Four Hours to Kill in Chicago. What Should I do?

I am flying to Chicago for the day on Tuesday for an event that I thought would be an all day event. My plane arrives about 7:30 am at O'hare and the event will be at a nearby hotel. Turns out it won't begin until 12:30 pm! (If you knew how much of morning person I am NOT, you would know how much this annoys me.)

So now I will have four a.m. hours on my hands. I have been to Chicago many, many times but not so much in the past few years. I am familiar with the transit system. I am looking for any suggestions about what I might do during my four hours. Any thoughts?

Comments

[Dana Ames]

Never been there, but I suggest emailing Scot McKnight and asking him.
Dana

[Mark Perry]

Assuming your plane does arrive at 7:30am, you will have five hours before your meeting time. It takes about an hour to take the CTA train from O'Hare to downtown (during rush hour it might take a bit longer). Allowing time for the return trip, you'll have 2 to 2 and a half hours to do something. Certainly, there is much to see in the downtown area; Historical Society on the near north side (across the street from Moody Memorial Church), Mag Mile, Sears Tower, Hancock Bldg, etc. If you want to see other museums, you will need to head south (which will take more travel time). I would take public transportation since it will be faster than driving.

Chicago is a wonderful city; I live there for 19 years. I hope this helps.

[Michael Kruse]

Thanks Mark. It is good to have some idea of the train commute length. I used to fly to Chicago regularly in the 1990s and take the train downtown for training events with Dow Jones. I couldn't remember what the commute is like.

I have a college roommate who works in the Sears Tower. I have great-great-grandparents who were among the early residents of Harvey which was founded as a prohbition town. My grandfather lived near Jackson Park on 63rd St when a child in the 1910s. I have visited several times and almost took a job there about sixteen year ago.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have been to several of the museums but I don't think I have ever visited the historical society. I love local history. Of Course, I have been to the most sacred of Chicago shrines: Wrigley Field (though I still have yet to catch a game there.)