Surprise visit? How'd you pull it off?

[FloridaLovesChicago]

Have you ever gone to visit your SO completely by surprise? Or did your SO surprise you?
I'm curious as to how everyone pulls this off. I'd love to do this for my BF but it seems impossible. He's new to Chicago basically - he was given a promotion and relocated there last February by his employer. All of his family and friends that I know are in Ohio, so there's no one to help me out when it comes to surprising him. Obviously I could get there without being noticed...it's only a 3 hour flight, but after that...I'm at a loss. I know how to get to his apartment since I've stayed there before but he doesn't keep a spare key anywhere (except on top of his fridge...like thats gonna do him any good lol), and seeing as how I wouldn't be driving...hanging out in the car outside is out of the question. Plus, that's no fun!
I'm kicking myself for not getting a copy of his key before I left 2 weeks ago. I had joked around that I wanted a copy in case I ever needed to "run away" to Illinois and he said he'd give the one he had to me but of course I didn't want to take his only other copy. I really want to surprise him but I dont know what to do!

The only semi cute thing I could think of was to utilize the sweet ladies in the office at his apartment complex. I've only met 1 of them but we did have a long conversation so maybe she'd remember me. Whenever he gets a package delivered to the office, they have some system that texts him saying he has a package to be picked up. I was thinking maybe they would let me hang out in there long enough to send him the message and have him come by to get his "package" (aka MEEEEE). However...he lives in a very upscale community and I'm not sure how keen they are in random girls from florida hanging out in the office claiming they are a package that needs to be picked up lol I see this being a problem.

Does anyone have any ideas? Like I said...there's no friends or family in the state with him whom I am in contact with.

I guess I could always just break in his apartment jk jk I kid I kid.

HELP!

[lovefrom2800milesaway]

I've done this before but my SO lives at home so I had his sister and mom in on it and they picked me up and everything. ^_^

Are there no later flights or early morning flights that you could get on so that you'd arrive when he's at home either before/after work?
You could also try and catch him on his lunch break at work? I'd also propose asking his work place for some help too but seeing as he's semi-new to the area and job, I'm not sure how tight he is with his co-workers.

[FloridaLovesChicago]

Getting there before he leaves is impossible...he goes to work at 3 am! Every flight from here to there is in the morning. =( I'd be there at least 4 hours before he was able to leave work. He's also the manager for that shift so although I've spoken to some co-workers, they couldn't help him get out the door earlier or anything because he's the boss and can't leave until the next shift's manager is in place. I guess I could try to contact the other manager but I think she might hate me cause she's the one who has to cover his shifts when he takes time off to be with me lol
He doesn't take lunch breaks, either. I mean, technically he has a break he can take but he never does. I can't get in the building for security purposes (he works for a very large/popular company and has millions of dollars in merchandise in his building). I'm at a loss! I guess I could just get a cab to his apartment, hide my bag on his back porch and walk the mile to dunkin donuts and drink coffee for 4 hours. He actually visits the deli beside dunkin a lot for his "lunch" after he gets off work. He leaves his car running while he's inside, too. How funny would it be if I hopped in his car while he was getting his sandwich. Hahaha

[TaraMarie]

I've done it also. But I had help and showed up at his office. I would just wait at the airport and take a cab when he gets home from work.

[Schlafmütze]

With soooo many things to see and do in Chicago, I would either hide my bag on his back porch or bring a small suitcase/backpack I could take with. Then go to downtown Chicago to kill some time while he is at work. Believe me, you won't get bored. Play tourist for some hours, take pictures, check a new restaurant out, go to a museum, etc. Then when you know he is already at home, just take a cab and ring the door bell and surprise! // Getting around Chicago by public transportation is also not difficult. So yeah, I would basically play tourist until I know he is back home, then I'll show up. :-)

[Ziltoid555]

My SO surprised me last year by coordinating with my family. I thought I was coming home to meet my sister for dinner, and there he was on my front porch with his suitcase and a dozen roses It might be worth it to reach out to his family- even if they don't live close by, they might be able to work out logistics of a surprise visit. Are they planning a trip to see him any time soon? That would be an excellent opportunity to surprise him.

[FloridaLovesChicago]

Thank you for all your input! It looks as though I'll have lots more time to plan a surprise visit after all... in fact, he kinda pulled the switch-a-roo on me cause I ended up with the surprise! He didn't show up here but I did get email itinerary about noon today - it appears I'm flying back to Chicago the week of Jan 9th! He apparently "got bored" at work today and was looking at flights and "accidentally" purchased tickets and "mistakenly" put my information on them. Oops Silly him.
I just adore him and I love that he did this but I feel so bad at the same time. He just spent $500 on my Christmas present and now he does this. I can't do the same for him and I hate that! I know that's not what it's about but I still feel bad =/ Buuuuut, I'm still super excited! No New Year's kiss until a week and 2 days later - but I'll take it!

[whatruckus]

Thank you for all your input! It looks as though I'll have lots more time to plan a surprise visit after all... in fact, he kinda pulled the switch-a-roo on me cause I ended up with the surprise! He didn't show up here but I did get email itinerary about noon today - it appears I'm flying back to Chicago the week of Jan 9th! He apparently "got bored" at work today and was looking at flights and "accidentally" purchased tickets and "mistakenly" put my information on them. Oops Silly him.
I just adore him and I love that he did this but I feel so bad at the same time. He just spent $500 on my Christmas present and now he does this. I can't do the same for him and I hate that! I know that's not what it's about but I still feel bad =/ Buuuuut, I'm still super excited! No New Year's kiss until a week and 2 days later - but I'll take it!

I would feel the same, not so much sad that he spent money on the visit, but just money in general. I still feel bad when my SO pays for our dinner. Lol. But still, YAYAYAY!!!!!

[Melly9503]

My SO surprised me on my birthday in July this year (which is now also the day of our engagement ^_^ ).
He told me he couldn't make it financially to be there for my birthday, he had my friends and family in on it and even the people that usually spilled the beans now told me that he wouldn't be coming so I cried for hours after that hahaha. Then when I came home on my birthday he asked me to get on skype with him but his cam wasn't working, but just knowing he was on skype made me believe that he was still in England. Then out of nowhere someone leaned over and hugged me from behind in my chair. He had been skyping me from my sister's room right across the hall! I was so on-guard the whole time so I can't believe he pulled it off and actually surprised me that day.

Like other's have mentioned I do believe that his work is your best option. Try to get in touch with his superior (google his company, call and ask I guess) and explain what a big deal a meeting between you two is.. I'm sure that if he/she knows that you travelled 954 miles to see him they would want to lend you a hand. Just make it clear how very important this is to you.

[Neia0202]

I surprised my SO just this last Christmas! He lives with his parents, so I arranged everything with them. They knew when I was coming, his dad picked me up from the airport, his mom went to his workplace to arrange time off (He only had to work 1 day in the entire 2 weeks I was there! Lucky me). He was completely oblivious, I was just casually sitting on the couch with his parents when he came home from his last day of school. The look on his face was priceless.