Chicago · HISTORICAL TOURS
35 tours
Chicago has burned, rebuilt, raised its own streets and hosted a world’s fair on landfill, and the good guides tell all of it standing where it happened. These history tours cover the fire, the fair, the mob years and the architecture that came out of them, with durations and prices.
A small-group Chicago walking tour packing deep-dish, hot dog and Italian beef with Pedway, river views, and top architecture sights.
“The tour guide was very knowledgeable, super friendly, with a great Humor, making even an international guest feeling very comfortable. The tour was very interesting and I learned quite a lot about Chicago and the Chicago food.”
Skip lines at the Field Museum with options from VIP early access for dinosaurs to All-Access special exhibitions, including Sue and more.
“I know some people said this was expensive for the price but it was a great tour! We got lucky and were the only couple and it was well worth the money. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Glad I didn’t miss out on this tour. Thanks Field Museum and Get Your Guide!”
Reserve Field Museum admission in advance to see SUE, mummies, gems, and 13,000 years of history. Great indoor Chicago day.
“A must do! So so much to see. You can spend hours here if you wanted! I have always wanted to see the Tsavo Lions and can now mark that off of my bucket list. My husband and I really enjoyed all of the skeletons of the different animals- it really makes you see the animal in a different way. And wow, so much we didn't know.”
Walk Chicago’s Loop with a certified docent, see iconic landmarks up close, and get CAC gallery admission plus key interior stops.
“Guide was great. Knowledgable and humorous. Happy for questions and open to question. Truly interesting interiors.”
Ride a restored Chicago fireboat on a 2-hour river and lake cruise with expert narration, city views, and a small-boat feel.
“Clean, comfortable, extremely informational. Incredible architecture, many onboard amenities, welcoming experience.”
Small-group Chicago walking tour mixing art, architecture, and dark humor, from Chagall mosaics to Picasso’s 50-foot sculpture.
“Colin took us to beautiful architectural sites that even long time Chicagoans likely never admire. He was informative, articulate and moved at a good pace for our group of 8. I highly recommend this tour to even the most seasoned Chicago residents!!”
Field Museum All-Access Pass in Chicago lets you see SUE, mummies, jade, and more, with free docent tours. 3D costs extra.
“We were visiting family in Michigan and flew out of Chicago. We needed something dun to do before our flight. I can't recommend the museum more.”
African American Heritage Tour of Chicago connects Bronzeville, Hyde Park, and South Shore with guided stories, museum time, and soul food.
“Very Educational. Listen! Any questions you may have will be answered. Steve likes to talk but he's very knowledgeable.”
Food and architecture in Chicago with a small-group walk, Pedway tunnels, 3 classic tastings, and a guided stop at the Bean.
“Our guide, Daniel, was really interesting. He brought us into a number of buildings so we could see the details that would have been missed from the sidewalk. He was also well versed in the history of Chicago, which made the buildings come alive. He was careful to keep his pace so no one had to run to keep up. We really enjoyed it.”
A small-group historic skyscraper walk through Chicago’s Loop, led by a Chicago Architecture Center guide, with gallery entry included.
“Excellent! Our tour guide, Angela Platt, was wonderful. She had a lot of knowledge about all of the buildings. We learned things about the different styles of architecture and she took us in the buildings and pointed out the inside and the styles inside. I would highly recommend this tour.”
A 1.5-hour Chicago River night cruise with darker stories, mob-era tales, and skyline views around famous downtown landmarks for $45.
Field Museum early access in Chicago. At 8am, enjoy a docent-led tour of Sue and Evolving Planet, then explore before crowds.
“For some reason I thought it would be a two hour tour. Instead it was a rushed one hour tour. Our guide, Katie, did her best and talked fast to show us a section of the museum. We were 5 mins late because our Lyft driver wouldn't drop us at the East entrance.”
90-minute historic yacht cruise of Chicago River architecture, Wrigley Building, Riverwalk and Michigan Ave Bridge, with snacks for $49.
“The information was awe inspiring. My husband and I had no idea of the great history and architecture of Chicago. We are still so impressed with the knowledge of our tour guide and how proud and exciting her tone as she presented. Great tour and we recommend anyone who visits Chicago to take this tour! Thank you for a wonderful experience!”
Walk Wicker Park’s workers’ cottages with a small group, follow stops on the Atlas app, and learn Chicago architecture with guide Ronnie.
“I’ve taken several tours in Chicago and this is one of my favorites. The cottages themselves were very interesting to see, and our host provided us with great historical tidbits and the context of each house, which makes the whole experience full and rich. Thanks, Ronnie!”
A 90-minute small-boat Chicago River architecture tour with live English commentary, 50+ landmarks, and included snacks and drinks.
“We enjoyed the smaller feel of this tour vs others that have hundreds of people, but we had a hard time hearing the guide. We were at the front of the boat and between the people around us talking nonstop and the low volume of the speaker, we only heard about half of the tour. This wasn’t the guide’s fault, he was humorous and knowledgeable, but it did affect how much we learned while on the cruise. I also highly recommend arriving very early. Instructions said come 15 mins early and we got there 30 mins early to be safe, and almost every single seat was already taken. Overall, I…”
