Northwest Airlines Flights from Minneapolis (MSP) to Chicago (ORD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Northwest Airlines, which operates 7 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Minneapolis (MSP) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 9:00am and 10:26pm, and 3 additional non-stop flights, departing between 7:00am and 9:05pm on select days of the week. The average travel time from Minneapolis, MN to Chicago, IL is 1 hour and 20 minutes.
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During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
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.
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.
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.
Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown
While the Hampton Inn does attract some business travelers on a budget, it is mainly a family hotel. You can book a room, a two-room suite, or a studio; most don't have much in the way of views, but request one overlooking Illinois Street if you crave natural light. Rooms are residential and warm, with framed collages of vintage Chicago postcards on the walls. The apartment-style suites feature galley kitchens with fridges, microwaves, dishwashers, and cooking utensils. An American diner is located off the lobby, and a second-floor skywalk connects to Ruth's Chris Steak House next door. Guests with children will appreciate the indoor pool (the suites have VCRs, for when the little ones need to chill out after a busy day). Children under 18 stay free in parent's room, and there is a complimentary buffet breakfast each morning.
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
The Hyatt Regency rises 33 stories from Chicago's ever-sprawling convention center. While the hotel is often solidly booked during trade shows and meetings, it has plenty of rooms to spare during winter and late summer, so vacationers might find bargains if they're willing to sacrifice the convenience of staying downtown. Although the hotel is only minutes from the Museum Campus, the lakefront, and the Loop, getting around is a little tricky without a car or a cab, although the hotel does offer a complimentary shuttle to downtown shopping areas, the main museums, and Navy Pier. The average-size rooms are freshened up with upbeat, contemporary furnishings. Bathrooms are smallish, with the sink and vanity outside the bathroom. Business-plan rooms ($20 extra) include a workstation with a fax/copier/printer machine and complimentary continental breakfast. Most north-facing rooms feature scenic views of the city skyline and lakefront.
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 Northwest Airlines
