Chicago History Classes Chicago - 1893 World's Fair Tour

1893 World's Fair Tour

with Multiple Guides at Chicago Detours

TOP RATED

5.0 | 26 reviews

374 Have Dabbled

MEET YOUR HOST

Multiple Guides at Chicago Detours

ABOUT THIS EVENT

Event Category

Education

Event Overview

1893 World’s Fair Tour Overview

This very special walking tour digs into how and why the 1893 World’s Fair captures imaginations more than any other event in Chicago history. Unlike other World’s Fair tours and Devil in the White City tours, which likely revolve around facts and trivia, you’ll dig deeper on this tour.

On this fun and insightful walking tour, you’ll venture into beautiful architectural spaces from the era. You will play a few thoughtfully designed games, like visual scavenger hunts. Along with guide commentary, your guide will show you on shared iPads material from archives and photographs that illuminate this event, also known as the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

This downtown tour visits some of the few remaining and spectacular buildings from the time of the World’s Fair. The fairgrounds themselves were south of downtown, but you can best see the impact of the fair in the Loop. Here the architecture and landscape still show the World’s Fair imprint even today, nearly 125 years later. And beyond just looking at buildings from outside, our mostly indoor walking tour sees the beauty of architectural details within.

You can think of this 2.5-hour-long walking tour as being 5% outdoors, 95% indoors, 20% clue-based games and visual scavenger hunts, 10% drinking time, and 100% awesome historical tour time. We know the math doesn’t add up – we hope you get the idea!

This is an architecture and history walking tour with one stop at a historic Chicago bar where we all raise a glass together. At our first stop you can come early to order a drink, and you may want to order drinks after the tour at our last stop.

With just intermittent walks outside, the 1893 World’s Fair Tour makes for a great walking tour in all seasons. This tour makes the World’s Fair’s lasting impact come to life. We hope you’ll join us!

Walking Tour Highlights

Colorful mosaics in a hotel built for the 1893 World’s Fair

The sweeping grand lobby of the Auditorium Building

Ride one of the downtown’s last human-operated elevators

A secret building hidden in an alley

See the Monadnock Building, a landmark early skyscraper

The opulent Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, once an exclusive men’s club

Stories and Ideas

The rapid changes in culture around the turn of the century

The 1893 Fair’s array of foods and even food sculpture

Parlor songs of the past

The beginnings of consumer culture and advertising

Amusements on the Midway at the 1893 World’s Fair

Reservation Does Not Include:

Drinks: During the tour, we visit a historic bar and have a drink together. To streamline the tour, we take your order and cash for this drink at check-in ($8 for beer, $10 for wine, includes gratuity). THESE FEES INCLUDE OUR RATHER HIGH CHICAGO RESTAURANT TAXES AND SERVER GRATUITY. At the tour meeting spot, we welcome you to get a drink at the bar before check-in. You may also find awesome bar options at our final stop for a third drink, if you'd like.

THIS IS NOT A FOOD TOUR. Dietary restrictions: one small snack is included. It is vegetarian and gluten free. We cannot accommodate other dietary restrictions.

Tour guide gratuity.

Walking distance: 0.9 mile

What to Bring

During the tour, we visit a historic bar and have a drink together. To streamline the tour, we take your order and cash for this drink at check-in ($8 for beer, $10 for wine, includes gratuity). Drinks at first and last stop may be purchased separately.

Minimum age

All ages welcome

Prerequisites

IMPORTANT: After registration, please send a message to us (using the link on the event page below) with your email address so we can send along a map and other event details.

What's Provided

*Professional tour guide commentary *Shared iPads with historic photos *One light snack *Game prizes and gifts

Cancellation Policy

Location

Congress Plaza Hotel

Chicago, IL, 60605

Staticmap?zoom=15&size=3200x300&markers=size:small%7ccolor:red%7c41.875069, 87

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MORE ABOUT YOUR HOST

Multiple Guides at Chicago Detours

TOP RATED

We are a group of educators, historians, artists and story-tellers. Founder Amanda Scotese launched Chicago Detours in July 2010 after close to a decade of travel in Italy as a Tour Guide and Guidebook Researcher with Rick Steves’ Europe. She decided to bring her travel expertise back home with tour experiences that are fun, educational, and truly make us feel connected with our grand city. Our professional Chicago tour guides are highly trained and educated, and we know how to spark discussions and create a lively group dynamic on our public and private group tours of Chicago. Today we are a community of Chicagoans passionate about sharing the architecture, history, and culture of Chicago through the Chicago Detours blog and our guided walking and bus tours.

