Suggestions for brief trip to Chicago -stuck at O'hare

**aslyfox** · 08-03-2017, 07:30 AM

My wife is going to Chicago ( O'Hare Airport locale ) in mid Sept on a business trip

I decided to go with her and we fly into O'Hare, staying near the Airport and going to a Cubs Game. On the next day, she will be at her conference and I will be on my own. We would be leaving the afternoon of the next day.

When I decided to go, and we bought the plane tickets and the tickets to the ball game, I didn't realize that her conference was in the immediate area of the air port.

I thought we would be down town and there would be lots for me to do and to try to photograph.

now I understand we will have to take the train in and then a bus to get to Wrigley Field

knowing what I know now, I would have stayed home and save the $

__________________________________________

now I am looking for suggestions as to what I might do on my " free " day and it will be a long one since she has a banquet to go to that I will not be going to.

and how to get to those locations

Am I stuck taking a train and bus into down town or is there things nearer to O'Hare I should explore

any thoughts or suggestions.

we will not be renting a car so I will be dependent on cabs or public transport I don't do Uber or Lyft.

I have never stayed at O'Hare ,

thanks for any and all help

SSGGeezer · 08-03-2017, 07:36 AM

Go into town, definitely. If you go down by the Sears tower (don't call it the Willis tower.) Luke's italian beef sandwich is amazing! Better than any chain. The skywalk in the tower is very cool since you are looking straight down 103 stories! My acrophobic wife even did it and loved it. Architectural tours via boats on the river are cool also. Lots of stuff to do downtown in Chicago and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like cities very much. Take the train!

**TER-OR** · 08-03-2017, 08:27 AM

Even if you don't do the museums, it's worth walking around the museum campus/Northerly Island/Soldier Field area. Boat tours are a lot of fun.
There are also bus tours (often open double-deck) which allow you to get on and off the bus as you wish, they'll give you a map of their stops. It's kind of a trolly in that regard. It's an easy way to get around the tourist areas, if you don't mind waiting a little while for the next bus to stop.

**aslyfox** · 08-03-2017, 08:59 AM

Originally posted by SSGGeezer

Go into town, definitely. If you go down by the Sears tower (don't call it the Willis tower.) Luke's italian beef sandwich is amazing! Better than any chain. The skywalk in the tower is very cool since you are looking straight down 103 stories! My acrophobic wife even did it and loved it. Architectural tours via boats on the river are cool also. Lots of stuff to do downtown in Chicago and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like cities very much. Take the train!

thanks for the help

yeah, I am somewhat familiar with down town since we usually stay just north of the river when we go

take the red train to Wrigley etc

as far as the Sears [ Willis] tower, I went up it as a kid when it was the Sears Tower, [ the Hancock Building as well ] and like your wife, didn't like it so I will pass

any idea how long it takes to get from the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare

Wyndham Chicago O?Hare ORD - Park Sleep Fly

to down town and what train I take and where I find it???

Originally posted by TER-OR

Even if you don't do the museums, it's worth walking around the museum campus/Northerly Island/Soldier Field area. Boat tours are a lot of fun.
There are also bus tours (often open double-deck) which allow you to get on and off the bus as you wish, they'll give you a map of their stops. It's kind of a trolly in that regard. It's an easy way to get around the tourist areas, if you don't mind waiting a little while for the next bus to stop.

you are 100 % correct We were last in Chicago Memorial Day Weekend '16 ( Cubs won all 3 games we attended ) and went to the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. I hadn't been there since my first trip to Chicago as a kid ( I grew up in Le Roy, down between Bloomington and Champaign/Urbana ) Boy has it changed.

I was wondering if there was anything near where we would be staying in case I decided not to go into Chicago

Last edited by aslyfox; 08-03-2017 at 09:06 AM.

**TER-OR** · 08-03-2017, 10:08 AM

When will you be in town? We can have a look for local festivals, too. There are other places to visit, for sure, but you'll need to do more searching. It's a city of villages.

**aslyfox** · 08-03-2017, 10:40 AM

Arrive 9/17, Cubs vs Cardinals game 1:20

Fly out 9/17 in the afternoon

Whoops leave 19th

Thanks for all the help

**TER-OR** · 08-03-2017, 11:03 AM

Same day?

**aslyfox** · 08-03-2017, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by TER-OR

Same day?

