Layovers at O'Hare Airport

If you have a few hours to overnight, Chicago is a great place to stop for an extended layover. This article will give you an idea of what to do in Chicago from O'Hare depending on the time of your layover.

Chicago's robust public transportation system, the CTA is the heart and soul of Chicago, and will offer a unique experience in and of itself. Taking a taxi, especially downtown, will cost a lot, and take a lot more time than hopping onto the Blue Line and going into the city.

3 hours

If there are just one or two of you, and you are looking for some food with a real Chicago experience, skip all of the 'authentic' pizza and hot dog offers you may see in the airport, and follow the signs to the CTA/El and get a transfer which will allow you 2 additional rides within two hours of your first trip. Take the El one stop to Rosemont (the water tower with the rose will be the dead giveaway), and the huge convention center viewable from the train. Take a bus (Pace is the bus system in the suburbs, not the CTA) to the corner of Higgins and River Road. Stop at the Giordanos, and order two slices of deep dish pizza, one for you and a friend. This piece of pizza will fill you and your friend up (I assure you), and will give you energy for the mile walk back to the El stop. Take the blue line back to the airport, go through security, and you should be back in time to have a filling, uniquely Chicago meal, and ride on Chicago's public transportation system. If there are a number of you, call from the airport: 847-292-2600, and tell them you are taking public transportation from the airport. This way you wont have to wait for a seat or your food, allowing you to get back in time.

6 + hours

Now you will actually get to see Chicago proper. Take the Blue line to Clark and Lake. This will allow you to get to Millenium park relatively easy. Buy a hot dog or polish from a street vendor. Tell them everything (no catsup), and you will have one of the foods Chicago is truly famous for. If a hot dog is not interesting to you, find an Italian beef place around Chicago (some street vendors if you are lucky) and walk to Millenium park. You don't have too much time, so a leisurely stroll to Cloud Gate in the park, will allow for some really neat pictures of the skyline through the perspective of a highly polished, 3 story blob of steel that looks like a drop of water hitting the ground in slow motion.

Allow for 2 hours on the train, 2 hours in security, and 2 hours eating/walking in the park. Be careful though, and don't miss your flight!