Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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CARRIAGE RIDES
Noble Horse
(
&
312/266-7878
) maintains the largest fleet of antique horse carriages
in Chicago, stationed ar ound the old Water Tower Square at the nor thwest corner of
Chicago and Michigan avenues. Each of the drivers, outfitted in a black tie and top hat,
has his or her o wn variation on the basic M agnificent Mile itinerary (you can also do
tours of the lakefront, river, Lincoln Park, and Buckingham Fountain). The charge is $35
for each half-hour for up to four people. The coaches run year-round, with convertible
coaches in the warm months and enclosed carriages furnished with wool blankets on
bone-chilling nights. There are several other carriage operators, all of whom pick up rid-
ers in the vicinity.
ORIENTATION TOURS
Chicago Trolley Company
All ages.
Chicago Trolley Company offers guided tours
on a fleet of r ubber-wheeled “S an F rancisco-style” tr olleys that stop at a number of
popular spots ar ound the city , including N avy P ier, the G rant P ark museums, the
Museum of Science and Industry, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the cluster of theme restaurants
in River North. If you can bear the touristy-ness of it all, y ou'll find that the tours ar e
fun and informative, especially if you get a good driver. You can stay on for the full 1
1
/
2
-
hour ride or get on and off at each stop . The tr olleys operate y ear-round, but in the
winter you won't need to bundle the kids in sno wsuits: The vehicles are enclosed and
heated in the chilliest months. The same company also operates the Chicago D ouble
Decker Company, which has a fleet of London-style, r ed, two-stor y buses. The buses
follow the same route as the trolleys; if you buy an all-day pass, you can hop from bus to
trolley at any point. You can buy tickets online or at any of the stops.
&
773/648-5000.
www.chicagotrolley.com. All-day hop-on, hop-off pass $25 adults , $20 seniors, $10
children 3-11. Family package (2 adults, 2 children) $64. Daily 9am-5pm (until 6:30pm Apr-Oct).
Gray Line
Ages 8 & up.
Part of a company that offers bus tours worldwide, G ray
Line Chicago giv es professional tours in w ell-appointed buses. M ost tours r un 3 to 4
hours, so this is r ecommended only for kids who will sit for that long. Tours include
lunch and featur e highlights of do wntown or v arious neighborhoods; some tours also
include a cruise on Lake Michigan or a visit to the S ears Tower Skydeck.
27 E. Monroe St., Ste. 515.
&
800/621-4153
or 312/251-3107. www.grayline.com. Tours $20-$50.
CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION TOURS
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Chicago's architecture is world famous.
Luckily, the Chicago Ar chitecture Foundation offers first-rate guided tours to help visi-
tors understand what makes this city's skyline so special. The foundation offers walking,
bike, boat, and bus tours to mor e than 60 ar chitectural sites and envir onments in and
around Chicago, led b y nearly 400 trained and enthusiastic docents (all v olunteers). I
highly recommend taking at least one CAF tour while y ou're in to wn—they help y ou
look at (and appr eciate) the city in a ne w way. Tours are available year-round but ar e
scheduled less frequently in winter.
One of the CAF' s most popular tours is the 1
1
/
2
-hour
Architecture River C ruise,
which glides along both the nor th and the south branches of the Chicago Riv er.
Although you can see the same 50 or so buildings b y foot, trav eling by water lets y ou
enjoy the buildings from a unique perspective. The excellent docents also provide inter-
esting historical details, as well as some fun facts (David Letterman once called the busts
of the nation's retailing legends that face the Merchandise Mart the “Pez Hall of Fame”).
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