Almost everyone you meet in Chicago who loves their city will ask when you tell them you are…read morevisiting from out of town, "Have you done the architectural boat tour?" People in Amsterdam will also ask if you have done a canal boat tour - and you have to do these when you visit these cities. Our docent volunteer guide, Steve, was excellent. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable about the city's riverside buildings and its history. The boat staff was also hardworking and ready to help with any issues, from getting a drink at the boat's downstairs bar to handing out covers when the rain hit us. For what we paid, the 1.5 hour tour was more than worth it. I recommend sitting at the top towards the back, as you don't have to crane your neck as much when he points out places of interest. This was a truly wonderful experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

What a great local spot to pair with an architecture tour! Here is a polished, well-structured…read moreversion of your review: A fantastic information center--honestly, this is one step better than HGTV! The history of how Chicago was built is laid out in such a clear, logical way. Heading up to the second floor, the depth of knowledge and history on skyscrapers absolutely blew me away. It's the perfect place to visit right after taking the river cruise. Pro Tip for Visitors: You can add admission to your Ticketmaster river cruise booking for just $5 extra! A solid review that highlights the skyscraper exhibition on the upper level and gives a very practical tip on ticket add-ons!

We could have done better with Expedia. He found no better flights than we found. When we asked…read morehim about booking connections for transportation from airports to hotels or from Rome to Florence. He said he could do that . . . for a price. And the hotel he booked for us in Rome was a $30 cab ride each way between the hotel and any of the major tourist attractions. When we got there, we contacted Tor, who told us it was our fault for not checking in advance. What did we need a travel agent for, if not for things like making sure we were well located?!

A friend recommended Tor to arrange our travel plans to Havana, Cuba. We met with Tor so he could…read moreget a sense of what we were interested in doing on our trip. Tor put together an itinerary to try to maximize our time to see the sights for the three days that we were there. Tor has been to Cuba many times so we had lots of questions about the process. Tor was easy to work with and returned phone calls and emails promptly. Tor couldn't have made planning this trip any easier for us. He took care of everything!

I had the great pleasure of joining Larry Axelrod for Opera Adventures in both Santa Fe, New Mexico…read moreand Munchen, Germany. I'll be honest - he had his work cut out for him with me; although I am a product of true opera nuts (My parents, who had been cult followers of Larry's from back in the Ghost Ranch days, followed him to his solo venture, and now my 91 year old Dad - in his solo venture - continues to join Larry's great group of enthusiasts when and where he is able), I was concerned I was adopted because I would not at all describe myself as an opera fan! However, such are Mr. Axelrod's personal charms and skills that he is able to entertain and make cohesive a very diverse group of people. He keeps his groups small enough that one doesn't feel overwhelmed but large enough to feel freedom. He is able to relate in his trademark intelligent, low key, and genuine way to each person as an individual. Example: In Santa Fe, i elected not to attend his very informative opera seminars (which my sister and father LOVE) and Larry knew I liked to hike, so he loaned my partner and I a book on local hikes. Who does that. That is exactly the kind of unassuming and thoughtful person he is. He is also an incredibly talented musician and composer and can interact with the most avid opera aficionado as well as a "lay person" like me (though I am an instrumentalist and also know something about music but...not in his league). Larry's presence is soothing - never overbearing or ostentatious, and it's such a pleasure to be around him that frankly I've left both trips feeling as if I spent it with a friend. The varied group he attracts is another part of his "opera adventures" charm - attendees I've had the pleasure to spend time with are all unique, substantive, and have great senses of humor, and many come back for repeat and new trips. Some of these are long time followers like my parents and celebrate a kind of reunion when they meet, and they also welcome newcomers like me with ease. I am so thankful for the experiences I've had on Larry's opera adventures, and even though (cover your ears Larry) I did a giant eye roll in my brain when my dad initially invited me on my first trip to Santa Fe, it changed my life and I am so glad Larry was our leader. Larry is a star in a world full of wannabes. I'm so glad I've shared music and broken bread with such a good soul.

