Small-Group Tour of Chicago Neighborhoods: North and South Side
Description
This unique tour of Chicago will allow for tourist to see most of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods and city parks. There is no other tour that tours multiple neighborhoods in Chicago. Some tours show 1 or 2 neighborhoods, we travel through the South Side, North Side, Southwest, Northwest and a portion of Downtown showing more then 10 neighborhoods and attractions.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Travelers will see the neighborhood and home of 44th President of the United States and plaque where Michelle Obama was 1st kissed! Travelers will tour the college campus of The University of Chicago that attracts students from around the world where many remain post graduation in the historical Hyde Park. In addition to the medical professionals from The University of Chicago Medicine and the local residents, the neighborhood is a true melting pot. With real estate in the area ranging from multi million dollar homes to $600 monthly apartments, Hype Park is a tour favorite!
Travelers will see the historical Du Paul University and its breathtaking beautiful neighborhood! The beauty of Lincoln Park rivals any neighborhood in America with its traditional to modern, frame to brick homes, shops, restaurants and so much more!
Travelers will be amazed by Chicago’s beautiful Gold Coast neighborhood and parks.
From the tour van, tourist will see the city’ neighborhoods and parks including Wrigley Field (Go Cubs!)
Travelers will learn Bronzeville’s history of African Americans leaving the south and getting off at the last stop in Chicago. While some stopped in St. Louis and other cities, many stayed in until the last stop and knew to get off when the conductor yelled “I don’t care where you go but you have to gotta get outta here”! Travelers will learn of the naming of Bronzeville in relation to African American skin as will as see Pilgrim Baptist Church that many refer to it as the birth of gospel music! With Bronzeville being revitalized, travelers will see the new next to the old. Travelers will see a slice of black life.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
If the schedule allows, pick up from airport is an option for an additional $60, the price of an Uber ride.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- FOR GROUPS OF 12 OR MORE TRAVELERS, 7 DAYS NOTICE IS REQUIRED.
Reviews(53)
Steve our tour guide was very funny and informative. The tour showed us so much of Chicago in a good time in a comfy vehicle. I highly recommend.
I’ve taken this tour before by myself. I so thoroughly enjoyed it that I took it again with a friend. Steve is very knowledgeable with facts about Chicago but most of all he loves his city. He provides insights that larger tours are unable to do. I highly recommend his tours.
Very informative and interesting to be able to see most of the neighborhoods in Chicago and learn the history
An authentic tour experience from a guide who loves Chicago. You will learn a lot and be entertained.
Raw. Authentic. A character. Non-touristy. Famous stars homes and non-tourist neighborhoods, but I had to ask to cut the tour short. Erratic driving. Hazard lights on for half the tour. Scared me. Got car sick with all the quick and sharp and erratic turns. Had my eyes closed at least 10% of time as scarey drivers. Hit a curb at least once and cut across lanes in very scary ways more times than I could keep track. He was hard of hearing and had to really speak up question and it was just a 4 seater sedan car. Could6nt hear his hazard lights were on for 50% of the tour until we told him. Needs a hearing aid as 70 years young. In addition, other reviews warned of Steve, owner and only guide, not being aware of Viatar bookings. We got nothing but a Viatar confirmation once paid. No further communication unlike other tours booked. I got worried and started 8 hours before the tour to leave texts, voice messages and an email. I finally got a call back 1 hour before the tour from a very grumpy Steve on how was he supposed to respond while he was sleeping. The message Steve should of heard is why not change your business model to send a quick IM (instant message or text) in the Viatar app to those who booked to establish a persinal connection? This is a 4 hour tour in the car with one strange guy - so one might need the comfort, safety and security of knowing he will really be there and that the tour is really on.
Steve will take you on a comprehensive tour of the area around downtown Chicago and surrounding neighborhoods-we covered about 100 blocks over 5+ hours. I did not find any other tours of the area and would never have found all these sights on my own - it may seem a bit expensive but is truly worth it as you will see so much with a local character providing history and perspective. Steve is a real character and very amusing- and definitely knows his city. We did have some hiccups- he was not aware we had reservations for the tour but as soon as I called him he came to pick us up. So I recommended that you call him to confirm at the number listed on the reservation! (And I agree with prior comments about the driving -a little erratic at time's but on observing other drivers it may just be Chicago drivers ). I definitely recommend this tour if you want a good overview of Chicago!
Extremely fascinating locals tour that gives you a look and insight into Chicago that you would never get on most tourist trap bus/boat tours. We were able to drive by and experience several neighborhoods that you could never find on your own.
You will learn a lot about the history of Chicago and it's neighborhoods. Steve is a great guide who knows how to give a comprehensive introduction to the diversity of this great city.
I don't write reviews.. at all. But because of the terrible experience I had it's only right for me to leave a review to warn others. Honestly I don't even know where to begin, for starters Steve was a horrible tour guide. The tour was scheduled to start at 8:30am, that was with hotel pick up included. My friends and I didn't get picked up until 11:30am and it was a good thing that we went ahead and ate breakfast even though we were guaranteed to be taken somewhere to eat breakfast for the allegedly 8:30am start time. And even though for our party of 3 we were guaranteed a private tour, when we got picked up at our hotel there were two other people on the van, which thank goodness they were very pleasant. Steve tried to tell our party of 3 where to sit on the van instead of letting us choose where we would like to sit causing uncomfortable seating issues, so our party of 3 and the two other people on the van worked out our own seating arrangement. This seemed to have disturbed Steve to where he wanted to swap out vans. Even when everyone on the van said that we are all fine and comfortable with the seating arrangement we worked out and also the current van has better accommodations (charging ports, climate controlled, etc). This still fell on deaf ears because after about 1hr into the tour we got into a different van that was below expectations. Steve went on to show us places that we honestly didn't have no interest in seeing and these places wasn't mentioned being part of the tour. Steve had an issue when we asked questions, the tour wasn't engaging, Steve did a lot of talking and made the experience extremely boring. Also I believe Steve is hard of hearing as well which caused a communication barrier. The tour is supposed to be 4hrs and we were guaranteed to be taken somewhere for breakfast and lunch. So mind you we got picked up at 11:30am for the tour instead of 8:30am. Around 2:00pm everyone on the van was hungry as heck and Steve didn't want to stop for us to get something to eat. He went on saying that we have to have structure and there is a certain order that the tour has to be done, which was very contradictory when we was initially told that our requests will be accommodated. Steve proceeded to show us other places that we didn't care to see because we was extremely hungry. We asked several times if he can at least stop somewhere for us to get snacks but he ignored us. The last place we stopped at before we ate, myself and another person out of our group didn't want to get off the van to view whatever it was Steve wanted us to see which wasn't mentioned as one of the places that we would see when we booked the tour. So as Steve was helping the other people of the van and when myself and my friend said that we will stay on the van, Steve slammed the van door in our face while saying okay bye. We finally was taken to a soul food restaurant to eat, this was 1hr later and keep in mind the tour is 4hrs long. We was in the restaurant for about 1hr 20min. After we got done eating two of us (myself included) decided to just uber back to the hotel and not finish the tour because we just couldn't take it anymore, it was extremely boring and Steve was rude. The 1 person out of our group that did stay informed us that after we left the tour, Steve did not take them to Jennifer Hudson's child hood home, Kanye West child hood home nor Obama's house and that was because of time which that's all on Steve. So yeah, this experience was terrible and we basically wasted a great majority of our day for nothing.
This tour was exceptional and I highly recommend people to tour with Steve Johnson. The knowledge, the service and the friendliness were top notch. Thank you Steve for taking good care of us.
