Designing a University of Chicago Tour
Special for the University of Chicago, we’ve just developed a new tour of the University of Chicago campus and surrounding neighborhoods. The University of Chicago hired us to offer this tour for “Family Weekend,” when parents, siblings and grandparents of undergraduate students come to Hyde Park to learn more about the student experience. While the […]
The Magic of Working in the Monadnock Building
The Monadnock Building is a favorite for many Chicagoans, and we are ecstatic to call it the new home for Chicago Detours. A landmark skyscraper built in the 1890s, the Monadnock has been through a lot. We research stories from Chicago history, architecture and culture like this while developing our live virtual tours, in-person private tours, and custom […]
Top Ten Things to Do in Chicago This Summer
With Memorial Day 2016 upon us, it’s finally summer time in Chicago! The city explodes with activities once the mercury gets above 60, so here’s a list of the top ten things to do in Chicago this summer. 1. Millennium Park Concerts From May until September, Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion hums with the sound of musicians […]
Seven Off the Beaten Path Chicago Museums
Chicago has some massively impressive museums. TripAdvisor named the Art Institute of Chicago the world’s top museum. The world-renowned trifecta down on Museum Campus draws huge crowds. History nerds, like myself, also have the Chicago History Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. Unfortunately, those museums tend to suck up all the attention from […]
Choosing Boat Tours in Chicago
As summer winds to a close this Labor Day weekend, we can still take advantage of the many boat tours of Chicago. Chicago is bursting with boat tour options, all that can be a fun way to experience Chicago architecture. To help you out as you plan a boat tour with family and friends, I […]
Theater’s Architectural Relic Discovered on State Street
Architectural Relic at Demolition Site I found a pretty cool architectural relic yesterday. Clinging to the walls of the former Amalgamated Bank building on State Street are plaster details that looked distinctly like they were once in a theater. My guess was that over time the details on the bottom levels of this former theater had been […]
A Helping of Famous Chicago Food History
The James Beard Awards are in Chicago for the second year in a row. Considered the “Oscars of Food,” these awards will go to the best American restaurants, chefs, and bakers. Since I don’t regularly dine at Alinea, a very high-class Chicago institution, it seemed more appropriate to write up some of the working class […]
Four Ideas for Corporate Team Building in Chicago
Team building events can be a great time or a chore, depending on what your group decides to do. As someone who has worked for both a massive company and a small local business, I can tell you that getting to know my co-workers outside of the office is always worthwhile. Heading to the closest bar […]
Exploring the Chicago French Market
A few weeks back the Chicago Detours staff had a night out at the Chicago French Market. It’s a European-inspired market located near the Ogilve Transit Center in the West Loop, just a few blocks from where our Fulton Market Food Tour runs. We were invited as part of a VIP event to celebrate the unveiling […]
The “Madhouse” Architecture of Chicago Stadium
The old Chicago Stadium stood on the Near West Side for nearly 60 years until the United Center replaced it. Known as the “Madhouse on Madison” because of its rollicking crowds, the venue hosted the Blackhawks, Bulls, national political conventions, and even an NFL playoff game. Because of its architectural design, it had deafening acoustics and vertiginous […]
