Chicago Walking Tour: Magnificent Mile Architecture

Uncover the fascinating history and stunning architecture of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on this engaging walking tour. Discover how this iconic street transformed over the years and explore the diverse range of architectural styles that make it a must-visit destination.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • The Magnificent Mile - Discuss the history of the Magnificent Mile and the history and architecture of notable buildings along it.
  • Michigan Avenue Bridge - View the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) Bridge.
  • Starbucks - View the Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
  • Wrigley Building - View the Wrigley Building.
  • **InterContinental Chicago…
What's Included
  • Admission to the Chicago Architecture Center Galleries
  • Guided walking tour of the Magnificent Mile
  • Expert narration by a certified professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drink
  • Storage for luggage and strollers
  • Coat check
Additional Information

Explore the adventure of how a humble path named Pine Street morphed into ‘Paris on the Prairie’ and eventually became the Magnificent Mile, the city’s top-notch shopping district. Discover the mysteries and tales behind the impressive structures on North Michigan Avenue, which have evolved into architectural landmarks.
Over the past century, the street…

Location
Chicago Architecture Center
East Wacker Drive
Meet at the Chicago Architecture Center at 111 E Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, 60601
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(40 Ratings)
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Getaway227062
Aug 18, 2025
A most interesting tour. Enjoy. - Most enjoyable and informative. Perfect to do earlier in your trip. Super knowledgeable guide Ron. Very nice and personable. The tour focuses on the evolution of styles of the magnificent architecture up the stretch known as the magnificent mile. Lots of extra tips and guidance for your stay in the city to booth. The best compliment I can give is that the tour is very interesting indeed. I recommend this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Journey49129440489
Aug 5, 2025
Hometown Tourist - Sandy B was very informative during our tour. It’s a great way to learn more about the city you live in, I learned to appreciate my surroundings more. After the tour, you find yourself looking up more often, admiring the works of art which are our city’s buildings.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marybethk833
Jul 21, 2025
Fascinating - Have been on the Mag Mile so many times, but never noticed all the beautiful architecture styles. Sandy did a wonderful job showing us the sites, along with fascinating trivia. Thank you!
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927vladimirb
Jun 23, 2025
A Magnificent Journey with Bob Moreland - The Magnificent Mile, led by knowledgeable docent Bob Moreland, was an outstanding experience. Bob's expertise brought the architecture and history to life, making it a memorable journey. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Chicago!
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Barbara
Jun 15, 2025
Wonderful Katie! Thank you for giving us a wonderful tour today of the magnificent mile. - We have lived in this town for more than 40 years and apparently have never looked up. That changed today thanks to your tour.
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Autumncp6655eg
Jun 6, 2025
Magnificent Mile Tour Guided by Sandy - Sandy was a great and very friendly docent. She was very knowledgeable about the history and architectures on the Magnificent Mile and she made the tour very interesting and enjoyable! :)
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Hughmw3856pw
May 16, 2025
Awesome tour - Our tour guide (Robert) was so informative and obviously loves the history of Chicago. He was funny, upbeat, and we enjoyed our walking tour greatly. Highly recommend.
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Seaside43465862281
Mar 24, 2025
Wonderful experience! - Very interesting tour. It was worth it. The guide was fantastic, very competent, having given a lot of information about the buildings and the history of Chicago
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T318mojanicel
Nov 26, 2024
A Fabulous Tour of Michigan Ave. - Mitch was an amazing tour guide. His education and enthusiasm of Michigan Ave. was impressive. Thank you Chicago Architecture Center for offering this tour. We loved it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
802leenam
Nov 18, 2024
Excellent for locals and tourists alike - The Mag Mile architecture tour offered by the Chicago Architecture Center was absolutely fabulous. We did our tour with Bob, who was one of the best docents we have had. He is energetic, engaging, and so knowledgeable. We learned so much during the tour that I took notes during the walk! He weaves such a lovely story about the history of Chicago and points out things you would never know or notice otherwise. We live in Chicago and would go on this tour again. We are going to plan to do other tours with Bob since he is so engaging.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $35
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).