Chicago Tribune 7/6/2006

Tours aren't just for tourists

[Chicago Final , CN Edition]
Chicago Tribune - Chicago, Ill.
Authors: Trine Tsouderos, Linda Bergstrom and Lara Weber, Phil Vettel, Kevin Pang, Monica Eng, Fauzia Arain, Mark Caro and Judy Hevrdejs, Tribune Staff Reporters
Date: July 7, 2006
Section: At Play
Document Types: Feature

We tried boats, trains and beyond so you can be a tourist in your own city

There are so many ways to see Chicago, yet we tend to leave the tours to the tourists.
Not anymore.
Why should out-of-towners have all the fun? We can't pretend to know everything interesting about our city. Yet we come to work every day, breezing past the folks soaking up sightseeing tidbits while lounging on boats, scooting on Segways, pedaling on bikes, riding buses or just moving on their own feet.
So nine of us set out to take some of the many tours offered around town. These represent just the tip of the touring iceberg--so go out and dig deeper.

1. Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Cruise

Overview: Relax in a plastic chair on deck as a cheerful guide points out Chicago's spectacular riverside architecture and offers up historic tidbits along the way. Beer, wine, soda, bottled and mixed drinks can be purchased below deck.
Where: Boards at Navy Pier's Ogden Slip and travels the Chicago River on both branches.
When: Starting at 10 a.m. and running through the afternoon, boats leave almost every half hour on weekends and holidays and at 45-minute intervals on most weekdays .
Duration: One hour How much: $22 adults, $19 seniors and $11 children on weekdays; $24, $21 and $12 on weekends.
Contact: Call 312-222-328. You can also buy tickets on the Web site, www.shorelinesightseeing.com, and at the Shoreline kiosk at Ogden Slip.
Who's on it: Conventioneers, parents looking for something to do with their teenagers, tourist couples and singles out killing time.
Exertion factor: Nil, unless you consider sitting exerting.
The most interesting thing I learned: Recent development along the river is striking, especially considering the waterway was once little more than a channel of sewage.
What I didn't need to know: Our tour guide broke out a harmonica as the tour ended and played a song about the Great Chicago Fire that pushed the cheese level a notch too high.
Tips: Bring sunscreen--and don't come if you have a neck injury. There's a lot of head-craning on his tour.
Rating: 3 (cameras) (out of 4). Floating through the center of the city is probably the most relaxing way to appreciate the buildings ... and get a tan.
--Trine Tsouderos

2. `Whale Watching' Friday night happy-hour sail

Overview: This cruise--which heads out to the lake's 4-mile water intake crib and back on the Red Witch, a 77-foot wooden hull schooner--is about sailing on Lake Michigan and pretending you are a rich sailboat owner. And looking for whales. But there are no whales (you already knew that, right?).

Where: Meet the boat at Burnham Harbor, just north of McCormick Place and east of Soldier Field.

When: 5:30 p.m. Fridays (no sail Aug. 4)

Duration: 2 hours

How much: $50, includes two (!) happy-hour drinks; gratuity and taxes extra.

Contact: Lakeshore Sail Charters: www.redwitch.com or 312-404-5800.

Who's it for: Tourists, yes, but also locals who just want to sail on the lake. Kids would feel out of place, and, most likely, bored. Our cruise had a middle-aged crowd, with some hard-core partiers (you can BYOB).

Exertion factor: You can raise a sail or take the helm for a while. But you can also just sit and enjoy the lake breezes and city skyline from afar.

Most interesting thing I learned: There is no commentary, except for a brief introduction, though the friendly crew will fill you in on what you need to know.

What I didn't need to know: The exploits of the drunken foursome who were on the boat.

Tips: Bring a jacket. There's parking ($16) in an adjacent lot.

Rating: 4 (cameras) (4 being the highest). A bit pricey, but an absolutely lovely, laid-back way to end the week.

