Journey downtown and beyond with Chicago Neighborhood Tours, easy and affordable excursions that cover all corners of the city.
From new microbreweries to historic boulevards, modern art to landmark hotels, Chicago Neighborhood Tours has expanded to include even more diverse offerings. This summer, choose from 25 different tours every weekend from June through August, and let an expert local guide the way.
Visit chicagoneighborhoodtours.com or call 312.742.1190 to book any of the Chicago Neighborhood Tours or to reserve a private, customized group tour for 30 or more.
CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS — SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Beverly
Visit Chicago's historic Irish neighborhood. Marvel at architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright; take a behind-the-scenes look at a 19th century mansion that is now a private home; and see the phenomenal Vanderpoel Collection of American Art.
- Visit the Ingersoll-Blackwelder House, which is normally not open to the public
- View art by Mary Cassatt, Maxfield Parrish and other American masters at Ridge Park Fieldhouse
- See Prairie style landmark buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Burley Griffin
Elegant Gold Coast — NEW TOUR
Experience the glitz and glamour of the rich and famous in the Gold Coast — the historic stomping grounds of Chicago's 19th-century elite. See the magnificent architecture of the monumental homes and opulent hotels where well-heeled Chicagoans lived and played.
- Tour the Charnley-Persky House, jointly built by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright
- Get a private, insider's tour of the landmark Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel
Historic Parks & Boulevards — NEW TOUR
Experience the "City in a Garden" — Chicago's motto. Chicago city planner Daniel Burnham envisioned acres of beautiful green spaces and wide, majestic tree-lined boulevards in his "City Beautiful" movement.
- Visit masterpieces of landscape architecture by Jens Jensen and other legendary designers
- See awe-inspiring field houses, World's Fair relics and other historic landmarks
- Each tour features different parks, so that no two tours are identical
Pullman Historic District
A visit to Pullman is like looking at a snapshot in time. This perfectly preserved neighborhood was a model community designed and engineered for employees of George Pullman's railcar factory. Get a glimpse of this landmark community's fascinating history.
- Learn all about this innovative experimental 19th-century town at the Pullman Visitor Center
- See artifacts and photos from Pullman's heyday at neighborhood landmarks
Taste of Edgewater & Uptown — NEW TOUR
Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, Swedish, West African — these are just some of the many cultures represented by Edgewater and Uptown's stellar dining scene. Expand your culinary horizons on this globe-trotting food tour through these two exciting North Side neighborhoods.
- Savor authentic cuisines at 2-3 ethnic eateries in Edgewater & Uptown
- Learn about the history of these culturally diverse neighborhoods
- See architectural gems and other landmark buildings in the area
Taste of Albany Park — NEW TOUR
A taste of Albany Park is a taste of the world. Visit one of our nation's most diverse zip codes, discover the rich cultures of the immigrant communities that call Albany Park home, and enjoy authentic ethnic cuisines at several neighborhood eateries.
