chicago personal neighborhood tours

See Chicago better than a local

Half- or full-day private tour

11 or fewer guests

Customized for food, photos, your interests

Fun modes of transport

Neighborhoods tour.

Explore Chicago on a fun and flexible custom private neighborhood tour. Choose to stay downtown or visit Chicago neighborhoods – or both! Families, friends, or company outings with 11 or fewer guests will see Chicago on an experience customized to their interests.

Let us be your Chicago neighborhood expert on history, architecture, food, drinks and things to do. Our passionate expert tour guides have gotten us voted for the last two years as “Best Tour of Chicago.”

We can customize your neighborhood tour to be partly by  walking, a ride share, the CTA or biking. We can also book a chauffeured Tesla sedan and have additional options for larger groups. 

Visit our diverse neighborhoods and you’ll support small businesses when you book this one-of-a-kind private tour.  We can customize it for you when you book or we can do it “off-the-cuff” when you meet your tour guide. 

POSSIBLE CUSTOM TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• Nibble on apps at a  hip or historic restaurant .
• Learn about famous and overlooked architecture .
• Get a drink in a neighborhood dive bar .
• Step into glitzy lobbies in the Financial District.
• Snap iconic photos of the skyline or street art.
• Take a coffee break and people watch on the Riverwalk.
• Ride the ‘L’ train loop and gaze at skyscrapers.
• Stop to buy artisan foods and gifts .
• Stroll from Wicker Park to Logan Square on the “ 606.” 

Meet your private tour guides

"I love showing how buildings are physical remnants of history that let us in the present have a glimpse into the past. Sharing the historic locales of our Chicago foods, like the Maxwell Polish, is a treat to me. I live near the lakefront in Lincoln Park."

Amanda Scotese

"I am fascinated with how and why Chicago neighborhoods change, and I love getting people to understand the built world around them. I'll take you to the best spots for pastries or hot chocolate. I live on the Northwest Side in the Avondale neighborhood.

Marie Rowley

"I love sharing stories of all the diverse people from Chicago history who really should be in our history books. As your tour guide, I'll take you out for Polish pierogi or Filipino adobo, and I can show you Ravenswood and Lincoln Square like nobody else."

why BOOK OUR CUSTOM TOURS?

Our expert tour guides know how to curate a killer experience. We’ve been a top-rated tour company since 2010 on TripAdvisor and Yelp .

We have hosted more than 75,000 private tour guests. We love to bring curious people to explore stories and places even locals don’t know of history and architecture in Chicago neighborhoods. 

curious about a private tour?

Let's talk tours.

Call us to discuss your custom private tour! We want to know your group's neighborhood bucket lists, their preferred modes of transport, and interests for sites, food and photo ops. 312.350.1131 [email protected] We also have custom tour options for larger corporate events .

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Private Tour Coordinator and Tour Guide

There is no shortage of things to discover in Chicago—I love being an urban explorer and uncovering its hidden places. I have an MA in Public History from Loyola University Chicago, and I have worked as a museum educator and kindergarten teacher. My desire to learn new things fuels my passion for educating others, which I get to experience every day as a Chicago tour guide. I live in the northern neighborhood of Rogers Park.

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a lifelong resident, the vibrant history and modern majesty of Chicago never ceases to amaze. I’m a graduate of Columbia College with an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Art. I’ve worked for many years as an educator at City Colleges of Chicago. As tour guide at Chicago Detours, I integrate my enthusiasm for culture and architecture with my passion as an educator. West Town/Noble Square area is home for me.

With our Chicago neighborhoods, vibrant cultural institutions and nearly two centuries of larger-than-life stories, there’s never a dull moment here! I’m a fifth generation Chicagoan and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to guiding tours, I’m a creative writer and amateur genealogist. I also enjoy the city’s dynamic theater scene. You can also read overlooked stories from 19th-century newspapers on my “Second Glance History” blog. I live in River North.