--Linda Bergstrom

3. Chicago Double Decker Tour

Overview: Red double-decker buses roll around downtown--from the John Hancock Center to Museum Campus--while a guide points out highlights and provides general historical background. Ticketholders can get on and off the buses all day, using the service as an easy mode of transportation.
Where: 13 stops around Chicago's downtown. We boarded at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River.
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (last pickup) daily.
Duration: 2 hours for the downtown tour. Two bonus routes (included in the ticket price) travel beyond the downtown area.
How much: $25; $10, ages 3-11; $20, age 65 and older. Tickets can be purchased day of tour at any tour stop, 10 percent discount if tickets purchased online
Contact: 773-648-5000, www.chicagodoubledecker.com.
Who's it for: Tourists. Great for families, as it gives everyone a break from walking without giving up the sightseeing. Buses are not wheelchair accessible, but the trolleys are.
Exertion factor: Not much. If you can climb a few stairs, you can sit up top. Seating inside the bus is available.
Most interesting thing I learned: Sitting above the traffic is a nice treat and puts you at eye-level with architectural details you'd normally miss.
What I didn't need to know: Although the tour guide didn't offer any dumb Chicago jokes, a group of Southern guys on the tour did.
Tips: Don't wear a hat that can blow off your head. Sit on the left side (the right side had to duck for tree branches).
Rating: 3 1/2 (cameras). For an overview of the city and a way to cheat on transportation, the double-decker can't be beat.
--Lara Weber

4. Loop Tour Train

Overview: Visitors are escorted one block to the Randolph and Wabash CTA station, where they board a special train for three slow circuits around the Loop while a Chicago Architecture Foundation docent points out buildings of historic, cultural and architectural interest.
Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St.
When: 11 and 11:40 a.m., 12:20 and 1 p.m., Saturdays only.
Duration: 1 hour all told, though the train part is only 40 minutes.
Who's it for: Mostly out-of-state adults (and one couple from Bangkok on my tour). Children OK, especially if they like train rides.
How much: Free, but tickets required. Tickets available day of the tour only, first-come, first-served (the Cultural Center opens at 9 a.m.).
Contact: 312-744-2400, but don't bother. It connects you to the city's main tourist information line, which offers no details about the tour.
Exertion factor: Almost nil. You climb the equivalent of three flights of stairs and sit the rest of the time. The tour is wheelchair accessible.
Most interesting thing I learned: The pigeon's-eye view of the Loop buildings' artistic elements. Much of the terra-cotta detailing is right at Loop-rider level.
What I didn't need to know: The painful audience-participation intro by a docent who urged us to go "neener neener" in the direction of New York and later told us that the new Fire soccer stadium was in Bridgeport. (It's in Bridgeview.)
Tips: Sit in the rearmost car, where the docent sits. That way, if the sound system experiences technical difficulties (which happened on my tour), you can still hear every word.
Rating: 3 (cameras). The price is right; you learn a lot in a short time, and it brings people to the Cultural Center, which is fascinating in its own right.
-- Phil Vettel

5. Segway Park Glide Tour

Overview: A guided tour of Grant Park, the Museum Campus and the Lakefront on a Segway Human Transporter. Tours, which travel sidewalks and bike paths, accommodate groups of up to 8 people.
Where: Meet at 224 S. Michigan Ave. (entrance on Jackson Blvd.).
When: Six tours daily.
Duration: 2 breezy hours
Who's it for: People who want to ride a Segway. Tour is for those 12 and up, and who don't mind standing (no walking or sitting involved) for a couple of hours.
How much: $70
Contact: 312-663-0600, www.segwayexperience.com
Exertion factor: My legs got a bit tired after a while. Halfway through the tour, we stepped off the Segway and stretched for a few minutes.
Most interesting thing I learned: How to ride a Segway! We spent 20 minutes going through basic instructions and safety rules. After that, I was spinning and gliding like Michelle Kwan.
What I didn't need to know: That my two hours were up.
Tips: Wear comfortable shoes. Keep your back straight when you step off the Segway so it doesn't tip over.
Rating: 4 (cameras). It's a Segway. Segway!
-- Kevin Pang

6. Chicago Taste of the Neighborhood Tour

Overview: A guided tour on a big honking bus that goes to at least three stops in Chicago neighborhoods. It includes a bit of history on the neighborhood on the way and a lot of information about the type of food you are about to sample.
Where: Check in at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St.
When: Program starts at 9:30 a.m., and the bus leaves at 10 a.m.
Duration: 5 hours, which pass quickly.
Who's it for: Foodies and those interested in Chicago's ethnic communities and neighborhoods, including kids maybe 8 and older. Our tour was nearly all suburban women ages 20 to 65 with three men (husbands) tagging along.
How much: $50 with transportation, food and tips included.
Contact: 312-742-1190 for tour reservations.
Exertion factor: Almost none. You get on the tour bus, you listen to the information about the food and area about to be visited, and then you get off the bus and eat food that is waiting for you. You're also given time to browse.
Most interesting thing I learned: That the Incas developed freeze-dried potatoes in the Peruvian highlands.
What I didn't need to know: Some facts about Chicago neighborhoods with which I was already familiar (but that's only because I cover this stuff).
Tips: Book months in advance. These sell out quickly. Some of the ladies on the trip booked this June tour in January.
Rating: 4 (cameras). For this price, this is one of the best ways of getting a quick culinary tour, in bite-sized chunks, of Chicago neighborhoods. -- Monica Eng

