Make time fly: Things to do in America’s busiest airports

Orlando International Airport flew to No. 2 on our list of the nation's busiest airports for Thanksgiving travel. Credit: |waldzen|

By Jeanenne Tornatore

With Thanksgiving weekend fast approaching, travelers are no doubt thinking about what they need to do to prepare for the holiday crush at airports.  But have they considered how to pass the time between flights or dealing with delays?  Here are some ideas for making the most of your time at some of the country’s busiest airports:

Chicago O’Hare: Families flying through this Midwest mecca will find a great area for the kids to burn off some steam.  Its “Kids on the Fly” Children’s Exhibit and play area (located in Terminal 1) both educates and entertains with an air trafficcontrol tower, a fantasy helicopter, a cargo plane, a luggage station and more.

Atlanta Hartsfield: This hub airport is a shopping and dining destination in itself. If you’re still looking for the perfect holiday gift, you might find it among the dozens of retails shops, including the likes of Bulgari, Brooks Brothers, Kheils, Ermenengildo Zegna, Lacoste, Ferragamo, Sean John, Swarovski and Tumi.  Grabbing a nice meal is easy to do as well with local favorites like Paschal’s Southern Cuisine, Sweet Water Brew House and Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint.

San Francisco International: If you have a few hours to spend at SFO, you’ll find it easy to pass the time.  For the kids there’s an aquarium (located pre-security in Terminal 1) that gives a glimpse of three distinct aquatic communities and the SFO Kids’ Spot, an interactive exploration area featuring weather related exhibits from the Exploratorium of San Francisco, as well as a crawling apparatus (located post-security in Terminals 2 and 3).  The airport is also home to an aviation library and museum dedicated to commercial aviation, with exhibits ranging from vintage airplanes to the fantasy of space travel (located pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall).

Denver International: Art enthusiasts will find plenty to captivate them at DIA, from its many public art installations to its thriving art exhibition program including several venues with changing collections.  And for those looking to truly explore the airport, try your luck at it’s scavenger hunt (details at flydenver.com).

Related resources

• Atlanta hotels
• Chicago hotels
• Denver hotels
• San Francisco hotels

Jeanenne Tornatore is a senior travel editor at Orbitz Worldwide. A long-time traveler and avid deal seeker, she regularly shares her industry knowledge, practical advice and savvy tips with national print and broadcast media around the country.

Tagged: Family time