Chicago - free walking tours downtown?
Apr 9th, 2015, 04:18 PM
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Chicago - free walking tours downtown?
I remember seeing information about free walking tours in Chicago by community volunteers. I can't find the thread. Can someone direct me? Thank you!
Apr 9th, 2015, 04:47 PM
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http://chicagogreeter.com/greeter-visits/
You have to sign up 10 business days in advance for a custom tour.
You can do general tours without advance notice too:
http://chicagogreeter.com/instagreeter/
You have to sign up 10 business days in advance for a custom tour.
You can do general tours without advance notice too:
http://chicagogreeter.com/instagreeter/
Apr 9th, 2015, 05:02 PM
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We did a pre-arranged walking tour with a Chicago greeter when we were there last October. It was great! Our greeter was enthusiastic and a great source of information. We will definitely sign up for another tour if we return to Chicago.
Apr 10th, 2015, 05:13 AM
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It should be mentioned that these two options are different. The Chicago Greeter service is a personalized tour for which you decide what will be explored - which neighborhood(s) or interest. The InstaGreeter tours are of the Loop and Millennium Park only and they originate from the Chicago Cultural Center.
I believe you have to **staying** in Chicago for more than one day in order to utilize the Greeter service. You have to reserve it more than ten days in advance. And note, there is a maximum amount of guests for the tour as well.
The InstaGreeter service doesn't require advance reservations. However, it is conducted with a limited amount of people on each tour and operated is on a first-come, first-served basis. It is entirely possible that if you come on a very busy weekend, you would have to wait for a tour - or possibly not be able to go on one, if you try too late in the day.
I believe you have to **staying** in Chicago for more than one day in order to utilize the Greeter service. You have to reserve it more than ten days in advance. And note, there is a maximum amount of guests for the tour as well.
The InstaGreeter service doesn't require advance reservations. However, it is conducted with a limited amount of people on each tour and operated is on a first-come, first-served basis. It is entirely possible that if you come on a very busy weekend, you would have to wait for a tour - or possibly not be able to go on one, if you try too late in the day.
Apr 10th, 2015, 06:05 AM
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I just took a look your thread of last year, in which the discussion was about food tours. And in which I mentioned the Chicago Greeter service. If that is the aim of your interest this year, the InstaGreeter tour wouldn't really be the best choice.
Now, you don't really even need any tour at all to do this type of thing. It's pretty simple to do it yourself. However, I do suggest you read up on the neighborhood or area a little ahead of time so you can plot out your options.
That, too, is pretty easy because some of the most popular (and populous) neighborhoods in Chicago have their own websites. Those websites not only give maps, but they list out restaurants (often giving hyperlinks to the restaurant's own website), stores, hotels and entertainment options. They have calendars of special events, farmer's markets (when in season) and community get-togethers.
I'll give you some examples of this: Lincoln Square. Andersonville (this is only an area, not an entire neighborhood). Old Town. The Gold Coast. Wicker Park/Bucktown (these are two separate neighborhoods, but they are often mentioned together).
Now, if you want to get a little fancier, you can utilize the CTA 'L lines to go to a couple (or more) neighborhoods. For example, take the Red Line.
Let's say you take it to the North/Clybourn stop. If you go north on N. Halsted, you will walk past many restaurants. I'm sure you've read about Alinea - arguably, the best restaurant in the city. It's just to the north. Boka is also in this area. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you are close to Frank 'n Dawgs (similar to what Hot Doug's offered, when it was open) and Pequod's (pizzeria). The Steppenwolf Theatre and the Royal George Theatre are on N. Halsted just to the north. Over to the west is the Clybourn Corridor shopping area.