7. Seadog: Speedboat Lake

Overview: This tour is less about information and more about the experience of being on a speedboat on Lake Michigan. Major landmarks are pointed out, but only those with no basic knowledge of the city will get schooled.
Where: Navy Pier's Dock Street, across from the Ferris wheel
When: Multiple departures daily, 10 a.m.-close of Navy Pier each night.
Duration: 30 minutes, which felt just about right.
Who's it for: Families, couples, loners (like me that day). On our weekday morning tour, the split between tourists and suburbanites seemed to be about 50-50.
How much: $19 adults, $14 kids 4-12.
Contact: 312-822-7200
Exertion factor: None to speak of, though it does provide a mild thrill to race through the water.
Most interesting thing I learned: Nothing. Don't take this tour if you want to learn anything about Chicago, but the view of the skyline and lakeshore is still excellent.
What I didn't need to know: The goofy and very rehearsed guide "banter" included many cheeseball sound effects and often-repeated calls of "Yarrr!" That was all in the first four minutes.
Tips: Don't bring little kids because it's windy and can get wet.
Rating: 2 (cameras). More entertaining than informative.
-- Fauzia Arain

8. Bobby's Bike Hike: `City in a Garden' tour

Overview: One of three Bobby's bike tours, this one travels through Millennium and Grant Parks, the Museum Campus, the Prairie Avenue Historic District and back along the lakefront. Tour covers about 7 miles, with stops for talking.
Where: 465 N. McClurg Court, entrance down the dock east of Dick's Last Resort.
When: 10 a.m. daily
Duration: 3 hours
Who's it for: Out-of-towners, suburbanites and the occasional citydweller who prefers an active approach to touring. Kids are welcome, and Bobby's books tours for camp and school groups.
How much: $30 adults, $24 students, $18 kids under 12.
Contact: 312-915-0995; bobbysbikehike.com.
Exertion factor: Not terribly taxing for a regular bike rider, perhaps moreso for someone who rarely rides. The bikes are new 3-speed Schwinn Cruisers, which do the basic job of transporting you without letting you build up much speed.
Most interesting thing I learned: I haven't confirmed this, but apparently the Marina Towers parking garages originally were designed with the thought that cars eventually could fly in and out of the spaces.
What I didn't need to know: That the twisting Fordham Spire will be only the second high rise east of Lake Shore Drive, after Lake Point Tower. Actually, the skyscraper is slated for west of Lake Shore Drive. (The easygoing guide otherwise was knowledgeable.)
Tips: Helmets are provided, though optional for adults. But water bottles aren't available, and the bikes lack bottle holders in case you bring your own.
Rating: 3 1/2 (cameras). A fun way to explore the downtown parks and South Loop while discovering unfamiliar nooks and crannies.
-- Mark Caro

9. Chicago at Sunset Tour

Overview: An evening Wendella Sightseeing Boat cruise that takes you along the lakefront up toward North Avenue (where you view the sunset over the beach), then back south to Buckingham Fountain (and its own light show).
Where: The Wendella dock at 400 N. Michigan Ave.
When: 7:45 p.m. daily through Sept. 4, rain or shine. A bonus: The skyline lights up with fireworks on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Duration: 2 hours
Who's it for: Anyone who appreciates sunsets and the wow factor of the city's buildings lighting up at night, plus those who can keep their eyes open until 9:45 p.m. and own a pair of sea legs.
How much: $22; $20 for seniors; $11 for children 3-11; children under 3 free.
Contact: 312-337-1446. www.wendellaboats.com
Exertion factor: Zip--unless you count the effort required to walk to the main deck bar then walk back up the stairs to the upper deck, juggling three filled-to-the-brim glasses of beer.
Most interesting thing I learned: Cruise guide Dale kept chatter to a minimum (thank you), but he did offer this nugget: "The city has 88 bridges, and that's more than any city in the whole world."
What I didn't need to know: After warning folks to not stand on the benches because you can go overboard, Captain Willy quipped: "That would be a lot of paperwork."
Tips: There's food and snack service on board. You also can bring on eats, drinks--but no alcoholic beverages.
Rating: 3 1/2 (cameras). Best photos up top, but for adventure and a lovely lake spray, sit at the bow.
-- Judy Hevrdejs

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