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

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

Chicago for Chicagoans - Lecture on how the Blues started in Chicago. - Historical Tours Near Me

just returned from a presentation: criminally overrated it was limited in facts, shallow, opinionated, and lacked an understanding of historic reference. The presenters understanding of statistical collection, media reporting and distribution; and facts were all distorted to meet her performance. Chicago is a great city with a history. The Chicago History Museum, the books: autobiography of Clarence Darrow, Devil in the White City and City of the Century is a smarter baseline/access to our history. read more

I've been going on Chicago for Chicagoan tours and lectures for about 3 years now, and I'm embarrassed that I've never written a review. An acquaintance mentioned it at Pridefest a few years ago and we went on the McKinley Park tour, and we've been fans ever since. I tend to go to a mixture of tours I've been on before and new ones, based on the guide giving the tour and what I'm in the mood for. The tours are great, informative, and I've never been on a single one where I didn't learn at least one interesting thing I've repeated at a later time. There's quite a bit of walking, but it's actually a great way to get out and about on a weekend, and many tours end with adjourning to a local bar or restaurant which can be some nice social time. The neighborhoods are a good mix, and all the guides have local connections to the neighborhoods they do tours for. As far as the org itself, Chicago for Chicagoans has a great mission and is run be an even better group of people. As a deliberate transplant to Chicago with no intention of ever leaving, I really value the opportunity to learn more about my chosen city and get a feel for the changes and lived experience in neighborhoods throughout their history. Patti, Olivia, Anthony, Layla, and so many others give great tours and run a fun experience, and I really appreciate the time and energy that goes into curating such a great service on a voluntary, donation-driven basis. I've been doing my "estimated donation" as a lump sum for the last few years and will definitely keep doing so. Even if I don't make it out to as many tours or winter lectures as I did when I first moved to the city, I still appreciate that they are there and happening and I've met some great people through their walking tours. No matter what neighborhood you live in, or what neighborhood you're interested in checking out, I'd recommend going on at least a few tours with a few different guides. At the very least you'll get a nice walk, and you'll almost certainly learn something along the way. read more

Chicago for Chicagoans is providing an amazing service for people hoping to learn more about Chicago history! They are fully donation based, so you can pay what you want, making it an affordable weekend activity. They give tours at neighborhoods all around Chicago, so keep an eye out for one coming near you! I've taken two tours with them so far, the Ravenswood tour and the Sheffield tour. The tour guides are very engaging and knowledgable about the area. I loved the Sheffield one because they highlighted the architecture, and I loved learning about bricks! I appreciated learning about the history of gentrification in Lincoln Park and appreciated that they didn't shy away from talking about some of the not so great history (redlining, etc). I would absolutely take more tours with them, and I'm interested in learning more about their indoor winter presentations as well. :) read more

See all

Patti and her crew are knowledgeable, friendly and entertaining. I highly recommend any tour or lecture!

I honestly don't recall where I heard of Chicago for Chicagoans but I' so glad I did. They have fantastic programming in their lecture series every spring. The last three years we've been able to find some really interesting topics discussed by the amateur historians that make up this organization. They're incredibly well done, well researched, and worth the 60-90 minutes you'll spend. I have only attended their lectures virtually and I LOVE that they do them this way. I just wouldn't be comfortable in that cramped crowded room, but to be able to watch from the comfort of my own home is a game changer. I haven't been on any of their walking tours, but I may consider doing so this coming spring or summer and take my mini Chicagoan along with me. I highly recommend them for folks wanting to know more about Chicago's unique history. Obviously tourists will get something out of this too, but I love that its geared toward those of us who live in the city and love to appreciate it even more. read more

I took my first tour in the Fall. It was such an informative and fun experience. Not only did I get to learn more about a neighborhood that I wanted to check out but met a lot of great people. The tour guides were great - passionate / knowledgeable about their neighborhood that made the tour even more enjoyable. Highly recommend - especially during the summer when the weather is perfect for outdoor tours! read more

