Bus & Trolley Tours

Recommended Tours

Why a Bus or Trolley Tour?CAF docents will open your eyes to the many unique aspects of Chicago with a wide variety of bus and trolley tours covering more ground than you can on foot.

SEE MORE OF CHICAGO

Architectural Highlights by BusOur most comprehensive tour covers 30 miles of Chicago design and includes sites in the Loop, Hyde Park, Gold Coast, the Lake Front, two university campuses, parks and residential neighborhoods. Stops, with some interior tours, are made in the Loop, at Mies van der Rohe’s IIT campus, at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House and on the Museum Campus. The Robie House interior tour is provided by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.

3.5 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $450.00 plus $15 per person for admission to the Robie House

Devil in the White City Bus TourExplore the compelling true story told by Erik Larson in his best-selling book, The Devil in the White City about two simultaneous events in Chicago history: the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the emergence of serial murderer Dr. Henry H. Holmes. Begin with a presentation featuring period photographs of the Fair and its central characters, then embark on a bus tour to locations and buildings that fairgoers would have experienced. This diverse tour stops at the street that was home to Chicago’s business and social elite during the Fair, winds past the home of Fair critic Ida B. Wells, highlights the Midway and the site of the Ferris Wheel, and stops for a short walking tour of the Fairgrounds in Jackson Park. Those who have read Erik Larson’s book will learn more about the circumstances surrounding the Fair and Dr. Holmes; those haven’t will find this tour to be a fascinating introduction to both.

3.25 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $450.00

BEYOND DOWNTOWN

Frank Lloyd Wright By Bus: An Introduction to his Life and ArchitectureDiscover the neighborhood where Wright lived and where the famed Prairie Style of architecture evolved. The tour includes bus transportation to and from Oak Park with commentary by a CAF docent, a one-hour interior tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, and a one-hour guided walking tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District. The interior tour of the Home and Studio is conducted by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. The walking portion of the tour is approximately 3/4 mile in length.

4 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $500.00 plus $17 per person for admission to the Home and Studio

Farnsworth House By BusLocated in a rural site 62 miles Southwest of Chicago, Farnsworth House— the famous glass house in the woods—is one of the world’s great architectural masterpieces, created by Mies van der Rohe. A leader of the modernist movement, Mies lived and worked in Chicago for more than 50 years, forever changing the face of architecture. Focused exclusively on Farnsworth House, tour both the interior and exterior.

4.5 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $450.00 plus $17 per person for admission to Farnsworth House

Farnsworth House PLUSFarnsworth House, Crown Hall and 860-880 Lake Shore Drive are included in this tour of world-renowned works of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a leader of modernism who revolutionized the architecture of our era. Begin with a visit to the iconic twin towers designed by Mies at 860-880 Lake Shore Drive. Next, tour Crown Hall on the campus of Illinois Institute of Technology. Finish with a guided tour of the exterior and interior of Farnsworth House, the famous glass house in the woods created by Mies at a rural site 62 miles southwest of Chicago. We travel by deluxe motorcoach and stop for an included lunch en route.

7.5 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $650.00 plus $17 per person for admission to Farnsworth House and $16 per person for lunch

Contact the CAF Group Sales Department at groupsales@architecture.org or 312.322.1130

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OTHER TOURS BY TROLLEY

Skyline Vistas by TrolleyThis tour introduces you to the city as only the Chicago Architecture Foundation can, viewing our skyline from unique perspectives. See Grant Park, the Museum Campus, Millennium Park and Chicago’s expansive downtown parks as well as emerging residential neighborhoods and commercial development. Understand the impact made by Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, the railroads and public transportation systems on the growth of the city and hear stories of the architects, landscape architects, developers, city planners and civic leaders who played key roles in shaping Chicago.

Travel the famous routes of Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. At three stops you’ll have a chance to get off the bus and view the world-famous skyline that defines Chicago as a vibrant center for architecture. These specially-selected vantage points are unique and not always seen by visitors. At the end of this tour you’ll know Chicago far better than the casual observer and be ready to explore further on your own!

1.75 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $400.00

Art Deco Skyscrapers: Riverfront Trolley and Walking TourArt Deco was a popular modern style whose lavish materials and geometric ornament epitomized the prosperity and optimism of the Roaring 20s. As the city’s central business district expanded to and across the Chicago River, sumptuous Art Deco office towers replaced factories and warehouses along the riverfront.

Ride a trolley to three sites, then disembark to view up-close the soaring exteriors and opulent interiors of these beautiful Deco skyscrapers. Learn the origins of Art Deco and the popular motifs that are its hallmarks throughout the world, while admiring such buildings as the Burnham Brothers’ Carbide and Carbon Building (now the Hard Rock Hotel), the Engineering Building (205 West Wacker), Holabird and Root’s Chicago Daily News Building (Two North Riverside Plaza) and 333 North Michigan Avenue.

1.75 HOURS / STEP-ON GUIDE $400.00

Contact the CAF Group Sales Department at groupsales@architecture.org or 312.322.1130

INQUIRE ABOUT RATES INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION