Top Chicago Self-guided Tours

Cruise down the Chicago River to see the city's famous architecture on this boat tour. With commentary from your onboard guide, watch the spectacular skyline glide by, including more than 40 notable buildings like the Wrigley Building and the John Hancock Building. Cover all three branches of the Chicago River, passing the East Bank Club, the old Post Office Building and the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower).

Get a front row perspective on the exquisite buildings that line the Chicago River during a 45-minute architecture cruise. Hear live commentary about the history and architectural heritage of Chicago on this family-friendly tour, which highlights landmarks such as the Chicago Riverwalk, Michigan Avenue Bridge, Wrigley Building, and Willis Tower. Sit on the open-air top deck or the sheltered bottom deck for the ultimate view of Chicago.

Experience a colorful side of Chicago history with this gangsters and ghosts tour. With a historian as your guide, you’ll step back to the Roaring Twenties, when the Chicago Loop was a hub for bootleggers, speakeasies, and gangsters like the infamous Al Capone. Visit onetime gangster hangouts and haunted sites like the Palmer House, Congress Hotel, and Death Alley.

Step aboard a boat for a comprehensive cruise that details the history of Chicago's architecture. Enjoy views of the Chicago skyline accompanied by architecture-focused commentary that points out each of the landmark buildings. As you cruise through Lake Michigan, snap photos of you and your party against the stretch of Chicago's 26-mile shoreline.

Escape the bustle of the city during this one or two-hour kayak rental along Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago. Experience the serene waters of the iconic lake as you paddle at your own pace in a single or tandem kayak, enjoying views of Chicago’s famous skyline. Take breaks along nearby urban beachfronts, with the option to extend your rental time. Stand-up paddleboards are also available for rental.

Enjoy a uniquely adventurous way to explore Chicago with this zombie apocalypse-themed smartphone scavenger hunt game. Upon booking, download the app and set off at a time that works best for you, with help from your remote interactive guide. You’ll be given a list of challenges to solve and objects to find to beat the zombies, all while exploring some of Chicago’s most popular corners.

Chicago was once known as the “Candy Capital of the World,” and chocolate has been a rich, decadent part of the city’s culinary history longer than deep-dish pizza and Italian beef. Milton Hershey even learned how to make chocolate in Chicago at the 1893 World’s Fair and opened up his own company a year later. Also, some of the world’s most beloved chocolate treats, including Tootsie Rolls, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Snickers, 3 Musketeers and Milky Way, were invented or are manufactured here. And thanks to the Blommer Chocolate Factory, downtown can even smell like chocolate when the wind is right. There are 8 delicious Loop and River North stops on our scavenger hunt. Simply read the clues and follow the directions to guess the answers to submit. Hints are provided should you need some help. You won’t be required to buy anything, but if you need a quick pick-me-up, what’s better than chocolate? Some locations might be handing out samples, depending on the day. Happy hunting!

See Chicago your way—and enjoy an active way to explore—with this private, half-day bike rental. Make your own way to the rental facility, choose from a range of bike types (from e-bikes and child bikes to premium road bikes), and set off at your own pace. Accompanied by a map and helmet, you can cycle along the water, explore Millennium Park and the Museum Campus, tour Chicago neighborhoods, and more.

Discover Chicago in a fun new way on this 3-hour scavenger hunt. Jump into the middle of an exciting adventure around the Chicago Loop — to the historic buildings, famous streets and plethora of real-life locations around town. Discover both well-known and overlooked sites, solving clues and completing challenges via smartphone while learning the local history of the Windy City. Teams of 2- to 5-people are welcome.

Discover Chicago's many delights from the comfort of two wheels. Simply pick up your full-day bike rental with lock, map and helmet and start exploring, either solo or with friends. Make your way through Millennium Park and to historic Wrigley Field, stop for a visit at Navy Pier or spend a couple hours watching sea turtles, penguins and even a piranha at Shedd Aquarium. You get to tour Chicago independently at your own pace and leisure without having to deal with parking or public transit.

Take your shot at completing this Chicago Scavenger Hunt around the Loop and River North neighborhoods including the Riverwalk. Complete this solo or build a ScavSquad of up to 5 people and discover the city like never before! Use clues and hints within the app to complete the objectives (if you get stuck, you can skip and go back later). Some objectives have prizes so do your best to complete as many objectives correctly. Once complete, you can view the Leaderboard to see how you did against others.

Don’t just explore Chicago’s best-known landmarks—put your problem-solving skills and competitive side to the test with this private scavenger hunt experience. The game will be conducted via your smartphone, with a live, remote guide to accompany and assist you. As you go, hunt for clues, discover unusual sights, take part in bonus challenges—and see where you team falls on the national leaderboard.