This is truly a hidden gem within Chicago. This is a non profit group that puts on tour boat worthy talks and walking tours of Chicago and everything that makes it a great city. The amount of research and excitement from this group is excellent plus its pay as you go (Donations always welcomed). Probably the best part of this group is that they provide tours in neighborhoods and on subjects that don't usually get coverage from those "fancy tours" that deal with downtown (though those are still great too). From this group, I was able to learn more about the area of Chicago I have lived for my entire life. Keep checking out their website because you never know what subject will come up! My personal favorite is Water in Chicago paired with the importance of Albany Park. read more

Great/fun tour group of various Chicago neighborhoods (have been hanging with them for several years now). Tours Spring-Summer; Fall-Winter presentations at local establishments! read more

What an incredible gem! Just attended their January lecture on the scandals surrounding Chicago's tunnels and I'm so impressed. Knowledgeable presenter, great location and good vibes all around. Can't wait to attend other events. read more

I have been attending Chicago for Chicagoans tours for years, and I still find a new one to go to every time I check. They are so enthusiastic about Chicago and have so much information, it's contagious. The walking tours focus on the neighborhoods. The walks are pleasant 2-hr strolls and cover everything from history and architecture to food and culture. And when the weather turns cold, the lecture series begin, indoors. They typically have a broad theme each winter and they tackle it through weekly lectures focused on a particular area every week. These lectures are at Room 13, an event room designed like a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Whether I go by myself, take a Chicagoan friend, or bring visiting tourists, attending one of these events is always a hit. Please donate. read more

I enjoyed this free tour a lot. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because sometimes the info felt a little in the weeds or shared quickly so I couldn't totally take it in. There wasn't a lot of care given to acknowledging the indigenous history of the land and I think it would've been nice to include more of it if possible instead of skating over it so quickly. The tour guide was enthusiastic and well informed and overall I had a good experience. read more

This organization is tremendous. Patti does an awesome job of connecting with local residents and experts in the field. I have taken three tours with Chicago for Chicagoans (Albany Park, Pilsen, Chinatown); each time Patti paired with different co-leads, depending on the neighborhood and theme of the walk. I love that the tours don't just focus on history and architecture, but also urban planning, cultural geography, and social justice. The tours are always highly informative, refreshingly informal in tone, but with an infectious genuine passion and curiosity for Chicago. With deliberate emphasis on histories and roles of minorities and immigrants in the city, Patti and her team are a treasure for Chicago locals. Here's a thing I had no idea I'd ever say: I am delighted that I will never look at a brick building the same way again! read more

I took the Edgewater tour covering many styles: Prairie, Art Deco, lots of Terracotta embellishments, examples of different bricks, slate sidewalks, a row house or two, 2 and 3 flats, courtyard apartment buildings, Greystones, six flats and the damned eyesore 4+1's which in the '70's up into the '80s destroyed a large portion of these magnificent structures. Along the way, we saw some interesting graffiti and murals. The uniqueness of this tour is that in addition to learning about different architecture, architects and their personal lives and the materials they used we discovered different ethnic groups that migrated to Chicago and why. They built, owned, and lived in these structures. The tour lasted about 2 hours. Patti, our guide was extraordinarily knowledgeable. This tour is different than those of the CAF. I would recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes, taking sunglasses, a bottle of ice water and an energy bar. The images I posted were shot using a Canon s100 compact pocket camera with a 24 to 120mm 5x zoom lens. I would not recommend using a smart-phone since they only have a wide angle lens without any optical zoom capability to capture details. Have a wonderful time and meet interesting folks as well! Patti handed out a well designed and illustrated brochure with photos and great line drawing illustrations of the different buildings we would be discovering as we explored the neighborhood. The great part was we didn't have to return them. It is a treasured souvenir to remember and show our friends when trying to explain this experience. The $20 fee is well worth it. read more

See all

If you're looking for a stuffy, serious, sleep-inducing tour company, then THIS IS NOT FOR YOU! Patti leads wonderfully fun, quirky, and highly opinionated tours telling Chicago's random, creepy, and often unsavory local history. Her focus is telling the histories of minorities, immigrants, LGBT folks, and other groups usually relegated to the footnotes of history and it is refreshing. I attended the Uptown tour, and learned about Urban Renewal, Asian immigrants & inter-racial community activism - not just the glitzy Jazz Age that so many focus on. Can't wait to attend more tours! read more

