I LOVE taking the subway. Easy to use. Helps with getting around town. You can take subway into town if you wish. Was a great time!

My boyfriend's company gets a lot of fancy fringe benefits and one of those is special tickets to shows, tours, and other fun things. On Friday we got to experience this fun tour with Margaret as our guide. The tour was about 90 minutes long as we weaved throughout the pedway system of Chicago covering about 1.5 miles. Everyone on our tour was local, some of us knew of the pedway, some had never been on it before others were quite familiar but wanted to know more, while still others had no idea about it! I was happy to venture down into the undergrounds of the city with some a well educated tour guide. I am a Chicago history mini-buff and she definitely knew her stuff about a lot of the famous architects of our town which pleased me. Our tour guide Margaret was full of energy and very enthusiastic in telling us all about the pedway. Once she told us she was a theater major, ah yes, it all clicked into place! She was a very thorough and clear guide though giving me a bit of information I haven't had prior. Once the tour is done, you'll know a bit about the paths under the city that connect some important government buildings to fancy department stores (and more!) and feel totally comfortable walking & navigating them yourself. There is virtually no crime on the Chicago pedway!!! Yay Chi Town! You will also come away loving the pedway for what it is! Nothing more, nothing less than an interesting walkway than can be beautiful at times - smelly at others - but like Margaret says, is it's own little Chicago neighborhood! read more

Chicago Elevated - Being shown the map - Tours Near Me

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Margaret was a great guide. We enjoyed our tour and now embrace the wackiness of the Pedway. read more

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We took the Saturday Pedway tour with Margaret. (THE tour guide of Chicago Elevated...really she is the whole company.) Seriously I wish I could have talked to her for days. Coming from a town with lots of history in its people and buildings, I really enjoyed her passion for her city. She is funny and quirky too!! If you're ever in the Chicago area and you're in the mood for a really great tour experience...Check out Chicago Elevated. We cannot wait to go on another tour! read more

Chicago Elevated - Tours Near Me

Highly recommended as a quirky, entertaining and educational activity that also challenges you to think differently about art, architecture and urban design. The tour is full of surprises, large and small, but is also a haven of peace and relaxation, away from the surface street bustle. read more

Margaret Hicks is one of the most incredible tour guides I have ever encountered. She has a contagious enthusiasm and is full of wit. I went on her Boystown Tour a few years ago. Now, I live in the neighborhood and wasn't expecting too learn too many new things, but she really surprised me with a fascinating tour full of historical facts and anecdotes. This girl can make anything interesting. read more

I went on the Pedway tour with Margaret. I have lived in or near Chicago most of my life and never knew that such an extensive and bizarre system of walkways existed. She also introduced me to the Chicago Cultural Center, a beautiful building with awesome exhibits that you can just hang out in for free. Margaret was fun, knowledgeable, and full of enthusiasm for Chicago. I definitely want to go on her Redlight tour soon. read more

I was glad to see things from a perspective other than my way. Margaret was very entertaining, enthusiastic, informative, educational, and extensive during our hour and a half pedway tour. While I'd heard a little about the pedway I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Margaret showed a side of the city I've never seen; I doubt that I ever would without her tour. Only one section towards the end of the tour had I even seen previously, but with Margaret's guidance I saw even that portion in a whole new way. Don't bother looking any further... this is the tour for you. read more

We took the Heavy Duty Winter Tour..... complete with heated coats and a fantastic guide in Margaret. We are actually local to Chicago and still learned new things and saw things from a different perspective. We had such a great time. I will definitely take friends from out of town on this and any of the other Elevated Tours.... FUN!!! read more

This lady SERIOUSLY loves Chicago! I should have had coffee before the tour because she has A LOT of energy and I was like whoa! Did I mention that she SERIOUSLY loves Chicago? She has taken cleaner into the Pedway to try to get the goo off of the cover of the glass covering a Tiffany stained glass. It was a FANTASTIC tour and Margaret was so knowledgeable and I won't give away too much but her story about Marshall Fields almost had me in tears. She made it come to life. And the Cubs winning the Pennant - yes - she called it the Pennant and not the World Series. My favorite was the flag - I couldn't NOT see it after the tour. She also gives you her number so you can text/call her if you are ever lost or want more info. If I had half of her energy, my house would be tidier - lol Great job, Margaret with the red hat! read more

A well worth it tour of Chicago connected basements. Good history, insider input on Chicago viewpoints, with a humorous touch. Would recommend a longer tour, but still a thumbs up. read more

We went on the Pedway tour this morning (St. Patrick's Day) and absolutely loved it! The tour was full of great info, and Margaret was fascinating, caring, and so informed! Would definitely recommend! read more

