As a local tour guide, I'm frequently asked about which Hop-on Hop-Off tours in Chicago are better.
So In this post we will discuss which Hop-on Hop-Off tour is best for you and also about the deals you can get to make your journey even more affordable.
- Big Bus Chicago Route
- CitySightseeing Route
- Comparison
- 9 Potential Hop on Hop off Deals
- Hop-on Hop-Off Chicago Maps and Routes
Big Bus Tours is a premium double-decker bus tour that allows you to visit many of Chicago’s most popular attractions at your own pace.
Live commentary and convenient pick-up stops make it a popular choice for Chicago tourists
Advance online reservations save on standard pricing, and e-tickets are sent straight to your phone with a convenient Big Bus app.
That is also where you will find real-time bus tracking, detailed maps, and nearby attractions.
They are also able to accommodate persons with disabilities and have wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts.
Note that they should be contacted 48 hours ahead of time to arrange a suitable vehicle.
Big Bus Tours Reviews
Big Bus Tours Chicago has earned a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor and a 4.3 rating out of 5 stars on Get Your Guide.
Their profile is impressive for hop-on-hop-off tours in general. There are a handful of negative reviews, but they don’t seem to have much in common.
Big Bus Tours Chicago Routes
Pass holders can conveniently board or depart at any of the Big Loop’s 11 stops.
- Chicago Riverwalk
- Skydeck Chicago & Willis Tower about this stop
- Millennium Park & The Art Institute of Chicago about this stop
- Hilton Chicago & Grant Park
- Adler Planetarium about this stop
- Museum Campus
- Sheraton Grand Chicago
- Navy Pier about this stop
- Water Tower & Magnificent Mile
- 360 Chicago about this stop
- Hard Rock Cafe
Of course, at each of these stops, you'll also have the opportunity to see a lot more of the city's top attractions.
Several of the stops are near the Chicago river, which means you'll enjoy excellent views of the water and have access to Chicago boat tours as well.
You can also take a break when you need one, whether that be for Chicago's deep-dish pizza at Beatrix Market or a pint of beer at Kitty O'Sheas.
Big Bus Tours Departure Times
The first bus leaves the first stop daily at 10:00 am, with the last bus departing at 5 pm (17:00).
Ticket holders can board the bus to begin their tour at any stop. The full circuit takes between 2 and 2.5 hours.
TIP: Big Bus Chicago also offers several combos that include a hop-on-hop-off service, a boat cruise, and the option to visit one of Chicago's observation decks.
NOTE: As of 2025, this company is not currently offering bus tours. This may change in the coming months, but there are no details available about when they will return to full service.
City Sightseeing provides a year-round 2-hour adventure covering 13 different stops in Downtown and The Loop on their Red and Green Trolley or Red Double Decker bus.
They also offer a variety of excursions and seasonal tours to Wrigley Field and The Lincoln Park Zoo.
These additional trips are available as individual tours, and you can purchase them separately.
Alternatively, you can also get combo tickets which include the Downtown Tour and other services.
They also offer a night tour option.
For more information, visit the City Sightseeing website.
City Sightseeing Reviews
This tour company has received a 4 out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor, with a majority of their reviews being positive.
Several of the 5-star reviews indicate that the tour guides provided by City Sightseeing (formerly called Chicago Trolley and Double Decker Company) are very knowledgeable.
Ratings for the trolley tour were also quite good, and there were a few notable comments.
One guest suggested that the trolleys can be less comfortable, indicating that these vehicles are a bit colder than a tour bus.
City Sightseeing Departure Times
Their tours go out:
- daily
- year-round
- every 10 minutes
- from 9 am to 5 pm
- covering 12 popular stops
Greektown, Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park Zoo, Night Tour, and more run from the end of May (Memorial Day Weekend) through October only.
No transportation is provided on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or in instances of inclement weather.
City Sightseeing Route
The City Sightseeing Downtown Tour runs year-round and allows travelers to hop on and off any of the 12 stops for the duration of the service.
City Sightseeing Perks
There are free guidebooks with maps, recommendations, promo codes, and schedules included with every tour.
Online reservations can be made 24 hours in advance saving $2 on adult and $1 on child passes.
Groups of 15 or more receive a 20% off the standard price.
There is free cancellation/ refunds up to 24 hours before the chosen travel date.
In the 2 sections above we have discussed about the two Hop-On Hop-Off services, its time to take a look on major difference which makes both of these service different from each other.
| Big Bus Chicago | City Sightseeing Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Stops | Chicago Riverwalk Museum Campus | Michigan Avenue BridgeField Museum/ Shedd Aquarium Maggie Daisy Park |
| Frequency | Every 30 minutes | Every 10 minutes |
| Tour Options | 24 hours, 48 hours Options 48 hours + Cruise Option Sunset Live Tour Option 1 Night Tour Option | Seasonal tours to Wrigley Field and The Lincoln Park Zoo Combo tickets which include the Downtown Tour |
| Availability | Round the year | Currently Inoperative |
It is worth noting that City Sightseeing is currently inoperative so Big Bus is the only option.
9 DISCOUNTS FOR CHICAGO BUS TOURS
Several Chicago bus tour companies offer various concessions on tickets. This section will detail some of the best ways to save money on Chicago bus tours.
We will also include some common deals that might not be available right now, but could eventually be offered in the future.
1. Use a Tourist Pass
As we mentioned above, the 24-hour ticket for Big Bus is included for free with the purchase of the Go City Chicago All-Inclusive tourist attraction pass.
With this less expensive tourist pass option, you could save up to 40% on retail prices.
These passes can save you up to 55% off as well as save you time skipping ticket lines.
2. Combo Packages
These combinations can really add up the savings for travelers who are looking to experience more than a few activities in the Windy City.
Tour companies often combine their services with other popular activities and attractions in Chicago to help tourists and travelers save a bit of money on multiple tickets.
Click here to learn more about all the combo packages available.
3. Deal Sites
There are a number of websites like Groupon and LivingSocial that frequently offer deals on hop-on hop-off bus tours.
Every now and then, they also provide additional promo codes to help you save even more money!
4. Children's Discount
Save between $15-$20 on tix for your children. Kids under 3 always receive free admission!
5. Book Online
When you book online through their website, Big Bus will give you an extra 10% off the prices they charge at their booth.
6. Group Discount
Big Bus offers a group deal for large groups (10 or more), though you have to contact them ahead of time to get this deal.
7. Senior Discount
These are commonly offered by tourism companies.
While there weren't any senior discounts available as of our last update to this post in 2025, you might still want to check and see if it is available.
8. Student Discount
These are usually offered by moost tourism services around the world.
Even though we were unable to find any student discounts available as of the last update to this post in 2025, we still recommend checking to see if it is available.
9. AAA Discount
Although this isn't currently a deal being offered on Chicago hop-on hop-off bus tours, there's a chance AAA could add it to their list of concessions in the future.
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