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United States
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Illinois
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Cook County
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Chicago
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Tours & Activities
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Viator VIP: Willis Tower Skydeck Early Access, Trolley City Tour and Chicago River Cruise
6 h
VIP
Instant confirmation
About this activity
Your grand tour of Chicago begins at 108-story Willis (Sears) Tower, the second tallest building in the United States. Zip up to the 103rd floor for exclusive access to the Skydeck, a series of glass-enclosed balconies that protrude from the sides of the sleek skyscraper. You feel as if you're levitating above the city in these small cubes, designed with 15,000-pound (6,803-kg) glass panels and steel rivets. It’s a feeling that attracts thousands of visitors a day.
With this Viator VIP, you arrive before normal operating hours to enjoy the coveted views some 1,353 feet (1,353 m) in the air without the crowds. During your visit, snap photos and listen to your included audio tour to learn facts and anecdotes about the city and its most famous sights as you mill around the Skydeck uninterrupted.
After an hour at Willis Tower, your group will board a comfortable trolley to begin a 2-hour narrated tour of downtown Chicago. This is a private trolley tour for the VIP group only. Your insider guide helps you get to know the history and culture of America's third-largest city. See the grand old 1920s-era buildings along La Salle Street in the city's financial district, where you'll make a stop for photos.
Continue on your tour, admiring both old and new architectural masterpieces such as the 19th-century Rookery Building, glass-and-steel skyscrapers by Mies Van Der Rohe, the corncob-shaped towers in Marina City, and famous sculptures by Picasso, Calder, Miró and Chagall, among other notable city landmarks.
Make a stop at Millennium Park to see Pritzker Pavilion, designed by Frank Gehry, before crossing the double-decker drawbridge over the Chicago River. Drive through the bustling Magnificent Mile area, admiring the John Hancock Center, Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building along the way. Pass Grant Park, Soldier Field and the world-renowned Field Museum of Natural History before a stop at Adler Planetarium. Here you can take a moment to delight in jaw-dropping views of the Chicago skyline from the shores of Lake Michigan.
Your trolley tour ends at the popular Navy Pier shopping and amusement area, where you can grab a bite to eat (own expense) and explore on your own for an hour. Then board your 75 minute cruise along the Chicago River narrated by an architecture expert. Learn how architecture flourished in the city after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, and see more architectural landmarks including the Aon Center, the IBM Building and the distinctive Willis Tower, where you began your tour.
Finish your 5.5-hour VIP tour of Chicago in early afternoon at Navy Pier, where you can find plenty of attractions to entertain you for the rest of the day.
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With this Viator VIP, you arrive before normal operating hours to enjoy the coveted views some 1,353 feet (1,353 m) in the air without the crowds. During your visit, snap photos and listen to your included audio tour to learn facts and anecdotes about the city and its most famous sights as you mill around the Skydeck uninterrupted.
After an hour at Willis Tower, your group will board a comfortable trolley to begin a 2-hour narrated tour of downtown Chicago. This is a private trolley tour for the VIP group only. Your insider guide helps you get to know the history and culture of America's third-largest city. See the grand old 1920s-era buildings along La Salle Street in the city's financial district, where you'll make a stop for photos.
Continue on your tour, admiring both old and new architectural masterpieces such as the 19th-century Rookery Building, glass-and-steel skyscrapers by Mies Van Der Rohe, the corncob-shaped towers in Marina City, and famous sculptures by Picasso, Calder, Miró and Chagall, among other notable city landmarks.
Make a stop at Millennium Park to see Pritzker Pavilion, designed by Frank Gehry, before crossing the double-decker drawbridge over the Chicago River. Drive through the bustling Magnificent Mile area, admiring the John Hancock Center, Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building along the way. Pass Grant Park, Soldier Field and the world-renowned Field Museum of Natural History before a stop at Adler Planetarium. Here you can take a moment to delight in jaw-dropping views of the Chicago skyline from the shores of Lake Michigan.
Your trolley tour ends at the popular Navy Pier shopping and amusement area, where you can grab a bite to eat (own expense) and explore on your own for an hour. Then board your 75 minute cruise along the Chicago River narrated by an architecture expert. Learn how architecture flourished in the city after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, and see more architectural landmarks including the Aon Center, the IBM Building and the distinctive Willis Tower, where you began your tour.
Finish your 5.5-hour VIP tour of Chicago in early afternoon at Navy Pier, where you can find plenty of attractions to entertain you for the rest of the day.
Included
- Audio tour of Skydeck
- Trolley tour of the city
- Chicago architecture cruise with drink (drink included May - September dates only)
- Entry/Admission - Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower
Not included
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Assistance on and off the vehicles is offered to wheelchair passengers. Wheelchairs which fold up can be stored on board. Some trolley tour vehicles have an elevator platform/lift
- You will have an hour in Navy Pier to pick-up lunch before boarding your Chicago cruise
- This tour does not return to Skydeck Chicago; it will end at Navy Pier
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
70%
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It was a great way to see the city. Loved all three things. The guides know and love what they are doing
No representatives to let us know how/when to get to Skydeck. We finally figured it out with another couple. No one to tell us where trolley was located. Luckily, we found it in time. All parts of the tour were great with informative guides. I excepted much better service but we were just left on our own to figure things out.
