The ‘L’ – Roots of a Chicago Landmark
The ‘L’ system is the centerpiece of Chicago’s mass transit system. From the tight corners and subways of the Loop to the farthest terminus stations, the ‘L’ ties Chicago together. According to the Chicago Transit Authority, the total system is 102.8 miles long and carried 238.45 million fares in 2014. That makes it one of the largest and […]
Decade in Review as a Small Business in Chicago
We are gearing up to celebrate 10 years as a small business here in the fine city of Chicago. The end of the 2010s marks the end of our first decade! Amanda Scotese, our fearless small business leader, founded Chicago Detours back in 2010. In that time we have grown by leaps and bounds. We are finishing […]
Five Reasons to Visit Chicago in Winter
There are tons of great reasons to visit Chicago in winter. No, it won’t be very warm. Yes, the odds are relatively high that you’ll get buried in a blizzard. But don’t let that deter you! You can always take a winter tour that keeps you toasty. Here’s at least five great reasons to visit […]
Five Kids Activities in the Loop for Spring Break
Spring Break is finally upon us! It’s an exciting time to be a kid this week. However, Chicago’s public school parents might be stressed about figuring out what to do with all this free time. So we came up with a list of the four great kids activities in the Loop. #1: Playing at Maggie […]
The Wabash Lights and New Trends in Public Art
The Wabash Lights, a new Kickstarter-funded interactive public art installation, launched its beta test Thursday night. The beta test is an installation of four twelve-foot lengths of LED lights underneath the ‘L’ tracks between Monroe and Adams. Eventually, the Wabash Lights will run the length of seven blocks, from Van Buren Street to Lake Street. Passers-by will use their phones to change the […]
What Working for Rick Steves is Really Like
“What’s working for Rick Steves like?” I’ve heard that question many times since I worked as one of his tour guides in Europe. Rick Steves and his partner, Trish, joined me on the Loop Interior Architecture Walking Tour back in 2016. So I thought I’d answer a few of those common questions for our tour […]