Best Chicago Day Trips & Things to Do

Some Great Ways To Experience Chicago

Exploring the city on a Chicago tour bus is, of course, one of the best ways to go! You can get caught up in being a part of the city’s inviting atmosphere, while enjoying the luxurious comforts of a modern, well-equipped tour bus.

The booming Millennium Park signifying the rebirth of Chicago’s downtown and the 13-block long Magnificent Mile are popular tourist stops on these tours.

Hop-On Hop-Off Buses

Of the many Chicago city tours hop on hop off buses offer the convenience of comfortable and dependable transportation around the city while letting you plan your own route. All the while, you are in are charge of where you hop off for a better look around and when to hop back on to make your way to the next must-see location.

Any visitor to Chicago must stop by John Hancock Center and its aptly named 360 Chicago Observatory. There is also the Chicago Children’s Museum, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and the breathtaking views you get form the top of the 15 story high Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

Chicago Tours by Bike and Segway

If you really want to get blown away by your tour of the Windy City, then there is no better way than to opt for one of the exhilarating Chicago tours by segway. Of course, a Chicago biking tour is another way to see the city in a different and exciting way.

These popular segway and bike tours include day and sunset options, with Lakefront Chicago and the spectacular Chicago skyline views being what most visitors rave about. Along with other attractions, you get the chance to ride through Grant Park, stop by Buckingham Fountain and visit Museum Campus.

Architecture Tours

Chicago’s skyline includes the Willis Tower (still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower and one of the tallest buildings in the world). This and other soaring skyscrapers mingle with Chicago’s well-preserved historic buildings.

• Hop aboard a luxurious streamliner that takes you out onto Lake Michigan. You will get the most panoramic and astounding views of South Side, Chicago’s rich and varied architectural style.

• For the more adventurous visitor, consider taking a ride on the Seadog speedboat to join a thrilling Chicago architecture boat tour. You’ll have exhilarating time on this architectural tour through the Chicago River Locks all the way up to the impressive Sears Tower.

• Join a Chicago Theater tour – This lavishly elegant theater opened on October 26, 1921 and has not lost any of its awe-inspiring appeal, thanks in part with its miniature replica of Paris' Arc de Triomphe adding to its lavish elegance.

Chicago – Your Gateway to the East Coast and Midwest

Being in Chicago makes it that much easier to plan day trips to other locations in the Midwest.

• Make your way through the Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains to visit the Lost Sea – an expansive underground lake.

• Explore the culture and heritage of Holland, Michigan and pay a visit to a real Amish farm.

• The Gateway Arch (the world’s tallest man-made monument) and the St. Louis Cathedral are definite must-sees on a multi-day Midwest tour from Chicago.

The East Coast of the USA is also readily accessible from Chicago. A great idea is to join a tour from Chicago to Niagara Falls. Your Chicago tour package will lead you to:

• Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia

• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the White House in Washington DC

• Historical and beautiful Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts

• Niagara Falls for a ride on the enchanting Maid of the Mist