Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile
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Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile
By Chicago Architecture Center
Discover how a dirt road known as Pine Street transformed into a "Paris on the Prairie" and later into the Magnificent Mile, the city’s premier shopping district. Hear the secrets and stories behind the striking buildings on North Michigan Avenue that have become architectural icons.
Developed over the past 100 years, the street includes historically-inspired architecture in Parisian, Gothic, neoclassical and Art Deco styles sprinkled among Modern and 21st Century buildings. You’ll see skyscrapers, vertical malls, hotels, residential towers and some buildings that were designed to embody the brands sold inside.
from per adult
$30.00
from per adult
$30.00
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 5-100, max of 10 per group
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
- Admission to the Galleries of the Chicago Architecture Center
- Narration by a professional and certified guide
- Walking tour of the Magnificent Mile
What's not included- Food and drink
- Storage for luggage and strollers
- Coat check
- Departure details
- Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, USA Meet at the Chicago Architecture Center at 111 E Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, 60601
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3173P12- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- 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.
- Pets are not allowed.
- 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: The Magnificent Mile
- 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
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Face masks provided for travelers
- 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: The Magnificent Mile?
- During this experience, places you will visit include:Discover and book Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile on Tripadvisor
- How much is Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile?
- Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile price starts from $30.00. Discover and book Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile on Tripadvisor
- What is the Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile cancellation policy?
- Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile 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: The Magnificent Mile on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile?
- Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile is hosted by Chicago Architecture Center. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Chicago Architecture Center on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile 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: 3173P12
Itinerary
- You'll start atChicago Architecture Center111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, USAMeet at the Chicago Architecture Center at 111 E Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, 60601See address & details
- 1The Magnificent MileStop: 90 minutesDiscuss the history of the Magnificent Mile and the history and architecture of notable buildings along it.Read morePass byMichigan Avenue BridgeStarbucksWrigley BuildingInterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, an IHG HotelBurberryJohn Hancock CenterWoman's Athletic ClubTribune Tower
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
Rochelle04TX
00Fun!
Fun tour! The architecture tours are always fun, even in snowy weather! Chicago is full of such great architecture-…
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…
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
7 reviews
Excellent
7
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Matthew Z
4 contributions
Amazing! Rebecca was our tour guide and she was absolutely fabulous! We learned so much about Chicago architecture and history. Rebecca was very engaging and extremely informative- we highly recommend the Magnificent Mile tour for anyone visiting or residing in Chicago. You’ll have a great time and learn a lot!
Written December 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you so much for the fantastic review! We're so happy you enjoyed the tour with Rebecca and hope to see you on another tour soon.
Written December 12, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ophir
Chicago, IL1 contribution
Just amazing, learned a lot. Who knew that Wrigley started as a soap company? Who knew that two of the buildings are brand new but the city forced them to keep the facade? Go and learn...
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thanks for the wonderful review! We're so happy you enjoyed the tour and picked up some interesting facts along the way 😊
Written October 24, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steve1
Toronto, Canada1,131 contributions
Apr 2022
The unenthusiastic and seemingly bored cashier at the reception desk whom we encountered on two days (first for the walking tour, then to purchase tickets for the boat tour a few days later) could use an attitude adjustment. She is the first point of contact for this organization, and she was unfriendly both times, staring at us as we approached the cash (no one else in line so it wasn't busy) without saying a word until I actually said "hello". Call me old-fashioned, but I worked many years in retail and we were taught that something along the lines of "Hello. Welcome! How can I help you?" might actually suggest that you enjoyed your job and were happy to see someone enter. First day I asked some basic questions about what we would see on a specific walking tour that was coming up in an hour. "I wouldn't know" she answered, as if it was a little out of line for me to imagine that the person working at the reception desk might be able to answer questions about a tour they offer. She called up the tour description on the website and read it to us word for word. Would it be too much to expect that a worker there is actually familiar with the tours they offer each day? I realize there are a lot of tours here, but if I was a manager, I would ask the staff to actually take the tours so they could then describe them for customers. That kind of "welcome" tends to just put me off of a whole organization. We bought tickets anyway for the upcoming Magnificent Mile tour, even if we were made to feel she was doing us a favor by selling tickets. The tour itself was very interesting, and the volunteer who led it knowledgeable and a lot more enthusiastic than the cashier was. We enjoyed seeing the exteriors and interiors of a few buildings, including the Cultural Centre and Palmer House, a beautiful old hotel with a stunning lobby bar. A few days later we did the river tour. We also enjoyed that tour and the volunteer guide, but at $55 per person, it's not cheap, and we later discovered we could have saved $15 per person if we had taken the Wendella tour boat, which at certain times also goes out onto the lake as long as weather permits, for a great view of the skyline. For three of us that would have been a savings of $45 US, which with current conversion rates is about $60 Canadian. Not a small amount if there is a group.
Written April 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you didn't have a good experience with our staff at reception and purchasing. I have forwarded your review to the proper department managers to ensure that they go over expectations with personnel.
I am happy to know that you enjoyed the Magnificent Mile tour as well as the River Cruise. We understand that there are competitors in Chicago and hope that the quality of our tour and boats stand out among the others.
Thank you again for your review and feedback. We hope to see you again the next time you're visiting Chicago.
Written April 25, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Claudia K
Chicago, IL7 contributions
Nov 2021
As the other tours from the Chicago Architecture it was a great tour and gave valuable insights about the buildings along the Magnificent Mile and their history.
Written November 8, 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! The Magnificent Mile really is a fantastic area to learn about. We hope to see you on another tour soon!
Written November 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
christine s
Chicago, IL18 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
Having taken other CAC tours, this one was as expected: excellent! Our docent Mitch gave a 1 1/2 hour walking tour along both sides of Michigan Ave in the Magnificent Mile. We learned why it’s called that, what it looked like (and smelled like!) before, and how it has changed since Burnham and Bennett first conceived of “Paris on the Prairie.” The tour explains the history, the character and glances at the future of the architecture in this high-end retail/residence/hotel Mecca. We kept moving but it wasn’t a long walk. It’s a fairly compact area. We enjoyed it very much.
Written October 27, 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 lovely review! I'm so happy you enjoyed the tour and I'll pass on your compliments to Mitch. We look forward to seeing you on another tour soon!
Written October 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steve
1 contribution
A great interesting tour. Time well spent. One of many CAC tours we have taken. Enjoy the fact that the docents are well informed commuted volunteers who love Chicago’s history and architecture.
Written October 27, 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 nice review! Yes, we agree, CAC docents are an amazing and dedicated group. We love them and how dedicated they are to sharing their love of the city!
Written October 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ayesha Y
East Meadow, NY6 contributions
Aug 2019
It was a great experience to walk through the city street, beautiful building which is a symbol of great architectural work, side walk plantings attract my eyes particularly and the shops are an attraction too.
Written November 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
We are so glad that you enjoyed the tour! Thanks for taking the time to review us.
Written November 26, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.