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United Airlines Flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago (ORD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on United Airlines, which operates 5 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 6:56am and 5:05pm, and 3 additional non-stop flights, departing between 2:20pm and 6:59pm on select days of the week. The average travel time from Atlanta, GA to Chicago, IL is 2 hours and 11 minutes.
During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
International Museum of Surgical Science
This unintentionally macabre shrine to medicine is my pick for the weirdest tourist attraction in town. Not for the faint of stomach, it is run by the International College of Surgeons and is housed in a historic 1917 Gold Coast mansion designed by the noted architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, who modeled it after Le Petit Trianon at Versailles. Displayed throughout its four floors are surgical instruments, paintings, and sculptures depicting the history of surgery and healing practices in Eastern and Western civilizations. The exhibits are old-fashioned (no interactive computer displays here!), but that's part of the museum's odd appeal.You'll look at your doctor in a whole new way after viewing the trepanned skulls excavated from an ancient tomb in Peru. The accompanying tools were used to bore holes in patients' skulls, a horrific practice thought to release the evil spirits causing their illness (some skulls show signs of new bone growth, meaning that some lucky headache-sufferers actually survived this low-tech surgery). There are also battlefield amputation kits, a working iron-lung machine in the polio exhibit, and oddities such as a stethoscope designed to be transported inside a top hat. Other attractions include an apothecary shop and dentist's office (ca. 1900), re-created in a historic street exhibit, and the hyperbolically titled "Hall of Immortals," a sculpture gallery depicting 12 historic figures in medicine, from Hippocrates to Madame Curie.
Chicago Historical Society
At the southwestern tip of Lincoln Park stands one of Chicago's oldest cultural institutions (founded in 1856), but one that has successfully brought its exhibits into the 21st century. Inside the Historical Society's lovely redbrick and glass-walled building, you'll find well-designed displays of significant objects, artifacts, and artwork -- but the overall effect is instructive rather than interactive (this isn't the place to bring young children).Casual visitors can get a good overview of the highlights in about an hour; history buffs will need more time. The must-see permanent exhibit is A House Divided: America in the Age of Lincoln, which explores the institution of slavery in America and the devastation of the Civil War (items on display include the bed that Lincoln died in and an original copy of the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, signed by Honest Abe himself). Another highlight is the CHS's costume collection, which includes clothing worn by George Washington, John Adams, and, of more current vintage, one of Michael Jordan's uniforms, along with numerous gowns by contemporary fashion designers (pieces from the collection are displayed on a rotating basis). Other worthy stops are the Charles F. Murphy architectural study center, featuring one of the nation's largest collections of architectural working drawings; the decorative and industrial-arts collection, including stained-glass designs by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan; and We the People, a permanent exhibit that explores how "ordinary people" founded the United States. (After your visit, head a few blocks away to North Ave. Beach, the best beach in the city, and or wander the neighboring residential streets of the exclusive Gold Coast.)The Historical Society also sponsors lectures, symposia, and seminars; film screenings; family programs; historical reenactments and performances by local theater companies; and music concerts on the beautiful plaza overlooking Lincoln Park. On the ground floor of the museum, past the gift shop, is Big Shoulders Cafe, entered through a flora- and fauna-decorated terra-cotta arch removed from the old Stockyard Bank and reassembled here. The museum's website is worth checking out before your visit, especially the impressive online "exhibit" on the Great Chicago Fire. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
Museum of Contemporary Photography
Ensconced in a ground-floor space at Columbia College -- a progressive arts- and media-oriented institution that boasts the country's largest undergraduate film department and a highly respected photojournalism-slanted photography department -- the Museum of Contemporary Photography is the only museum in the Midwest of its ilk. As the name indicates, it exhibits, collects, and promotes modern photography, with a special focus on American works from 1959 to present. Rotating exhibitions showcase images by both nationally recognized and "undiscovered" regional artists. Related lectures and special programs are scheduled during the year. Allow 1 hour.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Chicago area, including:
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
The latest addition to Chicago's already-crowded luxury hotel scene, the Sofitel aims to impress by drawing on the city's tradition of great architecture. French architect Jean-Paul Viguier created a building that's impossible to pass without taking a second look: a soaring, triangular white tower that sparkles in the sun. But the place doesn't take itself too seriously, as you'll see when you walk in the airy lobby and check out the luminescent floor tiles that change color in a never-ending light show. The overall feel of the hotel is European modern; you'll hear French accents from the front-desk staff, and foreign-language magazines are scattered on tables throughout the lobby. The bright, stylish Café des Architects has become a favorite business lunch spot for locals.The guest rooms feature contemporary decor with natural beechwood walls and chrome hardware. All the rooms enjoy good views of the city (but the privacy-conscious will want to stay on the upper floors, where they won't be on display to surrounding apartment buildings). The standard doubles are fairly compact -- but thanks to large picture windows, the spaces don't feel cramped. The luxurious marble bathrooms (with separate tub and shower stall) are quite spacious. The amenities are top-notch. Recognizing that business travelers are the bread and butter of Chicago hotel profits, ample support services exist for working visitors. But this doesn't mean that Sofitel doesn't welcome families; in fact, up to two children can stay in a room for no extra charge (they'll even roll in a portable bed for the kids).
Hotel 71
The city's newest hotel is actually a complete renovation of a rather drab 1950-era high-rise. Don't let the boring exterior fool you. Hotel 71 is too big to be considered a "boutique hotel" (with more than 400 rooms spread over 30-plus stories), but it is filled with unique touches that reflect the boutique sensibility. The rather-cramped lobby has a nightclub look, with black curtains covering the walls and atmospheric trance music wafting from the stereo system. The rooms, by contrast, are bright and cheery -- and much larger than average. Everything is brand new, from the yellow-checked linens and curtains, to the spotless white bathrooms. Rooms have well-lit work desks and minibars stocked with gourmet treats from Dean & DeLuca. Rooms on the north side of the hotel (overlooking the Chicago River) have the best views; if you can, snag one of the rooms on the west end of the building, which have views in two directions. Suites come with either a living room or meeting room and a bedroom down the hall (but the bathrooms are actually smaller than those in the regular rooms). The hotel's gift shop is well worth a look; a step above the usual aspirin-and-candy store, it features upscale bath products and unique travel accessories. But the real draw at Hotel 71 is the spacious rooms -- especially those with a view.
Doubletree Guest Suites
This full-service all-suites hotel is a good choice for families and business travelers seeking something with a little less starch. Best of all is its location, just off the Mag Mile and next door to the Hancock Building and Water Tower Place.Suites might not be huge, but they're warm, inviting, and immaculate. All feature a separate living room (with pullout sofa) and bedroom. The price depends on bed size, floor (some have spectacular lake views), and furnishings. The hotel doesn't feel that different from other Doubletree properties, but that consistency might be just what some people are looking for.The homespun service and little touches are what count here: fresh flowers in the lobby and two freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies presented to guests on check-in. The hotel's high spot -- literally -- is the fitness center on the 30th floor; stop by on summer Wednesday and Saturday evenings for a great view of the fireworks at Navy Pier.
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