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American Airlines Flights from Orlando (MCO) to Chicago (ORD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on American Airlines, which operates 5 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Orlando (MCO) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 6:55am and 7:10pm. Usually a Boeing 757 or McDonnell Douglas MD80 is flown for this route, with in-seat power sources available. The average travel time from Orlando, FL to Chicago, IL is 2 hours and 53 minutes.
During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Chicago Fed Visitors Center
It's not worth a special trip (unless you're a huge Alan Greenspan fan), but the Visitors Center at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is worth a quick stop if you're wandering around the Loop. More than just the standard history-of-banking displays, the center has kid-friendly features such as a giant cube that holds a million dollars, and an exhibit that lets you try detecting counterfeit bills. And yes, there's even a section where visitors can pretend to be Alan Greenspan for a moment, showing how changes in interest rates affect the economy. Free guided tours are offered weekdays at 1pm. Allow a half-hour.
Lincoln Park Zoo
This is one of Chicago's don't-miss attractions (especially if the weather is decent), and because it's free, it's worth at least a quick stop during a stroll through Lincoln Park. But you'll probably want to wander for a while. The term "zoological gardens" truly fits here: Landmark Georgian Revival brick buildings and modern structures sit among gently rolling pathways, verdant lawns, and a kaleidoscopic profusion of flower gardens. A complete tour of the various habitats takes all of 2 or 3 hours -- a convenience factor even more enticing when you consider that the nation's oldest zoo (it was founded in 1868) stays open 365 days a year and is one of the last free zoos in the country. The late Marlon Perkins, legendary host of the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom TV series, got his start here as the zoo's director, and filmed a pioneering TV show called Zoo Parade (Wild Kingdom's predecessor) in the basement of the old Reptile House.The zoo has taken on an ambitious modernization campaign, which is good news for animal lovers. While many zoo residents used to wander listlessly in stark concrete pens, exhibits have been renovated and expanded to reflect natural habitats. For years, the zoo's star attraction has been the Great Ape House, which was completely rebuilt in 2004. Lincoln Park Zoo has had remarkable success breeding gorillas and chimpanzees, and watching these ape families interact can be mesmerizing (and touching). Regenstein African Journey is home to elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and other large mammals; large glass-enclosed tanks allow visitors to go face-to-face with swimming pygmy hippos and (not for the faint of heart) a rocky ledge filled with Madagascar hissing cockroaches.The Small Mammal-Reptile House is a state-of-the-art facility, housing 200 species and featuring a glass-enclosed walk-through ecosystem simulating river, savanna, and forest habitats. The popular Sea Lion Pool, situated in the center of the zoo and home to harbor seals, gray seals, and California sea lions, features an underwater viewing area spanning 70 feet and an updated amphitheater. If you're here for a while and need nourishment, the Park Place Café food court is a good option. The Mahon Theobold Pavilion features a sprawling indoor gift shop and a unique rooftop eatery called Big Cats Café that opens at 8am (1 hr. before the exhibits do) and serves fresh-baked muffins and scones, focaccia sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads.Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
The building may be historic, but some of the attractions here will captivate the most jaded video-game addict. The first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, it was founded by Sears, Roebuck and Co. executive Max Adler, who imported a Zeiss projector from Germany in 1930.The good news for present-day visitors is that the planetarium has been updated since then. Your first stop should be the modern Sky Pavilion, where the don't-miss experience is the StarRider Theater. Settle down under the massive dome, and you'll take a half-hour long interactive virtual-reality trip through the Milky Way and into deep space, featuring a computer-generated 3D-graphics projection system and controls in the armrest of each person's seat. Six high-resolution video projectors form a seamless image above your head -- you'll feel like you're literally floating in space. (On Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights, the theater is open late for SonicVision, a head-trippy digital animation show with an alternative music soundtrack.) If you're looking for more entertainment, the Sky Theater shows movies with an astronomical bent. Recent shows have included Secrets of Saturn and Mars Now!, both of which are updated as new discoveries are made. The planetarium's exhibit galleries feature a variety of displays and interactive activities designed to foster