Air Canada Flights from Vancouver, Canada (YVR) to Chicago (ORD)
As part of booking roundtrip flights which depart from US airports,
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Air Canada, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Vancouver, Canada (YVR) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 8:16am and 2:18pm. Usually an Airbus A319 or Boeing 757 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Vancouver, Canada to Chicago, IL is 3 hours and 59 minutes.
During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
The Hancock Observatory
While not as famous as the Sears Tower, for many locals the Hancock remains the archetypal Chicago skyscraper, with its bold, tapered shape and exterior steel cross-bracing design. The Hancock Observatory delivers an excellent panorama of the city and an intimate view over nearby Lake Michigan and the various shoreline residential areas. The view from the top of Chicago's third-tallest building is enough to satisfy, but some high-tech additions to the experience include "talking telescopes" with sound effects and narration in four languages, history walls illustrating the growth of the city, and the Skywalk open-air viewing deck -- a "screened porch" that allows visitors to feel the rush of the wind at 1,000 feet. On a clear day you can see portions of the three states surrounding this corner of Illinois (Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin), for a radius of 40 to 50 miles. The view up the North Side is particularly dramatic, stretching from the nearby Oak Street and North Avenue beaches, along the green strip of Lincoln Park, to the line of high-rises you can trace up the shoreline until they suddenly halt just below the boundary of the northern suburbs. A high-speed elevator carries passengers to the observatory in 40 seconds, and the entrance and observatory are accessible for people with disabilities. Allow 1 hour."Big John," as it's referred to by some locals, also has a sleek restaurant, the Signature Room at the 95th, with an adjoining lounge. For about the same cost as the observatory, you can take in the views from the latter with a libation in hand.
Arlington International Racecourse
With its gleaming-white, palatial, six-story grandstand and lush gardens, this racecourse is one of the most beautiful showcases for thoroughbred horse racing in the world. It has a storied history stretching back to 1927, and its track has been graced by such equine stars as Citation, Secretariat, and Cigar. The track's annual Arlington Million (the sport's first million-dollar race, held in mid-Aug) has attracted the top jockeys, trainers, and horses in past years and recently became part of the new World Series Racing Championship, which includes the Breeders Cup races. Arlington's race days are thrilling to behold, with all of racing's time-honored pageantry on display -- from the bugler in traditional dress to the parade of jockeys.Arlington likes to say that it caters to families, and it must be said that the ambience here is more Disney than den of iniquity. Various "family days" throughout the summer include live music and entertainment ranging from petting zoos to puppet shows.
John G. Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd is a city treasure and well deserving of its title as world's largest indoor aquarium. A mix of standard aquarium tanks and elaborate new habitats, this marble octagon building is filled with thousands of denizens of river, lake, and sea. The only problem with the Shedd is its steep admission price. You can keep your costs down by buying the "Aquarium Only" admission, but then you'll be missing some of the most stunning exhibits.The first thing you'll see as you enter is the Caribbean Coral Reef. This 90,000-gallon circular tank occupies the Beaux Arts-style central rotunda, entertaining spectators who press up against the glass to ogle divers feeding nurse sharks, barracudas, stingrays, and a hawksbill sea turtle. New technology includes an enhanced sound system and a roving camera connected to video monitors mounted on the tank's periphery, which gives visitors close-ups of the animals inside. It's worth sticking around to catch one of the daily feedings, when a diver swims around the tank and (thanks to a microphone) talks about the species and their eating habits.The exhibits surrounding the Caribbean coral reef re-create different marine habitats around the world. The best is Amazon Rising: Seasons of the River, a re-creation of the Amazon basin that showcases far more than fish (although you'll get to see some sharp-toothed piranhas as well).You'll pay extra to see the other Shedd highlights, but they're quite impressive, so I'd suggest shelling out for at least one. The Oceanarium , with a wall of windows revealing the lake outside, re-creates a Pacific Northwest coastal environment and creates the illusion of one uninterrupted expanse of sea. On a fixed performance schedule in a large pool flanked by an amphitheater, a crew of friendly trainers puts dolphins through their paces of leaping dives, breaches, and tail walking. Check out the Oceanarium schedule as soon as you get to the Shedd; seating space fills up quickly for the shows, so you'll want to get there early. If you're visiting during a summer weekend, you may also want to buy your Oceanarium ticket in advance to make sure you can catch a show that day. The newest signature exhibit is Wild Reef -- Sharks at Shedd , a series of 26 interconnected habitats that house a Philippine coral reef patrolled by sharks and other predators. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring those toothy swimmers up close and personal (they even swim over your head at certain spots).If you want a quality sit-down meal in a restaurant with a spectacular view of Lake Michigan, check out Soundings, right there inside the aquarium. There's also a family-friendly cafeteria. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Wheeler Mansion
This grand Italianate building had fallen on hard times -- until Debra and Scott Seger saw its potential as a bed-and-breakfast. Today, completely restored and refurbished, the Wheeler Mansion is one of the city's most charming small hotels. The Segers kept intact whatever was salvageable, including the mosaic tile floor in the vestibule and some of the dark walnut woodwork and fixtures. But they added good-size private bathrooms to each room (some have only shower stalls rather than bathtubs). The rooms -- which are spacious enough to include armoires and armchairs -- feel even larger than they are, thanks to the high ceilings. Antique furniture that the Segers found in Europe fills the house, and guests dine on bone china and sleep on goose-down feather beds. A continental breakfast by the resident chef is served weekdays. On weekends, the buffet features a more elaborate array of dishes.
Park Hyatt Chicago
For those in search of chic modern luxury, the Park Hyatt is the coolest hotel in town (as long as money is no object). The building occupies one of the most desirable spots on North Michigan Avenue and the best rooms are those that face east, overlooking the bustle of the Mag Mile and the lake in the distance.Luxury might be the watchword here, but the look is anything but stuffy: The lobby feels like a sleek modern art gallery. German painter Gerhard Richter's Piazza del Duomo Milan masterpiece is the visual centerpiece of the space, providing ample evidence of what visual treats lie in store for guests. Rooms feature Eames and Mies van der Rohe reproduction furniture and window banquettes with stunning city views (the windows actually open). The comfortable beds are well appointed with several plush pillows. While most hotels might provide a TV and VCR, this is the kind of place where you get a DVD player and flatscreen TV. The bathrooms are especially wonderful: Slide back the cherrywood wall for views of the city while you soak in the tub.NoMI, a restaurant nestled on the seventh floor overlooking Water Tower Square and the Museum of Contemporary Art, serves French-inspired cuisine and features an Architectural Digest-worthy interior by New York-based designer Tony Chi; the place has gotten stellar reviews, but be prepared for fairly small portions at expense-account prices.
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).
