chicago greeter neighborhood tours

Explore Chicago with a local

Discover Chicago's highlights and hidden gems with a friendly Chicagoan by your side. Learn more about our free Chicago Greeter program.

Discover Chicago Greeter

Greeter visits

Immerse yourself in our unique neighborhoods and downtown sights during a Chicago Greeter visit. These free visits are a great way to explore the city with the insider perspective of a friendly local. Learn more about Chicago Greeter and sign up for a free visit today.

Volunteer with Chicago Greeter

Becoming a Chicago Greeter requires no previous experience — just a passion for Chicago. We're always looking for friendly, knowledgeable locals to help welcome visitors from around the globe to Chicago. Find out how to become a Chicago Greeter for your favorite neighborhood.

Neighborhood Gems

Check out just a few of the unique sites and under-the-radar spots you can discover during a Chicago Greeter visit.

What people love about Greeter

We went around the city where Denise showed me not only some of the main landmarks of the city but also perks and views that only locals know about and that I would not have the chance to visit if it was not for her. Denise also describes the neighborhoods, buildings, history of the city and points for me to visit during my stay. It was excellent, thank you!

“Sofia was spectacular during our tour. She took us to new places and told us several facts that made our vision of Chicago even broader. We will definitely recommend it to all our friends who travel to Chicago. It was SENSATIONAL!”

“Jim was great. He had so much knowledge about the history of the city and the buildings. We had planned on walking some of the area he took us on by ourselves, but we would have missed so much and not learned nearly as much about the buildings, the people, the city as a whole.”

“Brian was fantastic! Our time with him was better than we could have expected. We used his restaurant suggestions for our entire stay. We learned information about the city that we would have never known . I have already recommended this service to friends and will definitely use it again myself.”

“In three weeks of being in Chicago, this was by far the greatest highlight. My tour and connection with Sharyne really elevated the experience and drove me to want to move to Chicago sooner than I’d planned to. I hope in the coming years I call this city home.”

This website uses cookies to ensure the best experience, which you consent to by clicking ‘Got It.’ Learn more about how we handle your personal data and rights by reviewing our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . By visiting chicagogreeter.com, you are consenting to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Chicago Greeters ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ Free Private Walking Tour with a local

Book a free private walk in Chicago with a Greeter.

Meet a local volunteer

Our core value #1   reads "Greeters are volunteers, a friendly face for those visiting a city."

It's true: our Greeters love their city or town and they are proud to share this with guests.

How could you better discover the most interesting spots of a place?

Mini group, maximum six people

Our core value #2 reads "Greeters welcome individuals and may serve small groups of up to six people."

The reason is that each Greet should be an opportunity to talk to each other and that seems impossible in bigger groups.

Also important: we do not mingle people from different requests but serve only you (and your friends).

Free service, no tipping

Our core value #3 reads "Meeting a Greeter is free of charge."

We do not follow a "give what you think is ok (but please give)" strategy. Greeters honestly do not like any tipping because what they give comes from their heart not because of any tipping expectation.

If you feel you would like to support the Greeters as a whole you should find a way to support the local Greeter organization (our our association) to keep the project running.

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Chicago Greeters offering free pop up neighborhood tours through 20 neighborhoods

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Greeter program is celebrating its 20th anniversary by offering InstaGreeter Pop-Up Tours.

The series features free neighborhood walks through 20 Chicago neighborhoods, including Pilsen, Chinatown and Hyde Park.

Tours depart Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

For the full schedule, click here .

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Chicago Greeter Tours

Explore Chicago with a friendly, knowledgeable local tour guide for an insider’s look at the Windy City. With more than 200 enthusiastic volunteers waiting to share their passion and expertise, Chicago Greeter Tours is a great way to learn about the various aspects of the city including landmarks, eateries, shops, attractions and so much more.

Guests may be partnered with greeters from various backgrounds, walks of life and neighborhoods, ensuring that the experience is given from a unique, insider’s perspective. Visitors specify which neighborhoods they are interested in as well as their language preferences. Then they are matched with Greeters who can help them explore the city based on their special interests.