If you take the Red Line to the Belmont station, you'd be in the Boystown area of the Lakeview neighborhood. I would suggest that you walk three blocks to the east to N. Broadway, where there are many restaurants and shops either north or south. All you have to do is walk north or south from this intersection. The website for this area is www.lakevieweast.com
Then, taking that same Red Line, the next stop is Addison - right beside Wrigley Field, as a matter of fact. Wrigleyville has many sports bars and more casual eating options - because it's all anchored around the ballpark, you realize. However, about 5 blocks to the east is the north end of the Boystown neighborhood and there are some very good eateries there on N. Halsted, such as The Chicago Diner (vegan/vegetarian).
Then taking the Red Line northwards, Argyle Street has many Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese restaurants.
Of course, you can mix it up with busses as well. For example, take the Red Line to Addison. Walk 1 block to the west to Clark Street. Pick up the #22 NB CTA bus - 20 minute ride north and you are in Andersonville.
Along the way, you visit Graceland Cemetery, if you wish (intersection of N. Clark and Irving Park). Look at their website and you will see the names of the famous who are laid to rest there. Maps are available at the office, just inside the gates - or purchase a booklet of "A Walk Through Graceland Cemetery".
How about another 'L choice: Brown Line. You have the Armitage and Fullerton stops in the DePaul University area of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The Southport stop for the Southport Corridor in the Lakeview neighborhood. And the Western stop for the Lincoln Square neighborhood.
Blue Line takes you to Wicker Park/Bucktown.
You can even mix it up with the 'L lines. Take a look at the CTA's online maps and you can follow along with what I'm going to say next.
Some stations handle more than one 'L line. For example, Fullerton and Belmont.
Some don't but they are fairly close to other stations. For example, the Addison station only has the Red Line. But you are only about a 6 block walk - to the east - from the Southport station which handles only the Brown Line. You could take the Red Line north - walk over to N. Southport and take the Brown Line south.
You can always combine these ramblings on your own with guided tours (with *knowledgeable* guides) of the areas' architectural or historical aspects. The Chicago Architecture Foundation has tours all over Chicago - including some of these I've mentioned (Graceland Cemetery, the DePaul University area, etc.). The Chicago History Museum normally has walking tours of some of the areas in its immediate vicinity (i.e., the Gold Coast, Old Town and Lincoln Park) as well as those by 'L and other methods of transportation. They even have historic pub crawls upon occasion.
Lastly - and this is very important - because going out into the neighborhood entails substantial time: You will be spending at the *very* minimum 1/2 day wherever you go. It's not something you do in the span of a couple of hours. So make a day of it.
Some of these neighborhoods are anchored around some pretty fantastic entertainment options. Lincoln Square has the Old Town School of Folk Music. The Southport corridor has the historic Music Box Theatre (movies), the Mercury Theatre (live theatre), Schuba's (live music venue). The DePaul University area of Lincoln Park contains two blues bars plus numerous live theatrical venues (the Biograph, the Apollo, etc.) Wrigleyville, of course, has Wrigley Field. Pilsen is where the National Museum of Mexican Art is located.
Now, you don't really even need any tour at all to do this type of thing. It's pretty simple to do it yourself. However, I do suggest you read up on the neighborhood or area a little ahead of time so you can plot out your options.
That, too, is pretty easy because some of the most popular (and populous) neighborhoods in Chicago have their own websites. Those websites not only give maps, but they list out restaurants (often giving hyperlinks to the restaurant's own website), stores, hotels and entertainment options. They have calendars of special events, farmer's markets (when in season) and community get-togethers.
I'll give you some examples of this: Lincoln Square. Andersonville (this is only an area, not an entire neighborhood). Old Town. The Gold Coast. Wicker Park/Bucktown (these are two separate neighborhoods, but they are often mentioned together).
Now, if you want to get a little fancier, you can utilize the CTA 'L lines to go to a couple (or more) neighborhoods. For example, take the Red Line.
