Southwest® flights from Austin to Chicago (O'Hare)

When you start your Chicago adventure by arriving at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, you’re just a Blue Line ride away from everything the city has to offer. The CTA has trains and buses that can take you nearly everywhere you want to go during your visit if you choose to use public transit, but renting a car is just as easy.

The neighborhoods nearest the airport of your arrival are largely residential, but spend enough time exploring and you’ll find that each of Chicago’s 77 designated neighborhoods have hidden gems. Bungalow Belts abound across the city and make for fantastic self-directed sightseeing for lovers of Arts and Crafts architecture. If you’d prefer to take in the iconic skyscrapers of the Loop, consider heading downtown for a boat-based architecture tour on the Chicago River. The river itself is a marvel: In the late 1880s, civil engineers successfully reversed the river’s flow from emptying into Lake Michigan to protect and preserve the city’s supply of freshwater.