Visitors to Chicago and new residents will find that Greeter Tours provide them with something a bit less touristy and more off-the-beaten-path. It’s like having a new “friend” to help guests get the most out of their stay in Chicago. Chicago Greeter Tours has been a free service provided by Choose Chicago since 2002 for visitors to discover the unlimited potential that the city has to offer.

Types of Chicago Greeter Tours

Greeter Tours are comprised of a greeter and up to six visitors who gather at the Chicago Cultural Center to start their adventure. Tours may cover specific neighborhoods (more than 25 are available) as requested by the visitor and may be comprised of walking , buses or trains as required. Tours usually last for between 2 and 4 hours while Greeters share their information and knowledge about the city.

InstaGreeter Tours function for visitors who are making last minute plans. Those who want a spur-of-the-moment, quick perspective on the city can join in on a group without advanced notice. These groups meet seasonally at various areas of the city and last for just an hour at a time.

What You’ll See on a Chicago Greeter Tour

Each 2-4-hour greeter tour is different, based on specific interests and individualized knowledge of the Greeter as well as the desires of the visitors. Chicago has 77 distinct communities where locals provide free guided tours that include information about diverse cultural communities, hidden treasures, local landmarks, restaurants, and much more as neighborhoods are explored. From Greektown to Downtown, from Lincoln Park to Wicker Park , Chicago Greeters can guide visitors through the inner-workings of the city.

InstaGreeter impromptu tours are offered on weekends and provide on-the-spot, hour-long walking tours of downtown, Uptown and Hyde Park , depending on the season. These sites and landmarks may be included in the tour: 

• Millennium Park and Cloud Gate sculpture—“The Bean”
• Chicago Cultural Center
• Chicago Riverwalk
• Bridgehouse Museum Plaza
• Michigan Avenue
• Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain

Chicago Greeter Tours Services

Chicago Greeter Tours offers a free service to match visitors with guides who present sightseeing tours to the public. 

Chicago Greeter Tours Timing

Chicago Greeter Tours functions all throughout the year. Tours typically last between one and four hours and may be scheduled based upon individual needs and availability.

Chicago Greeter Tours Considerations

Things to know as you make use of Chicago Greeter Tours services:

• To schedule a 2-4 hour guided visit of Chicago, register at least 10 business days in advance of the date of the tour.
• Tours may be requested in more than 25 neighborhoods to cover over 40 different interest areas, including: family friendly, architectural highlights, foodie fun, ethnic Chicago and much more.
• Greeter Tours can accommodate up to 6 guests.
• Tours may combine walking, buses or trains to orient guests to the safety and efficiency of Chicago’s public transportation system.
• For a last-minute booking, InstaGreeter services can offer a free hour-long guided walking tour of the downtown area on weekends. No registration is needed.
• Greeter Tours depart from the Chicago Greeter desk in the Chicago Culture Center lob at 77 E Randolph Street.
• Meeting places and times for InstaGreeter tours vary and can be found online.
• Greeter Volunteers are provided with basic training, but their best qualities are how friendly and enthusiastic they are about their Chicago home.
• Services are offered in 10 languages and covers more than 25 neighborhoods.
• Tours are family friendly and may include children as accompanied by adults. Guests should let the greeter know upon registration that the tour should be family friendly.
• Parking is available near Chicago Cultural Center in parking lots and garages. Spot Hero is a convenient way to find a nearby spot.

Book a Chicago Greeter Tour

Visitors must register online at least 10 business days in advance for a Greeter Tour. InstaGreeter Tours do not require advance booking.

Visitors must register online at least 10 business days in advance for a Greeter Tour. Online bookings show weekly availability including tour times as well as revealing tours that are already sold out. Pay for your tour in advance with a credit card and receive an email with all of the information you need about where and when tours meet as well as what to expect. InstaGreeter Tours do not require advance booking.