Great tours and Virtual/IRL Lectures at Rm. 13. Fun and educational about this great place - Chicago. The currently running Obscura Series talks about Chicago's Aviation History (really, we had one!) and the Lake Pirates of the 1800's - no kidding. Rm. 13 in Lakeview is a cozy speakeasy with period cocktails (the French 75 is refreshing) and the lectures are Free. This donation worthy group is a mush do!! read more

what a fantastic tour today of mckinley park. wonderful and knowledgeable guides who give you the facts and the background. wonderful experience. Will be checking out other tours offered all over the city. solid. read more

Great tours, essential for anyone who wants some breadth and depth in understanding their own neighborhoods. Truly a service FOR Chicagoans and not just tourists. Lots of enthusiasm from the guides and just an all-around fun experience. read more

I have taken a few tours for the organization & they are really enlightening. I plan to take several more tours. They truly seemingly have Chicago spirit to instill a true appreciation of Chicago's various neighborhoods to include their history & as well as their social & cultural aspects vividly & enthusiastically. read more

I've been on a few walking tours and wish I could go on more. Really fantastic tours for local Chicagoans and even the more history/ architecture oriented visitors. Really fun time and always a great crowd! read more

I'm so impressed with the organization. Thus far, my participation has been limited to two walking tours, and they were both infused with energy, stories, facts, plenty of physical territory covered, and real leg work done. Unlike some walking tours, you will be digging DEEP beneath what's obvious or searchable on your own. The guides really make an effort to tie different narratives and locations together so you're really becoming a budding expert on the neighborhoods yourself. Highly, highly recommended. read more

Love the concept behind this your and can't wait to explore other neighborhoods in the future. We discovered so many beautiful, almost hidden sites in Albany Park, learned fascinating facts, and spent 2 hours in nature (hard to believe this is the city!). Patti is full of energy, has a great sense of humor, and ended the tour at one of her favorite Mexican restaurants in the neighborhood- does it get any better than that?! read more

We've all walked Chicago's streets without looking up from our phones. During these walking tours designed specifically for locals, not tourists, learn all about the hidden histories of the neighborhoods that we frequent without a second thought. (I still tell anyone who will listen about Uptown's history with community activism across racial divides -- and how the city used Truman College to put a stop to it.) read more

I have been on several tours. Each one has been well done and engaging. These tours were a great find when I first moved to the city, and I've kept going since to better understand and explore the city. Highly recommend to anyone interested in history, the city, or a little exploring on a nice day! read more

Amazingly interesting, informative and quirky tours! I've been to three tours so far (Albany Park, Uptown and Andersonville) and each tour was thoughtfully executed, educational and most importantly fun! These tours aren't super touristy as much Chicago tours are and provide an in depth look into neighborhoods that are often times overlooked and overshadowed. I can't wait until the next tour! read more

I've lived in Chicago forever after fleeing the Great Lakes state in my 20s, and it's only in the last year of attending Patti's walking tours of neighborhoods have I truly experienced the depth and breadth of Chicagoan's, past and present. She hosts one or more a month, so bring your walking shoes and prepare for a truly entertaining yet enlightening afternoon. read more

Patti Swanson is one of the most exuberant, friendly, and knowledgeable people I know. I always learn so much from her tours especially having lived in Chicago all my life! Her dedication to research and providing the facts as well as prompting a discussion on a variety of subjects that one might not have thought about before. She is very attentive and has an eye for detail. Her tours are LOTS of fun and I recommend staying until the end where the group usually dwindles down and they go to a local restaurant in the neighborhood. read more

What an absolutely wonderful organization. I completed my first tour recently (Printers Row) and am kicking myself for not doing one sooner. If you live in Chicago one of these tours is a must! I guarantee you will enjoy the facts and laughs. read more

As a new resident of Chicago, Patti's tours are a great idea to get to know the city better. I've been for the Edgewater tour. I cannot wait to explore more neighborhoods with her. read more

