Four Hour Layover at O'Hare

I will be in O%26#39;Hare for four hours on a trip this week and was wondering if there was anything to see and do there to while away the hours.

Four Hour Layover at O'Hare

You can hop a CTA blue line train for a quick visit in the city. It will take you about an hour each way from ORD. Transitchicago.com for details.

Or if you want a decent meal without having to go downtown, Rosemont, IL is just outside of ORD. Lots of dining options there.

Four Hour Layover at O'Hare

Within the airport itself, there are several unique places: a branch of the children%26#39;s museum, gift shops for the Field Museum and Chicago History Museum, a chapel, art and photography exhibits, a backrub booth. Of course, there is a lot of Chicago%26#39;s favorite food to purchase: Billy Goat, Eli%26#39;s Cheesecake, Chicago-style pizza.

If you are looking for a workout, you can go next door to the Hilton at the airport and get a one day pass to the health club.

Four hours is barely enough time to get downtown, walk around and get back. The train ride is about an hour, and you should allow an extra 15 -20 minutes of walking and waiting time each way. If you want to visit a neighborhood, Wicker Park/Bucktown (Damen Avenue stop) can be reached easily from the Blue Line train and it is about 10 minutes closer than downtown. It%26#39;s a newly revitalized area with a lot of art galleries and funky shops and restaurants.

Maps of O%26#39;Hare

flychicago.com/ohare/鈥erminalMapsORD.shtm

In just four hours, I doubt that you would have time to take a train downtown. The ride will be at least an hour each way, not to mention the time you would have to take getting to and from whatever you want to see. Also, you would have to get back to the airport almost as soon as you got downtown to give yourself enough time to get back through security.

You can go to giordano%26#39;s for pizza...it%26#39;s within walking distance of the Rosemont blue line stop. I wouldn%26#39;t recommend going downtown...the train is taking a lot longer due to a couple of derailments over the last year...an hour from Ohare to Downtown would be a fast ride...I tend to experience more like an hour and 15 or an hour and a half each way. plus you may have to wait for a train, you%26#39;ll have to walk from your gate to the train and back, plus you%26#39;ll have to go through security again....let%26#39;s not mention I can%26#39;t remember the last time my plane wasn%26#39;t delayed coming into Chicago. You%26#39;ll be lucky if you have time to stop at Giordano%26#39;s :-) (a stuffed pizza will take a solid half hour or 45 minutes to cook).