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Chicago Greeter Guide - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Chicago Greeter Service

77 E. Randolph, Chicago, IL 60602

Explore Chicago with a friendly, knowledgeable Chicago Greeter as your guide! Visitors can register for a free 2-4 hour guided walking tour of a neighborhood or special local interest of their choice. This free service matches an individual, family or small group of friends with one of over 200 enthusiastic volunteer Greeters who love sharing their expertise and passion about the city and all there is to see and do here. For more information, visit https://chicagogreeter.com/

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Touring The Obama Neighborhoods Of Chicago

Article By: Michael Schuman

We walk through the Obama family's most cherished neighborhoods in Chicago, with Chicago Greeter Tours…

There it is, a corner house on Hyde Park Boulevard, half hidden by trees and across a side street from a Byzantine-style synagogue: the home of the President of the United States . Chicago greeter and our tour guide Marshall Jacobson calls us over to a sidewalk across the boulevard for the best photo opportunity of the presidential digs. A Chicago city police officer guarding the house indicates a place to stand for an even better photo. As we snap away, a guided bicycle tour shows up with the same purpose in mind.

According to Jacobson, the particular police officer on duty can make or break your photo of the Obama house. The previous week, one officer basically told Jacobson and his guests to get lost. As it is, the house is shrouded by trees, so the best images one can get highlights the solarium in the left foreground. Jacobson tells us that Obama reportedly paid between $1.6 and $1.7 million for the home in 2005, after reaping the benefits of his work as an attorney and author of two books.

Between Kenwood and Hyde Park: Obama's House

Jacobson is a Chicago Greeter , a volunteer resident who leads the curious on both foot and via public transportation through more than 25 neighborhoods. Jacobson says that the Gold Coast and Wicker Park – Bucktown are two other favorite destinations, but we choose to explore the area the president calls home.

And while Jim Croce may have sang that Chicago’s South Side “is the baddest part of town” in his 1973 hit, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” we discover that not all of the South Side falls into that category. Obama’s house is officially in the Kenwood neighborhood, but the spot where we are standing across the street from the home marks the beginning of the adjacent Hyde Park neighborhood. Both neighborhoods are very integrated and safe.

Actually, the tour begins not on the South Side but downtown, in the Chicago Cultural Visitor Center and within walking distance of the First National Bank of Chicago building, where Obama worked for the law firm Miner, Barnhill and Galland. It’s a bottom heavy structure, shaped like the state of New Hampshire, 59,000 square feet at ground level and 29,500 square feet at the top. Jacobson points out other downtown landmarks, such as the modern Alexander Calder sculpture, “The Flamingo,” before passing judgment on Chicago‘s famous elevated railway.

Smiles Jacobson, “The El still drives me crazy. I’ve never gotten used to it (the noise).” We bypass the El as Jacobson escorts us onto a city bus heading south to Hyde Park.

Obama's Neighborhood Barbershop and Diner

The view of the president’s home away from the White House may be the cherry on this Chicago greeter walking tour, but a few blocks away is the place where Obama gets his hair cut. Hyde Park Hair Salon promotes itself today as “the official barbershop of President Obama” and Obama’s favorite chair is and preserved in Plexiglas. Framed autographed magazines deck the walls.

So does a painting of Obama‘s personal barber Zariff (that’s it — just one name, like Madonna or Prince) trimming the president’s hair. An Obama cut is promoted for $21. Says Zariff, “It’s a low medium cut, tapered on the sides and back. That’s barber talk.”

Zariff has been cutting Obama’s hair for about 16 years. He says, ‘We never discussed political issues. But what we talk about remains private. If we [barbers] told, we wouldn’t have any customers.”

As we walk past apartments and small businesses, Jacobson tells us that this area was at one time one of Chicago’s most elite neighborhoods. One of the city’s most prestigious — and restricted — country clubs is in these environs. More on that later.

We enter Valois , an inexpensive and comfy cafeteria at 1518 East 53rd Street. It has been here since the 1920s today is proud to promote its Obama connection. A homemade sign identifies three of “President Obama’s favorites,” such as steak and eggs, hash browns and toast for $8.95. “`Yes we can’ help the economy,” the sign adds. Owner Sam Argiris says sales of those items are up 70 percent since he posted the sign.