Chicago is unique as it always evolves into the future while holding on to the past. I’m fascinated by how people latch on to old architecture but happily pave over others. My background is in theater and performance and I’ve been a tour guide here for more than 10 years. Currently I’m finishing my Master’s in Public History at Loyola University because I love to teach the history of this scrappy city. I’m in the Edgewater neighborhood.

Operations Coordinator and Tour Guide

Chicago’s history is so fascinating, you could spend a lifetime uncovering its secrets…I’m willing to give it a try! I have an M.A. in US History from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and then pursued doctoral studies in Urban History at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I love to learn new aspects of Chicago’s rich history and then share my knowledge as a tour guide with Chicago Detours. I live in Ravenswood.

Content Manager and Tour Guide

Chicago has so many neighborhoods, buildings, and by-ways that it’s hard to go long without seeing something new, or something familiar from a new angle. I studied Cinema History for my M.A. from the University of Chicago. I’ve worked as a culture writer for various publications and as an educator of the humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. I’m thrilled to share my love of this city’s busy past and unique architectural spaces with Chicago Detours. I live in the Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park.

Executive Director and Tour Guide

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Chicago Neighborhood Tours

78 E. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60611

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Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tours

• 20+ years as a home remodeling salesman & year as a Lyft driver allowing me to navigate the city.
• An adventurous 60 year resident Chicagoan, with a passion for my city! I enjoy meeting and conversing with new people. Last year, as a Lyft driver had the pleasure of meeting 8,000 guests in our city.

Chicago Tour - South Side

African American Heritage Tour of Chicago

Small-Group Tour of Chicago Neighborhoods - North and South Side

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

CHICAGO PERSONAL NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tour

Hours updated over 3 months ago

Location & Hours

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Chicago, IL 60616

Douglas, Bronzeville

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About the Business

This is not a bus tour, our tours are done in a luxary van. From 2-6 people or groups of 10 or more, we provide large luxary vans offering 4 different tours of Chicago. Book a tour with our personal neighborhood tour guide today. We can't wait to show you all that this city has to offer. …

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Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tours

• 20+ years as a home remodeling salesman & year as a Lyft driver allowing me to navigate the city.
• An adventurous 60 year resident Chicagoan, with a passion for my city! I enjoy meeting and conversing with new people. Last year, as a Lyft driver had the pleasure of meeting 8,000 guests in our city.

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tours

• 20+ years as a home remodeling salesman & year as a Lyft driver allowing me to navigate the city.
• An adventurous 60 year resident Chicagoan, with a passion for my city! I enjoy meeting and conversing with new people. Last year, as a Lyft driver had the pleasure of meeting 8,000 guests in our city.

Chicago Tour - South Side

African American Heritage Tour of Chicago

Small-Group Tour of Chicago Neighborhoods - North and South Side

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

CHICAGO PERSONAL NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tours

• 20+ years as a home remodeling salesman & year as a Lyft driver allowing me to navigate the city.
• An adventurous 60 year resident Chicagoan, with a passion for my city! I enjoy meeting and conversing with new people. Last year, as a Lyft driver had the pleasure of meeting 8,000 guests in our city.

Chicago Tour - South Side

African American Heritage Tour of Chicago

Small-Group Tour of Chicago Neighborhoods - North and South Side

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Chicago Personal Neighborhood Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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• documentary

Choose Chicago launches travel series 'The 77' to highlight Chicago's neighborhoods

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A new travel show wants people to experience the real Chicago by getting out of downtown and into the city's 77 neighborhoods.

The show was recently launched by Choose Chicago.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The series is called "The 77: A City of Neighborhoods." The 30-minute episodes take a deep dive into the culture, history and food of five neighborhoods.

ABC7 was joined Friday by Rob Fojtik, vice president of neighborhood strategy at Choose Chicago, Andrea Reed, Executive Director at the Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce, and Jennifer Pham, Brand Manager and Community Advocate for the Asia on Argyle corridor in Uptown.

