Chicago Walking Tour: The Magnificent Mile

Overview

Discover how a dirt road known as Pine Street transformed into a "Paris on the Prairie" and later into the Magnificent Mile, the city’s premier shopping district. Hear the secrets and stories behind the striking buildings on North Michigan Avenue that have become architectural icons.

Developed over the past 100 years, the street includes historically-inspired architecture in Parisian, Gothic, neoclassical and Art Deco styles sprinkled among Modern and 21st Century buildings. You’ll see skyscrapers, vertical malls, hotels, residential towers and some buildings that were designed to embody the brands sold inside.

City: Chicago

Sun 23 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $30.00

Make a reservation

Sun 23 Feb

Starting at $30.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Admission to the Galleries of the Chicago Architecture Center

Walking tour of the Magnificent Mile

Narration by a professional and certified guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Access to building interiors featured on this tour may be subject to change, due to weekend and holiday schedules or unforeseen closures.
Pets are not allowed.
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Your safety is our priority. The itinerary of this tour may be altered in accordance with health and safety policies and considerations.

What To Expect

The Magnificent Mile

Discuss the history of the Magnificent Mile and the history and architecture of notable buildings along it.

Michigan Avenue Bridge

View the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) Bridge.

Wrigley Building

View the Wrigley Building.

John Hancock Center

View 875 N Michigan Avenue, formerly known as the John Hancock Center.

Tribune Tower

View the newly renovated Tribune Tower.

Show 2 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews (8)

159matthewz

Dec 2022

Amazing! Rebecca was our tour guide and she was absolutely fabulous! We learned so much about Chicago architecture and history. Rebecca was very engaging and extremely informative- we highly recommend the Magnificent Mile tour for anyone visiting or residing in Chicago. You’ll have a great time and learn a lot!

Response from Host

Dec 2022

Thank you so much for the fantastic review! We're so happy you enjoyed the tour with Rebecca and hope to see you on another tour soon.

Camper19404809080

Oct 2022

Just amazing, learned a lot. Who knew that Wrigley started as a soap company? Who knew that two of the buildings are brand new but the city forced them to keep the facade? Go and learn...

Response from Host

Oct 2022

Thanks for the wonderful review! We're so happy you enjoyed the tour and picked up some interesting facts along the way 😊

Steve1

Apr 2022

The unenthusiastic and seemingly bored cashier at the reception desk whom we encountered on two days (first for the walking tour, then to purchase tickets for the boat tour a few days later) could use an attitude adjustment. She is the first point of contact for this organization, and she was unfriendly both times, staring at us as we approached the cash (no one else in line so it wasn't busy) without saying a word until I actually said "hello". Call me old-fashioned, but I worked many years in retail and we were taught that something along the lines of "Hello. Welcome! How can I help you?" might actually suggest that you enjoyed your job and were happy to see someone enter. First day I asked some basic questions about what we would see on a specific walking tour that was coming up in an hour. "I wouldn't know" she answered, as if it was a little out of line for me to imagine that the person working at the reception desk might be able to answer questions about a tour they offer. She called up the tour description on the website and read it to us word for word. Would it be too much to expect that a worker there is actually familiar with the tours they offer each day? I realize there are a lot of tours here, but if I was a manager, I would ask the staff to actually take the tours so they could then describe them for customers. That kind of "welcome" tends to just put me off of a whole organization. We bought tickets anyway for the upcoming Magnificent Mile tour, even if we were made to feel she was doing us a favor by selling tickets. The tour itself was very interesting, and the volunteer who led it knowledgeable and a lot more enthusiastic than the cashier was. We enjoyed seeing the exteriors and interiors of a few buildings, including the Cultural Centre and Palmer House, a beautiful old hotel with a stunning lobby bar. A few days later we did the river tour. We also enjoyed that tour and the volunteer guide, but at $55 per person, it's not cheap, and we later discovered we could have saved $15 per person if we had taken the Wendella tour boat, which at certain times also goes out onto the lake as long as weather permits, for a great view of the skyline. For three of us that would have been a savings of $45 US, which with current conversion rates is about $60 Canadian. Not a small amount if there is a group.

Response from Host

Apr 2022

Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you didn't have a good experience with our staff at reception and purchasing. I have forwarded your review to the proper department managers to ensure that they go over expectations with personnel. I am happy to know that you enjoyed the Magnificent Mile tour as well as the River Cruise. We understand that there are competitors in Chicago and hope that the quality of our tour and boats stand out among the others. Thank you again for your review and feedback. We hope to see you again the next time you're visiting Chicago.