The Lincoln Park Zoo was born in 1868, when four swans were gifted to the city by New York’s Central Park. It has since grown to a 35-acre complex with 200 species from around the world. In addition to the menagerie of more than 1,100 animals, the zoo has programs devoted to conservation, protection and education. Every December, ZooLights brings thousands of visitors to see the zoo at night festively decorated for the holiday season. And it’s all just a few miles north of downtown Chicago! There are eight objectives in our scavenger hunt, encompassing the entire grounds of the zoo, which includes the Nature Boardwalk and Farm-in-the-Zoo. Some of the objectives involve taking a photo, so be sure to share those and any other pictures you take at the zoo on social media using the hashtag #LPZooScavHunt. And don't forget to tag us at @eATLAS! The zoo is open 365 days a year, from 8 AM to 5 PM on the weekdays and 8 AM to 7 PM on holidays. There is no charge for admission.

One part scavenger hunt, one part escape room, and one part urban crawl. Can you escape your city? Search for real-world clues, solve puzzles, and discover your city with an experience you will never forget! Follow the storyline around town as you find clues and use them to crack codes. Then enter solutions on the app to find out where to go next. Clues can be anywhere - murals, statues, landmarks, and more! Plan on about two hours of playtime, depending on your experience level and how much time you spend exploring along the way. Difficulty level is adjustable - take as many or as few hints as you’d like! Please Note: When planning your adventure, keep in mind that shipping can take up to 7 business days.

The Chicago 3Quest Challenge is a scavenger hunt done on an app where players will find objects (given in the form of riddles) and complete fun challenges for points. The items & challenges are separated into 3 quests. Complete quest 1, then quest 2, then quest 3 in order to finish the game! Set a time limit for yourself to see if you can do all 3 quests in 2 hours! You'll have a remote host who will chat with you during the game if you need anything! The objective is to see if you can complete all 3 quests! Come play 3Quest Challenge in Chicago today!

Walk around Chicago while completing the Operation City Quest scavenger hunt! Use an app to find a list of objects around the city in any order you choose and perform fun challenges for points. Collect points and take a look at your score compared to others across the country. All of our scavenger hunts have a remote host via chat to help along the way. Come out and explore with us in Chicago.

Get to know Chicago better while having fun and enjoying a challenge on this fun scavenger hunt. You and your team will work together to collect points throughout the city, seeing the sights along the way. Steer clear of the busiest, most touristy places and get to know a different side of Chicago. You’ll see highlights like the Cloud Gate and the Art Institute along the way.

With Crazy Dash, you'll use an app to explore Chicago in this exciting scavenger hunt! Use an app to find things around the city in any order you want, take photos, and collect points. At the end, take a look at the rankings to see your score compared to others across the country. All scavenger hunts have a live remote host that will help via chat. Crazy Dash is our most easy-going scavenger hunt. Come join us in Chicago today!

Enjoy an engaging and fun-filled way to discover some of Chicago’s best-known monuments and most popular streets with this smartphone scavenger hunt game. Upon booking, download the app and set off at a time that works best for you. With help from your remote interactive guide, visit highlights like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, tour The Loop, and take part in different challenges—and while learning more about the Windy City.

It's an intimate experience for 2 to 6 people. No mass crowds associated with tour boats. They get to enjoy the river with the luxury of having their own private boat with a professional, licensed, captain. Cocktails, and other beverages, are available from the bar for purchase before boarding.

Celebrate the magic of the season this year with Holly Jolly Hunt. Holly Jolly Hunt is an app based scavenger hunt that you can play anywhere of your choosing. Explore the city and look for holiday related items, both traditional and not so traditional. Take a photo through the app to score points for your scavenger hunt team. Perform fun, holiday challenges that will bring laughter to your team. See your score on the leaderboard compared to other teams from all over. Holly Jolly Hunt is guaranteed to provide lasting holiday memories. Whether you play with friends, family, or even co-workers, Holly Jolly will put a smile on your face for the rest of the year!

The Chicago Outdoor Adventure Pass offers an exhilarating exploration of the city's outdoor attractions. You get 1/2 day (4 hours) bike rental, 2hr kayak rental & 2hr swim. Biking: Enjoy a 20-mile car-free Lakefront Trail ride from Evanston to South Shore Culture Center. Access iconic landmarks like Millennium Park, Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain, and more. Kayaking/SUP: Kayak or paddleboard on Lake Michigan. Ohio Street Beach, with its skyline views, is a prime spot for Instagram-worthy photos. The break wall ensures calm, clear waters, perfect for kayaking and SUP. Don't forget your camera to capture the breathtaking Chicago skyline. Swimming: Get free VIP locker service at Ohio Street Beach, a top-rated Chicago beach. Enjoy a relaxing swim in Lake Michigan without any hassle. Use each part of the pass at your own pace, whether in one day or over 3 days. Immerse yourself in Chicago's natural beauty, recreation, and waterfront views. It's a fantastic way to experience the city!