Parking in Chicago

[Dionysus]

I just made reservations at the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel. Towards the end of the phone call she told me it will be $30 to park per day at the hotel. That sounds very expensive to me! PLEASE don't tell me that it costs that much to park everywhere else in Chicago - including popular tourists attractions like shops and museums. If we go to a hotel in the suburbs, can we excape a parking fee? I know that's true in St. Louis, but I don't know about chicago.

ETA: Will I be missing out on a lot if I don't stay at the HRC hotel? I heard sooo many good things about it and I visited the site and I was impressed, but I never been there before.