Chicago Bus Tour: Iconic Landmarks & Views
3.9
2,235 Ratings

Discover the iconic attractions of Chicago at your own pace with a Hop-On Hop-Off tour. Explore skyscrapers, museums, and more with 24 or 48-hour tickets.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

Red Loop (Route)

Operating Schedule: Available daily: First Bus at 10 AM, Last Bus at 4 PM. Loop duration: 2 hours.
Download the complimentary Big Bus app for stop locations, city insights, and real-time bus tracking.
1. Riverwalk
Stop 1 - Chicago Riverwalk (98 E. Wacker Drive, across the bridge from Trump Tower)
2. **Skydeck…

see more
What's Included
  • Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus
  • On-board WiFi
  • Enclosed/Climate Controlled Lower Deck, Top Deck Open
  • Professional digital commentary in multiple languages
  • Live Bus Tracking & City Info (Download Free Big Bus App)
  • 4 Self-guided Digital Walking Tours to explore the city (if option selected)
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Admission to attractions
Additional Information

Discover Chicago’s best on our Big Bus tour. Board our open-top, double-decker bus and see the city’s iconic landmarks, from the Magnificent Mile to Millennium Park. Utilize our convenient stops to explore vibrant neighborhoods and attractions, including Willis Tower, the Chicago Riverwalk, and more.
Spend your day shopping on Magnificent Mile, enjoying…

see more
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.9
(2235 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Karic863
Apr 24, 2026
Wonderful tour and way to get around city - My friend and I recently visited Chicago and the hop-on hop-off bus tour was our favorite! We loved all the history and interesting things we learned on the tour and it made it so fun and easy to get around the city. We did 48 hour tickets which worked out so well for our short stay. All of the employees were great. Demetrius was the best! So knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful with recommendations, we really appreciated him! Great tour, definitely recommend and will do again when we come back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catherined244
Aug 18, 2025
Do this !! - My husband and I always do a hop on/hop off tour the first day we are in a big city and this one did not disappoint. Chicago is a loud city so the headphone narration was great. The staff was pleasant and knowledgeable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vanessa_l
Aug 13, 2025
Fun day - We loved the hop and off bus to take us around Chicago. Felicia was our driver and she was informative and fun. Definitely find out what bus she is driving and let her know you read the Florida’s group review.
Review provided by Viator
Sparkyaberdeen
Aug 12, 2025
One of THE Best Big Bus Tours - We have done Big Bus tours in many cities and this was one of the best. Our driver and tour guide, Candace was extremely knowledgeable about Chicago, funny and friendly. It really makes a difference having live commentary on the tour rather than pre-recorded information. I would highly recommend this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dana_b
Aug 11, 2025
Explore - Easy access to get on and off, very convenient to explore the wonderful city. I enjoyed learning the mass history of the city.
Review provided by Viator
Steve
Aug 28, 2025
Very interesting, good insight to the cities history - Some of the driver had no customer interaction. Which is a shame as the majority of the staff took the time to explain and took pride in the city
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U9540wgmiriamb
Feb 27, 2026
Misleading Information, Mediocre Delivery, and a Missed Opportunity in Chicago - I am a professional tour director who leads groups around the world. I understand guest expectations, operational standards, and what constitutes value for money. I chose this tour specifically to evaluate how Chicago’s key highlights are presented to visitors. The experience fell well below an acceptable standard. First, the website information was misleading. It prominently stated departures every 30 minutes. After waiting 50 minutes with no bus in sight, I discovered—buried further down the page—that service was operating on a 60-minute schedule. Repeated attempts to confirm timing through the company’s AI chat continued to state a 30-minute frequency. That is not a minor oversight; it is a failure in basic guest communication. Second, the equipment was substandard. The bus was old, rode harshly, and appeared poorly maintained. Comfort is not a luxury on a paid sightseeing tour—it is a baseline expectation. Third, while the driver-guide was personable, the narration was strikingly weak. Landmarks were pointed out with minimal context and little storytelling. Commentary consisted of generic, surface-level remarks with no depth, no historical framing, and no effort to create a cohesive narrative of the city. For a destination as architecturally and historically rich as Chicago, that is an inexcusable missed opportunity. At $116 for two tickets, the experience did not deliver professional-level guiding, accurate communication, or basic comfort. My recommendation: align your published information with reality, invest in vehicle quality, and—most critically—train your driver-guides to provide structured, engaging, and substantive narration. Guests deserve more than transportation with occasional commentary.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Xiaodongl948
Oct 3, 2025
The female drivers were friendly - The female drivers were friendly. I never had the chance to exchange my booking voucher for a paper ticket, but they still allowed me to board the bus. I couldn’t make the exchange because the Big Bus tour kiosk near 360 Chicago was vacant—no one was there when I visited twice during their operational hours. The bus operational hours are short, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in September. However, they further reduced the hours on Saturday, September 27, 2025, to 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. I was not informed of this change when I booked the day through TripAdvisor. This unexpected change disrupted my entire day’s plan, and I eventually had to spend more than an hour walking back to my hotel. The one-day package offers little value for tourists like me. A two- or three-day option makes more sense because each stop requires a few hours to visit attractions such as museums. With just one day, you can only visit one or two places. For the price of USD 58, taking an Uber would be more convenient at a similar cost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nancy_b
Aug 14, 2025
A partially good experience - Desmond was AWFUL! We actually got off the bus and waited for the next bus because of his driving. Very sharp, starts and steps to the point that we could not even eat our sandwiches on board.
Review provided by Viator
Tanya_v
Dec 28, 2025
Not worth it - I take these tours in every city. This was the worst by far. Workers were rude. They didn’t have enough headphones.
Review provided by Viator
Check Availability
From $49
From $49
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Select a date
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
More activities from this operator
From $85
5.0
1 Rating
NYC Combo: Madame Tussauds & Big Bus Tour
New York
From $84
5.0
1 Rating
Chicago Bus Tour: 48-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Adventure