Our Motto: “Levity is not a barrier to a great history tour!”
- This guest-friendly excursion is the city’s most fun and dynamic history walking tour!
- The history tour’s narrative was designed to complement the city’s many bus and boat tours with lots of new information.
- This tour takes approximately 2 hours along the River Walk situated on the scenic Chicago River.
- In addition to burning off calories, guests learn about Chicago’s rich history while viewing some of its architectural wonders.
- Chicago’s history is brimming with stories of mankind’s many triumphs over nature, horrific tragedies and glorious achievements.
- Its history is filled with unparalleled historic events and fascinating tales of many colorful figures including:
- Millionaires-McCormick, Swift, Palmer, Field, Pullman, Ward & Sears.
- Royalty:-”Reaper King”, “Meat King of America”, “Merchant Prince” & “Sleeper Car King”.
- Architects-Jenney, Root, Burnham, Sullivan, van der Rohe & Wright.
- Characters-Mickey Finn, “Hinky Dink” Kenna, Carrie “Madame” Watson and the infamous Al Capone.
- Chicago’s Finest River Walk Tour brings all these vibrant figures to life to help illustrate Chicago’s jubilant and incredible past!
- Each tour is 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed! Unless our guests are thoroughly satisfied, they do not pay a fee.
Why this tour is different… 
The tour’s content and pace is much different than the city’s many boat and bus tours. As a walking tour, the conversation is neither a lecture nor constrained due to the untimely arrival at the next destination. Rather, the pace of our tour guides accommodate and encourage an intimate, two-way and thoughtful exchange with our guests. Additionally, the tour’s narrative was specifically designed to supplement the architectural boat cruises with our historically based themes.
Learn…The complete “story” of Chicago’s history-the tale of “two cities” and at times, the archetypical battle of good versus evil. Learn how an onion-strewn swamp at the intersection of a lazy river and a Great Lake became home to the world’s sixth ranked “Alpha” City?
View…The city’s inimitable skyline ranked second in the world and view the two tallest buildings in the United States. Learn how they stack up against the tallest building in the world. During the walk, view the diversity of Chicago’s architectural styles. Did Chicago’s early skyscrapers actually “float” on rafts made up of concrete and steel?
Enjoy… The highly interactive “Do you know?” trivia contest while walking along the River Walk and savoring the city’s “pulse” and pop culture. How did the Chicago Bears adopt the “Monsters of the Midway” moniker? Whether or not you know the answer to this, you must take the tour!
Our tour professionals are committed to you to “tell the story” of Chicago’s history and heritage in an intimate and entertaining dialogue!
“Dan’s tour was the highlight of our trip to Chicago. We spent over two hours learning and wished we had another two hours with him! Dan is a passionate historian and a real “people person.” Dan linked events, personalities, and structures to several major themes, and kept us engaged and thinking the entire time. We completed our tour with an understanding not just just of Chicago, the place, but also of Chicago, the idea. Highly recommended!” Shari & Michael Sokol Kansas City,MO
Check out our New Tours-Summer 2011 web page for our new tour offerings!
Say, if not for that bonfire (Great Fire of 1871), I might have been a rich man’s son and gone to Yale-and never amounted to nothing!” “Bathhouse” John Coughlin (Notoriously corrupt First Ward Boss-1893)
Mon-Fri: 11:00 am, 3:00 pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm “Brunch Tour”-ends Sept. 11
plus:
Thurs: 7:30 pm, “Night Lights Tour”-ends Sept. 1
Fri: 5:00 pm, “Cafe Crawl”-ends Sept. 9