Obama's Teaching Years at The University of Chicago

We exit the cafeteria and head down Harper Street towards the University of Chicago , but not without a stop at the apartment at 5429 Harper where Obama lived as a single man and teacher of law at the prestigious university. Notes Jacobson, “Chicago is very famous for courtyard apartments like this. Obama lived in an apartment (in this building) facing the rear.”

While serving as professor for 12 years, Obama was known to frequent the Medici Restaurant , a restaurant with a long political history. The famed Chicago Seven of anti-Vietnam War fame gathered here, and the bistro was a hotbed of antiwar activity in the 1960s.

Pre-Presidential Family Dinners and Public Appearances

Obama hasn’t been back since he was elected president, but he did eat here with his family while running for president, always accompanied by six or eight security people. Like other well known Chicago restaurants such as Gino’s East pizzeria , the Medici allows patrons to autograph its walls.

One such patron a few years ago was a young girl named Malia Obama, who wrote her name in green crayon, added a heart, and engirded her writing with an oval. Her scribbling is now protected under glass and surrounded by a wooden frame.

The Medici sells $20 tee-shirts reading “Obama Eats Here,” although “Obama Ate Here” would be more apropos. Still, the Medici has become famous in its own right. Assistant manager Kelly Hayward, once an anonymous Chicago restaurant employee, has been interviewed by news bureaus from all over the world, including Al-Jazeera and the German national television network.

Like Hayward, bookstore employee Tom Flynn has had his brushes with fame. Flynn, the events coordinator at Seminary Co-Op Bookstore (and how many bookstores have full-time events coordinators?), also serving the campus, hosted Obama’s book signing of "The Audacity of Hope" in 2006. The emporium has an underground entrance but seems to go on as long James Michener’s Hawaii. Lines stretched around the block as the store opened early to accommodate the then senator and his fans that day in 2006. Media were allowed 10 minutes to ask Obama about his book and his future political plans; the rest of the time was allotted to Obama and his fans.

Where the Obamas Said "I Do"

Jacobson led us on one more city bus ride, this time about 15 minutes south to the site of the former South Shore Country Club on the shores of Lake Michigan. Built in 1904 and rebuilt in 1916 after a fire, the facility is decorated in a Spanish colonial style, based on a Mexico City country club. For seven decades the South Shore Country Club entertained the wealthiest residents of Chicago’s South Side with two exceptions: Jews and African-Americans. Michelle Obama grew up about four blocks from the country club but would never have been let inside the front door. That discrimination lasted well into the 1970s when the neighborhood began changing and the country club was sold to the city’s park district.

Today it is the South Shore Cultural Center and is owned by the City Park District. Chicagoans gather here to play golf and host parties in a reception hall that even the Trumps would covet. The Obama connection? Barack and Michelle had their wedding reception here, dancing under the white and pink plastered roof. The double hung windows date to the reception hall’s earliest days before central air conditioning existed. They were flung open on muggy summer nights to take advantage of the breezes blowing off Lake Michigan.

Footnote: The Paul Robeson Theater, also part of the building, was the setting of the climactic concert scene of the movie "The Blues Brothers."

So much for restriction.

According to Jacobson, who has given tours to visitors from throughout the globe, “Foreigners have an enormous excitement about Obama and are like little kids. They get excited about everything you show them. Americans are more laid back.”

What to Know When You Go

Chicago Greeter tours are free and run by volunteers. Reservations are required and should be made seven to ten business days in advance. Due to extensive walking, the Hyde Park – Obama tour averages three to four hours. Most of the other tours average about two hours.

Those unable to make reservations can take an Insta-Greeter tour on a first come, first serve basis. They last about an hour and leave from the Chicago Cultural Visitor Center at 201 East Randolph Street, downtown. Insta-Greeter tours take place Friday through Sunday from 10-4, with the last visit of the day departing at 3 p.m.

To arrange your star, contact Chicago Greeter (312/744-8000), open weekdays, 9am-5pm. The Chicago Office of Tourism (877/CHICAGO or 877/ 244-2246) is also helpful.