understanding of our solar system and more. The best current exhibit is Bringing the Heavens to Earth, which traces the ways different cultures have tried to make sense of astronomical phenomena. The planetarium's signature exhibit, From the Night Sky to the Big Bang, traces changing views of the cosmos over 1,000 years and features artifacts from the planetarium's extensive collection of historical astronomical instruments (all of which can get a bit boring for kids unless they're real astronomy nuts).The museum's cafe provides views of the lakefront and skyline. On the first Friday evening of the month, visitors can view dramatic close-ups of the moon, the planets, and distant galaxies through a closed-circuit monitor connected to the planetarium's Doane Observatory telescope.Allow 2 hours, more if you want to see more than one show.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Chicago area, including:
Best Western River North Hotel
This former motor lodge and cold-storage structure conceals a very attractive, sharply designed interior that scarcely resembles any Best Western in which you're likely to have spent the night. One of the few hotels located right in the midst of one of the busiest nightlife and restaurant zones in the city, the Best Western lies within easy walking distance of interesting boutiques and Chicago's art-gallery district. Rooms are spacious, and the bathrooms, though no-frills, are spotless. One-room suites have a sitting area, while other suites have a separate bedroom; all suites come with a sleeper sofa. The Best Western's reasonable rates and rooftop pool (with sweeping views) will appeal to families on a budget -- and the almost unheard-of free parking can add up to significant savings for anyone planning to stay a week or more.
Whitehall Hotel
Staying here is like visiting a wealthy, sophisticated aunt's town house: elegant but understated, welcoming but not effusive. Before the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton entered the picture, the patrician Whitehall reigned as Chicago's most exclusive luxury hotel, with rock stars and Hollywood royalty dropping by when in town. Although those glory days have passed, the independently owned Whitehall still attracts a devoted clientele who relish its subdued ambience and highly personalized service.Since this is an older property, the hallways are quite narrow and the bathrooms are small. But the rooms are spacious and bright, with new furniture. Rooms on the north side of the building come with a wonderful straight-on view of the Hancock Building, with Lake Michigan sparkling in the background. "Pinnacle Level" rooms are the same size as standard rooms, but come with extra amenities, including four-poster beds (with luxury linens), irons and ironing boards, fax machines, and umbrellas; Pinnacle guests also receive complimentary breakfasts.The hotel's restaurant, Molive, offers an eclectic American menu with Californian, Mediterranean, and Asian accents. The covered, heated sun porch attracts outdoor diners all year round. And don't miss the hotel's dimly lit, clubby bar, which hasn't changed since the hotel opened in 1928 (ask the staff to point out Katharine Hepburn's favorite seat).
The Peninsula Chicago
Do believe the hype. The first Midwest location from the luxury Peninsula hotel group promised to wow us, and it does not disappoint. Taking design cues from the chain's flagship Hong Kong hotel, the Peninsula Chicago mixes an Art Deco sensibility with modern, top-of-the-line amenities. Service is practically a religion; every staff member I passed here made a point of greeting me, and the well-equipped business center can provide administrative assistants to handle everything from Internet searches to dictation.Rooms are average in size (the "junior suites" are fairly small, with living rooms that can comfortably seat only about four people). But the hotel's in-room technology is cutting edge: A small silver "command station" by every bed allows guests to control all the lights, curtains, and room temperature without getting out from under the covers. The marble-filled bathrooms have separate shower stalls and tubs, vanities with plenty of room to sit, and another "command station" by the bathtub. Add in the flatscreen TVs and you have a classic hotel that's very much attuned to the present.The sultry hotel bar is already one of the city's top spots for romantic assignations (or confidential late-night business negotiations). The hotel's four full-service restaurants include Shanghai Terrace, with cuisine reflecting the Peninsula Group's Asian properties (if you're here in nice weather, snag a table on the outdoor terrace overlooking Michigan Ave., but be prepared to get dizzy when you see the bill). The bright, airy spa and fitness center fill the top two floors and make a lovely retreat (especially the outdoor deck).Facilities: 4 restaurants (seafood, Asian, Continental, and European bakery); bar; indoor pool with outdoor deck; fitness center; spa; hot tub; sauna; children's amenities; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; babysitting; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning.
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