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Home - City Guide - Chicago - Tours of the City | ||
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Tours of the City The following is only a selection of the possible tours of the city offered by air, boat, train, coach, bicycle, antique carriages and then also by special interest, such as architecture, behind the scenes of various institutions, around different neighbourhoods, Black Chicago, haunted Chicago, jazz tours and, of course, gangster tours. Full listings are available from hotel concierges and the city's website (www.cityofchicago.org). Walking Tours The Chicago Office of Tourism has a self-guided audio walking tour of the historic buildings and sculptures in the Loop district. The actual cost is only US$5, but there is a refundable deposit payable of US$50 for the equipment, obtained from the Chicago Welcome Center Shop, 77 East Randolph Street. Friends of Chicago River (tel: (312) 939 0490) organise walking tours along the riverside on Saturday mornings, as well water tours and canoes from May to October. Bus Tours There are plenty of road-based options for touring the city. American Sightseeing Tours (tel: (312) 251 3100) runs 'North' and 'South' tours, which cover all the major sights. Buses leave the starting point of the Palmer House Hotel, 17 East Monroe Street, every 2-6 hours daily, and pick-up from individual hotels can also be arranged. A single, two-hour tour costs US$15, with both tours combined costing US$25. Chicago Motor Coach Co (tel: (312) 666 1000; website: www.planetdata.com/doubledecker) offers 90-minute tours of the downtown area in double-decker buses, also for US$15. Chicago Neighbourhood Tours (tel: (312) 742 1190) provides nine different coach outings on Saturday mornings. Water Tours Most of these focus on lake views. A notable exception is Friends of Chicago River (see the Walking Tours section). All boat tours vary seasonally so double-checking details is essential. Mercury Chicago Skyline Cruiseline (tel: (312) 332 1353) offers a 90-minute lake and river cruise for US$12, departing south side of Michigan Avenue Bridge, usually May-September. Wendella Boats (tel: (312) 337 1446) organises sightseeing excursions, leaving from the river at the Wrigley Building, passing through the Chicago lock and with live narration en route. Their riverbus, running 0745-1900, also links the commuter railway stations on the Chicago River to Michigan Avenue. Other Tours Because of its lakeside location and magnificent skyline, Chicago is well worth seeing from the air. Chicago by Air (tel: (708) 524 1172) operates from the local Meigs Airfield. Untouchable Tours (tel: (773) 881 1195) takes in the Jazz Age of Chicago by way of the sites associated with gangsters, brothels and gambling establishments of the era. The two-hour tour costs US$20 and reservations are necessary. Bronzeville is a particularly significant neighbourhood for Chicago's African-American history. Several companies have tours here including Black Metropolis Convention and Tourism Council (tel: (773) 548 2579) and Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven (tel: (312) 808 1286). |