US Airways Flights from Richmond (RIC) to Chicago (ORD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on US Airways, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Richmond (RIC) to Chicago (ORD), departing between 7:50am and 12:31pm, and 4 additional non-stop flights, departing between 6:00am and 5:00pm on select days of the week. Usually an Embraer RJ145 Amazon or Boeing 737-500 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Richmond, VA to Chicago, IL is 2 hours and 16 minutes.
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During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Fine Arts Building
A worthwhile brief stop for architecture and history buffs, this 1885 building was originally a showroom for Studebaker carriages. In 1917, it was converted into an arts center with offices, shops, two theaters, and studios for musicians, artists, and writers. Its upper stories sheltered a number of well-known publications (The Saturday Evening Post, Dial) and provided offices for such luminaries as Frank Lloyd Wright, sculptor Lorado Taft, and L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Harriet Monroe published her magazine, Poetry, here and first introduced American readers to Carl Sandburg, T. S. Eliot, and Ezra Pound. Before the literary lions prowled its halls, the building also served for a short time as a rallying base for suffragettes. Located throughout the building are a number of interesting studios and musical-instrument shops. Take at least a quick walk through the marble-and-wood lobby, then take the vintage elevator to the top floor to see the spectacular murals. Allow a half-hour.
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.
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.
Crowne Plaza Chicago -- The Silversmith
You might call The Silversmith a hidden gem. The landmark building, designed by the celebrated firm of D. H. Burnham and Company, was built in 1897 to serve the jewelry and silver trade on Wabash Avenue, still known as Jeweler's Row. Rooms come in varying configurations, with 12-foot-high ceilings, 10-foot picture windows, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired wrought-iron fixtures, armoires, and homey bedding; bathrooms are generously sized. Because buildings surround this very urban hotel, natural light is limited in the rooms; those along the hotel's main corridor tend to be quite dark. Rooms at the front on the fifth floor or higher have a quintessentially Chicago view: the El tracks along Wabash Avenue. Yes, the windows are extra-thick to muffle the noise of the rumbling trains, but you'll want to avoid the lower-level floors if you like things quiet. For the best combination of natural light and views, request a Wabash Avenue room on the 9th or 10th floor.Word about The Silversmith has been slow getting out (even Loop office workers who pass by it daily don't know it's there), so rooms don't book up as quickly as other, hotter spots. That's good news for thrifty travelers looking for deals (I hear the suites often get discounted). You also are more likely to find a room here during the busy convention season. Guest-friendly touches include an evening wine-and-cheese reception and complimentary desserts available at night in the lobby (including Eli's cheesecake, one of the city's signature sweet treats).
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.
City Suites Hotel
A few doors down from the elevated-train stop on Belmont Avenue, this former transient dive has been transformed into a charming small hotel. Most rooms are suites, with separate sitting rooms and bedrooms, all furnished with first-rate pieces and decorated in a homey and comfortable style. The amenities are excellent for a hotel in this price range, including local limousine service, plush robes, and complimentary continental breakfast. A bonus -- or drawback, depending on your point of view -- is the hotel's neighborhood setting. Most rooms can be fairly noisy; those facing north overlook Belmont Avenue, where the nightlife continues into the early morning hours, and those facing west look right out over the rumbling El tracks. On your way in and out of the hotel you'll mingle with plenty of locals, everybody from young professional families to gay couples to punks in full regalia. Blues bars, nightclubs, and restaurants abound hereabouts, making the City Suites a find for the bargain-minded and adventuresome. Suites have fridges and microwaves on request. Room service is available from Ann Sather, a Swedish diner and neighborhood institution.
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 US Airways
