Top Chicago Historical Tours

Experience a colorful side of Chicago history with this Gangsters and Ghosts Tour. With a historian as your guide, you’ll step back to the roaring 20’s, when the Chicago Loop was a hub for bootleggers, speakeasies, and gangsters like the infamous Al Capone. Visit onetime gangster hangouts and haunted sites like the Palmer House, Congress Hotel, and Death Alley.

Explore Chicago's gangster past on this mafia tour in a coach vehicle. Drive around the Windy City to see where Al Capone, The Untouchables, Hymie Weiss, and John Dillinger, among other thugs hung out. A history-savvy guide introduces you to some of the most storied locations of Chicago’s criminal past, including Holy Name Cathedral, Biography Theatre, and the site of the bloody St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. You'll be able to get out and pose for pictures in front of a historic courthouse, among other infamous sites.

Get the perfect introduction to the wealth of sights in the Windy City during this 4-hour Chicago day tour. Discover the many landmarks spanning both the city's North Side and South Side, enjoying a scenic ride along Lake Michigan on Chicago's Outer Drive along the way. You'll also have the chance to admire the city's Washington and Grant Parks, explore inside the Lincoln Park Conservatory, see Adler Planetarium and visit the iconic Wrigley Building. This Chicago in a half day tour also includes transport between all sites and tour narration.

An excellent choice for first-time visitors, this tour provides a comprehensive overview of the city and hits on both classic attractions and little-known sites. Beginning at the Chicago Theatre, work your way to the Chicago Pedway, an elaborate network of underground tunnels used by locals and commuters. Stroll the Chicago Riverwalk and the Magnificent Mile, then embark on a food tour to taste some of the city’s famous foods.

See the overlooked highlights of Chicago’s Loop district with a 2-hour walking tour that takes in the best of the bustling, vibrant neighborhood’s inside spaces. Get behind the façades to explore stunningly designed interiors as you follow a specially-designed route with an experienced guide. Learn about the city’s architecture, art and history while visitng a side of Chicago that’s beyond the tourist trail, and experience the Windy City with a local perspective.

Experience Chicago like never before on this small-group Segway tour. Visit Chicago’s ‘front yard,’ the beautiful lakefront and 57-acre Museum Campus. Glide along the fragrant floral paths to famous Buckingham Fountain. Then travel along the banks of Lake Michigan, past Monroe Harbor to the Museum Campus for a breathtaking view of the city’s iconic skyline. Guided Segway training plus the use of a helmet are included. Dress in weather-appropriate clothes with flat, closed-toed shoes.

This Chicago grand tour covers four hours of sightseeing with admission to 360 Chicago (John Hancock Observatory). Get oriented to the Windy City on a coach tour that takes you along a scenic route on Lake Shore Drive, and past North Side and South Side highlights including Museum Campus, Lincoln Park, Washington Park, Grant Park and Wrigley Field. Finish on the 94th floor of the Hancock Center, one of Chicago's tallest landmarks, for panoramic views of the Magnificent Mile from the open-air observation deck.

Windy City Ghosts walking Ghost Tour provides a look into the darkness that lurks below Chicago’s busy streets. Our Ghost Tour transports you back in time to an era of gangsters, bootleggers, bank robbers, and jazz babies. Windy City Ghosts nightly Ghost Tours take you through Lincoln Park, a beautiful North Side neighborhood with a twisted past. Learn about the forgotten burial ground that is the foundation of this bustling neighborhood. Check the bathroom mirrors in the Lion House of the Lincoln Park Zoo to make sure the ghost of a Victorian woman in white isn’t standing right behind you. Learn what spirit haunted Al Capone to the end of his days. On our Ghost Tour, you’ll hear the strange and disturbing tales associated with each of our carefully selected tour stops.

Tour the historic Chicago Theater, a must-see city landmark, with a guide providing in-depth commentary. You'll get the most out of your visit by traveling with a guide and get access to some areas of the theater that the public never sees. Learn about its architecture, history, and famous performers throughout the years.

Discover the ‘dark side’ of the Windy City thanks to this 2.5-hour, bus-based, nighttime crime history tour of Chicago. Explore the lives of notorious mobsters like Al Capone, Frank Nitti, Bugs Moran, and more as you explore infamous crime scenes like the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, learn about ‘The Enforcer’s Safe,’ and stop by local watering holes.

Experience Lake Michigan from a perspective rare to visitors and locals alike on a pirate–themed sailboat tour. Your guides tell true but little–known stories about pirates, battles, and treasure hunts as you cruise past sweeping views of the Chicago skyline. Relax on deck while or join your guides for an interactive experience—the flexibility of the tour makes this a popular choice for families with children.

