I have a six hour layover in Chicago. What should I do?

Question

I have a six hour layover in Chicago, which should give me about four hours to go and see what I can of the city. I know I want to go see Wrigley, but what I else should I try and see or eat before I leave?

My flight gets in to O'Hare at 1:25 p.m. and I leave at 7:10 p.m. I just don't want to sit at the airport for six hours, even if that means I only see one thing. It'd be a shame to have had the opportunity and to not see a single thing, especially given the fact that I don't know when I'll ever be back in town.

Also, checking in for my flight won't be a problem because we are flying on one airline and will be checked in from the get-go.

Answer 1

You can't really see too much in four hours. I know it sounds like a lot, but it takes time to get to a lot of places. For instance, it may take you about 45 minutes to get from O'Hare to downtown, but then you have to take a train from downtown to Wrigley and that may be another 30-45 minutes depending how the train is running. Then you have to get back downtown and then back to O'Hare. If i were you I'd just go downtown to State street, do a little window shopping at Macy's etc., walk over to Millenium Park or the Chicago Cultural center (both on Michigan ave), maybe have lunch somewhere (I recommend Miller's Pub on Wabash) and then head back to O'Hare. You want to allow for possible train delays, especially on the Blue Line (the train that goes to and from O'Hare... that line has had the most breakdowns lately).
---

OK, now that i see your times of arrival and depature, I REALLY recommend just going downtown. Sure seeing Wrigley is nice but that would be ALL you could do. You get in at about 1:30 and it might take you at least a half hour to disembark, make your way through the crowded airport, find the train terminal, buy your bus pass and get on the train, which would make it almost 2 p.m. before you get going from O'Hare. Even if you were to take a shortcut and get off the Blue Line at Addision and catch a bus to the ballpark, you'll probaby run in to the Lane Tech students getting on and off the bus as they start getting out of school (which is right on Addison) for the day, which would slow down the bus travel time considerably. An hour to get from O'hare to Wrigley is being generous, which means it would be about 2:30 or almost 3:00 when you get to Wrigley. Then, since your flight leaves at 7ish and you have to have to check in at least two hours before it leaves (5 p.m.), you might get to spend 45 minutes looking at Wrigley (which would make it almost 4 p.m.), since you'll be traveling back to the second or third busiest airport in the nation during rush hour and it . not a pretty picture.

Like I said, stick with just taking the train to the Loop and back. Visit macy's, see the shops, walk over to Millenium Park, visit the Chicago Cultural Center across from the park, stop into the Souvenier shop in the center, buy a cool Chicago Fire Department t-shirt and head back to the airport. Trying to see "Chicago" in a few hours is futile. Wrigley Field is cool, but it's not worth missing a flight. Just make a promise to yourself to come back when you have time.

Answer 2

That's going to be a little tight, considering time for travel and security and such. But, if you're feeling adventurous (and I'm assuming here you're flying into O'Hare, not Midway), you could take the Blue Line L train from Terminal Three to the Addison stop, transfer to the 152 bus going east, and in about 45 minutes total you'll be at Wrigley Field.

From Wrigley Field, you could get on the Red Line L station at Addison and Sheffield and take that downtown to the Chicago stop (about 15 minutes)- walk two blocks east and you're on Michgian Avenue. You could stroll down Michigan Avenue to Millenium Park, look at the Bean, see at least the outside of the Art Institute, walk west a few blocks through the Loop and past State Street to Dearborn Street, get back on the Blue Line L and take it back to O'Hare, all in about an hour and a half.

Go to transitchicago.com and you can plot out a route based on the above. Again, it'll be a little tight, but you can probably do it. If you're feeling a bit less adventurous and absolutely sure you don't want to miss your flight, you could either make Wrigley Field your only destination (though that'd be a shame), take the Blue Line straight to downtown and wander around the Loop and the south end of Michigan Avenue (it's a 45 minute trip to the Loop), or take the Blue Line downtown, take a cab downtown and ask the driver to go to O'Hare by way of Wrigley Field (it's a bit out of the way, but not insanely so.)

