Private & GROUP Tours

Looking for a way to get your group out and about in Chicago with an expert guide? Let us help! We are proud to offer a variety of private and group tours for the Chicago community and beyond. We specialize in unique, resident-led city tours designed to familiarize Chicagoans and tourists alike with the history of our neighborhoods.

Ready to book? Browse our private tour offerings below, and submit an inquiry on the contact page when you're ready to work out the details with us! We pride ourselves on our low & flexible rates for community groups & nonprofit organizations -- if you're working with a tight budget, make sure to let us know when you reach out.

Don't see what you want below? We're always willing to learn something new. Our network of experienced tour professionals can design custom tours focused on particular topics, neighborhoods, or points of interest. Contact us to let us know what you're looking for, and we'll chat! Please note: an additional per-hour research and development fee may apply.

WHAT WE RECOMMEND

​CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY EXPLORATIONS
Learn how to decipher Chicago's unique architectural quirks, distinctive infrastructure, and topographic clues to make educated inferences about your surroundings.

We can organize a Cultural Geography Exploration in any city neighborhood, at any time of day, on any day of the week, in any time allotment! Perfect for tourists and locals alike, this tour (and accompanying handout) distills years of study into a quick, interesting walk that will open your eyes to the beauty and history around you.

Highlights include:
  • Street numbering, re-numbering, and how to tell what's been where for how long
  • Building materials: what's terracotta, what's Chicago brick, and what do those materials tell you?
  • Architectural styles and the secrets to dating the buildings around you
  • Remnants of past tenants: who lived in your neighborhood, when, and where were they from?
  • And much, much more!

Click over to our contact page to book a Cultural Geography Exploration for your group.

NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS

Neighborhood tours are our signature public offering. Typically led by two guides, we pair an expert tour professional with an actual neighborhood resident. See who we work with here -- these tours are as authentic as it gets!
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AVAILABLE ANYTIME
These tours utilize single guides or neighborhood experts with flexible schedules. Typical tour timeslots: Monday thru Friday anytime; Saturday & Sunday 9:30am-12pm or 5-7:30pm.

  • ​East Albany Park neighborhood -- history, landmarks, parks, and the homes of Ravenswood Manor (2.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • West Albany Park neighborhood -- history, landmarks, parks, and the homes of Mayfair (2.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • En Espanol: Albany Park neighborhood -- a Spanish-language tour of the area's western side (2.5 hours, 2 guides)
  • Alta Vista neighborhood pocket -- history & landmarks (1.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • Boystown neighborhood -- history, landmarks, and queer heritage (2 hours, 1 or 2 guides)
  • Crilly Court neighborhood pocket -- history & landmarks (1.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • Lincoln Square neighborhood -- history, landmarks, and a patchwork of small businesses (1.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • McKinley Park neighborhood -- history, landmarks, and an exploration of Chicago's Central Manufacturing District. (2.5 hours, 2 guides)
  • Old Town neighborhood  -- history, architecture, & the unique drinking history of this vintage 'hood (2 hours, 1 guide)
  • Printer's Row neighborhood -- history, landmarks, & stories of the first skyscrapers (2 hours, 1 or 2 guides​
  • Roscoe Village neighborhood -- the history, landmarks, and former amusement parks of this North Center pocket (2.5 hours, 2 guides)
  • Sheffield Neighbors neighborhood pocket -- history & landmarks (1.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • Uptown neighborhood  -- history, landmarks, and an exploration of the neighborhood post 1950. (2.5 hours, 1 or 2 guides)
  • Wicker Park neighborhood-- history, landmarks, and historic mansions (2 hours, 1 guide)
EVENINGS & WEEKENDS ONLY
These tours depend on neighborhood experts who work traditional 9-5 jobs. Typical tour timeslots: Monday thru Friday 5:30pm-8pm; Saturday & Sunday 9:30am-12pm or 5-7:30pm.

  • Edgewater neighborhood -- history, landmarks, and ghost stories galore (2.5 hours, 2 guides)
  • ​Prairie Avenue District -- history, landmarks, and mansions in the Near South Side (2 hours, 2 guides)
  • Rogers Park neighborhood -- history, landmarks, and stories of the Far North Side (2.5 hours, 2 guides)
  • Chinatown neighborhood -- history, architecture, and urban planning in Chicago's most distinct enclave (2 hours, 2 guides)
  • Pilsen neighborhood -- history, architecture, and decades of community activism (2.5 hours, 2 guides)
  • West Town neighborhood  -- history, architecture, and the industrial heritage of the Kinzie Corridor (2.5 hours, 2 guides) 
TOPIC-DRIVEN AND THEMED TOURS
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  • Chicago Architecture Loop Tour -- the perfect tour for tourists! Learn about the history of Chicago and glimpse its most famous architectural treasures in and around the downtown Loop (2.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • Mosaics in the Loop -- a brief history of Chicago and its architecture structured around the glittering mosaics of the Loop. (1.5 hours, 1 guide)
  • Queer History Tours -- learn about the history of Chicago's original queer & outlier communities on this walk through the Loop and River North (2.5 hours, 1 or 2 guides)
  • Badass Women of Chicago History -- a jam-packed overview of the Chicago women throughout history who created intimidating legacies for their city and themselves (2 hours, 1 or 2 guides)
  • Scandal & Society Drama -- a short and hilarious look at the historic hijinks of Chicago's Gold Coast socialites, wealthy businessmen, and petty thieves (2 hours, 2 guides)
  • Urban Planning Tours -- explore the impact of the 1909 Plan, learn about urban renewal, and discover the legacies of Daniel Burnham and Jane Jacobs (2 hours, 1 or 2 guides)
  • Jewish History -- this one-of-a-kind walking tour looks at the former synagogues, community centers, & Jewish-owned businesses of Albany Park's once-thriving Jewish community (2 hours, 2 guides)
  • Political Corruption -- learn about mobsters and elected officials alike on this Loop tour exploring the "Chicago Way" (2 hours, 1 guide)
  • Bar & Alcohol History -- Chicago's always been a city that loves to drink: from turn-of-the-century beer gardens, to Prohibition and beyond, this tour is perfect to drink it all in (2 hours, 1 guide)
  • Historic Scavenger Hunts -- looking for something more interactive? We offer a number of competitive scavenger hunts that will get your group exploring and learning about the Loop, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Albany Park, Uptown, or the downtown Pedway. 

Have a different topic in mind? Reach out and let us know! If we don't have it in our own repertoire, we are happy to refer you to other amazing tour professionals throughout the city or create something special just for you.
PRIVATE & GROUP TOUR FAQS
​Don't see your question listed here? Check out our general FAQ page or contact us directly.
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  • How much will it cost?​ That depends on a few different factors! Single guide tours start at $40/hr and two-guide tours start at $80/hr for nonprofit organizations, students, artists, and public community groups. This discounted pricing compensates only your guide(s). To help cover our organization's administrative costs, we charge higher rates for private groups, corporate clients, and for-profit entities. Additional gratuity is always appreciated, and your donations are tax-deductible. Please contact us for a specific price quote. 
  • ​Can we shorten, change, or alter an existing tour? Unfortunately, we are able to keep our costs low by reusing tours we are already comfortable giving. Modifying the tour will accrue an additional fee for planning and development.
  • What is your minimum or maximum group size? We have no group size minimum. Maximum group size is 40 people. Private tour fees may increase with each increment of 10 people.
  • Why isn't every tour available all the time? We are currently a volunteer-run organization, and our guides have limited availability based on their personal and professional work schedules. If you absolutely must have midday tour for your group, we can sometimes apply an additional fee to compensate our guides for lost work hours.