We did the Gold Coast walking tour and saw everything from the original Playboy mansion, to a house that 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! read more

Tom was a fantastic guide on the out-of-the-way city tour. We learned so much! He's incredibly knowledgeable 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! read more

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I love the flexibility of this outfit. No down payment required, easy cancellation if needed, easy rescheduling if needed, and the tour guide is friendly, energetic and cheerful. We did the gangsters tour and was full of interesting Chicago history and biographical accounts of gangsters. There's even a well timed bathroom stop at the Harry Carey restaurant/museum. read more

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We loved Paul who was very knowledgeable about the history and architecture of Chicago. Would highly recommend and we even did it with our 3.5 year old in a stroller. read more

I took a walking tour with Paul. A lot of folks decide to take the boat tour to see Chicago's architecture. The Architecture walking tour does not simply cover the same buildings on foot: it is a completely different experience, one that complements the boat tour. Paul was an energetic and enthusiastic guide who had lots of interesting facts and observations, but presented in a relaxing manner. He made it a point to answer the questions when he could, and when he didn't know the answer, he said so too. The route itself was awesome, weaving in and out of a few buildings. The inside tour of the rookery was my absolute favorite part of the tour. read more

Wonderful tour with Matt! My husband and I did the Riverwalk tour on a Saturday morning. * The meeting point was clear and as described in the e-mail. Having a picture of the tour guide was very helpful. * The 2 hours flew by and was filled with lots of interesting facts and great food suggestions. * We were able to hear him clearly, even in the large busy streets of Chicago. The microphone was very helpful. * Booking was very easy and there are a variety of tours available. I hope this tour group company continues to do well and expands with new tours and guides. My husband and I were very happy with this experience and we have been traveling in Europe with their Free Walking Tours to compare this to. Give it a try and tip well in cash. read more

Forget pork belly. Forget Edison bulbs. As a traveler, one of the hottest trends out there right now is the free walking tour. Heading to any urban area? Search for a free walking tour and you'll likely find one if not many offerings. The wonderful thing about these free walking tours, based on my experience, is that they really are free (donations accepted, zero pressure applied) and they're a fabulous way to see and learn about an area, a community, or a particular topic. As someone who leads free walking tours (not in Chicago, and not for this organization) I understand how much goes into putting together a tour and I've yet to experience a tour where I didn't feel the guide's passion and enthusiasm. That said, I'm also alert to things that could be done to improve the experience. I recently attended Free Chicago Walking Tours "Chicago Crime & Gangster Tour" and left wanting to fix things to tighten and improve the tour. Neither the guide nor the content was the problem. The problem was the duration and length. On-line advance sign-up is easy. The web site is well-designed and clear. The "Chicago Crime & Gangster Tour" is described as "2.1 miles walking distance" and "2 hours from start to finish". I'm fully capable of walking far more than 2.1 miles but this is a long distance for a walking tour, resulting in far more walking between stops than standing and listening to our guide. I appreciate that there's things to be seen as one walks, but routinely having long stretches of walking without guide-talking degraded the overall tour experience. I'd recommend covering less ground and interspersing it with more stories, gangster/crime related or not. The organization for which I work counts any tour longer than 2 hours (even by 1 minute) as a failure. Though this tour was billed as 2 hours in length, it actually went over by 35 minutes, most of that spent walking from point to point. By the end, I was more interested in the tour being over than in learning anything more the guide had to say. The advertised 2-hour length is spot-on and should not be exceeded, even - especially - if it means less walking. Free Chicago Walking Tours is a newish organization providing a good experience that can be improved upon. Less walking, more talking is what I'd recommend. read more

Just finished my tour with Jeffrey and it was great. He had so much knowledge about the city and it's history. You can tell from the start that he really enjoys his job and wants to make sure others can learn more about the beautiful city of Chicago. Will definitely recommend him to friends and will do other Free Chicago Walking Tours soon. read more

Free Chicago Walking Tours - Chicago Bean - Walking Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Matt was a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. We truly had a great experience and learned a lot in the process. There are a lot of tours that cover Chicago gangsters but we chose this one because it gave us the opportunity to walk around and really see the city and you also can't beat free. I only wish we were in Chicago longer to experience more of their walking tours. Matt catered to all knowledge levels and made sure everyone was engaged. Would definitely recommend if you're willing to walk! read more

