Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper and home to one of the world's most recognizable skylines and the Chicago Riverwalk is a great place from which to experience it.
The buildings form the scenic backdrop for the great stories of the men and women who built them and the city of Chicago.
We will show you the birthplace of the city and where a terrible massacre took place. You will hear stories of great fortunes and a great fire as well as the incredible story of how Chicagoans re-engineered the flow of their river.
Join Free Tours by Foot as we take a leisurely stroll along the main branch of the Chicago River and take in the beautiful architecture, such as the Tribune Building and the Wrigley Building, and learn the stories behind the people who built them.
The tour ending point is just steps east of the Apple Store and the Wrigley Building (where you could get a tummy-warming, hot chocolate from the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Parlor) after the tour.
Or, experience the gastronomic extravagance of real, deep-dish Chicago Pizza from Lou Malnati’s.
Or, delve deep into Chicago history with a visit to lower Michigan Avenue, where you’ll find the oldest Billy Goat Tavern and can order “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! Cheezborger!!!”
Sights we will cover
- The Chicago River
- Original site of Fort Dearborn
- The Tribune Building
- Trump Tower
- The Wrigley Building
- Marina City
- and much more!
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Reservations: REQUIRED. Click here to reserve. Groups of 10 or more must contact us before booking.
Where: 1 W Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601. Directly outside of the Renaissance Hotel at the corner of State St. and Wacker Dr.
Duration: Tour lasts approx. 90 minutes. Total walking is just over one mile (1.6 km).
View our full tour calendar . Tours are on Central Standard Time!
Cost: This tour is free to take, and you get to decide what, if anything, the tour was worth when it’s done. A name-your-own-price tour is a tour for anyone’s budget.
Save more money and combine our tours with a tourist pass and/or a hop-on, hop-off bus ticket.