MESSAGE HOST VIEW PROFILE

EXPERIENCE REVIEWS

Laura S.
Reviewed on 02/24/20

This tour was fantastic. It was engaging and interesting. I learned so many new things and explored new parts of the city. I highly recommend this tour.

This tour was fantastic. It was engaging and interesting. I learned so many new things and explored new parts of the city. I highly recommend this tour.
Amy A C.
Reviewed on 10/15/19

The tour was entertaining and informative. The games added a nice twist to traditional tours and made me recall early information during the tour.
I also liked the time to sit down and enjoy a beer in a real establishment. We paid for a “2nd beer” but were only given one. They was confusing. So, I recommend not handing $ over at the beginning of the tour for this part of the experience.

The tour was entertaining and informative. The games added a nice twist to traditional tours and made me recall early information during the tour.
I also liked the time to sit down and enjoy a beer in a real establishment. We paid for a “2nd beer” but were only given one. They was confusing. So, I recommend not handing $ over at the beginning of the tour for this part of the experience.
Lucy O.
Reviewed on 06/24/19

This was an a very informative, fun and engaging experience! I would highly recommend this tour!

This was an a very informative, fun and engaging experience! I would highly recommend this tour!
Nicole C.
Reviewed on 04/21/19

Our tour was very informative and a great mix of fun and educational.

Our tour was very informative and a great mix of fun and educational.
Kim G.
Reviewed on 03/04/19

Tons of fun learning more about Chicago architecture and the World's Fair! Will definitely be trying the other Detour tours when we have friends and family in town.

Tons of fun learning more about Chicago architecture and the World's Fair! Will definitely be trying the other Detour tours when we have friends and family in town.
Molly H.
Reviewed on 02/22/19

Awesome experience!

Awesome experience!
Kasia M.
Reviewed on 01/08/19

My girlfriends and I had so much fun! Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and funny.

My girlfriends and I had so much fun! Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and funny.
Elana K.
Reviewed on 02/16/18

We had the best time on this tour. We were looking to do something fun and different and get to know Chicago in a new way - this tour hit all the marks. Elizabeth is exactly the kind of tour guide I like - someone who knows a ton and whose excitement about the place you're in makes you more excited and connected to it too. This tour is a great way to spend an evening whether you've been here a while, just moved, or are only passing through! Enjoy!

We had the best time on this tour. We were looking to do something fun and different and get to know Chicago in a new way - this tour hit all the marks. Elizabeth is exactly the kind of tour guide I like - someone who knows a ton and whose excitement about the place you're in makes you more excited and connected to it too. This tour is a great way to spend an evening whether you've been here a while, just moved, or are only passing through! Enjoy!
Sam M.
Reviewed on 06/09/17

This tour was sooo fun! I used to be a tour guide so I wasn't sure I would learn anything but I definitely did, and it was even super fun beyond that. We took it a while ago and now we love showing visitors around to all the fun little spots we discovered on this tour. Plus the food is delicious!

This tour was sooo fun! I used to be a tour guide so I wasn't sure I would learn anything but I definitely did, and it was even super fun beyond that. We took it a while ago and now we love showing visitors around to all the fun little spots we discovered on this tour. Plus the food is delicious!
Arianna B.
Reviewed on 05/08/17

Alex is a fantastic and very informative tour guide! The stories and sights were fascinating and left much to reflect upon! I would highly recommend this tour!

Alex is a fantastic and very informative tour guide! The stories and sights were fascinating and left much to reflect upon! I would highly recommend this tour!
Melissa M.
Reviewed on 03/27/17

This was a fun and informative tour. Learned lots of new facts and it made for a good time despite the rain. Nice alternative to the usual date night.

