Top Illinois Pop Culture

Explore Chicago's gangster past on this mafia tour in a coach vehicle. Drive around the Windy City to see where Al Capone, The Untouchables, Hymie Weiss, and John Dillinger, among other thugs hung out. A history-savvy guide introduces you to some of the most storied locations of Chicago’s criminal past, including Holy Name Cathedral, Biography Theatre, and the site of the bloody St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. You'll be able to get out and pose for pictures in front of a historic courthouse, among other infamous sites.

Get off the beaten path to experience some of Chicago's best street art on this immersive tour. With a guide in the lead, you can leave the navigation to them and simply take in the scenery. Listen to in-depth commentary focused on the street-art community, the artists, and the history and meaning behind the art.

Discover the ‘dark side’ of the Windy City thanks to this 2.5-hour, bus-based, nighttime crime history tour of Chicago. Explore the lives of notorious mobsters like Al Capone, Frank Nitti, Bugs Moran, and more as you explore infamous crime scenes like the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, learn about ‘The Enforcer’s Safe,’ and stop by local watering holes.

The Chicago Murder Mystery Tour is an interactive game and tour. Explore the city and solve a murder at the same time! Play as a detective and a suspect as you navigate one of the richest neighborhoods in the world, and learn about the real legends and crimes of Chicago!

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).

See Chicago's dazzling skyscrapers lit up for the night during this 75-minute Big Bus tour. The entire loop takes passengers from Navy Pier, down the Magnificent Mile to Michigan Avenue, through the Museum Campus and around the architectural gems on the Loop skyline. Live and audio commentary available in English.

Discover the architectural gems of the Windy City from an ideal vantage point on a cruise down the Chicago River. Offered several times throughout the day, it’s easy to fit the leisurely excursion into your itinerary. Covering more than 130 years of architectural history, the tour is the perfect opportunity to see a huge area of the city without the hassle of taxis and public transit.

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.

Stroll through downtown Chicago on this walking food tour. Visit Millennium Park, the Palmer House Hotel and other city landmarks. Taste quintessential Chicago foods such as deep-dish pizza, hot dogs, plus chocolates and pastry. All food tastings are included, and the tour covers an easy 1.5 miles (2.4 km) suitable for most fitness levels. A bike or kayak rental is also included in the tour cost.

An excellent choice for first-time visitors, this tour provides a comprehensive overview of the city and hits on both classic attractions and little-known sites. Beginning at the Chicago Theatre, work your way to the Chicago Pedway, an elaborate network of underground tunnels used by locals and commuters. Stroll the Chicago Riverwalk and see Millennium Park; then, embark on a food tour to taste some of the city’s famous foods.

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.

Enjoy a quintessential Chicago experience when you go on an architecture-themed river tour. Pick from multiple convenient start times, and board your vessel—the Lady Liberty—directly from the Chicago Riverwalk. Your trained docent guides will give you a rich introduction to the Windy City’s history, key landmarks, and architectural highlights—and you can spy landmarks like the Marina City towers and Navy Pier from the water’s edge.

Enjoy a memorable Chicago experience on this haunted pub tour. Your costumed guide, dressed as a Flapper or 1920s Gangster, will lead you on a mile-long journey while telling spooky stories of forgotten cemeteries, lingering spirits, and more. Stop at three different bars for drinks (at own expense) as you learn the secret tales behind Chicago’s haunted past.

Discover some of the Windy City’s spookiest ghost stories—and step back in time to the era of gangsters, bootleggers, jazz performers, and more—on this small-group walking tour. Meet your guide in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, and set off after dark. You’ll visit supposedly haunted former burial grounds, pubs, theaters, and more—and will hear about macabre legends and unexplained happenings as you go.

Take this two-hour walking tour in downtown Chicago and visit sites from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Untouchables, The Dark Knight, The Bear, and more! • Visit the infamous theater venue from Public Enemies, where Billie worked at a nightclub reception • Get a glimpse of Harold Washington Library, featured in Ocean’s Eleven • See sites from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, including the Chicago Board of Trade, the Calder’s Flamingo Statue, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the spot where the parade was filmed • Relive iconic scenes featured in Blues Brothers • Visit Bruce Wayne’s penthouse, the site of Harvey Dent’s fundraiser, and Harvey Dent’s office building, all seen in The Dark Knight

Calling all fans of the paranormal, this 2.5 to 3-hour ghost bus tour of Chicago takes you into the city’s darkest recesses to reveal its dark past. Travel with ease between locations of reputed haunting and listen to spine-chilling tales delivered by a historian guide. The City Cemetery, the Levee Vice district, and Prairie Avenue all feature on the itinerary, in addition to the site of the notorious St. Valentine’s Day massacre.

Join us along the historic streets and alleys of Chicago as we walk among the spirits of mobsters and ghosts of the condemned. This tour is for lovers of history, true crime, and haunted mysteries. Expect a sultry and gritty cocktail of Chicago's darkest stories hiding in the shadows of the Loop. From Grant Park to the Alley of Death, your expert local guide will shed light on the city’s secrets. Prepare for thrills and just the right amount of chills.

Learn about the history and legends surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and notorious criminal H.H.Holmes on a half-day tour inspired by the popular book ‘The Devil in the White City.’ Explore important locations such as the Prairie Avenue Historic District, Jackson Park, Midway Plaisance Park, and the ‘Murder Castle’ of H.H. Holmes as you learn more about the World's Columbian Exposition and Victorian Chicago.

Hook up with a paranormal investigator to tour Chicago's Lincoln Park and look for paranormal activity. Stroll through the neighborhood and learn about the Great Fire of 1871, Suicide Bridge, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and visit Lincoln Park, and the old City Cemetery. You'll get the chance to try out some of the ghost-detecting equipment.

Book in advance to take this popular tour that details the mob history of Chicago during the Prohibition Era (1920s-1930s). Learn about the exploits of gangsters like Capone, Dillinger, Moran, and others as you travel by minibus to sites like the Biograph Theater, Holy Name Cathedral, and St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Your guide adopts gangster attire and characteristics that add dramatic flair to the historical commentary.

Enjoy a flexible way to explore Chicago—and combine your sightseeing with a fun-filled scavenger hunt game—with this two-in-one smartphone excursion. Upon booking, receive access to the game on your smartphone, and set off at a time that works best for you. In between admiring highlights like the Chicago History Museum, Standing Lincoln Monument, and Lincoln Park Zoo, you’ll solve clues and participate in challenges.

Explore haunted Chicago at your own pace and schedule. Go anytime. Why take this tour? -It's like an in person tour guide, only it's on your phone. -Tour at your own pace and schedule -Professionally produced, narrated and musically edited immersive experience -Guided by technology. Put your phone in your pocket as the smart phone tour guided you with voice turn by turn. -Great deal -See and learn about Chicago's haunted spots, tragic events, fires, and the spirits that stayed behind. -Listen again after taking the tour. -The tour never expires, go or listen (after the on location tour) anytime. This haunted adventure is a smart phone guided on location tour. You go to the first stop, open the tour, enter your experience code and press play. From there you are guided turn by turn through Huntsville. The app knows your location and seamlessly guides you each step of the way.

In the beloved 1980s teen comedy “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” the Art Institute of Chicago plays a starring role—and on this immersive, small-group tour, you’ll follow in the footsteps of Ferris and his friends all while visiting the museum’s best-known masterpieces. Meet your guide inside of the museum in the Modern Wing (tickets own expense). You can look forward to seeing masterworks by Chagall, Seurat, Cassatt, and more, all while hearing behind-the-scenes stories.