Chicago in a Day: Food, History and Architecture Walking Tour
5

Chicago in a Day: Food, History and Architecture Walking Tour

By Intrepid Urban Adventures - Chicago
Recommended by 98% of travellers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 6-99, max of 12 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024

  • Discover Chicago on 4 Food Stops with 4 Food Samples
  • Try Deep dish pizza at a pizza place that’s an icon to Chicago
  • Taste a classic Chicago sandwich: Italian beef
  • Get a taste for Chicago’s most famous food like Chicago-style hot dog
  • Enjoy some classic Chicago-style popcorn
  • Transportation between tour halves
  • Discover Chicagos’ incredible architecture both old and new
  • Get tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay
  • Join professional English-speaking local guide
What's not included
  • Gratuity
  • Drinks and additional food


Start:
  • The Chicago Theatre, 175 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
    The Chicago Theatre (underneath the marquee), 175 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60601
End:
  • River North, Chicago, IL, USA
    A central location in the River North neighborhood near N Clark St & W Ontario St.

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Pushchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5713P139

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Most travellers can participate
  • This is a child-friendly walking tour. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge.
  • Please note: food options and portion sizes will vary depending on the season and where we stop that day but the total amount of food included will be equal to a full meal.
  • Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, but please note that this tour covers between 4.8 to 6.4 km (3-4 miles) of walking.
  • We can accommodate vegetarian options but cannot accommodate other food allergies or dietary preferences. Please notify us in advance if you have any dietary requests.
  • Experiences happen rain, shine, or snow. Please dress accordingly.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5713P139

From
₹8,981.76
per adult
Select date and travellers

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • 175 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
    The Chicago Theatre (underneath the marquee), 175 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60601
  • 1
  • 2
    Pass by
    City of Chicago - City Hall
  • 3
    Pass by
    Wrigley Building
    Tribune Tower
    Millennium Park
    Cloud Gate
  • 4
    Pass by
    Historic Water Tower
    The Loop
  • River North, Chicago, IL, USA
    A central location in the River North neighborhood near N Clark St & W Ontario St.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Intrepid Urban Adventures - Chicago
    512
    Chicago, United States
    Joined in June 2021
  • Stefania817
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Subway architectural tour of Chicago
    Kevin was an excelleny guide, we really enjoyed this tour. We made multiple stops during the subway tour, many interesting notes regarding buildings and history as well as on the L lines structures. Kevin answered all of our questions, giving us advices on things to do and to visit. We look forward to further tours!
    Written 3 December 2024
  • sue b
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Chicago by foot in 2 1/2 hours
    Our guide, Rich, was great. He enthusiastically took us on a very informative tour of beautiful buildings and sculptures. Lots of time to stop along the way for photo opportunities ( and enjoyed our chocolate and popcorn!)
    Written 29 October 2024
  • cr_roberta_sparrow
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun and interesting intro to Chicago and its culture
    I booked onto this food tour in my first visit to Chicago and it was fantastic! The tour guide, Dash, was super friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and made an effort to deliver the best experience for each person on the tour. As well as the history and culture of Chicago's signature dishes, Dash explained a lot about the city itself and its architecture, as well as things to do in the local area - an added bonus! Learning about and sampling beef dogs and the famous beef sandwhich at Lukes, as well as a deep dish slice from Lou Malnati's was a highlight of my time in Chicago. We also took the train, which was a cool way to discover the city. I'm glad I experienced this food tour in my introduction to this awesome city - thanks!
    Written 15 October 2024
  • L958GSnancyf
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic Food Tour!
    Dash was amazing! Highly recommend and would do again. He had so many unique tidbits about Chicago and food was amazing.
    Written 8 October 2024
  • 203flaminiaf
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great food tour to get a taste of Chicago
    I had the tour with Dash, was great! All food was amazing and super tasty (and I'm Italian I had big expectations) Dash also entertained us with many stories and interesting curiosities about Chicago. Recommended!
    Written 5 October 2024