This was a fun and informative tour. Learned lots of new facts and it made for a good time despite the rain. Nice alternative to the usual date night.
Brittany W.
Reviewed on 03/13/17

We had a wonderful time on this tour!! Our guide, Elizabeth, was fantastic in every way. Not only was she knowledgeable about the historical aspects of our tour, we threw her questions about Chicago history in general and she caught them all. She also did a wonderful job navigating our XL group through the streets of Chicago, and she elegantly handled a run-in with a heckler. I will definitely recommend this tour to friends and look for other Chicago Detours to attend!

We had a wonderful time on this tour!! Our guide, Elizabeth, was fantastic in every way. Not only was she knowledgeable about the historical aspects of our tour, we threw her questions about Chicago history in general and she caught them all. She also did a wonderful job navigating our XL group through the streets of Chicago, and she elegantly handled a run-in with a heckler. I will definitely recommend this tour to friends and look for other Chicago Detours to attend!
Maris B.
Reviewed on 02/16/17

I had a great time on this tour. I learned a lot of things about Chicago even though I live here as well as about the World's Fair and the lasting impacts. I will definitely do another tour with this group but there is a fair amount of walking so I'd sign up when the weather isn't subzero.

I had a great time on this tour. I learned a lot of things about Chicago even though I live here as well as about the World's Fair and the lasting impacts. I will definitely do another tour with this group but there is a fair amount of walking so I'd sign up when the weather isn't subzero.
Kate M.
Reviewed on 02/15/17

This was a lot of fun! Really enjoyed what we learned as well as all the team play.

This was a lot of fun! Really enjoyed what we learned as well as all the team play.
Katie R.
Reviewed on 01/28/17

Tour was so awesome and fun. We were all local chicagoans but really enjoyed learning new things about the fair. Super fun games too.

Tour was so awesome and fun. We were all local chicagoans but really enjoyed learning new things about the fair. Super fun games too.
Robyn S.
Reviewed on 10/03/16

I wasn't aware that the class would be with Chicago Detours, so when I was first at the hotel I didn't know where to find the group. Once I figured that out, the tour was great! Very informative and fun, even for a Chicagoan. Would definitely recommend to others!

I wasn't aware that the class would be with Chicago Detours, so when I was first at the hotel I didn't know where to find the group. Once I figured that out, the tour was great! Very informative and fun, even for a Chicagoan. Would definitely recommend to others!
Sarah C.
Reviewed on 08/15/16

Great class! As promised, you do get to see a lot of places in Chicago that otherwise you would miss. (And I should know, as I live here!) The teacher Alex knows his stuff - so be prepared to come with questions. The gist of it? I would highly recommend this class to anyone who has even the slightest interest in the 1893 World's Fair. It's worth the money and the time.

Great class! As promised, you do get to see a lot of places in Chicago that otherwise you would miss. (And I should know, as I live here!) The teacher Alex knows his stuff - so be prepared to come with questions. The gist of it? I would highly recommend this class to anyone who has even the slightest interest in the 1893 World's Fair. It's worth the money and the time.
Jennifer B.
Reviewed on 08/08/16

This was a great tour! neat trivia and fun games along the way, not to mention the snacks and drinks! Even as a local, I visited places I had never been in before. I highly recommend this one! Also Elizabeth was a great guide!

This was a great tour! neat trivia and fun games along the way, not to mention the snacks and drinks! Even as a local, I visited places I had never been in before. I highly recommend this one! Also Elizabeth was a great guide!
Rachel C.
Reviewed on 08/02/16

So much fun and very informative. The guide was entertaining and well-prepared. Though not so much about the fair itself, I learned lots about the World's Fair from a different perspective.

So much fun and very informative. The guide was entertaining and well-prepared. Though not so much about the fair itself, I learned lots about the World's Fair from a different perspective.
Susan K.
Reviewed on 07/25/16

This was a great tour! Fun and educational! I would highly recommend to locals and out of towers alike.

This was a great tour! Fun and educational! I would highly recommend to locals and out of towers alike.
Kimberly M.
Reviewed on 07/16/16

Informative and entertaining with great food and a great guide

Informative and entertaining with great food and a great guide
Hill R.
Reviewed on 07/04/16

Interesting tour loaded with fun facts and likely places you've never seen whether you're a local or just visiting! Bring your walking shoes.

Interesting tour loaded with fun facts and likely places you've never seen whether you're a local or just visiting! Bring your walking shoes.

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