Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Wright Stuff in the Gold Coast
Architecture junkies also might want to inquire about house tours of the
Charnley-Persky House
(
&
312/915-0105
or 312/573-1365), designed by
Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan in 1891. The house is located in the
Gold Coast at 1365 N. Astor St. and would make a nice highlight to an
informal walking tour of the area. One-hour tours are offered on Wednes-
day at noon (free) and Saturday from April through November at 10am
and 1pm ($5); reservations are not accepted.
Finds
call for the latest and greatest offerings. For example, a one-time summer tour
called “A View from the Road” offered a tour of Chicago's roadside attractions.
The tour included a lunch stop at the famed Superdawg drive-in with commen-
tary by its owner and designer, and visits to the original Ray Kroc McDonald's in
Des Plaines and the Leaning Tower YMCA in Niles (yes, it's a replica of the Lean-
ing Tower of Pisa!). Other special theme bus tours have included Chicago movie
palaces and historic churches. Like I said, you never know, so give them a call.
ON FOOT
If you prefer exploring on your own two feet, the CAF offers a variety of guided
walking tours. For first-time visitors, I highly recommend two tours that give
an excellent introduction to the dramatic architecture of the Loop:
Historic
Skyscrapers,
which covers buildings built between 1880 and 1940, including
the Rookery and the Chicago Board of Trade, and
Modern Skyscrapers,
which
includes modern masterpieces by Mies van der Rohe and postmodern works by
contemporary architects. The 2-hour tours cost $12 each ($20 for both) for
adults and $9 each ($15 for both) for seniors and students. The tours are
offered daily and depart from the Archicenter at 224 S. Michigan Ave. Call
&
312/922-TOUR
for exact tour times.
The CAF also offers more than 50
neighborhood tours,
including the Gold
Coast, River North, Grant Park, Old Town, the Jackson Boulevard Historic Dis-
trict, and even the Lincoln Park Zoo. Most cost $5 to $10 and last a couple of
hours. Call
&
312/922-TOUR
for details. (See the “Special-Interest Tours” sec-
tion below for details on neighborhood tours offered by organizations other
than the CAF.)
LAKE & RIVER CRUISES
Getting out on the lake is a great way to take in Chicago's incredible skyline from
a new vantage point. Don't forget that you're always going to be at the mercy of the
weather if you book in advance: I've taken sightseeing cruises in the rain—luckily,
most boats have plenty of covered areas for this reason. But when the weather coop-
erates, the sight of sunlight glinting off the city's skyscrapers never fails to thrill.
Chicago from the Lake
All ages.
This company runs 90-minute architec-
tural river cruises and lake and river historical cruises that explore the develop-
ment of the city. Complimentary coffee (Starbucks, no less), lemonade, cookies,
and muffins are served. For tickets, call or stop by the company's ticket office,
located on the lower level on the east end of River East Plaza. Advance reserva-
tions are recommended.
Departing from Ogden Slip adjacent to River East Plaza (formerly North Pier) at the end of E. Illinois St.
&
312/527-2002.
www.chicagoline.com. Tickets $26 adults, $24 seniors, $14 children 7-18, free for chil-
dren under 7. Daily May-Oct.