Explore Chicago by Segway with the benefit of a scenic 7- or 8-mile tour led by your guide. Start with an orientation to operating the Segway and a few minutes to practice. Then roll through the paths of Grant Park to Buckingham Fountain and glide along the Chicago lakefront to view attractions such as Museum Campus, Shedd Aquarium, The Field Museum, and Soldier Field, homefield for the Chicago Bears.

Get to know the food offerings in River North on this small-group walking tour. As you explore, listen to in-depth commentary from your guide on the culinary history of Chicago and the culture of the River North neighborhood. With a small group of just 12 fellow food-lovers, you'll enjoy personalized attention and the chance to chat about your favorite tastings. Samples include the classic Italian beef, a Chicago-style hot dog, and the famous deep dish pizza.

Enjoy a memorable Chicago experience on this haunted pub tour. Your costumed guide, dressed as a Flapper or 1920s Gangster, will lead you on a mile-long journey while telling spooky stories of forgotten cemeteries, lingering spirits, and more. Stop at three different bars for drinks (at own expense) as you learn the secret tales behind Chicago’s haunted past.

Chicago’s mob history has long been immortalized in popular media. Embark on this Chicago Gangster Tour to learn the true story. With an expert historian as your guide, you’ll visit notorious hangouts of John Dillinger, The Untouchables, and the legendary Al Capone. You’ll stop at former speakeasies, historic hotels, and epic crime sites like that of the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre.

Explore the art and architectural highlights of Chicago on a Segway during this guided tour. This family-friendly tour takes visitors by the outdoor sculptures, landmark buildings, and iconic skyline of the city. Accompanied by educational and informative commentary, this city tour saves you from hours of walking and lets you see all of Chicago's top art and architectural attractions in one tour.

Explore the North Side of Chicago on this guided sightseeing tour by coach. During this 2-hour tour, experience the bustle of the Loop, the central business district and one of the financial centers of the country. Visit State Street, an important thoroughfare in Chicago's history and the Magnificent Mile along Michigan Avenue. Learn about the history and culture of the city from your local guide; upgrade your tour to include a Chicago River cruise.

Amy Bizzarri, author of 111 Places in Chicago That You Must Not Miss, takes you on a fascinating self-guided audio tour of hidden historical spots in Chicago's gilded Gold Coast. Peep behind the gates of the original Playboy Mansion, walk along a wooden block-paved alley, sip a Faster Pussycat in Chicago's oldest piano bar and more as you enjoy a delightful walk through time in this exclusive Chicago neighborhood. The starting point is the Chicago History Museum, located at 1601 N. Clark Street. The tour is ready whenever you are and the audio plays automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smartphone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which also works offline.

Discover Chicago’s iconic architectural gems from every angle on a 3.5-hour tour of the North Side. Divided between land and water, the comprehensive tour enables you to cover a huge area of the city without getting worn out. Travel comfortably by coach or trolley to Fort Dearborn, Wrigley Building, and more. Afterwards, see the Windy City's famous skyscrapers, bridges, and historical sites on a 90-minute cruise down Chicago River.

Whether you’re short on time or want to orient yourself to Chicago, a 3.5-hour land and river tour is the perfect option. The comprehensive itinerary takes you through both the North and South sides. Listen as your guide tells insider stories about the people who shaped the city. After the land tour, rest your feet and see the city from a unique vantage point during a 90-minute river cruise.

Glide through the city of Chicago by moonlight on this haunted Segway tour. Follow your costumed local guide as they show you the sites of some of the most gruesome murders and disasters in Chicago's colorful history. See Chicago's iconic landmarks lit up during the spookiest time of year and hear about the mysterious, haunted history of this storied city.

Step off the tourists’ path to visit Lincoln Park, a neighborhood beloved by Chicagoans for its stately homes, historic zoo, and stunning green areas. Your tour begins at the charming Children’s Fountain and continues to unexpected sites like the shrine of the first American saint. As your local guide leads you through the city’s largest park, you’ll marvel at the wild feel of this neighborhood just north of downtown Chicago.

Enjoy a walking tour of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Located in the heart of downtown, this scenic stretch is beloved by locals and tourists alike for its great shopping and rich history. Visit a Water Tower that survived the Chicago Fire and gave its name to one of the city’s most elegant shopping centers. See a church frequented by Abraham Lincoln and other historic highlights dating back over 344 years.

Tour Chicago's sights aboard a luxury coach and enjoy some Chicago-style deep-dish pizza on this 5.5-hour guided tour. Visit sites like the Hancock Tower, the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Loop. Pass through neighborhoods such as Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park and Gold Coast. Top off your tour with a visit to one of Chicago's most popular pizza restaurants to sample the famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza.