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American Airlines Flights from Kalamazoo (AZO) to Chicago (ORD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on American Airlines, which operates 4 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Kalamazoo (AZO) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 6:10am and 7:25pm. Usually an Embraer RJ145 Amazon or Embraer RJ140 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Kalamazoo, MI to Chicago, IL is 57 minutes.
During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Sears Tower Skydeck
First Sears sold the building and moved to cheaper suburban offices in 1992. Then the skyscraper got an ego blow when the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, went up and laid claim to the title of world's tallest buildings. (The Sears Tower has since put up a 22-ft. antenna in an attempt to win back the title.) Tallest-building posturing aside, this is still a great place to orient yourself to the city, but I wouldn't put it on the top of must-see sights for anyone with limited time (and limited patience for crowds).The view from the 103rd-floor Skydeck is everything you'd expect it to be -- once you get there. Unfortunately, you're often stuck in a very long, very noisy line, so by the time you make it to the top, your patience could be as thin as the atmosphere up there. (Come in the late afternoon to avoid most of the crowds.) On a clear day, visibility extends up to 50 miles, and you can catch glimpses of four surrounding states. Despite the fact that it's called a "skydeck," you can't actually walk outside. Recent upgrades include multimedia exhibits on Chicago history and Knee High Chicago, an exhibit for kids. The 70-second high-speed elevator trip will feel like a thrill ride for some, but it's a nightmare for anyone with even mild claustrophobia. Allow 1 to 2 hours, depending on the length of the line.
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel
The Rockefeller Memorial Chapel is just across from Robie House. Did someone say chapel? This is false modesty, even for a Rockefeller. When the university first opened its doors, the students sang the following ditty:John D. Rockefeller, wonderful man is heGives all his spare change to the U of C.John D. was a generous patron, indeed. He founded the university (in cooperation with the American Baptist Society), built the magnificent minicathedral that now bears his name, and shelled out an additional $35 million in donations to the institution over the course of his lifetime. Designed by Bertram Goodhue, an architect known for his ecclesiastical buildings -- including Cadet Chapel at West Point and New York City's St. Thomas Church -- the Memorial Chapel was dedicated in 1928.In keeping with the rest of the campus, which is patterned after Oxford, it is reminiscent of English Gothic structures but was built from limestone and with modern construction techniques. Its most outstanding features are the circular stained-glass window high above the main altar (the windows, in general, are among the largest of any church or cathedral anywhere) and the world's second-largest carillon, which was donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in 1932 in memory of his mother, Laura. The chapel's organ is nearly as impressive, with four manuals, 126 stops, and more than 10,000 pipes.Choir concerts, carillon performances, and other musical programs are presented throughout the year, usually for a small donation. The building is open to the public; in-depth tours can be arranged through the university's Office of Special Events at tel. 773/702-9636. Tours of the carillon are done during the academic year; call the office to find out times. Allow a half-hour.
National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum
This museum houses one of the most stirring art collections anywhere -- and the only one of its kind in the world -- telling the story of the men who fought in Vietnam. Since the war, many of the veterans made art as personal therapy, never expecting to show it to anyone; but in 1981, a small group of them began showing their works together in Chicago and in touring exhibitions. The collection has grown to more than 700 paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures from all over the country and other countries, including Vietnam. Titles such as We Regret to Inform You, Blood Spots on a Rice Paddy, and The Wound should give you an idea of the power of the images in this unique legacy to the war. Housed in a former warehouse in the Prairie Avenue district south of the Loop, the museum is modern and well organized. An installation suspended from the ceiling, Above & Beyond, comprises more than 58,000 dog tags with the names of the men and women who died in the war -- it creates an emotional effect similar to that of the Wall in Washington, D.C. The complex also houses a small theater, a cafe open for breakfast and lunch, a gift shop, and an outdoor plaza with a flagpole that has deliberately been left leaning because that's how veterans saw them in combat. Allow 1 hour.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Chicago area, including:
W Chicago Lakeshore
The only hotel in Chicago with a location on the lake, this property prides itself on being a hip boutique hotel -- but sophisticated travelers might feel like it's trying way too hard with dance music playing in the lobby and the black-clad staff members doing their best to be eye candy. The compact rooms are decorated in deep red, black, and gray -- a scheme that might strike some travelers as gloomy. And although the Asian-inspired bathrooms are stylish, the wooden shades that separate them from the bedroom don't make for much privacy. In W-speak, rooms and suites are designated "wonderful" (meaning standard, with a city view) or "spectacular" (meaning a lake view, for which you'll pay more). I actually prefer the "wonderful" rooms with their dramatic city views. Of the few boutique hotels in Chicago, the W Lakeshore has the best location, within easy reach of outdoor activities (the beach, bike paths, and Navy Pier), restaurants, and nightlife -- just don't take the place too seriously.The W Lakeshore boasts Wave, a stylish internationally inspired seafood restaurant, and Whiskey Sky, the hotel's see-and-be-seen spot designed by Rande Gerber.
Hotel 71
The city's newest hotel is actually a complete renovation of a rather drab 1950-era high-rise. Don't let the boring exterior fool you. Hotel 71 is too big to be considered a "boutique hotel" (with more than 400 rooms spread over 30-plus stories), but it is filled with unique touches that reflect the boutique sensibility. The rather-cramped lobby has a nightclub look, with black curtains covering the walls and atmospheric trance music wafting from the stereo system. The rooms, by contrast, are bright and cheery -- and much larger than average. Everything is brand new, from the yellow-checked linens and curtains, to the spotless white bathrooms. Rooms have well-lit work desks and minibars stocked with gourmet treats from Dean & DeLuca. Rooms on the north side of the hotel (overlooking the Chicago River) have the best views; if you can, snag one of the rooms on the west end of the building, which have views in two directions. Suites come with either a living room or meeting room and a bedroom down the hall (but the bathrooms are actually smaller than those in the regular rooms). The hotel's gift shop is well worth a look; a step above the usual aspirin-and-candy store, it features upscale bath products and unique travel accessories. But the real draw at Hotel 71 is the spacious rooms -- especially those with a view.
Hilton Chicago
When it opened in 1927, this massive brick-and-stone edifice billed itself as the largest hotel in the world. Today, the Hilton still runs like a small city, with numerous restaurants and shops and a steady stream of conventioneers. Its colorful history includes visits by Queen Elizabeth, Emperor Hirohito, and every president since FDR -- and riots outside its front door during the 1968 Democratic Convention. The classical-rococo public spaces -- including the Versailles-inspired Grand Ballroom and Grand Stair Lobby -- are magnificent, but the rest of the hotel is firmly entrenched in the present.Some rooms are on the small side, but all are comfortable and warm, and many of the standard rooms have two bathrooms (great for families). High rooms facing Michigan Avenue offer sweeping views of Grant Park and the lake. The hotel's Tower section has a separate registration area, upgraded amenities (including robes, fax machines, and VCRs), and a lounge open from 6am to 11pm, serving complimentary continental breakfast and evening hors d'oeuvres and cocktails (you'll pay about $50 above the standard rate for these rooms).The Hilton is a great choice for families, thanks to its vast public spaces, proximity to major museums and Grant Park (where kids can run around), and policy of children under 18 staying free in their parent's room. Because the Hilton depends heavily on convention traffic, those seeking a cozy, romantic getaway should go elsewhere.Facilities: 4 restaurants (Continental, Irish, American); 2 lounges; indoor pool; health club w/indoor track, hot tubs, sauna, and steam room; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; massage; babysitting; laundry service; 24-hr. dry cleaning; tower rooms.
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