Answer 3

This layover really isn't all that long, particularly when you figure you'll want to be back at security at least an hour before you leave and you figure it will lose about an hour each way on transportation. That said, if you want to see Wrigley, make it your destination You can take the blue line 'L' downtown (which takes about 50 minutes from O'Hare), transfer at Jackson to the red line, and take it up to Addison (another half hour). (A taxi will be quicker at midday, but it will also be expensive.) You'll just catch a quick glimpse of the stadium, and it will be time to return. You might pop your head out of the subway downtown and take a peek at the skyscrapers.

You might have more fun going downtown, eating, and then heading back to the airport. The 'L' trip in from O'Hare is nice, with lots of views of the skyline. There are several steakhouses and pizza places near the Clark/Lake and Washington stops on the blue line in the Loop.

Answer 4

I would use my time this way. Hop the L and take it down to Jackson. Walk over the the Sears Tower. This probably takes an Hour, including the train ride.
Then get a cab over to Millennium Park. Take a photo of the Bean and then start walking North on Michigan Ave. You will cross the river and be in the shopping, tourist district. Maybe grab some lunch / dinner at the Billy Goat (underground near the Wrigley Building) and just wander along the street.
Catch a cab up to Wrigley Field (20 minutes, this is a little out of the way, but since it is on your list...). Take a photo from Clark/Addison and get back into the cab and you're on your way to the airport.

I usually allow 2 - 2.5 hours from the time I get a cab until my flight is scheduled to leave, so you can budget your time accordingly.

Answer 5

What are your arrival and departure times? I'm asking because you'll need to figure traffic into your travel times. You can take the L downtown, and if all goes well that will take 45 minutes. The Sears Tower was a good suggestion, but only if it's a nice day. Millenium Park is fun, and if you're energetic, rent some skates and go skating there too! Wrigley Field is, as someone else mentioned, a bit out of your way...Although it would be fun to see, you can't go in, and there's not much to do there. If you want to go, you can take the Red Line right there (from State Street). But once you're there, the best way to the airport is probably by cab, which could take from 30min to over an hour (in rush hour traffic)

Michigan Avenue is fun to walk up, and as someone else mentioned, it's a nice walk up Michigan Ave. from Millenium Park, over the river and up to the John Hancock bldg (could go to the top of that instead of the Sears Tower -- I like the John Hancock better)

I like your adventurous spirit, and if the weather's good, I say, good for you -- get out of the airport, "L" it downtown, and even if you can't spend as much time as you like, it will still be fun! Chicago is a wonderful city!

Answer 6

I wouldn't even consider leaving the airport with just 6 hours. You will have to fight traffic and security just to get back in and traffic while you are out and about. You would be lucky to have a minute to even glimpse Wrigley. You can find authentic Chicago foods right in the airport. Right down to the cheeseburgers that were made famous on Saturday Night Live by John Belushi. They have the cheesecake, the hot dogs and the pizzeria UNO all right at the airports......Save yourself the headache, just stay put and nosh right there.

Answer 7

There's a cheap tour available on the CTA Blue line. You can take it to the Loop or continue all the way to Forest Park and return. Return fare required. Map and CTA website below:

http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/rail/rail.html

If you don't want a self-guided tour but in the mood for excellent ribs, just take the same CTA train to the Jefferson Pk station and take a safe walk a block to the Gale Street Inn:

http://www.galestreet.com/directions_hours.html#

Answer 8

If you are coming this week it will be snowy and cold. There is talk of a blizzard for tomorrow. I would do what you could do to get out of town fast before you end up sleeping at Camp O'hare. Camp O'hare is where they set up cots for tons of people to sleep on.

Answer 9

I would go standby for an earlier flight.

Sure, you've got time, but then you have to re-enter the airport, and go through customs again. You just knocked down your free time by 1.5 hours.

Answer 10

Sears Tower and Navy Pier.