  • W1970PPmonicar
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The real deal
    Dash was absolutely wonderful! I learned so much about Chicago, the food there, and the history. I really felt like I was in great hands the entire time. Every single bite I had on the tour was EXCELLENT. The flavors were on point. Each place felt very intentional and had a story behind it. Highly recommend taking this tour.
    Written 30 September 2024
  • cruisingpanda
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience
    This tour was great. Dash our tour guide is very passionate about the city of Chicago. The food stops were good. We even took the train. I would recommend this tour.
    Written 5 September 2024
  • Explore12598
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Essential Chicago
    I was looking forward to this tour but l a little apprehensive, since walking is not always that easy for me – especially long treks with a fast-moving group – thankfully it wasn’t too much and fortunately my young adult daughter was there to assist and hang back with me and support as necessary- fortunate again, this was a great small group - interesting and personable people who recognized and adhered mostly to a moderate pace There was some walking but also an opportunity to ride the “L” which I really wanted to do anyway -I love a good hot dog and this was a treat and my favorite on the tour. The Italian beef was enjoyable but since I like food a little spicy – I missed that savory accent, however most of the group indicated this as their preference – I live in the NY metropolitan area – I know good pizza, in a number of varieties including deep-dish- this was the most disappointing – I would call it more tomato pie than pizza – and my daughter agreed. Nevertheless, the restaurant was accommodating the guide was knowledgeable and shared information that was enlightening and useful. All things considered – this is a tour I would recommend and it’s essential Chicago!
    Written 30 July 2024
  • FrequentFlier777049
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Chicago Private Food Tour with Chicago Dave rocks!
    We took the Chicago Private Food Tour with a group of nine friends. Our guide, Chicago Dave, was great. As he navigated us to the restaurants he told us much about the history of Chicago and some of the iconic buildings. We sampled Chicago dogs, Chicago roast beef and Chicago pizza. All were great. We were full and happy at the end of the tour. Chicago Dave also did a great job of taking many pictures of the group and texting them to us in real time. I highly recommend this tour.
    Written 24 July 2024
  • laurasD1364WX
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great your!
    It was a good tour! Dave is knowledge and has passion for his adopted city. I enjoyed this tour and would recommend to others!
    Written 20 July 2024
  • jadey4646
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Even better than playing knifey-spooney
    Went on the architecture tour with Tall Dave. He was extremely knowledgeable and charismatic, and provided insight into the life of certain Chicago buildings. It was clear that he had conducted significant research into Chicago’s history. The visual aids were very helpful!
    Written 13 July 2024
  • S3030OKerical
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful tour
    We had an amazing tour with Dash! It was raining on and off and he was able to think of a new route quickly to keep us dry but still had the most delicious three stops. He was very knowledgeable and shared so many interesting new and old facts about Chicago. My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time and left the tour full and happy! 10/10 recommend for anyone who lives in town or visiting!
    Written 8 July 2024
  • kevinjT478ZE
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Exceptional tour. A great way to get a deeper perspective of Chicago!
    This food tour was great. Dash was informative, entertaining, and very knowledgeable of Chicago of course. What made it a 5-star experience was his ability to adapt his stories and his examples to our tour. He was able to add so much depth to the Chicago history by relating examples to our tour and in response to our questions. I’m a curious person and I love these tours ok many cities, and this was my favorite one, ever. If I could give Dash 6-stars I would. He even kept both my teenage kids engaged and even trying new foods. Great tour indeed!
    Written 7 July 2024
  • mwadehicks
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun tour
    It was a nice tour. We are from Illinois and learned a lot of great information about Chicago architecture and history. This is a great tour for locals as well as out-of-towners
    Written 17 June 2024
  • L3878RWdavidc
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Full bellies and happy faces 10/10 tour
    Dash was awesome. Full of knowledge and took us to great spots for good eats. Really happy with the whole tour. Would highly recommend.
    Written 13 June 2024
See all 512 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles430 reviews
Excellent
418
Very good
6
Average
4
Poor
0
Terrible
2