Awesome tour! Patti took us throughout Albany Park, into Ravenswood Manor. She took us to see tons of homes and buildings you might read about in architecture books, but not think to go take a look at in real life. It was an awesome crash course in turn-of-the-century architecture and the history of the Chicago northside. Patti's friendly, funny, and passionate about Chicago, and I can't wait to see the next tour! read more

What a fabulous experience! Patti and Will choreographed a rich immersion into the bones--and especially the bricks--of our city's built environment. This is the stuff I've been curious about since moving here, and now I also know what to call it: cultural geography. The handouts were likewise terrific; I'll use them as I explore other neighborhoods. read more

Took the Prairie Avenue District tour on 2/26. This was in conjunction with Atlas Obscura. Patti was the primary tour guide. Great handouts and photos were used. Great path and some good stories about this area. But, she should have stuck to the facts. She had many personal views and was quite opinionated about prostitutes, Capone, The Dearborn masacre, and just about every other stop. She laughed at her own jokes and this became tedious after awhile. She used some vulgar language which was unnecessary. She interrupted the Atlas Obscura guide who was quite professional and interesting. Learned a lot about the area but not interested in the personal take of a tour guide who had to read most of the information from a script. read more

A friend and I attended Location, Location, Location! A Hunt for Movie Magic on May 4th. We only set up to have fun and explore, but once we got going, my competitive drive kicked in. I've always wanted to go on The Amazing Race, and this felt like practice for it. My friend and I WON the scavenger hunt! We were SO excited!!! Just waiting on Phil Keoghan's call now :D read more

I had so much fun on her Wicker Park tour! I learned a lot about a neighborhood I didn't know a lot about. Patti has the perfect presence to be a tour guide - cheerful and loud enough for everyone to hear! The coupons she hands out are cute, and created with local businesses and by local artists! If you have the opportunity to go on a tour with Chicago for Chicagoans, don't pass it up! read more

We did the Albany Park west tour yesterday and it was fantastic. So much interesting history! Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and seemed to have a very genuine love for Chicago history. She gave us all handouts to guide our trip as well. Our particular tour was ~2.5 hours so wear comfortable shoes! Can't wait to go on another tour! read more

I went on the Cultural Geography walking tour of Wicker Park. Patti and Laura were fun, informative, and were happy to answer questions. I've lived in the Chicago area for a while, but learned so much about the history. I've definitely started looking for the architectural details and I've enjoyed telling my friends everything we learned about Chicago brick! read more

Had a great time despite a little rain on the Albany Park tour. Tour was handled professionally and efficiently but Patti is so fun and energetic that it still felt intimate, despite being a full group. She showed us important landmarks I've seen hundreds of times but never knew the importance of, as well as the origins of the neighborhood and interesting historical anecdotes about Albany Park figures (who knew!). She also spoke at length about the ethnic and economic diversity of the neighborhood and all the ways it ties into the history as well as present community. Very impressed and look forward to future tours in neighborhoods I'm more unfamiliar with. Highly recommend! read more

What an amazing resource! Patti took us on an interesting and fascinating tour of Wicker Park. As a Chicagoan of 21 years, I thought I knew a little bit about this area, but after this tour I feel I know its history and character as I never have before. Patti is informative and interesting. You learn a lot without feeling lectured to. I love the way she builds community among the participants. This is a woman who loves Chicago and loves teaching people about our wonderful city. I am so glad a friend convinced me to take this tour. I can't wait to learn about Edgewater, Rogers Park and Albany Park. The tours are catered to the individual participants and Patti's deep knowledge and great sense of humor make the tour interesting. I love how she includes the "seamier" sides of he neighborhood's history, the historical brothels and speakeasies. I'd highly recommend this for anyone interested in the city. read more

What a fabulous tour! I attended the first ever dress rehearsal for the Albany Park Tour, and had a great time. Patti was well informed, and hit all of the rights spots on the tour. She took us to often seen landmarks and informed us of the history and to secluded little secrets little known to some longtime members of the neighborhood. Not only that, she was able to create a fun sense of community among the tour goers. It is clear she is passionate about Chicagoans learning about the neighborhoods where they live. Take one of her tours! read more