They talked about Choose Chicago's neighborhood strategy and how the new travel series fits into their broader mission. They also talked about how neighborhood chambers of commerce partner with Choose Chicago to attract visitors.

The full interview can be viewed in the player above.

Screenings of the series will be held in multiple neighborhoods.

Bronzeville will have a screening at 6 p.m. April 16 at the Oakwood Center. Uptown will have a screening at 6 p.m. April 18 at Wilson Abbey. Pullman and Roseland will have a screening at 6 p.m. April 23 at the Pullman National Park.

Related Topics

• BRONZEVILLE
• DOCUMENTARY
• NEIGHBORHOOD

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Price of admission for museum is included in the fee's pricing. It will be a 45 minute visit

Let's start from the beginning....

The history of Chicago dates back to the 1770s when Jean Baptiste Point du Sable first arrived from Haiti as a free Black man. His influence continued to shape Black culture in the city for years to come. Black history of Chicago continued into the early and mid-1900s when the Great Migration brought thousands of African Americans to the windy city from the south. Since then, they've founded churches, community organizations and businesses. Their presence has influenced the arts, including music and literature. When you book our historic tour of Chicago, we'll take you back in time so you can gain a better understanding of the Black men and women that came before us and helped shape our city. Black culture helped transform Chicago into the city it is today, so book our historic tour of Chicago today.

BLACK HERITAGE TOUR CHICAGO

A journey of the great migration from the south to chicago.

Bronzeville the first original black neighborhood in Chicago which is over 100 years old!

In New York harbor stands the Statue of Liberty. A monument to the immigrants seeking freedom. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses. yearning to breathe free".

In chicago stands the monument to the great northern migration. black people, immigrants to the north seeking freedom. "we were beaten tired, poor, a huddled masses, yearning to breathe"., come take this journey with us, the birth of modern day gospel music started here.

The historical Pilgrim Baptist Church

The Real home of the Blues!

The train from the south brought black people of all persuasions and among those are some of the greatest blues and jazz artist to chicago. they recorded on record rd. tour and learn about our famous michigan ave and how it was "record row" where vj records, brunswick records and course chess records or "cadillac records" was started as betrayed in the movie.., join us on this victory celebration, if you weren't able to attend the first march on washington, come experience with us at the dusable museum of african american history., let's put flowers on the childhood home of emmitt till..

(We provide you with flowers to place at his doorstep).

The Obama Library and Cultural Center is under construction. Let's check out the progress!

Yes! We are going by Obama's house. Yes! We are going by Michelle's childhood home. Yes! We are going by Farrakhan house. Yes! We are going by The Honorable Elijah Muhammad's house. Yes! We are going by Muhammad Ali's house. Yes! We are going by Jennifer Hudson childhood home. Yes! We are going by Muhammad Ali's house. Yes! We are going by Kanye West childhood home. Yes! We are going by Muhammad Ali's house. Yes! We are going by Nat King Cole home. Yes! We are going by Muhammad Ali's house. Yes! We are going by Louis Armstrong's house. Yes! We are going by Mahalia Jackson's house.

The most famous person in the world lived in this house. Do you know who?

We would like to give you hint. He was so fast that he would hit the lights off in the bedroom and be in the bed before the room was dark.

After a great tour!

This not a bus tour.

We don't load many people on our buses. This is a personal tour. We take 2-6 people on a tour. We take pictures. This is a sight seeing picture perfect tour. With larger crowds we use more than 1 vehicle and tour guide.

2-6 People luxury van

8-100 15 passenger vans, you find a lot of history here, book now any questions give us a call at 833-tour-chi, 833-868-7244, we will pick you up from any downtown hotel. unsure if your hotel is downtown call us we provide transportation from the airport to your hotel. call us, you are staying in a hotel in the burbs and need transportation there call us.