ksandness

Well, I was trapped there for most of a day when my connecting flight missed my London flight by five minutes. (Grrr)

Anyway, here's what I did after checking out of my overnight motel: got a cup of coffee and read the papers, went to Laptop Lane and checked my e-mail, strolled around and surveyed the available food options, picked one, and had lunch. Strolled around again, surveyed the paperback books available at the various newsstands, and decided which one to buy. Bought another cup of coffee and sat reading the book. By the time I was halfway through my book, it was time for the flight.

Reading material is your best friend on a long layover.

UNITED959

I guess you can visit the city, but be realistic time-wise. For example, let's assume your inbound flight arrives at 6:00am:

6:15am - Deplane (it is ORD, after all...you're crazy to expect that you'll arrive on time!)
6:25am - Get to train station
6:30 am - Train departs
7:15 am - Arrive Downtown
9:45 am - Depart Downtown
10:30 am - Arrive ORD
10:40 am - Allow 1/2 hour for security (shorter if you have status)
11:10 am - Finish with Security
11:30 am - Plane Begins Boarding
12:00 pm - Plane Pushes Back
1:00 pm - Wheels up (it is ORD, after all!)

Really nets you 2.5 hours (safely)...which I guess is better than walking around ORD.

heffa

At this point you will find out that your flight is delayed until 4 PM due to weather!

UNITED959

I disagree. It's usually about 5 minutes after this point:

jamiel

Maybe something different...head over to Park Ridge (short cab ride or el to Cumberland then bus) for breakfast (there's an Original Pancake House, as I recall) then stroll around (they've got a nice downtown around the train station) then head back (cabs available at the train station). It's where Hillary Rodham Clinton was from...

paytonc

The Blue Line is running slower these days due to track maintenance, so add some travel time. If you want to cut it a bit closer, consider
- at Logan Square is Cafe Lula, amazing, fresh food and cheap but opens at 9am (too late?)
- many options at Damen, including Half & Half right under the station, Sweet Thang (boulangerie) and Bongo Room (modern brunch) down the street

whisper

Hi! First time post on this board, hope I'm in the right place. Actually a 3Hr and 45 minute layover. Will I have enough time to exit ORD and get a bite to eat? I'm due in on 7/31/07 (a Tuesday) at 2:20pm and scheduled to leave at 6:05pm for my connecting flight. Have never been to Chicago except passing thru and would like to get out of airport if only for a short while. Will I have enough time to go out and back thru security and if so any suggestions for a place or two nearby for some lunch preferably something uniquely Chicagoan. Thanks!

CaliforniasCentralCoast

http://www.ifly.com/chicago-ohare-in...t/shops-stores

for ORD restaurant reviews


http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hote...nois/dining.do

If you want to walk a little more, the Hilton ORD has a nice place to eat.

What ever you decide, enjoy.

UNITED959

What kind of food are you after?

Sadly, ORD is too far from "downtown" given your connection duration. You do have plenty of time to leave security though.

The Hilton is a good idea...there's really nothing in the immediate area worth leaving the airport, IMHO. There is a Gibson's steak house and Harry Caray's in one of the hotels nearby, but I wouldn't call that "great" food. In other words, not sure it's worth scarfing down a steak & dropping $20 on cab rides.

Hilton has a nice gym that you can pay to use, and it's connected to the airport.

whisper

Thanks folks. I'm a smoker so getting out of the airport for awhile appeals to me. I'm looking for something within walking distance and as I'll be on Pacific Time breakfast or lunch would suit me fine. Perhaps a Chicago Dog and some fries and a Coke or deep dish Pizza by the slice or a disgustingly colesterol laden breakfast sandwich w/ potatoes and a cuppa joe would work. Just gettin out, having a bite to eat, stretching the legs and a smoke or two while killing some time is the plan. Having some really good food is a bonus. Having been thru ORD 3 or 4 times a year the past few years I've eaten at most of the onsite places and they aren't bad. I've never had a layover before where leaving the airport was an option. BTW I'm assuming smoking in the gym @ The Hilton is out Thanks for your advice!

wizzy

If you wanted to hop on the El, you could head to a nearby station and find some food there. As others have said, you don't have time to go all the way downtown.

Check out this mashup for some ideas. Start with blue line stations near O'hare; they are listed in order. Hope you find something that looks interesting.

http://www.tastypopsicle.com/maps/cta.asp

whisper

What a great link. Chicago Transit Authority makes me want to dig through my collection of vinyl. Don't know what made me think I could step outside, walk a few blocks and find something. As I said I never had more then an hour or so between flights and I never considered something like this. I surely don't want to miss my flight so it looks like the first 4 or 5 stops on the blue line are my best options. I'm off to CTA's web site for a schedule. I'm open to any suggestions for food in this area. Thanks wizzy!

glg

I'd suggest Harlem or Jefferson Park. Not much close to Rosemount or Cumberland.

As for schedule, don't even bother. It'll be close to rush hour so trains should be running under 10 minutes apart. CTA schedules and reality rarely collide.

paytonc

Jeff Park is definitely the most urban of those stations. I don't know about "Chicago style" options, but it's a heavily Eastern European neighborhood.

The Golden Duck and Gale Street Inn are within a short walk of the train station:
http://jump.suntimes.com/list.cfm?tag=jefferson-park

However, the train follows the freeway into town for quite a while. If you had *four* hours, I'd recommend going to Logan Square, but three hours is cutting it close.

whisper

Thanks paytonc and gig for the info. The Golden Duck and Gale Street Inn both look inviting. Thanks for the link paytonic. Assuming my incoming flight is on time would you say I can do this with some time to spare (3hr&45min)? I'm a fast walker and I don't get lost easily.