Our guide, Marshall Jacobson, also gives his own private tours through Tours-R-Us Chicago . He charges $40 per hour with a minimum of three hours per tour for any number of people. They tend to be more extensive than the greeter tours and are tailored more to a client’s specific requests. (773/ 575-3176).

Where to Stay in Chicago

These are some of the hotels I recommend for your Chicago visit.

The Wit    201 North State Street (at the corner of Lake and State) Chicago, IL 60601 (312/467-0200) One of Chicago’s newest boutique hotels by Doubletree. Doubles: $129-$259

Hilton Chicago : 720 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60605 (312/922-4400) A long time Chicago lodging institution. Doubles: $99-$459 

Gold Coast Guest House   113 West Elm Street Chicago, IL 60610 (312/337-0361) An 1873 brick Victorian townhouse featuring a contemporary 20 foot window wall facing a two-level garden. 4 rooms: $129-$199, includes continental breakfast, all private baths.

Wicker Park Inn 1329 North Wicker Park Avenue Chicago, IL 60622 (773/486-2743) An 1890 brick row house with guest rooms decorated to reflect various locales. 5 rooms and 3 apartments: $129-$179, includes continental breakfast, all private baths.

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Great tour with Richard - Chicago Greeter

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• Chicago Greeter

I had an amazing experience as a first time visitor to Chicago, visiting and learning history... read more

Jared was knowledgeable, easy going, had a great perspective on Chicago and city life as a whole... read more

Great tour with Richard

We walked from touristic spots, to outdoors art sculptures and indoors hidden incredible architectures. Richard made us visit places ingeniously as it rained half of the tour. With the history of the city and the sense of humor we shared a good time. I couldn't visit the city in a better way without him ! Thank you Richard and see you next time.

My visit was great! I had a great greeter who showed me just what I was looking to see! She was very knowledgeable.

Marianne took my three kids and me on a wonderful tour of The Loop. It was a great way for us to learn about the city and made out long weekend in Chicago a lot more meaningful. My two teenage kids were especially taken with the history of the city. I highly recommend you take advantage of this generous service. Thanks Marianne for making our trip more meaningful!

I found a link to this service on the tourist information website. It looked too good to be true, but it was as good as it said! Completely free, a local resident met us on our first morning in Chicago and gave us a 3 hour walking tour. It was a fabulous orientation to the city.

My greater Bobbi was Very sweet and knowledgeable. She gave me a natural friend vibe. Amazing Woman!

Excellent experience. The Greeter gave us an interesting induction of Chicago's history, especially related to the architectural development around the downtown area. Our Greeter was very knowlegable and hospitable walking withe us for almost 2 hours in the bone chilling wind in the afternoon. We are impressed by the service provided. It left us with welcoming feeling of the host city we visited for the first time.

Tours & Attractions

Brick of chicago bronzeville neighborhood walking tour.

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On a Brick of Chicago neighborhood walking tour, you’ll learn about all the elements that make Chicago one of the most interesting and dynamic cities in the world. Afterwards, you’ll never look at the built world (or the humble brick) the same way again!

Brick of Chicago neighborhood walking tours have been voted one of Chicago’s best tours by Curbed and the Chicago Reader.

This tour explores the history and architecture of Bronzeville’s Grand Boulevard neighborhood. Grand Boulevard is home to the former mansions of some of Chicago’s wealthiest citizens at the turn of the century. In the early 20th century, Grand Boulevard became the center of the great migration and the hub of thriving Bronzeville. On this walking tour, we’ll explore the architecture and history of Bronzeville – from gilded age mansions, to innovative apartments, mid-century schools, churches, and beyond. Bronzeville is home to some of Chicago’s most remarkable architecture – join this tour to learn about the details that make up the history of this neighborhood and its buildings.

After this tour you’ll never look at Chicago or the humble brick in the same way again!

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The 30 things everybody should do at least once in Chicago, according to Tripadvisor ratings

Posted: April 28, 2024 | Last updated: April 28, 2024

Highest-rated things to do in Chicago, according to Tripadvisor

Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated things to do in Chicago on Tripadvisor . Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews.

