Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Inside Chicago Walking Tours

    5.0 (116 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Inside Chicago Walking Tours Photos

    You might also consider

    More like Inside Chicago Walking Tours

    Recommended Reviews - Inside Chicago Walking Tours

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Michelle T.

    Colleen was great during our Chicago interior architecture tour. We went to six different buildings and she had super interesting points to share during each stop. She was thoughtful in offering restroom breaks during the two hour tour. Would absolutely recommend this tour - I have been to Chicago multiple times and learned more on this tour than I ever did in my previous visits combined. Fun way to see the city and stay (mostly) warm since it's a tour of the interior of buildings :)

    William G.

    I have taken many tours in different cities at home and abroad. Chicago being the birthplace of the modern skyscraper has many stories to tell about the evolution of turn of the century architecture after the great Chicago fire. Locally we have a great city guide on our local PBS channel 11 who does a fantastic job at uncovering some of the best forgotten stories about our cities past. Of course, I am referring to Geoffrey Baer, whom I have watched on our local PBS many times over the years. So yes, I can say that I am a fan. But you know it's one thing to watch these architectural marvels on TV or in person. I decided to be a tourist in my own city by taking the Original Chicago Architecture Interiors Tour by Inside Chicago Walking Tours. How was it? I loved it. Many of the treasures we uncovered, I have walked by for many years without every going inside and seeing the marvelous interiors firsthand. We also went over the exterior of several buildings that I never stopped to think about the stories behind the buildings history. Yes, I took a lot of buildings for granted. On this tour we went over the timeline and historical evolution of some of some of the significant buildings in our downtown area. Of course, were not able to cover all of them because Chicago is blessed to have so many great buildings with a storied past. I highly, highly recommend this tour to tourists and locals alike. Some of the buildings that were covered were the Chicago Board of Trade, The Federal Building, The Marquette, The Palmer House, and the Chicago Cultural Center (and many more). If you decide to take this tour get ready to be wowed and enlightened about Chicago.

    The Rookery
    kris r.

    We had a wonderful and informative tour given by Adam. We are both Chicagoans and learnt a lot about Chicago architectural and general history. So much interesting information. Looking forward to going on another tour from this group.

    Henry was an amazing guide. He brought his passion for architecture and engineering to our Art Deco tour, showing us the optimism and opulence of the era. I can't recommend this tour enough.

    Ease of booking Pleasant customer service Tour guide Kaylee excellent Extremely knowledgeable and interesting

    Kylie, as a tour guide, is animated but loud and clear in her delivery.
    Ron O.

    As the tour guide, Kylie was very knowledgeable and, most importantly, a great and pleasing personality that made the tour educational and pleasant despite the biting cold! (We're from California!) Also, we were running late because of the Chicago BOA Marathon, but Hillary from the tour office ensured we did not miss our tour. She and Kylie coordinated so we could still join the tour despite being 20 minutes behind.

    Tiffany Ceiling

    See all

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Art F.
    0
    126
    6

    18 days ago

    Not just architecture facts, good intro or review of Chicago generally. Henry met us on time, was very clear and paced the tour perfectly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K. G.
    0
    44
    3

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim C.
    0
    87
    13

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of jen
    0
    1
    3

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Heath was a great tour guide. He was kind and extremely knowledgeable. His pacing was great and we had a lot of fun.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Don M.
    0
    25
    34

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sue G.
    0
    39
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mara H.
    79
    39
    70

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Kylie took us on a GREAT tour of stunning buildings. Highly recommend this tour for non-architecture people.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe S.
    3
    53
    8

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Liz G.
    2
    231
    631

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Colleen our tour guide did great and is an Improv comedian. Very knowledgeable and fun.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Inside Chicago Walking Tours

    Review Highlights - Inside Chicago Walking Tours

    Five friends came with me today on a private 2-hr tour of a slice of Chicago with Hillary from Inside Chicago.

    Mentioned in 48 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    First Lady - Such a great trip!

    First Lady

    4.6(512 reviews)
    0.6 miThe Loop

    The tour itself was great, and our guide was knowledgeable and did a wonderful job. We also had a…read moregreat experience with the bartenders. Unfortunately, the accessibility side of the experience could use some improvement. We had someone in our group with a disability, and it wasn't very clear how to access the boat or where the accessible route was located. We did find the ADA information on the website afterward, so we recognize that we could have looked into it more beforehand, but it does take several clicks to find and could be made much more visible. The wheelchair-accessible ramp is also about two blocks away, which can be especially difficult for someone using a cane or with limited mobility. When we asked the staff on the dock for assistance getting down, we unfortunately didn't receive much help. Overall, we enjoyed the tour itself, but clearer accessibility signage, more visible information, and a little more assistance from staff would have made a big difference. We noticed that the sightseeing tour across the water had very clear handicap-accessible signage, which might be something worth considering.

    We took the First Lady architecture tour while visiting Chicago with friends, and it was easily a…read more10/10 experience. The guides do a great job bringing the city's history and architecture to life, and the views from the river are unbeatable. One tip: even in the summer, bring a sweatshirt. It was a cool day, and I ended up heading downstairs for a while to warm up. Also, don't skip the bar. The drinks were surprisingly good and made the cruise even more enjoyable. A must-do if you're visiting Chicago.

    Photos
    First Lady - Our guide

    Our guide

    First Lady
    First Lady - Bar and Snacks

    See all

    Bar and Snacks

    Shoreline Sightseeing - Chicago Fire Department near Navy Pier

    Shoreline Sightseeing

    4.7(1.9k reviews)
    1.0 miNear North Side

    A river tour is a must when visiting Chicago! We decided to do Shoreline Sightseeing, and it was…read moresuch a great experience. We were nervous because my mom gets motion sickness easily, and we weren't sure she'd be able to enjoy the tour. Thankfully, the water was calm enough, and she absolutely loved it! The views were beautiful, and we learned so many fun facts about the city along the way. Definitely recommend adding this to your Chicago itinerary!

    This tour was on the top 10 list of our things to do in Chicago. I researched all the boat…read morecompanies that offered the Chicago architecture boat cruises and Shoreline Sightseeing came out hands down #1 for us in tour length, type of cruises, accessibility and in price for what you got. Best deal. Our tour guide was happy, energetic, and very knowledgeable about Chicago because he was born and raised there. We chose the 75 minute, 4pm Chicago River tour and it covered a lot! We never lost interest and learned about Chicago's history. It is well worth it! Our Architecture River Tour boat departed from the dock at Navy Pier. We learned that their boats are the most accessible at this location. Their boats can accommodate wheelchairs up to 30-inches wide. Your wheelchair must be able to navigate a ramp with a 2-inch step at one end. I needed one that was kind to my knees. Best to call them for more details. They were very helpful whenever we called them. Their boats are both double-decker and single-level boats, and there is generally no protection from the sun, rain, or wind. There is a small bar on the main level. Restrooms are located on the lower deck, which is accessible only via stairs from the upper deck. Enjoy! It's amazing!

    Photos
    Shoreline Sightseeing - The Chicago Architecture Tour boat cruise was amazing!

    The Chicago Architecture Tour boat cruise was amazing!

    Shoreline Sightseeing - Top deck - guide Joe

    Top deck - guide Joe

    Shoreline Sightseeing - View of (former) Sears Tower  See the Chicago's architectural landmarks on this relaxing river tour

    See all

    View of (former) Sears Tower See the Chicago's architectural landmarks on this relaxing river tour

    Inside Chicago Walking Tours - architecturaltours - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...