American Airlines Flights from Providence (PVD) to Chicago (ORD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on American Airlines, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Providence (PVD) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 6:45am and 6:45pm. Usually an Embraer RJ140 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Providence, RI to Chicago, IL is 2 hours and 53 minutes.
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During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Field Museum of Natural History
Is it any wonder that Steven Spielberg thought the Field Museum of Natural History suitable home turf for the intrepid archaeologist and adventurer hero of his Indiana Jones movies? Spread over the museum's 9 acres of floor space are scores of permanent and temporary exhibitions -- some interactive, but most requiring the old-fashioned skills of observation and imagination. But navigating all the disparate exhibits can be daunting.You'll start out in the grand Stanley Field Hall, which you enter from either the north or south end. Standing proudly at the north side is the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever unearthed. Named Sue for the paleontologist who found the dinosaur in 1990 in South Dakota, the specimen was acquired by the museum for a cool $8.4 million following a high-stakes bidding war. The real skull is so heavy that a lighter copy had to be mounted on the skeleton; the actual one is displayed nearby.Families should head downstairs for two of the most popular kid-friendly exhibits. The pieces on display in Inside Ancient Egypt were brought to the museum in the early 1900s, after researchers in Saqqara, Egypt, excavated two of the original chambers from the tomb of Unis-ankh, son of the Fifth Dynasty ruler Pharaoh Unis. This mastaba (tomb) of Unis-ankh now forms the core of a spellbinding exhibit that realistically depicts scenes from Egyptian funeral, religious, and other social practices. Visitors can explore aspects of the day-to-day world of ancient Egypt, viewing 23 actual mummies and realistic burial scenes, a living marsh environment and canal works, the ancient royal barge, a religious shrine, and a reproduction of a typical marketplace of the period. Many of the exhibits allow hands-on interaction, and there are special activities for kids, such as making parchment from living papyrus plants.Next to the Egypt exhibit, you'll find Underground Adventure, a "total immersion environment" populated by giant robotic earwigs, centipedes, wolf spiders, and other subterranean critters. The Disneyesque exhibit is a big hit with kids, but -- annoyingly -- requires an extra admission charge ($7 on top of regular admission for adults, $3 for kids).You might be tempted to skip the "peoples of the world" exhibits, but, trust me -- some are not only mind-opening, but they're also great fun. Traveling the Pacific is hidden up on the second floor, but it's definitely worth a stop. Hundreds of artifacts from the museum's oceanic collection re-create scenes of island life in the South Pacific (there's even a full-scale model of a Maori meeting house). Africa, an assemblage of African artifacts and provocative, interactive multimedia presentations, takes viewers to Senegal, to a Cameroon palace, to the savanna and its wildlife, and on a "virtual" journey aboard a slave ship to the Americas. Native Chicagoans will quickly name two more signature highlights: the taxidermies of Bushman (a legendary lowland gorilla who made international headlines while at the city's Lincoln Park Zoo) and the Man-Eating Lions of Tsavo (the pair of male lions who munched nearly 140 British railway workers constructing a bridge in East Africa in 1898; their story is featured in the film The Ghost and the Darkness).The museum hosts special traveling exhibits (recent blockbusters included shows on Cleopatra and the jewels of Russia), as well as numerous lectures, book signings, multi-ethnic musical and dance performances, storytelling events, and family activity days throughout the year. The Corner Bakery cafe, located just off the main hall, is a cut above the usual museum victuals (to avoid the lunchtime lines, pick up one of the premade salads or sandwiches and head for the cash register). Families also flock to the McDonald's on the lower level. Allow 3 hours.