#30. The Art Institute of Chicago

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (24,407) - Type of activity: Art Museums - Address: 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603-6110 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Millennium Park

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (25,010) - Type of activity: Points of Interest & Landmarks • Parks - Address: 201 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601-6530 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Cloud Gate

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (18,210) - Type of activity: Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. The Magnificent Mile

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (15,769) - Type of activity: Neighborhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks - Address: North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. Inside Chicago Walking Tours

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (1,713) - Type of activity: City Tours • Historical & Heritage Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. The Escape Game Chicago

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (2,820) - Type of activity: Escape Games • Game & Entertainment Centers - Address: 42 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611-2710 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Chicago Greeter

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (2,795) - Type of activity: City Tours • Walking Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. Tours With Mike

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (262) - Type of activity: City Tours • Historical & Heritage Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Underground Donut Tour

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (591) - Type of activity: Food Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Fox in a Box Chicago

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (1,433) - Type of activity: Escape Games - Address: 47 W Polk St Suite L5, Chicago, IL 60605-2000 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (17,717) - Type of activity: Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings - Address: 233 S Wacker Drive entrance on Jackson Blvd (south side of building), Chicago, IL 60606-7147 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Absolutely Chicago Segway Tours

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (2,415) - Type of activity: Segway Tours • Ghost & Vampire Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Chicago's First Lady Cruises

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (5,735) - Type of activity: Boat Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Shoreline Sightseeing

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (7,394) - Type of activity: Boat Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Tours and Boats

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (739) - Type of activity: Boat Tours • Day Trips - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Bobby's Bike Hike Chicago

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (4,058) - Type of activity: City Tours • Bike Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Chief Chicago Limo

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (150) - Type of activity: Taxis & Shuttles - Address: 300 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654-5414 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Babylon Tours Chicago

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (104) - Type of activity: City Tours • Cultural Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Pizza City USA

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (153) - Type of activity: City Tours • Walking Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Echo Limousine

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (175) - Type of activity: Taxis & Shuttles • Sightseeing Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Rek Travel

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (148) - Type of activity: City Tours • Multi-day Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Chicago Architecture Center

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (3,057) - Type of activity: Historical & Heritage Tours • Bike Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Free Tours by Foot

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (1,362) - Type of activity: Ghost & Vampire Tours • Bike Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. BATL Axe Throwing

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (449) - Type of activity: Game & Entertainment Centers - Address: 4842 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60641-2718 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. The Magic Parlour

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (604) - Type of activity: Concerts • Theaters - Address: 17 E Monroe St Palmer House A Hilton Hotel, Chicago, IL 60603 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Chicago Fireboat Tours

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (103) - Type of activity: Boat Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Segway Experience of Chicago

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (1,110) - Type of activity: Segway Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. See it All Chicago Tours

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (647) - Type of activity: City Tours • Boat Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Chicago Foodways Tours

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (140) - Type of activity: Historical & Heritage Tours • Walking Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Chicago's Finest Tours

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (1,184) - Type of activity: Historical & Heritage Tours • Walking Tours - Address: not available - Read more on Tripadvisor

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Travel Guide

• Things to Do
• Best Hotels
• Things to See
• Best Restaurants
• Best Nightlife
• Organized Tours
• Planning a Trip
• Walking Tours
• Active Pursuits
• Spectator Sports
• Suggested Itineraries

Organized Tours in Chicago

If you're in town for a limited time, an organized tour may be the best way to get a quick overview of the city's highlights. Some tours -- such as the boat cruises on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River -- can give you a whole new perspective on the city's landscape. Many tours go beyond sightseeing to explore important historical and architectural landmarks in depth. These specialized tours can help you appreciate buildings or neighborhoods that you might otherwise have passed by without a second glance.

Insider Tours -- Free!

Want a personalized view of the city -- aside from your trusted Frommer's guide? A program called Chicago Greeter matches tourists with local Chicagoans who serve as volunteer guides. Visitors can request a specific neighborhood or theme (everything from Polish heritage sites to Chicago movie locations), and a greeter gives them a free 2- to 4-hour tour. (Greeters won't escort groups of more than six people.) Specific requests should be made at least 10 days in advance, but "InstaGreeters" are also available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St., from Friday through Sunday. For details, call tel. 312/744-8000 or visit www.chicagogreeter.com , where you can browse a list of specific tour topics.