Sorry

Cub game on 17

Scheduled to arrive early am on 17th

Leave 19th

SSGGeezer · 08-03-2017, 03:59 PM

Spend the 18th near the Sears tower and out towards Grant park, that has the fountain from the intro to Married With Children in it. Or just do a river tour and eat an Italian beef at Lukes. Trust me on that one, your mouth will thank you for it.

dmr · 08-03-2017, 05:16 PM

You don't need to take a bus to Wrigley. Just transfer on the train. Take the Blue Line from any of the stations in the general O'Hare area, get off at Jackson, take the underpass to the Red Line, and the Red Line north to Addison. The stadium will be painfully obvious to you. It takes maybe 45 minutes from ORD to downtown and maybe 20 minutes on the Red Line up to Wrigley.

**aslyfox** · 08-03-2017, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by dmr

You don't need to take a bus to Wrigley. Just transfer on the train. Take the Blue Line from any of the stations in the general O'Hare area, get off at Jackson, take the underpass to the Red Line, and the Red Line north to Addison. The stadium will be painfully obvious to you. It takes maybe 45 minutes from ORD to downtown and maybe 20 minutes on the Red Line up to Wrigley.

Thanks

I'm used to taking the red line from down town to wrigley

So now I know how to connect to the red line

Auzzie-Phoenix · 08-04-2017, 10:51 PM - **1 Like**

Ouch... O'hare.... it literally is the nightmare airport everyone makes it out to be. Take some sort of portable entertainment, you will be sitting and waiting for some time. Sorry chicago... your airport sucks.

dmr · 08-06-2017, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by Aslyfox

So now I know how to connect to the red line

Yes, the down-and-under tunnel will be very obvious when you get off the train at Jackson.

They used to have a similar underpass connecting Red and Blue at Washington, but that's now closed pending them deciding what they are gonna do with the Washington station on the Red Line.

KiloHotelphoto · 08-15-2017, 09:11 PM

After seeing this today I would say stay at the airport. 2017 Stats | Chicago Murder, Crime & Mayhem | HeyJackass!

**aslyfox** · 08-16-2017, 02:44 AM

Originally posted by KiloHotelphoto

After seeing this today I would say stay at the airport. . .. .

I will take the train into Chicago, head to either the Field Museum

The Field Museum | Welcome to The Field Museum

or

the Shedd Aquarium

Home | Shedd Aquarium

or both

repeat visits but hopefully still enjoyable and informative

as far as the unfortunate violence in Chicago and other parts of our nation, I have learned that avoidance of certain areas of communities is often the best policy regardless of the community you visit.

The same might be true of many cities in the World.

08-03-2017, 07:30 AM	#1
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	Suggestions for brief trip to Chicago -stuck at O'hare My wife is going to Chicago ( O'Hare Airport locale ) in mid Sept on a business trip I decided to go with her and we fly into O'Hare, staying near the Airport and going to a Cubs Game. On the next day, she will be at her conference and I will be on my own. We would be leaving the afternoon of the next day. When I decided to go, and we bought the plane tickets and the tickets to the ball game, I didn't realize that her conference was in the immediate area of the air port. I thought we would be down town and there would be lots for me to do and to try to photograph. now I understand we will have to take the train in and then a bus to get to Wrigley Field knowing what I know now, I would have stayed home and save the $ __________________________________________ now I am looking for suggestions as to what I might do on my " free " day and it will be a long one since she has a banquet to go to that I will not be going to. and how to get to those locations Am I stuck taking a train and bus into down town or is there things nearer to O'Hare I should explore any thoughts or suggestions. we will not be renting a car so I will be dependent on cabs or public transport I don't do Uber or Lyft. I have never stayed at O'Hare , thanks for any and all help

08-03-2017, 08:27 AM	#3
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Even if you don't do the museums, it's worth walking around the museum campus/Northerly Island/Soldier Field area. Boat tours are a lot of fun. There are also bus tours (often open double-deck) which allow you to get on and off the bus as you wish, they'll give you a map of their stops. It's kind of a trolly in that regard. It's an easy way to get around the tourist areas, if you don't mind waiting a little while for the next bus to stop. Last edited by TER-OR; 08-03-2017 at 08:34 AM.

08-03-2017, 10:40 AM	#6
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581 Original Poster	Arrive 9/17, Cubs vs Cardinals game 1:20 Fly out 9/17 in the afternoon Whoops leave 19th Thanks for all the help Last edited by aslyfox; 08-03-2017 at 11:11 AM.

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08-03-2017, 07:36 AM	#2
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Go into town, definitely. If you go down by the Sears tower (don't call it the Willis tower.) Luke's italian beef sandwich is amazing! Better than any chain. The skywalk in the tower is very cool since you are looking straight down 103 stories! My acrophobic wife even did it and loved it. Architectural tours via boats on the river are cool also. Lots of stuff to do downtown in Chicago and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like cities very much. Take the train!

