Every talk and tour I have done with Chicago for Chicagoans has been amazing! All the presenters,…read moreespecially Patti Swanson, are passionate, funny and most importantly present well researched and accurate information.

The best programming that helps you appreciate the city. Even better, it's pay what you can.read more

Tom was a fantastic guide on the out-of-the-way city tour. We learned so much! He's incredibly…read moreknowledgeable and so generous in answering questions. We could not have asked for a better tour and are glad it was tip-based. Thank you, Tom!

I love the flexibility of this outfit. No down payment required, easy cancellation if needed, easy…read morerescheduling if needed, and the tour guide is friendly, energetic and cheerful. We did the gangsters tour and was full of interesting Chicago history and biographical accounts of gangsters. There's even a well timed bathroom stop at the Harry Carey restaurant/museum.

During Parents' Weekend at the University of Chicago, the university offered tours of the…read moreneighborhood through Chicago Detours. My wife did this tour a couple years ago and highly recommended it, but I wasn't especially interested because I had also gone to school here and figured I knew enough about Hyde Park already. However, she insisted that it would be worth our while and so I agreed to climb on the bus. And it was the absolutely right decision, because the tour was excellent. In fact, it wasn't just a tour of Hyde Park. It included the surrounding neighborhoods of Washington Park, Kenwood, Jackson Park, and Woodlawn. Since this was a UChicago sponsored event much of the information related to the University's investment and involvement in the area. Our tour guide and founder of Chicago Detours, Amanda, is herself a graduate of UChicago and thus she had some additional insight into the relationship with the community. Though the 75-minute tour felt a little slow-going at times, there was much to learn about the vibrant but sometimes troubled history of the area. Amanda has tremendous knowledge and the excursion was both fascinating and entertaining. I can imagine that Chicago Detours would have equally interesting tours of other neighborhoods in this diverse city.

Virtual tours are such a cool thing to do right now. I attended a Yelp Elite event that was a…read morevirtual food tour of Chicago. It was incredibly informative and a good balance of history and current trends. Looking forward to attending more virtual tours, like the World's Fair and the Cruise From Your Couch Boat Tour. I loved seeing the pictures of the in-person tours and can't wait to attend some of those too.

Bruce was a great guide on our Lincoln Park tour! Lots of info about Chicago's gangsters. Thank you…read moreBruce!!

While the tour started out good led by Bruce and we were excited to hear about the Gangsters it…read morequickly turned into a very boring commercial for things within Chicago - pizza, hot dogs, theatre .... Bruce had a list that he kept referring to and items that he had to plug. It was a very disappointing tour -- and Even more so because I've been on FTOF all over the world and have never experienced this before, anywhere. Oh well. Weather was beautiful and enjoyed my time with my friends.

Colleen was great during our Chicago interior architecture tour. We went to six different buildings…read moreand she had super interesting points to share during each stop. She was thoughtful in offering restroom breaks during the two hour tour. Would absolutely recommend this tour - I have been to Chicago multiple times and learned more on this tour than I ever did in my previous visits combined. Fun way to see the city and stay (mostly) warm since it's a tour of the interior of buildings :)

I have taken many tours in different cities at home and abroad. Chicago being the birthplace of the…read moremodern skyscraper has many stories to tell about the evolution of turn of the century architecture after the great Chicago fire. Locally we have a great city guide on our local PBS channel 11 who does a fantastic job at uncovering some of the best forgotten stories about our cities past. Of course, I am referring to Geoffrey Baer, whom I have watched on our local PBS many times over the years. So yes, I can say that I am a fan. But you know it's one thing to watch these architectural marvels on TV or in person. I decided to be a tourist in my own city by taking the Original Chicago Architecture Interiors Tour by Inside Chicago Walking Tours. How was it? I loved it. Many of the treasures we uncovered, I have walked by for many years without every going inside and seeing the marvelous interiors firsthand. We also went over the exterior of several buildings that I never stopped to think about the stories behind the buildings history. Yes, I took a lot of buildings for granted. On this tour we went over the timeline and historical evolution of some of some of the significant buildings in our downtown area. Of course, were not able to cover all of them because Chicago is blessed to have so many great buildings with a storied past. I highly, highly recommend this tour to tourists and locals alike. Some of the buildings that were covered were the Chicago Board of Trade, The Federal Building, The Marquette, The Palmer House, and the Chicago Cultural Center (and many more). If you decide to take this tour get ready to be wowed and enlightened about Chicago.

This was a moms night out activity. The day after halloween so wasn't very scary. I am not one to…read morewatch horror movies coz I get spooked very easily. So when I heard how this walking your was going to be more of a history lesson, I was into it. some of the stories seemed a bit hollywood like. But the tour guide was a great story teller. If you like haunted experiences you might be a bit disappointed. The sites themselves are all tragic events like the St Peters church and the Naperville Metra station crash. So you would definitely feel the eeriness. The fun part is the EMF meters that go off on random things - like your phone, the wires under the sidewalk - sometimes even your own heart. But that's what made it fun - and the feel of energy that could be a ghost. We had a drink at Quigleys before the tour so that helped us be silly too. Beware ladies ten ladies room at quigleys is apparently haunted! boo

These guys are the best!!! And I must bow to their superior knowledge in the Occult and Esoteric. I…read moredid a couple of Psychic Fairs with them years ago and they were a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge in the Paranormal and Supernatural. They have stories that will actually raise the hair on your head, and from first hand experience also. If you've tried the others, now try the best!!! The knowledge that they expound is the most accurate in this field, and their information is always spot on. Believe me, these Tours are well worth the money, because you are getting the first hand experience of a lifetime!! You will never find anything better than this. This is your chance to experience the real deal. You won't be sorry!!!

Our tour Guide was Susie. She was very pleasant and professional. She was very informative and…read morespoke clearly as she took us around. It was money well spent and would take another tour.

Wyatt led a great Chinatown tour. A great selection of dishes from different parts of China…read moreincluding some really unexpected dishes. Our guide gave really interesting historical and cultural context and accommodated all food preferences within the group. I highly recommend this tour

We did the Chinatown walking food tour this past weekend and it was amazing!!! Highly recommend…read moredoing this even if you live in the Chicagoland area. Valarie was our guide and she was terrific! Took us to 5 really great spots that we will be going back to for a full dining experience. Valarie gave us a lot of Chinese history and how it related to food, and the people in our group were all friendly and made for an enjoyable experience. I couldn't recommend doing one of their tours more. Do it!!

We just did our second Tour With Mike, this time the Underground Chicago tour. Really fun. We…read moreexplored the bowels of the city, from familiar spots like the Billy Goat on Lower Michigan to portions of the labyrinthine Pedway. I've lived here over 30 years and saw some things I've never seen before. Mike is great. Knowledgeable, friendly, engaging. He's a fantastic tour guide for visitors and longtime residents alike. Thank you!

Mike, who owns an operates the tours is extremely knowledgeable in Chicago history and…read morearchitecture. It's also extremely friendly and personable. Despite having lived in Chicago before decades, I have never taken a tour or I don't learn new and interesting information. Highly recommend.