Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers
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Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers
By Chicago Architecture Center
Recommended by 95% of travelers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Led by an expert from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, you'll visit the must-see highlights of Chicago's famous architectural gems on this walking tour of the Loop. Stop at some of the city's oldest skyscrapers to better understand the genesis of the Chicago School of architecture. Those looking to dive deep into Chicago history and architecture will lap up the sophisticated commentary.
from per adult
$30.00
from per adult
$30.00
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 10 per group
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
Highlights
- In-depth guided commentary dives deep into Chicago architecture
- Tour led by an expert from the Chicago Architecture Foundation
- Check off many must-see architectural highlights from your sightseeing list
- Visit hidden gem buildings you wouldn't find or walk inside on your own
- Narration by a professional and certified Guide
- Historic walking tour of Chicago's architecture
- Admission to the Galleries of the Chicago Architecture Center
- Entry/Admission - Chicago Architecture Center
What's not included- Food and drinks
- Coat check
- Storage for luggage and strollers
- Meet your guide and group of fellow architecture and history buffs at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, located across from the Art Institute of Chicago on Michigan Avenue. Head into Chicago's Loop area, chock-full of architectural gems that tell the story of the city. As you walk, your guide will take you inside important buildings that you may not have entered if exploring on your own. You’ll hear the detailed history of each one and how it helped to shape the city as we know it today. Stop at some of the city's earliest skyscrapers, dating from the 1870s to 1930s, and learn about the architects who helped to build the Chicago skyline. Highlights include the art-deco Chicago Board of Trade Building; Auditorium Building, designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler; and Rookery, a National Historic Landmark. You’ll end your tour at the starting point.
- Departure details
- 410 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, USA This tour meets at 410 S. Michigan Ave., outside the Fine Arts Building.
Return details- Monadnock Building, 53 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604, USA Monadnock Building. Actual ending location may vary.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3173HS- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- This tour will depart from the Fine Arts Building, 410 S Michigan Ave.
- Tour Guides are trained and certified by the CAC. As volunteers, they are exceptionally motivated, enthusiastic, and capable interpreters of Chicago's world-class architectural legacy. CAC tours are the real deal - narrated, but not scripted, led by Chicago enthusiasts.
- Not recommended for young children.
- Pets are not allowed.
- Most travelers can participate
- Access to building interiors featured on this tour may be subject to change, due to weekend and holiday schedules or unforeseen closures.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- A note from Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers
- Your safety is our priority. The itinerary of this tour may be altered in accordance with health and safety policies and considerations.
What you can expect during your visit- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
Community- Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
- Which attractions will I visit with Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers?
- During this experience, places you will visit include:
- Auditorium Building
- Monadnock Building
- Chicago Board of Trade Building
- Fine Arts Building
- The Rookery Building
- How much is Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers?
- Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers price starts from $30.00. Discover and book Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers on Tripadvisor
- What is the Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers cancellation policy?
- Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers?
- Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers is hosted by Chicago Architecture Center. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Chicago Architecture Center on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Chicago Walking Tour: Historic Skyscrapers on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3173HS
Itinerary
- You'll start at410 S Michigan Ave410 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, USAThis tour meets at 410 S. Michigan Ave., outside the Fine Arts Building.See address & details
- 1Fine Arts BuildingStop: 10 minutesSee details
- 2Auditorium BuildingStop: 10 minutesSee details
- 3The Rookery BuildingStop: 10 minutesSee details
- 4Chicago Board of Trade BuildingStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 5Marquette BuildingStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 6Monadnock BuildingStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 7Chicago Architecture CenterStop: 1 minute - Admission includedSee details
- You'll end atMonadnock Building53 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604, USAMonadnock Building. Actual ending location may vary.See address & details
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
mtranngoc
00A must while in Chicago
Delta was an amazing guide. I loved the balance of architecture and history. she masterfully navigated the streets …
littleshat1
00Fun Tour
Burt was a very friendly and engaging tour guide. I enjoyed learning about and discussing Chicago's architecture.
Andrew W
00Great tour
The tour more than lived up to any expectations and was fun to do with my family. It was insightful for both Chicag…
KarmaJean
00Great tour
Great tour! We’ve been to Chicago a handful of times and done tours before. This was one of the best we have gone o…
Barbara O
00Wonderful Tour!
CAC Docent Alice's Tour on Friday 2.27.23 was superb! I learned so much about the history of the L and the buildin…
Jim M
00L Tour
Nice way to see a part of the city from a different perspective. The Chicago Transit Authority is vital to Chicago…
alfredocB6603DH
00Tour of Fulton Market
Bert gave us a tour of Fulton market. He was great at sharing good insights, restaurants and telling us the story b…
suzychi10
00OLD Post Office: WOW!
The OLD Post Office tour is phenomenal! Alice, our guide, filled our heads with wonder with the mail and rail conne…
I7461WLdennisc
00Great
This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide was GREAT! Very personable and knowledgeable. I would recommend this …
bijoukk
00Best tours in Chicago
I've been on quite a few CAC tours, but this is my favorite. I went on it twice in a couple of weeks, once alone, o…
Checkeredlass
00Great experience, great guide
Matt provided an excellent walking tour of Chicago architecture from the Modern era - and the afternoon of New Year…
adampG9744NO
00Great guide, great info
My wife and I took this tour just before the New Year and we loved it! Laurel was a rock-star guide: so smart and e…
dolly b
00Architectural treasures
Overall very good I believe it coukd be a bit more broad in scope The docent did not know the answer to most questi…
Allison M
00Wonderful winter walking tour
On the cusp of a winter storm, our amazing tour guide, David, carried on with a top notch walking tour of key histo…
mrstraveller1
00Must See Chicago & Elevated Architecture Downtown L Train
The Chicago Architecure Center offers a range of tours & is a well established & respected operation. The guides, a…
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
22 reviews
Excellent
21
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Cam_Me_2
San Francisco, CA13 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
Beautiful fall day to walk Michigan Ave, State St, the Loop and admire the historic buildings of Chicago’s Golden Age. The 90 minute tour was fascinating, informative & fun with guide Amanda. She was so knowledgeable & helpful, giving us all kinds of facts & history - but also insider tidbits. She also had great recommendations for dining in the area. Thx CAC & Amanda for another great tour.