- Experience authentic cuisine at 2-3 neighborhood restaurants
- Glimpse the area's Swedish heritage at North Park University
- Learn about Southeast Asian culture at the Cambodian American Heritage Museum
CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS — COMPLETE SCHEDULE, JUNE TO AUGUST
JUNE 2012
Friday, June 1 Art in Transit: CTA Public Art — NEW
Saturday, June 2 Bridgeport
Saturday, June 2 Hops & Barley: Pubs & Micro-breweries — NEW
Friday, June 8 Bucktown, Humboldt Park & Logan Square
Saturday, June 9 Taste of Devon Avenue — NEW
Saturday, June 9 Wicker Park & Ukrainian Village
Thursday, June 14 FIRE! The Great Chicago Fire — NEW
Friday, June 15 Greektown, Chinatown & Little Italy
Saturday, June 16 Out and Proud: LGBT Chicago — NEW
Saturday, June 16 Pullman Historic District
Thursday, June 21 Historic Hotels of Chicago — NEW
Friday, June 22 Elegant Gold Coast — NEW
Saturday, June 23 Honor and Glory: Military Tributes — NEW
Thursday, June 28 Historic Parks & Boulevards — NEW
Friday, June 29 Lincoln Park, Lakeview & Wrigleyville
Saturday, June 30 Hyde Park & Kenwood
JULY 2012
Friday, July 6 Greektown, Chinatown & Little Italy
Saturday, July 7 Rosehill Cemetery
Saturday, July 7 Taste of the Neighborhoods
Thursday, July 12 FIRE! The Great Chicago Fire — NEW
Friday, July 13 Bucktown, Humboldt Park & Logan Square
Saturday, July 14 Beverly
Thursday, July 19 Historic Hotels of Chicago — NEW
Friday, July 20 Elegant Gold Coast — NEW
Saturday, July 21 POLSKA! Chicago's Polish Downtown — NEW
Saturday, July 21 Hops & Barley: Pubs & Micro-breweries — NEW
Thursday, July 26 Historic Parks & Boulevards — NEW
Friday, July 27 Lincoln Park, Lakeview & Wrigleyville
Saturday, July 28 Chicago's Magnificent Churches
Saturday, July 28 The Great Migration: African American Heritage — NEW
AUGUST 2012
Friday, August 3 Greektown, Chinatown & Little Italy
Saturday, August 4 Bridgeport
Saturday, August 4 Out and Proud: LGBT Chicago — NEW
Thursday, August 9 FIRE! The Great Chicago Fire — NEW
Friday, August 10 Bucktown, Humboldt Park & Logan Square
Saturday, August 11 Graceland Cemetery
Saturday, August 11 Taste of Edgewater & Uptown — NEW
Thursday, August 16 Historic Hotels of Chicago — NEW
Friday, August 17 Elegant Gold Coast — NEW
Saturday, August 18 Wicker Park & Ukrainian Village
Saturday, August 18 Hops & Barley: Pubs & Micro-breweries — NEW
Thursday, August 23 Historic Parks & Boulevards — NEW
Friday, August 24 Lincoln Park, Lakeview & Wrigleyville
Saturday, August 25 Pullman Historic District
Saturday, August 25 STRIKE! Chicago Labor History — NEW
Friday, August 31 Art in Transit: CTA Public Art — NEW
Chicago Neighborhood Tours is presented by the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture. All tours are conducted with a guide by motor coach and by foot, and depart from the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street. Check-in at 9:30 a.m. ( 10:30 a.m. for Hops & Barley: Pubs & Microbreweries only ) in the main seating area behind the Randolph Street lobby. Tours range from $30-$55. Group rates are available. Early reservations are highly recommended.
Visitor Information Resources
Visitors and residents entertaining out-of-town guests will find helpful trip-planning tools and tips on Chicago's top-ranked travel and tourism website, www.ExploreChicago.org . For daily alerts about things to do and see in Chicago, follow Explore Chicago on Twitter at twitter.com/explorechicago ( COTC's free Twitter Concierge service @explorechicago ) and on Facebook at facebook.com/explorechicago. Discover fun itineraries on the Explore Chicago blog at explorechicagotourism.com and on Foursquare at foursquare.com/explorechicago.
Expert advice and information about the city's events and attractions are also available at the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture's Visitor Information Centers located across from Millennium Park in the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street, and at the historic Water Works pumping station, 163 E. Pearson Street at Michigan Avenue.
Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture
The Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture markets Chicago as a premier cultural destination to domestic and international leisure travelers; provides innovative visitor programs and services; and familiarizes visitors and residents with the city's vibrant neighborhoods, cultural attractions and creative industries. The Chicago visitor industry serves 40 million visitors annually, generates $11 billion in direct spending and $616 million in taxes, and sustains 124,000 jobs. For more information, visit www.ExploreChicago.org .