08-03-2017, 08:59 AM	#4
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581 Original Poster	Originally posted by SSGGeezer Go into town, definitely. If you go down by the Sears tower (don't call it the Willis tower.) Luke's italian beef sandwich is amazing! Better than any chain. The skywalk in the tower is very cool since you are looking straight down 103 stories! My acrophobic wife even did it and loved it. Architectural tours via boats on the river are cool also. Lots of stuff to do downtown in Chicago and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like cities very much. Take the train! thanks for the help yeah, I am somewhat familiar with down town since we usually stay just north of the river when we go take the red train to Wrigley etc as far as the Sears [ Willis] tower, I went up it as a kid when it was the Sears Tower, [ the Hancock Building as well ] and like your wife, didn't like it so I will pass any idea how long it takes to get from the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare Wyndham Chicago O?Hare ORD - Park Sleep Fly to down town and what train I take and where I find it??? Originally posted by TER-OR Even if you don't do the museums, it's worth walking around the museum campus/Northerly Island/Soldier Field area. Boat tours are a lot of fun. There are also bus tours (often open double-deck) which allow you to get on and off the bus as you wish, they'll give you a map of their stops. It's kind of a trolly in that regard. It's an easy way to get around the tourist areas, if you don't mind waiting a little while for the next bus to stop. you are 100 % correct We were last in Chicago Memorial Day Weekend '16 ( Cubs won all 3 games we attended ) and went to the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. I hadn't been there since my first trip to Chicago as a kid ( I grew up in Le Roy, down between Bloomington and Champaign/Urbana ) Boy has it changed. I was wondering if there was anything near where we would be staying in case I decided not to go into Chicago Last edited by aslyfox; 08-03-2017 at 09:06 AM.

08-03-2017, 10:08 AM	#5
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	When will you be in town? We can have a look for local festivals, too. There are other places to visit, for sure, but you'll need to do more searching. It's a city of villages.

08-03-2017, 11:03 AM	#7
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	Same day?

08-03-2017, 11:08 AM	#8
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581 Original Poster	Originally posted by TER-OR Same day? Sorry Cub game on 17 Scheduled to arrive early am on 17th Leave 19th

08-03-2017, 03:59 PM	#9
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Spend the 18th near the Sears tower and out towards Grant park, that has the fountain from the intro to Married With Children in it. Or just do a river tour and eat an Italian beef at Lukes. Trust me on that one, your mouth will thank you for it.

08-03-2017, 05:16 PM	#10
dmr Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Somewhere in Middle America Posts: 106	You don't need to take a bus to Wrigley. Just transfer on the train. Take the Blue Line from any of the stations in the general O'Hare area, get off at Jackson, take the underpass to the Red Line, and the Red Line north to Addison. The stadium will be painfully obvious to you. It takes maybe 45 minutes from ORD to downtown and maybe 20 minutes on the Red Line up to Wrigley.

08-03-2017, 05:38 PM	#11
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581 Original Poster	Originally posted by dmr You don't need to take a bus to Wrigley. Just transfer on the train. Take the Blue Line from any of the stations in the general O'Hare area, get off at Jackson, take the underpass to the Red Line, and the Red Line north to Addison. The stadium will be painfully obvious to you. It takes maybe 45 minutes from ORD to downtown and maybe 20 minutes on the Red Line up to Wrigley. Thanks I'm used to taking the red line from down town to wrigley So now I know how to connect to the red line

08-04-2017, 10:51 PM - 1 Like	#12
Auzzie-Phoenix Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,020	Ouch... O'hare.... it literally is the nightmare airport everyone makes it out to be. Take some sort of portable entertainment, you will be sitting and waiting for some time. Sorry chicago... your airport sucks.

08-06-2017, 03:24 PM	#13
dmr Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Somewhere in Middle America Posts: 106	Originally posted by Aslyfox So now I know how to connect to the red line Yes, the down-and-under tunnel will be very obvious when you get off the train at Jackson. They used to have a similar underpass connecting Red and Blue at Washington, but that's now closed pending them deciding what they are gonna do with the Washington station on the Red Line.

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08-15-2017, 09:11 PM	#14
KiloHotelphoto Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Glen Mills, PA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,027	After seeing this today I would say stay at the airport. 2017 Stats \| Chicago Murder, Crime & Mayhem \| HeyJackass!

08-16-2017, 02:44 AM	#15
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581 Original Poster	Originally posted by KiloHotelphoto After seeing this today I would say stay at the airport. . .. . I will take the train into Chicago, head to either the Field Museum The Field Museum \| Welcome to The Field Museum or the Shedd Aquarium Home \| Shedd Aquarium or both repeat visits but hopefully still enjoyable and informative as far as the unfortunate violence in Chicago and other parts of our nation, I have learned that avoidance of certain areas of communities is often the best policy regardless of the community you visit. The same might be true of many cities in the World.