Let's say you take it to the North/Clybourn stop. If you go north on N. Halsted, you will walk past many restaurants. I'm sure you've read about Alinea - arguably, the best restaurant in the city. It's just to the north. Boka is also in this area. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you are close to Frank 'n Dawgs (similar to what Hot Doug's offered, when it was open) and Pequod's (pizzeria). The Steppenwolf Theatre and the Royal George Theatre are on N. Halsted just to the north. Over to the west is the Clybourn Corridor shopping area.
If you take the Red Line to the Belmont station, you'd be in the Boystown area of the Lakeview neighborhood. I would suggest that you walk three blocks to the east to N. Broadway, where there are many restaurants and shops either north or south. All you have to do is walk north or south from this intersection. The website for this area is www.lakevieweast.com
Then, taking that same Red Line, the next stop is Addison - right beside Wrigley Field, as a matter of fact. Wrigleyville has many sports bars and more casual eating options - because it's all anchored around the ballpark, you realize. However, about 5 blocks to the east is the north end of the Boystown neighborhood and there are some very good eateries there on N. Halsted, such as The Chicago Diner (vegan/vegetarian).
Then taking the Red Line northwards, Argyle Street has many Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese restaurants.
Of course, you can mix it up with busses as well. For example, take the Red Line to Addison. Walk 1 block to the west to Clark Street. Pick up the #22 NB CTA bus - 20 minute ride north and you are in Andersonville.
Along the way, you visit Graceland Cemetery, if you wish (intersection of N. Clark and Irving Park). Look at their website and you will see the names of the famous who are laid to rest there. Maps are available at the office, just inside the gates - or purchase a booklet of "A Walk Through Graceland Cemetery".
How about another 'L choice: Brown Line. You have the Armitage and Fullerton stops in the DePaul University area of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The Southport stop for the Southport Corridor in the Lakeview neighborhood. And the Western stop for the Lincoln Square neighborhood.
Blue Line takes you to Wicker Park/Bucktown.
You can even mix it up with the 'L lines. Take a look at the CTA's online maps and you can follow along with what I'm going to say next.
Some stations handle more than one 'L line. For example, Fullerton and Belmont.
Some don't but they are fairly close to other stations. For example, the Addison station only has the Red Line. But you are only about a 6 block walk - to the east - from the Southport station which handles only the Brown Line. You could take the Red Line north - walk over to N. Southport and take the Brown Line south.
You can always combine these ramblings on your own with guided tours (with *knowledgeable* guides) of the areas' architectural or historical aspects. The Chicago Architecture Foundation has tours all over Chicago - including some of these I've mentioned (Graceland Cemetery, the DePaul University area, etc.). The Chicago History Museum normally has walking tours of some of the areas in its immediate vicinity (i.e., the Gold Coast, Old Town and Lincoln Park) as well as those by 'L and other methods of transportation. They even have historic pub crawls upon occasion.
Lastly - and this is very important - because going out into the neighborhood entails substantial time: You will be spending at the *very* minimum 1/2 day wherever you go. It's not something you do in the span of a couple of hours. So make a day of it.
Some of these neighborhoods are anchored around some pretty fantastic entertainment options. Lincoln Square has the Old Town School of Folk Music. The Southport corridor has the historic Music Box Theatre (movies), the Mercury Theatre (live theatre), Schuba's (live music venue). The DePaul University area of Lincoln Park contains two blues bars plus numerous live theatrical venues (the Biograph, the Apollo, etc.) Wrigleyville, of course, has Wrigley Field. Pilsen is where the National Museum of Mexican Art is located.
Apr 10th, 2015, 07:38 AM
#7
The Federal Reserve Bank on Jackson Blvd across from the Chicago Board of Trade, has a free self guided tour. They do have a bit of security to get in but not too bad.
The cheapest restaurant I've found is on North Wells underneath the El. It is Perogi Heaven. I haven't had such good perogies since I moved out of PA.
The cheapest restaurant I've found is on North Wells underneath the El. It is Perogi Heaven. I haven't had such good perogies since I moved out of PA.
