Chicago Land Water Tours
Chicago can be toured by land or by the waters of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Either method of touring is a great way to spend time and learn more about the history and charm of this city, which features some of the world's finest buildings and architecture.
Organizations
Navy Pier is a good place to find water tour groups like Shoreline Sightseeing or Seadog that drift onto the lake or go up the Chicago River. The Chicago Architecture Foundation does land and water tours featuring architecture in many neighborhoods. Other land organizations include Bobby's Bike Hike-Quality Tours, Rentals, Urban Adventures; Chicago Trolley and Double Decker Co.; and MetroWalkz Self-Guided Walking Tours--Chicago. Other water tour organizations include Wendella, the Odyssey, and the Tall Ship Windy on Navy Pier.
Considerations
When choosing a land tour, determine if you want to walk, go by bus or use a Segway. Check for special discounts on buying a package that gives you land and water tours. For all tours, make sure you get to your meeting spot at the suggested time because tour groups will leave without you.
Water Tour Features
If touring on Lake Michigan, you'll get spectacular skyline views. Going inland and onto the Chicago River, you'll get a more intimate view into the heart of the city, its buildings and culture.
Land Tour Features
Whether walking, on a Segway or by bus, land tours place a person in between the towering buildings. Some tours visit President Barack Obama's Hyde Park neighborhood, the University of Chicago campus, Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park or the central Gold Coast.
Unusual Tours
If interested in Chicago's gangster history or haunted buildings, there are tours for you. One tour features John Dillinger, and another revisits the bloodiest crime scenes of the past and their hauntings. There is also a Devil in the White City tour, which recounts the Chicago World's Fair and the emergence of America's first mass murderer.
