Architecture and History of the Marquette Building
The Marquette Building, a landmark Chicago skyscraper from 1895, is a stunner. Right in the heart of the Loop, it’s one of the best extant examples of the Chicago School of architecture. Like many of Chicago’s architectural marvels, it fell into a state of neglect in the 20th century. Today, meticulous work has restored the […]
Chicago’s Most Haunted Historic Buildings
It’s the spookiest time of the year, so we’re checking out Chicago’s most haunted historic buildings. Located in and around downtown, these venues have a history of things going bump in the night. They’re also grand and glamorous examples of our city’s rich architectural and social history. Who cares about that on Halloween? We wanna […]
Top 10 Architectural Sites for Open House Chicago 2018
It’s the middle of October, which means its time for Open House Chicago! Even though the Chicago Architecture Center is technically our competition we can still unconditionally love this awesome annual architectural event. So here’s a list of some awesome neighborhood locations we recommend visiting during Open House Chicago 2018 to visit Chicago architecture. We […]
Art on the Mart and More New Public Art in Chicago
Art on the Mart, a gigantic new public art installation, is set to debut on September 29th. Video projectors on the Chicago Riverwalk will light up the river-facing walls of the Merchandise Mart with dazzling, dynamic designs. The Art on the Mart installation is the latest in a wave of public art installations, often using […]
Visit These Six Spots for a Self-Guided SNL Chicago Tour
This self-guided SNL Chicago tour augments “SNL: The Experience,” which is at the Museum of Broadcast Communications right now. Even if you’ve already visited, this outing will be fun. Saturday Night Live will be launching its 44th (!) season on September 29th. Even though it’s “live from New York,” the roots of SNL are in Chicago’s […]
The Evolution of Wolf Point’s Buildings
Wolf Point, the Y-shaped spot where the North, South, and Main Branches of the Chicago River meet, is the at the very heart of Chicago. That junction hosted the first permanent settlement of Native Americans, French-Canadian fur trappers, and American settlers that became the city of Chicago. The ubiquitous Y-shaped municipal device that covers Chicago memorializes this location. […]
Scenic Sips: Bars with Great Views in Chicago
Grabbing drinks with friends isn’t just about the cocktail– the location is equally important. Luckily Chicago has some of the best “scenic sip” options out there thanks to its stunning architecture. If you’re looking for a new place to try around the city, check out one of these bars with great views in Chicago. While […]
Presidential Architecture and History at the Blackstone Hotel
The Blackstone Hotel, known as the “Hotel of Presidents” has long been one of the most prestigious spots in Chicago. Located on Michigan Avenue in the South Loop, where we often lead custom private tours, the grand hotel has hosted a dozen U.S. Presidents and countless celebrities, such as Marilyn Monroe, since its construction in […]
Escape Rooms for Teambuilding in Chicago
Recently, the Chicago Detours squad got together for a room escape experience in downtown. Every couple of months we get together on one of those rare afternoons and evenings which don’t have a tour. Sometimes we just hang out or we’ll try out something fun like a Segway tour. In a blog post from a […]
Today is the 25th Anniversary of the Chicago Flood
April 13, 1992 was a deeply strange day in Chicago history. By mid-morning the city center was emptied of people, something likely not seen since the Great Fire of 1871. Hundreds of thousands of workers were sent home. Venerable institutions like the Board of Trade shuttered. The city lost billions in productivity. All because, below […]