Started in 1935,  Wendella Sightseeing Boats  (tel. 312/337-1446; www.wendellaboats.com) operates a 75-minute tour along the Chicago River and a 1 1/2-hour tour along the river and out onto Lake Michigan, pointing out architectural highlights along the way. Tours run April to October. Tickets $39 adults, $35 seniors, $18 kids 3 to 11. See also the Chicago Architecture Center.

Carriage Rides

Noble Horse (tel. 312/266-7878;   http://www.noblehorsechicago.com/ ) maintains the largest fleet of antique horse carriages in Chicago, stationed around the old Water Tower Square at the northwest corner of Chicago and Michigan avenues. Each of the drivers, outfitted in a black tie and top hat, has his or her own variation on the basic Magnificent Mile itinerary (you can also do tours of the lakefront, river, Lincoln Park, and Buckingham Fountain). The charge is $40 for each half-hour, for up to four people. The coaches run year-round, with convertible coaches in the warm months and enclosed carriages furnished with wool blankets on bone-chilling nights. There are several other carriage operators, all of whom pick up riders in the vicinity.

Chicago Trolley Company  (tel. 773/648-5000; www.chicagotrolley.com) offers guided tours on a fleet of rubber-wheeled “San Francisco–style” trolleys that stop at 14 spots around the city. You can stay on for the full ride or get on and off at each stop. An all-day hop-on, hop-off pass costs $39 adults, $19 kids 3 to 11.

Neighborhood Tours

It's a bit of a cliché to say that Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, but if you want to see what really makes the place special, that's where you have to go.

The Chicago History Museum offers walking tours of attractions such as Graceland Cemetery and Union Station. Tours depart from the museum at Clark Street and North Avenue. Call tel. 312/642-4600, or visit the museum's website for schedules and to order tickets online.

Groups interested in African-American history should visit Bronzeville (also known as the "Black Metropolis"), the South Side neighborhood where immigrants from the South created a flourishing business-and-artistic community in the 1930s and '40s. Walking and bus tours of the area can be arranged through the Bronzeville Visitor Information Center, 3501 S. Martin Luther King Dr. (tel. 773/373-2842; www.bviconline.info). A locally based company that specializes in black heritage tours, Black CouTours (tel. 773/233-8907; www.blackcoutours.com) offers a "Soul Side of the Windy City" tour, which includes Obama-related sites.

Cemetery Tours

Don't be scared away by the creepy connotations. Some of Chicago's cemeteries are as pretty as parks, and they offer a variety of intriguing monuments that are a virtual road into the city's history.

One of the best area cemeteries is Graceland, stretching along Clark Street in the Swedish neighborhood of Andersonville, where you can view the tombs and monuments of many Chicago notables. When Graceland was laid out in 1860, public parks were rare. The elaborate burial grounds that were constructed in many large American cities around that time had the dual purpose of relieving the congestion of the municipal cemeteries closer to town and providing pastoral recreational settings for the Sunday outings of the living. Indeed, cemeteries like Graceland were the precursors of such great municipal green spaces as Lincoln Park.

The Chicago Architecture Center  (tel. 312/922-TOUR [8687]; www.architecture.org) offers walking tours of Graceland on select dates. The tour lasts about 2 hours. Among the points of interest in these 121 beautifully landscaped acres are the Ryerson and Getty tombs, famous architectural monuments designed by Louis Sullivan. Sullivan himself rests here in the company of several of his distinguished colleagues: Daniel Burnham, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Howard Van Doren Shaw. Chicago giants of industry and commerce buried at Graceland include Potter Palmer, Marshall Field, and George Pullman. The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers tours of other cemeteries, including Rosehill Cemetery, suburban Lake Forest Cemetery, and Oak Woods Cemetery, the final resting place for many famous African-American figures, including Jesse Owens, Ida B. Wells, and Mayor Harold Washington.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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