Museum of Contemporary Art
The MCA claims to be the largest contemporary art museum in the country, emphasizing experimentation in a variety of media -- painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, dance, music, and performance. But much of the space seems to be taken up with theaters and hallways; seeing the actual art won't take you long. Sitting on a front-row piece of property between the lake and the historic Water Tower, the gloomy, imposing building (designed by Berlin's Josef Paul Kleihues) looks like something out of Communist Russia, but the interior spaces are more vibrant, with a sun-drenched two-story central corridor, elliptical staircases, and three floors of exhibition space. The MCA has tried to raise its national profile to the level of New York's Museum of Modern Art by hosting major touring retrospectives of working artists such as Cindy Sherman and Chuck Close.You can see the MCA's highlights in about an hour, although art lovers will want more time to wander (especially if a high-profile exhibit is in town). Your first stop should be the handsome barrel-vaulted galleries on the top floor, dedicated to pieces from the permanent collection. For visitors who'd like a little guidance for making sense of the rather challenging works found here, there is an audio tour for rent as well as a free tour (1 and 6pm Tues; 1pm Wed-Fri; 11am, noon, 1, and 2pm Sat-Sun). In addition to a range of special activities and educational programming, including films, performances, and a lecture series in a 300-seat theater, the museum features Puck's at the MCA, a cafe operated by Wolfgang Puck of Spago restaurant fame, with seating that overlooks a 1-acre terraced sculpture garden. There's also a store, Culturecounter, with one-of-a-kind gift items, that's worth a stop even if you don't make it into the museum. The museum's First Fridays program, featuring after-hours performances, live music, and food and drink, takes place the first Friday of every month. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
Chicago Architecture Center
Chicago's architecture is one of the city's main claims to fame, and a quick swing through this center will help you understand why. Run by the well-regarded Chicago Architecture Foundation, it's conveniently located across the street from the Art Institute. Still trying to figure out the difference between Prairie School and postmodern? Stop in here for a quick lesson. Exhibits include a scale model of downtown Chicago, profiles of the people and buildings that shaped the city's look, and a searchable database with pictures and information on many of Chicago's best-known skyscrapers. "Architecture ambassadors" are on hand to provide information on tours run by the foundation. Two galleries feature changing exhibits about ongoing Chicago design projects -- so you can see firsthand how local architecture continues to evolve. There's also an excellent gift shop filled with architecture-focused books, decorative accessories, and gifts. Allow a half-hour, more if you want to browse in the store.
Hotel Burnham
If you're looking for a spot with a sense of history, this is it. A brilliant $30-million restoration in 1999 of the historic Reliance Building -- one of the first skyscrapers ever built and a highly significant architectural treasure -- resulted in this intimate boutique hotel named for Daniel Burnham, whose firm designed the building in 1895. The prime State Street location is across from Marshall Field's and 1 block south of the hopping North Loop theater district. The Burnham is a must for architecture buffs: Wherever possible, the restoration retained period elements -- most obviously in the hallways, which recall the original office corridors with terrazzo tile floors, white marble wainscoting, mahogany door and window frames, and room numbers painted on the translucent glass doors. Rooms are clubby but glamorous, with plush beds, mahogany writing desks, and chaise longues. The hotel's 19 suites feature a separate living-room area and CD stereo systems. Don't come to the Burnham if you're looking for extensive amenities -- the lobby is tiny, as is the exercise room. But the Burnham is one of Chicago's most distinctive hotels, and it's highly recommended for visitors who want a historic location jazzed up with a dash of colorful modern style. Ask for a room on a high floor in the northeast corner -- the views north and east are dazzling. The on-site Atwood Café serves creative comfort food against a Gilded Age backdrop.A bonus for animal lovers: Pets are positively welcomed here. The hotel provides beds, treats, and dog-walking services, among other amenities (they'll even clean out your in-room kitty-litter box!).
Talbott Hotel
The Talbott is not for anyone who needs extensive hotel facilities, but the cozy atmosphere and personal level of service appeal to visitors looking for the feeling of a bed-and-breakfast rather than a sprawling, corporate hotel. Constructed in the 1920s as an apartment building, the Talbott was converted to a hotel in 1989. Proprietors Basil and Laurie Ann Kromelow take a keen personal interest in the hotel's decor: Most of the gorgeous antiques strewn throughout are purchases from Basil's European shopping trips. The wood-paneled lobby, decorated with leather sofas and velvety armchairs, two working fireplaces, tapestries, and numerous French horns used for fox hunts, is intimate and inviting -- all the better in which to enjoy your complimentary continental breakfast.Although comfortable, the rooms aren't quite as distinctive; they also vary in size, so ask when making reservations. Suites and the hotel's "executive king" rooms entice with Jacuzzi tubs; suites have separate sitting areas with sofa beds and dining tables.
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.
Need help booking your trip?
Book online or call
1-800-504-3248(toll free)
Need help booking your trip?
Book online or call
1-800-504-3248(toll free)
Need help booking your trip?
Book online or call
1-800-504-3248(toll free)
Need help booking your trip?
Book online or call
1-800-504-3248(toll free)
Other direct flights to Chicago (ORD) on American Airlines