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Business
Dash was absolutely phenomenal!! Even though it was a whopping 6° outside, he was friendly, passionate, excited, extremely knowledgeable, polite, and courteous throughout the entire day. Since it was so cold out, he made sure to keep checking on us and completely changed his normal tour route to accommodate our group so we didn’t get too cold. He is extremely good at his job and you can definitely tell how much he loves Chicago. As a person who is interested in art, music, architecture, history, AND food, it was very beneficial to be led around by a native on our work trip since my family and I plan on coming back for a longer stay when it is warmer. As travel agents, he gave us plenty of information not only on the history of Chicago, but also upcoming activities, attractions such as museums and the best restaurants and nightlife, as well as Chicago’s best kept secrets. He also made sure to walk us back to our hotel since we were kind of turned around after taking the train (amazing treat btw since one person in our group had never been on a train before). I will definitely be requesting him when my family comes later this year so they can experience what we did today!! Thank you Dash!! You made the day so enjoyable even though it was bitterly cold!!!
Written 19 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Our guide, Dash, did a fantastic job. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to get a better appreciation for Chicago's history and uncovering some gems downtown. Dash was also excellent at suggesting things to try after the tour. He was so enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable about Chicago and clearly enjoyed helping us learn about it. He was also very mindful of group needs, especially as it was so cold, making sure everyone was ok and seeing things that interested them. I was in a tour with 6 others but was able to ask any questions along the way (which Dash always seemed to have answers to and which would lead us into all sorts of fascinating info about Chicago). Expect a mixture of Chicago history, architecture (which Dash used to bring Chicago's history alive), and familiarisation with downtown Chicago and some of its hidden gems. We also got a good overview of surrounding neighbourhoods (even though there is no time to take them all in). Would recommend!
Written 20 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chief
Seattle, WA
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
The tour was fantastic mostly due to our guide Chicago Dave who seemed to know almost everyone in Chicago. The city is beautiful, the food was delicious and more than we could eat even with a big walk and the stories from Dave about Architecture, History and people really made our day. Highly recommend taking the tour you cannot see as much of the city in this depth on your own.
Written 23 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Family
We booked this tour on our second day in Chicago and boy was it worth it. Our guide, Dash was incredibly knowledgeable about the history or Chicago and the stunning architecture in the loop. He was very accommodating to our needs to checked in multiple times to see how we were going with pace and temperature. We definitely felt like the tour was catered specifically to us. The food stops sprinkled along the way helped us find our second wind. Would highly recommend this tour for someone interested in the history and architecture of this beautiful city. Dash also has a list of recommended spots that we look forward to checking out during the rest of our stay. Thank you for making us feel so welcomed!
Written 3 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
Not kidding here: THE best, hidden facts ever given by a tour guide - this is coming from a seasoned traveler who goes on more than her share of city tours. From census statistics to quirky & witty anecdotal fascinations about this charming city, you will walk (literally) away with a plethora of rich historical stories, so get ready to be entertained for hours! This company knows what they are doing. They hire the best kinds of folks and they give them the freedom (and trust) to be creative & guide the tours that caters to the group as they see fit. Our tour felt so personable & I know that every one of us felt safe and well taken care of throughout the tour. Our awesome guide, Dash, not only was he a true gentleman and a kind soul, but he was also poised, diligent, and so hilariously insightful about every place we passed by or walked into with great details. No questions were left to be pondered nor was our stomach left with any more room to be filled, lol! Eating at the local spots was my fav! There was about 10 of us in the group. As an instructor, I can vouch just how much effort had to have gone into planning and knowing all the details to execute such a flawless & fun tour. Hence, having a local guide was invaluable. It’s clear that he loves his city. Dash’s passion for this quite remarkable city is so infectious that it will have you wanting to come back and explore more! He is the reason why our experience in this beautiful town was so unique & unforgettable! Do yourself a favor, save yourself the headache and time & just book the history and food tour with them (preferably the morning one so you can have some extra time in the evening to go check out some of the areas suggested by your tour guide). ;)
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
I have been on over 40 walking tours in my life and this was the best. The tour guide Dash is knowledgeable about the food, geography, history, culture, architecture and art of Chicago. More importantly, he brings these topics to life with charismatic stories that will engage you whether you are a foreigner who is passing through Chicago for the first time or a history buff. The tour ensures that you can eat Chicago's famous Italian Beef, Popcorn, Hotdogs, and Deep dish pizza without waiting in long lines. You will walk a lot but the tour is very accomodating with bathroom stops along the way. I cannot recommend this enough especially if you want to get a feel for Chicago in a short period of time.
Written 15 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Family
Our time in Chicago was greatly enriched by Dave whose love and knowledge of the city are the foundations of his wonderful tours. He builds a lot of depth into approaching the highlights and tailors the content to the audience. Thoroughly recommend booking this. Dave like The Bean reflects Chicago in new fun and unexpected ways.
Written 30 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daniel C
San Jose, California, United States
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Family
Chicago Dave was an amazing tour guide! He emphasizes that it’s a dialogue and made everyone feel welcome. Dave has a true depth of knowledge for answering questions that aren’t necessarily part of the tour, and was happy to accommodate small changes to the itinerary for points of particular interest for the group or things like bathroom breaks.
Written 9 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paige T
Bend, OR
3.0 of 5 bubbles
It was an interesting experience. It was very cold and windy, even in late April. Wish we would have known to dress for winter. Tour seemed a bit haphazard with a lot of back and forth. We tried caramel corn, brownies and chocolate before lunch. And then we had back to back hotdogs, beef sandwiches and then pizza. We were rushed through our stops, so we're unable to purchase items on our own from the vendors. Guide was friendly enough, but needed to practice more covid protocols like not passing around his phone to show pics, videos, etc. We learned some things about Chicago history and archetecture. But we had hoped for more insight.
Written 2 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, Thank you for providing a review of your recent experience. It’s through feedback like yours that we’re able to improve on the service that we’re providing for our customers. You can be assured that everyone, from our head office team, to our local guides and operators, endeavours to provide a tour which not only lets you see a wonderful city but really experience it. As such, we sincerely appreciate your constructive comments and suggestions. These have been shared with all the appropriate personnel within the business to review.
Written 3 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Shirley H
Houston, TX
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Family
Even though we have visited Chicago before, I learned so many new things about Chicago in this unique customized tour. Dash L was a fantastic tour guide, full of genuine passion about Chicago and endless amount of facts about the city. In 5 hours he never got tired of explaining about buildings, eateries, and Chicago folklore. He customized our tour based on our prior experience. The snack stops for popcorn, pizza, brownie, Italian subs and hot dogs were fun along the journey. I would definitely do this tour again.
Written 18 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

Chicago in a Day: Food, History and Architecture Walking Tour provided by Intrepid Urban Adventures - Chicago

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