Various sightseeing
companies run
guided
bus tours of the
city center. Chicago
Trolley (daily
9.30am-5pm; $20; $25
for two days, hop-on;
tel 773/6485000, )
hour-long tours begin
at the Sears Tower.
Chicago Motor Coach
($10; tel
312/666-1000) runs
double-decker buses
that pick up at the
Sears Tower, the Art
Institute and Navy
Pier. The former,
though, is often
ranked "best tour
in Chicago" by
Chicagoans.
The Chicago
Architecture
Foundation , in
the Santa Fe Building
at 224 S Michigan Ave
(tel 312/922-3432, ),
runs a number of
highly recommended
tours throughout the
city. Among these are
two information-packed
walking tours of the
Loop, giving a
friendly in-depth
introduction to
Chicago's buildings
and history ($10 for
2hr, $15 for both
tours). It also offers
walking tours of Frank
Lloyd Wright's
buildings in Oak Park,
Historic Pullman and
other neighborhoods;
bus tours of the Loop
and Near North ($15;
2hr), Hyde Park and
Frank Lloyd Wright's
Robie House ($25; 3hr
30min). Perhaps the
most popular of all
are the excellent
ninety-minute Chicago
Architecture by Boat
tours, which leave
from Michigan Avenue
and Lower Wacker Drive
(May-Oct Mon-Sat 3
departures, Sun 2
trips; $21). Other
sightseeing boat tours
include those offered
along the river by
Mercury (tel
312/332-1368, ; $14)
and Wendella (tel
312/337-1446) during
the summer season; and
Spirit of Chicago
Harbor Cruises ($17;
tel 312/836-7888), who
continue year-round,
sailing from Navy
Pier. Shoreline
Sightseeing Tours ($17
for architectural
cruises, $10 for lake
cruises; tel
312/222-9328, ) is
another good option,
with architectural
river cruises as well
as lake tours, a
slightly different
look at the
architecture of
Chicago.