Margaret is top-notch! I'm a tough-sell because I travel a lot and I was in the entertainment industry for many years--I'm real tuned-in to presentation and also noting the level of commitment when someone is doing a creative job. I work in the historical area of Philadelphia and am surrounded by tours. My comments are based on the Pedway Tour. I had all these worries about taking the tour, (1) guide would be over-energized, ie. annoying. Margaret has tons of energy, but it's focused on making the tour enjoyable for all different types of people so she's upbeat w. a focussed, productive energy. (2) guide would be disinterested, and just there to make some money. Margaret was completely present, had done tons of research and legwork, completely committed to sharing the city. (3) pace would be too-slow or too-fast. We moved along, but not too fast or too slow, Margaret knows how to engage people if someone is "catching up" or can corral the group if we need to move. (4) tour would be boring. We saw so much incredible real estate, accessing the downtown from underground pedestrian walkways, then coming up into amazing urban spaces. This is not a "dry" touristy, cheeseball look at the city, it was hip, fun, with lots of "wow" moments. I learned a lot about how the downtown was built, where the money came from, some juicy gossip about controversial art projects, such a great way to get to know the city. Plenty of "eye candy". I had a blast. When someone finds something they are great at and shares it, you can just feel an aliveness in the air. Go for it--this is a "must do" in Chicago. read more

Margaret led us through 90 minutes that was terrific, funny, interesting, and a little weird :) We won't give away the secrets here, but my daughter and I really enjoyed every moment of it. Felt like we were getting a true native's perspective from someone who really loves her city, and shares that love in a friendly and unique way! Highly recommended. read more

My family and I went on Margaret's Pedway tour. LOVED IT! She was so witty and knew little facts about almost everything we walked through! And I am super excited I now know about the pedway so I can avoid icky weather when it comes through! read more

Margaret was the tour guide. She started the tour on time, ended on time, and everything in between was spot on. I work as a tour guide myself and her historical facts were all accurate. She was a happy host, friendly, knowledgeable, , loud enough, and flexible - taking questions and incorporating them into the tour. The tour was around Second City and encompassed a small area. It was impressive to see how much history was in such a small area, and the tour flowed well from one topic to the next. It would have been cool to see some behind-the-scenes Second City stuff, but I'm not sure if that possibility exists. read more

Took the holiday pedway tour extravaganza with Margaret last week and it was fantastic. She is fun & knowledgeable. I also took my teen-aged niece who had a great time as well. As a bonus I was able to use the comfortably heated pedway instead of the windy 17 degree Chicago Streets for about 3/4 of a mile of my commute this morning! I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Chicago, and especially to anyone who spends time in the Loop. read more

I can't recommend Margaret's tours highly enough. She's friendly, knowledgable, passionate and energetic. We LOVED the Pedway Tour - getting to see Chicago from the inside was amazing, and it was great to have the Pedway demystified! We will definitely be making room in our schedule for more of her tours next time we're staying in Chicago. read more

Heart. Here's a look from the heart of a Chicagoan, and it always says more as if the reader (well, ME) was along for the walk and the conversation. Well done and very insightful! read more

I took about 10 students on the Pedway Tour. Margaret connected well with the students which ranged from 5th - 8th grade. They were engaged and learned so much while actively walking. When Margaret wrapped up the tour, my students wanted to do more exploring. So many of us had no idea the Pedway even existed. It's a whole new underground world! read more

The Boys Town Tour was fantastic. Margaret was funny and well informed, and she gave us a great picture the neighborhood's past and the evolution of Boys Town's culture. The tour does a great job illustrating the neighborhood's history while introducing tour goers to the businesses that make Boys Town tick today. I think my favorite part of the tour was getting to visit bars and businesses I probably would have never visited on my own. Not only do I know much more about queer culture in Chicago, I also know that Kafka's is one of the best wine stores in the city. Can't wait to bring friends from out of town on the Boys Town tour or to join in on Chicago Elevated's next tour. read more

This is a must-do if visiting Chicago!!! We took the Pedway tour on a Saturday. Margaret was awesome! She was funny, full of energy and very knowledgeable about the city! There wasn't a question we asked that she couldn't answer! We were simply delighted with our experience! We will definitely do another tour with her on our next visit! read more

My wife and I took the Pedway tour this week. It was great! Margaret is loads of fun and full of information. She responded quickly to my emails before our trip and gave us a memorable, fun tour. We can't wait to come back to Chicago and take another tour! read more

We went on the Red light tour and really enjoyed it. We live in the Chicago area and learned lots of things we knew nothing about. What history lesson! Can't wait for the Riverwalk tour in the fall. We are planning on somewhere between 10 and 20 people and dogs. A bit challenging but I am certain we will again have a wonderful time. We also really want to do the pedway tour in the near future. read more

Being a lifelong resident of the Chicago area with no knowledge of the Chicago Pedway, Margaret's tour more than educated me, it also delighted me. Margaret blends her knowledge of Chicago history with her love (and skill) for performing into a passionate, highly engaging and informative walking tour. This is how historic tours should be done! Not only did I learn about and walk along the Pedway, Margaret also enhanced the experience by incorporating lots of ancillary bits of Chicago's history into the tour (including the Great Chicago Fire, the City of Chicago flag, Chicago skyscrapers and buildings, Marshall Field, and even the Tiffany family). If you're looking for a dry, talking-head, Sgt. Friday "just the facts, ma'am" sort of historic tour, then look elsewhere. What you'll receive from Margaret is a delightful and fun experience that doesn't skimp on the facts. The value I received far exceeded the nominal fee: Margaret clearly delivered everything I anticipated, plus much more. Highly, highly recommended. read more

