Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Chicago, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Explore the Loop's famous architecture—and learn insider facts and stories that you wouldn't encounter if exploring alone—on this small-group walking tour. Led by your Chicago Architecture Center–certified guide, you'll discover some of the city's oldest skyscrapers, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Admire the Rookery building, see the Marquette building, and much more, all while soaking up the city's ineffable energy.
- This small-group tour is capped at 10 to keep things personal
- Discover many of Chicago's most important landmarks in one tour
- This city is perfect for history buffs and architecture lovers
- Admission to the Chicago Architecture Center is included in the cost
What's Included
- Narration by a professional and certified Guide
- Historic walking tour of Chicago's architecture
- Admission to the Galleries of the Chicago Architecture Center
- Food and drinks
- Coat check
- Storage for luggage and strollers
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 410 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
This tour meets at 410 S. Michigan Ave., outside the Fine Arts Building.
End point
- Monadnock Building53 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604, USA
Monadnock Building. Actual ending location may vary.
Itinerary
Meet your architecture-expert guide at the Fine Arts Building, and set off with just a small group for company.
You'll stroll through the Loop area of downtown Chicago, stopping at multiple buildings and listening to engaging commentary from your guide.
Visit the Rookery building (a National Historic Landmark), the Auditorium Building (a Louis Sullivan masterpiece), the Chicago Board of Trade Building (one of the city's finest examples of Art Deco architecture), and many other top highlights.
As you go, learn all about the architects who influenced the city's aesthetics, and discover the buildings that have shaped the Windy City's culture.
After several hours of exploring, your tour ends at the Monadnock Building.
You'll stroll through the Loop area of downtown Chicago, stopping at multiple buildings and listening to engaging commentary from your guide.
Visit the Rookery building (a National Historic Landmark), the Auditorium Building (a Louis Sullivan masterpiece), the Chicago Board of Trade Building (one of the city's finest examples of Art Deco architecture), and many other top highlights.
As you go, learn all about the architects who influenced the city's aesthetics, and discover the buildings that have shaped the Windy City's culture.
After several hours of exploring, your tour ends at the Monadnock Building.
1
Fine Arts Building
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Auditorium Building
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
The Rookery Building
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Chicago Board Of Trade Building
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Marquette Building
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Monadnock Building
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Chicago Architecture Center
1 minute • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour will depart from the Fine Arts Building, 410 S Michigan Ave.
- Not recommended for young children.
- Pets are not allowed.
- Access to building interiors featured on this tour may be subject to change without notice due to weekend and holiday schedules or unforeseen closures.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 71 reviews
Brian_C, May 2022
My wife and I learned a lot! Deborah was very passionate about the living history of the skyscraper. One-of-a-kind tour!
Theresa_S, Sep 2021
Chicago is a beautiful city - but walking and listening to the history and the builders and designs make Chicago even more beautiful! Our guide was very knowledgeable and wonderful.
Liza D, Apr 2018
amazing city and amazing architecture. Did this tour on sunday, and some buildings were closed.
Martin K, Sep 2017
If you are in any way interested in architecture and particularly Art Deco, this is a must do tour. Our guide was passionate about the subject, and showed us some absolute masterpieces. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
Stefan John W, Sep 2017
A little disappointing in the boring facts -- and or lack of
Modern Chicago far mire interesting ----
Carolyn N, Aug 2017
WOW!! What a wonderful tour.. The Guide was outstanding and kept us all so interested!! So worth the money...
Elizabeth M, Aug 2017
The docent was great. Highly suggest this tour if you have a limited time in chicago like I did (
Jennifer P, Apr 2017
Audrey was a fantastic tour guide! She really had insight into the buildings and was knowledgeable about Chicago architecture in general. This tour was definitely worth the time and money.
Betsy W, Apr 2017
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.
enlin P, Nov 2016
Wonderful! Learned a lot. The Chicago Architectural Foundation's volunteer docents are amazing! Go for it!!
Desiree W, Oct 2016
This was an amazing tour. Our guide was so knowledgeable and shared so much information that we could not have gotten from a book. It was a happy end to my Chicago conference!
Desiree Woodland, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Lamberti F, Aug 2016
Hotel is in very nice position, nice rooms with great view. Personnel extremely kind and available. Only issue is Internet : not for business purposes , it gets disconnected all the time.
Klemensberg A, Aug 2016
Fantastically knowledgeable guide. Very informative and entertaining. Highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in architecture and/or Chicago history.
E.G. K, Jul 2016
À wonderful tour with à very knowledgable guide. I would recommand this tour to anyone looking for in-depth information.
AMY H, Jun 2016
Very good tour. Guide was extremely knowledgeable.
MGho, Apr 2016
Our guide rushed us through a bit, but he had a large group to manage. Overall, a good tour.
MGho, Apr 2016
The tour felt slightly rushed, but our guide had a large group to manage. Overall it was very informative and enlightening.
Mathilde B, Dec 2015
Very good tour, very interesting and the tour guide did a perfect job explaining everything !
Amy J, Oct 2015
This was without a doubt my favourite tour in Chicago. As an architect I found our guide very informative and the buildings themselves awe inspiring. I would definitely recommend this tour for those looking for an incredible insight into the designs of the Chicago School architects.
Tiny, May 2015
Terrific! Our tour Gide was fabulous and we learned tons!
Frederick G, Nov 2014
This was a great tour of south loop Architecture. The tour guide was well informed and answered our questions.
John W, Oct 2013
In spite of the inclement weather the tour was both informative and entertaining. First class!!!
Roberta S, Sep 2013
Excellent! Our guide was awesome. The history was so interesting.
Michael H, Jun 2013
This walking tour was organised through the Chicago Architecture Foundation and the guides are volunteers so some are better than others, fortunately ours was good. The tours are on a set route and stop at buildings selected by the Foundation. It was very interesting and informative.
Ann U, May 2013
Our guide was a wealth of information. Being a Chicago native, I've seen these buildings many times, but found out so much more about them. There were many that I've never been inside of and I was truly amazed.
KP B, Apr 2013
I really enjoyed this tour! It's so interesting to learn the history behind these skyscrapers. Our tour guide was so passionate about his city and it was really infectious. It was also interesting to know that they don't get paid to take the tours, so they do it purely for the passion and interest. I would recommend this tour and add in the Modern Skyscraper tour if you have time.
Zach M, Jan 2013
It was raining/light snow during the tour. The guide did an excellent job. Favorite stop was the Rookery. We went inside a handful of buildings including this building.
Terry B, Jun 2012
This tour was thoroughly enjoyable. The guide was very informative and entertaining. The length of the walk was just right and the group small enough to keep together on the city streets. The headsets actually worked!
Thomas H, Jun 2012
Upon arriving to the ArchiCenterShop and attempting to check-in, the staff members at the desk were very confused by our vouchers, which did not seem to match up with any of their records. However, after a few minutes of digging, the staff members eventually concluded that we appeared to have enough documentation to prove we had paid and then issued us tickets. The tour itself was very good. Our docent did a great job leading the group and was clearly very knowledgeable. The pace was brisk, which allowed for as much ground to be covered as possible. Not only did we get to view the outside of many historic buildings, but interestingly we also were able to visit many of the gorgeous lobbies of these buildings as well. Tour participants were all issued headphones to wear so that we could hear our docent speak throughout the tour, however our group experienced problems with our headsets and could only hear the docent when we were standing still, and not when we were walking. All in all the tour was a fun and affordable way to see historic buildings in the city.
Eduard K, Apr 2011
Very good tour and the guide have a lot of knowledge.
From $35.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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