Some opera tours make the most expensive arrangements and charge accordingly. By contrast, Opera…read moreAdventures costs less but delivers solid value - you get the operas and Larry's informed commentary. Larry also pulls in someone of added knowledge, once even the composer of a scheduled opera, and as a bonus attracts a likable group of opera fans. My wife and I are repeat customers.

I LOVE taking the subway. Easy to use. Helps with getting around town. You can take subway into…read moretown 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…read moreshows, 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!

Statue Stories is a unique opportunity to learn more about the various public art on display in…read moreChicago via your cellular telephone. It was initiated in 2015 throughout the City of Chicago to engage the public in learning about all of the "public art" displayed throughout the city. Look for the sign(s) associated with the piece of public art then use your cellular telephone to scan the QR code which is a square box shaped black code...then answer your telephone when it rings and you can listen to the history and interesting and fun facts about the piece of public art on display....in this case statues! See the web site for the map and all of the public art with this audio tour... http://www.statuestorieschicago.com/statues.php FYI-other cities such as Philadelphia utilize this tool for the public as well.

From the owner: Using drama, humor and location technology, Statue Stories Chicago breathes new life into the…read morecity's marvelous public art collection. Swipe your smartphone on a nearby tag and get a 'call back' from the likes of Abe Lincoln, Paul Laurence Dunbar or a regal bronze lion.

Buyer Beware!! In my more than 40 years of traveling and…read morethousands of hotel night stays, I have never experienced deceit and nonresponsiveness from a hotel group, until now. I am a Google Guide Level 7, with 3,500 contributions and over 30,000 views, a TripAdvisor member since 2007 with 1,000 contributions, and a Yelp Black badge contributor since 2008. I take reviews and paying it forward to my fellow travelers very seriously. Despite my best efforts to get my $24.86 deposit refunded to me, I have received nothing (but lip service) from the hotel group. The hotel outsources their reservations department though a 3rd party. On July 10, I made my reservation for an April 2027 arrival over the phone and was advised that the deposit would be refunded if cancelled 3 days before the date of arrival. After reading the reviews in depth, two days later, on July 12, I cancelled my reservation. In that phone call, I was provided a "Support ticket" number and was advised that the refund of my deposit will be credited within 15 days. After not receiving the refund, and numerous follow-up phone calls to their customer service line, and 15 days after cancelling the reservation, on July 27, I emailed Liz Grantham | Regional Product Manager, hotels1.hotelplanner.com | Liz.Grantham@lodging.support requesting the status of the refund. On July 28 I received the following text....." Your hotel reservation (Xxxxxx) refund in the amount of $24.86 has been processed today. Please allow 2-10 business days for this to be visible to you." As of today, August 17, I have not received the credit from the hotel, nor heard from the hotel or their outsourced reservations support group. Fortunately, after filing a dispute with my credit card company, the bank accepted my dispute and issued the measly $24.86 credit to my credit card account.

We really enjoyed our hotel room. It was fresh and clean. Staff were very helpful…read more There was a breakfast buffet one day. The rest of our visit we ordered from the small menu. My food was not hot enough the first day. I stayed with a yogurt parfait for the next few days. It was really nice. The waitress was very kind. She did a great job.

We did the Gold Coast walking tour and saw everything from the original Playboy mansion, to a house…read morethat was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a very interesting tour, but it's not for kids. There's a lot of walking, and it's gonna be boring for little ones, so leave them at home! The tour guide was totally awesome. He was very knowledgeable, and he made the tour interesting and fun. The reservation process and all communication leading up to the event were flawless. And it's true that there is no set price for this tour - this is not a scam. You reserve your spot online ahead of time, and at the end of the tour, you pay whatever you think it was worth. We paid $20 per person - I'm not sure if that was too much, or too little. Bottom line: use this tour company. You will not regret it!

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!

It's a wonderland of books, crafts and activities. The staff is top notch! Love this library!!!read more

This is a great library. Their online presence is outstanding. You know when the books arrive…read more The self checkout makes is super quick to pick up the hold and check out. I don't even have to pay the meter since it's so fast. You can renew the books online. I love it.