
Not allowed: large bags, backpacks, luggage, posters, signs, banners, large tripods, gift bags and flowers, plus alcohol, drugs, knives and other weapons.
Getting in: walk-on guests use Gate 8, next to the Metra station. Drivers should expect security checks and park in the structure next to the Visitor Center. All guests are screened at the Visitor Center, and bags and vehicles may be searched. No cell phone use while driving on base.

Leave luggage and gifts in the van or hotel. If you park in a garage, check the posted height clearance before you drive in with a high-roof van.

Liberty with your new sailor

Liberty is time off base with family, and the official rules are strict: sailors may not drink alcohol, use tobacco, visit tattoo or piercing parlors, hitchhike or drive, and they must follow the uniform rules they are given. That makes a family van useful, because one family member drives and everyone, including your sailor, rides together.

A few practical tips from the official guidance:

Count a seat for your sailor when you choose the van. Your group grows by one after the ceremony.
Sailors cannot ride in private vehicles from the main gate to their barracks, so drop them off early enough to walk back before 2100.
Bags are inspected on return, and food, tobacco, magazines and portable electronics are on the contraband list. Enjoy a big meal together, but do not send snacks back with them.

Things to do near Naval Station Great Lakes

National Museum of the American Sailor: just outside Gate 1 at 2531 Sheridan Road. Admission is free, no base pass is needed, and it is listed as open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM, closed federal holidays. Check before you go.
Illinois Beach State Park: near Zion, with more than six miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, a beach, dunes and trails.
Gurnee: home to Gurnee Mills for shopping and Six Flags Great America, a seasonal amusement park. Check the park calendar before you plan around it.
Libertyville and Waukegan: easy stops for a relaxed meal and a walk.

Your sailor may have limits on where they can go, so confirm plans with them before you leave the base.

Which van for your group

All of our vans are self-drive, which means you drive the van yourself. The main driver must be at least 25 (21+ with a CDL, a business account or approval), and up to 2 additional drivers are free. Compare every van on our rental fleet page.

Small family, 3 or 4 guests plus your sailor: the 7-passenger minivan, from $50 a day, with about 2 ft of space for bags behind the last row.
Extended family with suitcases: the 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter, with about 4 ft of space behind the last row. For 15 people with suitcases, this is the van we recommend.
Mid-size group: the Mercedes Sprinter 12 or the Ford Transit 12, which has about 3.5 ft behind the last row. The Ford Transit 15 seats more people but has no space behind the last row, so plan your luggage carefully.
Comfort for the drive: every Mercedes Sprinter has a 32-inch smart TV, Xbox, DVD/Blu-ray, USB/power and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Our luxury Sprinters (Road Cruiser 10, Golden Chariot 12/15 and Grand Recliner 12/15) add extra comfort. The Ford Transits and the minivan have no TV.

FAQ

Can my sailor drive the rental van during liberty?

No. The official RTC liberty rules say sailors may not drive. A family member on the rental agreement should do all the driving.

How early should we leave for the ceremony?

RTC suggests arriving about 1.5 hours early. Guests must be seated by 9:00 AM, when the doors close, and you need your ticket from the Welcome Center first.