Chicago North Side Panoramic Tour

Itinerary

You will be picked up from your hotel in an air-conditioned coach for your exciting Chicago North Side Panoramic tour. If you are not staying in a downtown hotel please make your way to the Grayline office on the 2nd Floor, Talmer House, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago to join the tour.

With your English-speaking guide, you will drive past many of the highlights of Chicago, one of the world’s most dynamic cities. There will be a 20-minute stop on the way. Key points of your tour include:

• The Loop: The historical center of downtown Chicago, so-called because it lies within the loop created by the route of the elevated train system.

• State Street: Dates from the early days of Chicago’s development. In the 1900s it became a famous shopping center. Frank Sinatra, in the song ‘Chicago’, refers it to “State Street, that Great Street”.

• Richard J. Daley Plaza: An important public space where major events are held. It features a massive steel sculpture by Pablo Picasso.

• Wacker Drive: A double-decked thoroughfare. The upper level is intended for local traffic and the lower level is for through-traffic and trucks servicing buildings on the road.

• Chicago River: The flow of this river was actually reversed in the 19th century by a spectacular feat of engineering. The purpose was to stop pollution of Lake Michigan. On St Patrick’s Day the river is colored green with eco-friendly dyes.

• Wrigley Building: The headquarters of the Wrigley (chewing gum) company. Built in 1920, it is one of Chicago’s most famous landmarks.

• Magnificent Mile and Michigan Avenue: Chicago’s most exclusive shopping area. It has famous upscale stores – such as Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom – luxury boutiques such as Cartier and Hermès, and many famous restaurants and hotels.

• Water Tower Place: A 74-story skyscraper containing a hotel, offices and apartments, plus an elegant seven-level shopping complex.

• John Hancock Center: This 100-story building is an architectural icon and one of the world’s tallest buildings.

• Lincoln Park: One thousand acres of greenery, lagoons, flower gardens and a zoo. The park also houses a splendid replica of an Indian totem pole.You will have a 20-minute stop at Lincoln Park Conservatory, where tropical palms, ancient ferns, orchids and aquatic plants thrive in a beautiful 19th century glasshouse.

• Wrigley Field: Built in 1914, this baseball stadium has been the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916.

• Chicago Botanic Garden: A 385-acre garden with world-famous plant collections situated on nine islands surrounded by lakes.

• Chicago History Museum: Founded in 1856, the museum has been severely damaged by fire twice, but nevertheless houses a large and important collection.

• Newberry Reference Library: A research library for the humanities and social sciences founded in 1887.

At the end of your sightseeing tour, you will be dropped back at the starting point.