This tour was fantastic! Paul was very friendly, well spoken and informative. Loved his personal anecdotes from growing up in Chicago. Lots of history about the Gold Coast read more

Paul was our tour guide and did an excellent job. We took the loop tour and that took us in to the historical library, The Palmer House, as well as a few hotel and business lobbies. My favorite was the Marquette lobby. It was gorgeous. I would have never seen that beautiful lobby but for Paul and the free walking tour! read more

Wonderful gangster and crime tour and guide. Matt was extremely knowledgeable and very patient with my young son who had many questions. Highly recommended. Can't wait to check out some of their other offerings. read more

We did the gangsters and history of Lincoln Park. Bruce was very informative and was able to answer every question asked. I would highly recommend this tour and being able to pay what you can is wonderful. read more

We attended the Crime & Gangster Tour with Matt and loved it! The tour was great and Matt was very knowledgeable. It was an awesome way to site see and learn about Chicago's history. Highly recommend for tourists and locals! read more

I've seen Chicago with new eyes. Thanks Paul! I will no longer take the awesomeness of my city for granted- I've seen it with new eyes. Wow!

Great Tour for a cold March day!! I went on the Chicago Loop Pedway Underground Winter Tour with Jeffery as our guide. There were 17 of us which is a rather large group. It was the perfect tour on one of the coldest days in March I've ever experienced in Chicago. Jeffery was well organized and kept us on schedule. He introduced us to the history of the Pedway system and the sites surrounding it. He did a wonderful job of keeping our large group engaged for the entire tour. I always travel to Chicago in March and it's often difficulty to find tours so I hope Free Chicago Walking Tours will continue to schedule tours during March. Thanks for a great day. read more

I took this walking tour when I visited Chicago in June! It was the last day of my trip and I had a couple of hours to kill before going to the airport. I booked online just a few hours before the tour was due to start. It was super easy to book and then I received an e-mail confirmation with further details. I was worried about finding the group because we were meeting at a busy corner, but it was simple because our guide was wearing a bright red tour shirt. I wish I remembered his name because he was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He took us along the river walk and to the Picasso. He had cool stories and little facts about the city on the way. He also answered lots of questions! The tour lasted a little longer than two hours so be prepared to have extra time. I highly recommend it! read more

EXCELLENT tour with Paul leading the way!! We found him to be a very knowledgeable and personable guy. We have used this company in Washington, Boston and now Chicago and each experience has been perfect. We highly recommend!! read more

Both my sister and I took the Pedway Tour and really enjoyed it, Maria was great and knew her stuff. We were both born in Chicago and had no idea the Pedway System existed, this tour is walkable and we learned some interesting facts about our fascinating city. Looking forward to more of your tours. read more

Excellent tour! Maria was awesome, knowledgeable and personable. We've done the boat, bus, bike and Segway tours, and were looking for something unique. This tour exceeded our expectations! read more

My husband and I did the Crime and Gangster Tour, and our guide was Matt. He was fantastic, knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic! We learned so much about the history of Chicago! Unfortunately, we had to leave early toward the end of the tour because I had another event I had to attend, and I wish I could have stayed for the whole tour. Thank you again, Matt! read more

We toured with Bruno and it was awesome! Despite the weather being less than ideal, it didnt distract from the enjoying the city. Informative without being boring and Interesting without being kitschy. I took away great tidbits of information that I will now claim as my own fun facts to share with others :) I have been on several tours in Chicago and other cities and say this was a favorite. I would highly recommend - especially if the sun is out! read more

It was a great tour of the city. If you haven't been to Chicago before I would highly recommend it. The tour guide tell you a bunch of cool facts about the city and you get to experience the whole city without really knowing much about. My friend and I did 2 tours and we felt like we had seen most of the city! It was great! read more

Awesome tour. Great insight into the city's history and a great way to view downtown Chicago from the ground up. Great option if you want to sightsee when the weather is less than ideal. Paul was a great guide, fun and informative. I highly recommend! read more

Michael was fantastic! This is definitely the way to go. He has lived in the city for over 10 years, and had worked on other tours in the city as well, and to offer his expertise on a free tour was amazing. He was funny, so knowledgeable, and took us to little secret spots all over the city! My mom already said she wants to go on another one when she comes back to see Hamilton. Thanks Michael, we'll see you again! read more

