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American Airlines Flights from Chicago (ORD) to Tampa (TPA)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on American Airlines, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Chicago (ORD) to Tampa (TPA), departing between 7:05am and 7:50pm. Usually a McDonnell Douglas MD80 is flown for this route, with in-seat power sources available. The average travel time from Chicago, IL to Tampa, FL is 2 hours and 36 minutes.
During your Tampa vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Adventure Island
If the summer heat gets to you before one of Tampa's famous thunderstorms brings late-afternoon relief, you can take a waterlogged break at this 25-acre outdoor water theme park near Busch Gardens Tampa Bay . You can also frolic here during the cooler days of spring and fall, when the water is heated. The Key West Rapids, Tampa Typhoon, Gulf Scream, and other exciting water rides will drench the teens, while other, calmer rides are geared toward younger kids. Wahoo Run plunges up to five riders more than 15 feet per second as the half-enclosed tunnel corkscrews more than 600 feet to a waiting splash pool. There are also places to picnic and sunbathe, an arcade, a volleyball complex, and an outdoor cafe. Although some people tend to go barefoot here, I suggest you wear shoes at all times -- it gets kind of nasty after a while.
Henry B. Plant Museum
Originally built in 1891 by railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant as the super-chichi 511-room Tampa Bay Hotel, this ornate building is worth a short trip across the river from downtown to the University of Tampa campus. Its 13 silver minarets and distinctive Moorish architecture, modeled after the Alhambra in Spain, make this National Historic Landmark a focal point of the Tampa skyline. Although the building is the highlight of a visit, don't skip its contents: art and furnishings from Europe and Asia, plus exhibits that explain the history of the original railroad resort, Florida's early tourist industry, and the hotel's role as a staging point for Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War.
Adventure Island
If the summer heat gets to you before one of Tampa's famous thunderstorms brings late-afternoon relief, you can take a waterlogged break at this 25-acre outdoor water theme park near Busch Gardens Tampa Bay . You can also frolic here during the cooler days of spring and fall, when the water is heated. The Key West Rapids, Tampa Typhoon, Gulf Scream, and other exciting water rides will drench the teens, while other, calmer rides are geared toward younger kids. Wahoo Run plunges up to five riders more than 15 feet per second as the half-enclosed tunnel corkscrews more than 600 feet to a waiting splash pool. There are also places to picnic and sunbathe, an arcade, a volleyball complex, and an outdoor cafe. Although some people tend to go barefoot here, I suggest you wear shoes at all times -- it gets kind of nasty after a while.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Tampa area, including:
Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina
This luxurious 22-story hotel occupies downtown's most strategic location in the area's emerging Channel District -- beside the river and between the Tampa Convention Center and the St. Pete Times Forum. Opening onto a riverfront promenade, the towering, three-story lobby is large enough to accommodate the many conventioneers drawn to the two neighboring venues and to the hotel's own 50,000 square feet of meeting space. The third floor has a fully equipped spa, modern exercise facility, and outdoor heated pool. About half of the guest quarters have balconies overlooking the bay or city (choice views are high up on the south side). Although spacious, the regular rooms are dwarfed by the 720-square-foot suites. For those interested in boating the bay, there's also a 32-slip marina.Facilities: 3 restaurants; 3 bars; heated outdoor pool; health club; spa; Jacuzzi; concierge; activities desk; car rental desk; business center; salon; limited room service; massage; babysitting; laundry service; coin-op washers and dryers; concierge-level rooms.
Hyatt Regency Tampa
Just off the Franklin Street pedestrian mall, and in the heart of the business district, the Hyatt has lost its place as downtown's premier hotel to the newer Tampa Marriott Waterside , but still attracts a mostly corporate crowd. The spacious, recently renovated contemporary rooms lack balconies, and the higher office towers that now surround the hotel restrict views from the windows. Office workers congregate at the Avanzare restaurant for inexpensive light lunches.
Baymont Inn & Suites
Fake banana trees and a parrot cage welcome guests to the terra-cotta-floored lobby of this comfortable and convenient member of the small chain of cost-conscious but amenity-rich motels. All rooms are spacious and have ceiling fans and desks. Rooms with king-size beds also have recliners; business rooms sport dataport phones; and suites have refrigerators and microwaves. Outside, a courtyard with an unheated pool has plenty of space for sunning. There's no restaurant on the premises, but many are within walking distance.
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