Finding Free City Tours With The Chicago Greeter Program Guided Service

Visiting Chicago is one of the best travel experiences in the US and there is a terrific, and FREE way to see and learn about it all.

It’s called the Chicago Greeter program.

The Chicago Greeter program is one of the few ways to see all the Windy City has to offer without paying steep prices for sightseeing tours or individual tour guides.

The program is an excellent way to get an in-depth, engaging, and personable tour based on your specific interests. With the program, you can experience historical site absolutely free all over Chicago. Read on to learn how Chicago Greeter delivers the ultimate city getaway.

What Is a Chicago Greeter?

Greeters are Chicago residents and volunteers dedicated to showing visitors their city. Don’t think of greeters as a tour guide. These touring programs are available in many major US cities. In fact, you may be able to find a greeter to help you experience the best things to do in Boston this year.

Rather, consider them more like a friend.

Experienced greeters can introduce you with the city’s most notable spots, hidden gems, and famous treasures. The places greeters may show you may not always be listed within travel guides or on top websites, but they are sure to create a long-lasting, memorable travel experience.

These value travel tours are one of my favorite things to do to kick off a trip. All you have to do is fill out the application and send it in at least two weeks before your requested date.
You also have to list the area of interest you have in seeing. Historical sites? An ethnic neighborhood? General walking tour?

Greeter tours specialize in a number of unique interests based on culture, flavor, history, or general entertainment. Most tours are offered in over a dozen languages to support international visitors.

Chicago Greeter Program Rules

Before you pack your bags and get your smartphone travel ready, you need to familiarize yourself with the program rules. The Greeter program is a great way for out-of-town visitors to see the city. Despite this, there are a few rules to determine your eligibility.

First off, the limit of people in your group is six or less. Tours cannot be scheduled on the day you arrive in Chicago because of potential travel delays.

Anybody going on the tour must be an out-of-town visitor. No locals.

Many tours additionally ask you to fill out the name of your lodging accommodations. Before you take the time to research and schedule a tour with a Greeter, make sure you are eligible under the rules in place.

Greeter Tours And Options

Over the years, greeters have sought to offer several unique tours and options. Most commonly, visitors choose between tours for special interests or tours for neighborhoods.

Interest tours range from distinct cultures, history, architecture, or cuisine tours. Neighborhood tours operate out of areas such as Downtown Chicago, Hyde Park, or Millennium Park.

Consider your personal interests so that you can use greeters to get the ideal tour of the city.

We chose an Architectural walking tour because the city is so well known for that and we would not know any history behind the buildings we are looking at.

If you appreciate architecture, Chicago is ground zero for beauty and historical significance. First, you sit down with your guide and come up with a game plan when you meet at the location they give you. You will go over timeframe and any other last minute requests by you. If you are a history lover, Chicago is one of the best places to go for Veterans Day.

Knowledgeable greeters can inform you of the story, history, and add perspective to all the scenery Chicago has to offer. The greeter brings your walking tour to life!

Wide Range Of Volunteers

Chicago Greeters provide you with a wide range of volunteers to guarantee a unique experience. They are a prime example of volunteer travel voluntourism in action.

With all greeters being volunteers, you can guarantee a tour truly fueled by passion and excitement. The greeter program provides the best volunteers to guarantee all travelers are able to receive their ideal tour and city vacation.

Our Chicago Greeters Program Review

In our case it ended up being a three hour  walking tour inside the Loop and hit all the masterpieces there. We must have walked 4-5 miles in total so be prepared with great walking shoes, especially on hard cement.

This is much different than a paid tour that you can sign up for. Throughout she kept asking us how we felt about what she was showing and if it was along the lines in what we wanted. If we wanted to shift gears into some other ideas other than architecture she was willing and able.

Our guide Christine’s knowledge of the city was so strong it came to life for us. Every time we passed any of these buildings throughout the rest of our trip there we knew exactly what we were looking at and the history behind it.

She even had access to the Chicago Architectural Museum and saved us a fortune and got us in for free and we looked around there for 30 minutes and also saw a fantastic 15 -minute movie they show there. This is one of the best cultural attractions we’ve been to.

Other Chicago Greeter Tours

Hate architecture and love food? Go to an ethnic neighborhood and try local specialties there. My advice- pick something you don’t know anything about.

Chances are, you will be uniquely surprised with what the city has to offer. My interest and enjoyment of the different timelines and styles of buildings downtown had grown tremendously in those short three hours. So fascinating to hear the stories behind the detail in each building.

Most tours signify historically significant or largely traffic areas. Tours of Hyde Park, for example, encompass the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science & Industry. However, you can stop at other potential locations, such as Barack Obama’s barber shop, within the same tour.

If you do not have any specific interests when you visit the city, pick something entirely new to you. You might end up finding something that interests you more than you thought.

Our Favorite Spots On A Chicago Greeter Tour

Here are some of our favorite spots you can see on a family vacation:

• You can see local boy Frank-Lloyd Wright’s The Rookery, where he kept his office.

• The Art Deco late 1920’s Carbide and Carbon and the Chicago Board of Trade.

• Late 19th century Marquette and Monadnock Buildings.

• The largest Tiffany ceiling in the U.S. 1893 Chicago Cultural Center

The Beaux Arts style of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Michigan Ave Bridge.

Chicago Greeter Tours Timing

Before you book your free Chicago Greeter tour, there are several considerations to take in regards to time. Free Chicago Greeter Tours are offered year round in the city, so you can still go for a tour even during winter weekends. A single guided tour is roughly two to four hours, depending on the type of tour you select. To ensure availability, it is essential to register for your Greeter tour at least ten days in advance of your scheduled date. Remember that the tours are incredibly popular, and availability is consistently changing due to high demand.

Where Else To See?

Before you book your free Chicago Greeter tour, consider what else you would like to see. Some of Chicago’s most well-known attractions include the Cloud Gate, Willis Tower, Lincoln Park Zoo, and Millennium Park. In addition, you should try and stop by the Field Museum, Navy Pier, and Art Institute of Chicago. If you want to spend more time outdoors, ask your greeter to stop by Grant Park, Lurie Garden, and the 606. Plus, the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse and Garfield Park Conservatory are additional great shops to stop by. If you enjoy city travel experiences, check out our guide on the best things to do in Boston. Indeed, consider what else to see on your tour with the Chicago Greeter program.

Volunteer To Be A Chicago Greeter

Are you from the Windy City yourself? The Chicago Greeter Program is always looking for friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic volunteers. There are no previous qualifications required. All you need is a passion for Chicago history, architecture, culture, and art. Specifically, you should be familiar with popular neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Wicker Park, Bridgeport, and Pilsen. If you want to see some more fun attractions outside of Chi-Town, check out the best family vacations in the Midwest. Certainly, volunteer to be a Chicago Greeter to make the most of the guided tour program.

Of course, along the way you learn the streets and neighborhoods as she shows you all other points of interest to see on your own on other days.

No need to pay for tours, it doesn’t get much better than this.