This was such a great experience!! I've lived in Chicago for 5 years and still learned so much from our tour guide Giovanni. We did the Chicago River tour. It was so easy to book and completely free. The tour lasted about 2 hours and we covered a lot of information. At the end we were able to show our appreciation for Giovanni and his fabulous guiding by tipping. Definitely recommend for visitors and Chicago natives alike!! read more

My mother and I took the gangster tour today with Matt. He smoothly took the modern streets back in time to the more rough and wild years of prohibition. My mother and I both learned so much local history on the tour and the tour was lively and fun! I would definitely recommend booking a Free Chicago Walking Tour to learn about the history that lines the streets of Chicago! read more

My wife and I participated in a tour of the Chicago Loop with Bruno in April, 2016. We have lived in the Chicago area for most of our lives but were impressed with all of the interesting tidbits of information that Bruno had to share. His passion for architecture and knowledge of the city clearly came through, but we didn't feel overwhelmed with historical facts like I've experienced on other tours. Every stop was thoughtful and relevant and I found myself sharing some of the information I learned with others after the tour. It's a great, laid-back way to learn more about Chicago, whether you're here for a weekend or have lived here for decades. This is definitely the way to go rather than drop $30+/pp on a formal (less intimate) guided tour with one of the large tour companies. You can't beat the price (free!) and I look forward to signing up again with Free Chicago Walking Tours. read more

Actually I didnt finish the walking tour because my friends had some issue which we had to deal with . Still feel sorry for that. But Alex , our guide , was so informative and easy-going. And I love the idea of walking tour a lot. read more

Such a great way to start our stay in this beautiful city. Maria was an amazing and knowledgeable guide. The walking tour was definitely my daughters favorite part of our weekend in Chicago. read more

Great tour! Details of the places you couldn't find elsewhere. Good pace. Guide was fun, courteous and friendly. Highly recommend this

Amazing Tour! Mel was above all words I can say about her knowledge. My wife and myself enjoyed all 2 hours of the tour. I would highly recommend everyone to join that free Chicago Walking Tours. You will never regret you did. read more

This was such a great tour! We went at a good pace, not too strenuous for those with mobility challenges. It never felt rushed and I learned a lot at each spot. Matt is awesome. He is super friendly and enthusiastic, and added fun anecdotes along with the facts. Absolutely will recommend! read more

Just moved to the Chicago area and saw the free walking tours online. It was the best!!! Alex was so knowlegable on Chicago history! The tour lasting 2 hours was the perfect amount of time to learn some interesting facts and go through several buildings. We will definately sign up for more of these tours. read more

I highly recommend Free Chicago Walking Tours! I did the Chicago Loop Tour on a Sunday at 10am tour with our friendly guide, Bruno. The tour lasted about 2 hours and we walked at a comfortable pace the whole time - definitely something do-able for all ages. Bruno gave us a run-down of the rich architecture and history of the city. Definitely worth a try for tourists and locals alike if you're in the city! read more

Alex was a great tour guide. Very knowledgable of the area and it's history. Walking pace was good. Walking tour about 5 miles round trip so good exercise while learning about Chicago's history. Wear comfortable shoes. Highly recommend this walking tour. Great value since it's free but remember to tip your guide. read more

This was our first walking tour and boy, did we have fun. Bruno was our tour guide and he was fantastic. He is an Art institute student and aptly very interested in architecture. He was very enthusiastic in showing us around the town especially some hidden gems which he takes pride in. He was so good that we took both the tours: Chicago loop and Mag mile. We initially considered scavenger hunt but then found this free tour and glad we chose this. Instead of roaming aimlessly around downtown, we got to learn a lot of local history...probably more than the locals! The first tour seems more popular. There were about 20 people in the group but the second tour group was smaller size. If you don't have time for both tours, choose the Chicago loop tour. If and when you take this tour, please tip the guide generously. Check the prices of comparative walking tours in Chicago and see for yourself what you are getting for free. At the end of the tour he suggested a nice Mediterranean restaurant and we loved that place. He also suggested us to go to "The Lounge" instead of paying hefty admission fee for John Hancock observatory. We followed his suggestion and got to see a wonderful sunset from 96th floor sipping a champagne for just half the admission fee of the observatory :) read more