Three words define the Chicago Pedway Tour: entertaining, informative and fun. Margaret is a fantastic tour guide, who wears her love for Chicago on her sleeve. Highly recommended. read more

My wife and I really enjoyed being informed, entertained, and educated by Margaret's knowledge of the pedway system. The high temperature today was supposed to be 19 degrees, but she made us both feel like it was a comfortable 72. Highly recommended! read more

Took the "Boys Town Tour" this weekend. Fun way to see an already familiar neighborhood in a new way. Well paced with lots of interesting history and facts. Great way to spend an afternoon! read more

What a great experience. My wife and I visited Chicago for a few days and were lucky enough to have found Chicago Elevated. We both thought this was one of the best parts of our trip, and came away from the tour with a ton of great information to bring home and amaze our friends with- even the ones who used to live in Chicago! Be sure to add this to your to do list. read more

I am a life-long Chicagoan and thought I knew something about the city. I had colleagues in town for a meeting and I found Margaret online and hired her to give us a city tour. We were all blown away, and I don't say that lightly. Margaret asked me questions ahead of time about the group and used that information to tailor make her tour to fit our interests. Her level of knowledge about the city and its history is impressive. I learned so much that I never knew about the city and am grateful to have been a part of this tour. read more

We took the Pedway Tour this summer and couldn't have been happier -- it was a great way to really get a feel for the city in an organic, non-guidebooky way. Still, it was totally educational -- and very funny, because Margaret is hilarious. This is one of those things someone who lives in Chicago can do with out-of-town guests that won't drive them insane with boredom -- just take a different tour every time, and you'll have just as good a time as your houseguests! read more

I recently took the Chicago Pedway tour with Margaret and had a blast! Margaret's enthusiasm and love for the city was evident right from the start. I was part of a group of retired teachers, out for a day in Chicago, and we enjoyed this tour very much. Margaret gave us so much insight into some of the unknowns of Chicago. Great knowledge of our fair city! I highly recommend Chicago Elevated for anyone who wants to do something out of the ordinary while having fun learning about Chicago from the pedway. You will love Margaret's sense of humor too! read more

The tour guide is so funny and informative! I really dug this tour as it was a lot more informal and laid back then some other tours. Plus, I didn't feel like I was stuck on a bus, or boat. Nothing better than walking around and learning about Chicago at a walkable pace. I would recommend this for anybody looking for a cheap and fun way to see the city. Great for vacationers, but also really good for those who think they know everything about the city. Well worth it, I would do it again! read more

My sister and I took Margaret's Chicago Elevated Pedway Tour in March 2017 - we were late but Margaret was kind enough to wait for us and are we ever grateful that she did! Her Pedway Tour, enthusiasm, knowledge of the City - above and below ground - and compassion for people is infectious. It was certainly one of the highlights that weekend as we experienced new things and places (to us) in Chicago for my sis' 50th birthday. Do not hesitate to take one of Margaret's tours - so worth going on yourself or with friends, family or visitors to Chicago. We can't wait to plan our next tour with Margaret! She loves what she does, Chicago and relating to people ... and it shows! read more

The Chicago Pedway Tour is excellent! Margaret is a excellent tour guide: entertaining, informative and outgoing. She loves Chicago and people and shows it. I HIGHLY recommend this tour! read more

I always wanted to be able to explore the pedway, but there are not maps, and signage is poor. Our tour guide, Margaret, helped make sense of it all. She was funny, knowledgable and flexible. She changed her route to answer questions from the group. Margaret's love for the pedway is obvious in this fabulous tour. Check it out! Great for families, solos, or business folks. Great value, 90 minutes of fun and adventure. read more

I went on 2 of the pedway tours and had a great time. Margaret was friendly, fun, and informative. I got to learn interesting facts about the city and its architecture, history, and design. All during my lunch hour! Before this i didn't even know Chicago had a pedway. Highly recommended. read more

I just took two tours with Margaret last week (yes, she was that good I signed up for two!). I did the Pedway (which was cool and a totally random thing to do esp if you are new to Chicago - but if you love cities and urban development stuff, you will enjoy the Pedway tour). I also did the Red Light District Tour - which was less walking, but just as colorful and, perhaps, a little sordid (it's a red light tour!) which was what I was hoping for. Margaret is enthusiastic about Chicago and it's contagious (in a good way!). I'm so glad I tried these tours out -- very affordable and very enjoyable ways to get to know Chicago better. Just do it!! read more

I highly recommend Margaret's tour. It exceeded my expectations. Margaret is very entertaining and knowledgable. I went with a group of friends from work and everyone loved the tour. read more

In winter Chicago is "cool" - literally - so stay warm in the Pedway as you explore the underground pathways of the city. Being both an author and comedian Margaret has a great way of delivering interesting facts with flavor and humor. Your cheekbones will hurt from smiling as you watch Margaret give the city a big hug through her words and actions. I highly recommend Chicago Elevated tours! read more