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the great review! We're so happy that you enjoyed the tour and we hope to see you again soon.
Written October 24, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maria
Wilmette, IL2 contributions
Fascinating tour of Chicago’s earliest skyscrapers, led by Anthony, our guide from the Chicago Architecture Center. He introduced us to buildings designed by renowned architects inc Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, William LeBaron Jenney & Frank Lloyd Wright, among others. Highlights for me included the Auditorium, Monadnock, Rookery & Marquette buildings. Interiors of the Rookery & Marquette (inc Tiffany mosaics!) were stunning. Tony was very engaging, fun & knowledgeable. He pointed out many design & architectural details that we would have otherwise missed, in addition to adding very interesting historical & technological context at each stop. Highly recommended!
Written October 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the fantastic review! Sounds like you had a great tour. We hope to see you again soon!
Written October 8, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ineedtoknow
Glencoe, IL7 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
Wonderful knowledgeable tour guide, Barbara Weiner, took us in and out of iconic Chicago buildings while pointing out different styles prominent through out Chicagos history from the great Chicago Fire, up until the present.
Written July 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the great review! Barbara is an excellent guide. We hope to see you again soon!
Written July 29, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Patrizia E
Rome, Italy14 contributions
Dec 2021 • Couples
When visiting Chicago you should join at least one of the tours led by the helpful, kind and friendly CAC guides. You'll really learn a lot about this magnificent city, that I adore. I recommend these tours, otherwise you might probably miss a lot of the most iconic places just passing by without noticing. There's so much to see and do in Chicago and it's certainly much better in company of an entertaining and informative CAC guide.
Written December 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the 5 stars! You're right...you definitely get a new appreciation of the city's architecture with one of our docents. We're so happy you enjoyed your tour with us and hope to see you again soon!
Written December 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Elle
2 contributions
Oct 2021 • Friends
We loved this tour and it was a great way to explore the city! We really enjoyed learning about the evolution of the architecture in Chicago and our tour guide was fantastic!
Written October 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the great review! We are so happy you enjoyed your time with us and we look forward to seeing you again.
Written October 13, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jeffrey J
2 contributions
Sep 2021 • Business
Beautiful weather. Amazing tour good. Knowledgeable staff. And overall a great experience! Highly recommended.
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for the great review! We look forward to seeing you again!
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lisa K
Fairfax, VA3 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
3 walking tours and a cruise were all terrific. This is a great way to have fun and learn something about Chicago and architecture. I strongly recommend CAC's tours.
Written August 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Wow! We're so happy you took 3 walking tours and the river cruise with us. We agree it's the best way to see the city! Thank you for the great review. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Written August 16, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Wendy R
1 contribution
Aug 2021
Had an excellent tour! My guide was amazing and extremely knowledgeable. We kept on schedule and saw everything we were told we would see. Easy walk around Chicago seeing the historical buildings and learning about the architecture.
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
So happy you enjoyed the walking tour! Thank you for the great review. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Written August 6, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Michael M
2 contributions
Sep 2019
Over 75% of out tour were from outside the United States,I thought it was in poor taste when the tour guide made several disrespectful comments and references about our President,Trump.This would never have been tolerated when Obama was President!
The fact this level of disrespect is tolerated explains why this country is so divided.
Give us facts not your political opinion!,,
The fact this level of disrespect is tolerated explains why this country is so divided.
Give us facts not your political opinion!,,
Written September 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi Michael—thanks for giving us your feedback. Can you please DM us with more details about your tour time and date? We'd like to pass along your feedback to your docent.
Written October 2, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
slee41
Melbourne, Australia22 contributions
Jul 2018 • Solo
A great walking tour of the skyscrapers of Chicago (it does what it says on the tin). Concerntrating mainly on the external building, there are a few very worthwhile internal visits. Althought one can be awed by the skyscrapers even without a tour, this adds SO much more value for your time.
I would also recommend it for the time poor and I would happily do this again.
Just remember to wear comfortable shoes.
I would also recommend it for the time poor and I would happily do this again.
Just remember to wear comfortable shoes.
Written July 20, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
We are glad that you enjoyed the walking tour! Thank you for taking the time to review us and for your kind words.
Written July 23, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ruth R
Nashville, TN
I'll be in Chicago 13 - 15 of October, I would like this tour but I'm unable to select a date. Are you still doing this tour and how do sign up for it?
Ruth R
Nashville, TN
I will in town 1/0/13 and would like to take your tour. At this point I'm not able to sigh up for it. Is that just because it's too early to sign-up or you're no long doing it?
hoffmanhal52
Pearl River, LA
Which CAF tours are accessible for a person in an electric wheelchair?
How long of a distance do you have to walk?
DMSCAD
London, UK1,411 contributions
Not far. From the CAF office, walk as far west as S LaSalle St and back in a circular.
emorganbusiness
Walnut Creek, CA2 contributions
How long does the tour last? Time-wise. I've been on walking tours in other cities, and being on one's feet for a long time can be uncomfortable. Any places to sit while on the tour?
chicago_ILComcast
chicago,IL33 contributions
Approx 2 hours. No place for sitting. Comfortable pace