Getting into sky deck before the crowd itself was definitely worth getting this combo. The cruise was also something I would recommend. Unfortunately we didnt get to do the trolley tour around the city due to confusing directions. We were told it was going to be a big red double decker bus instead of a trolley that day but of course there were multiple buses infront of willis tower and we got on the wrong one. I was a little upset at first but after looking over the route, we decided to walk around millenium park instead since we've already seen everything else. Also for those of you interested in this package, there is no hoping on and off the trolley. We called to see if we could get on at a different location and they said No!
the only way to visit Willis Tower! the trolley tour and river cruise were very informative, with both guides giving the information in a fun...funny way that made you happy to listen too.
A great way to get the most out of a day in Chicago! Early access to the tower was worth it considering the long lines we saw before 8:00. The views are stunning! The trolley was a good overview of the city and time at the pier was enough to get a taste of that particular tourist spot. The Architecture tour was fantastic! Our guide Kevin was the most passionate guide we have ever encountered- and we have done dozens of tours. Not only did he make the history of architecture in Chicago relatable and interesting to everyone, he entertained us with a harmonica performance.
There was no tour guide which I wasn't aware of until later in the tour. Luckily, we hooked up with some great people and we were able to navigate our way through the day of tours.
Unlike our previous Viator bookings this was NOT a single guided tour as we expected. It is 3 separate tours packaged together, which is not clearly stated (if at all) in the description. This made the directions and expectations for our meeting at the tour departure sites unclear. The 4 couples that booked the tour became a team helping each other through the day's events. I don't believe that any one couple would have navigated it flawlessly alone. Willis Skydeck - The tour gave early access to the skydeck before it was open to the public. A big plus since there are typically long lines. Bus Tour - Nice ride around the city and OK. Not enough time for the visit to Millenium Park. Recommend a separate 1 - 2 hour visit to see it well. Boat Cruise - Very informative docent narrated the architectural aspects and history of the buildings during the river journey. Well worth the time spent.
So, perhaps it was a little disorganized. They weren't expecting us on arrival, didn't really guide us as much as show us to the top Skydeck, and then left us there. But WOW!! We had the whole viewing area to ourselves! We had an entire hour to wander and take pictures. Absolutely worth it! But then they never told us what to do from there! One of the ladies on the tour seemed to be the kind on top of this type of stuff. She said she called someone and they told her to be outside at a certain corner at a certain time to catch the trolley. When we met there, most of our group was there. Never saw the others again. The trolley tour was outstanding. Our driver, Mark, was an engineering student, and knew all of the architecture details, and was a very good storyteller. He made several stops for us to get off and explore and take pics, before delivering us to the pier and giving us instructions on the boat ride. It rained all over the boat ride, so we huddled in our ponchos and enjoyed the free drink. It would have been really great if the weather had cooperated... Overall, the tour was well worth it! We learned alot about Chicago, and the Skydeck before hours was just incredible!! Highly recommended!
The early access at the Willis Tower Skydeck was fantastic. We had the whole floor for ourselves (with 4 more people) for more than half an hour. After that we had a real VIP trolleytour. We were the only 2 in the bus. So we skipped some of the places we’ve already been to and add some other places. The Chicago River cruise was laidback and informative. We had a fun day and saw a lot of Chicago in one day; by air, road and water.
The tour was Very nice. The timing was all perfect. The weather was perfect too. Very nice tour!!!!!
This tour was not organized at all. We arrived for the Early Access to the Skydeck and all was fine. Someone had collected our voucher and if it had not been that someone in our group had an extra copyjust in case we would have had no idea what to do. After that everything went downhill. When we got back downstairs 9:00 AM - no organization to tell you anything - the Trolly had already left and we were 6 adults left to figure out what to do to get ourselves at least over to Navy Pier to do the Chicago River Cruise part of our package deal. We called the number on the form 1-773-648-5000 but there was nothing that they could do for us. We were on our own. We have traveled places and done many tours and have never been left behind NEVER. If you are looking for an organized excursion this is not the one to take. The EARLY ACCESS to the Skydeck was a plus but after that we would have been better off on our own and possibly at a cheaper price.. VERY DISAPPOINTED and would not be recommending the tour to anyone if you want something organized.
A fantastic day out
My parents and I were forced to stand in the tour bus due to Viator overbooking this tour. During the duration of the tour, my mother fell to the bus floor and we ended up having to sit on the floor and therefore were unable to see the sights of Chicago. Viator's response was to rebook the tour. Unfortunately, as a traveler that is an unrealistic request since people travel to cities at specific dates. We can't just go to Chicago again to rebook a tour we should have experienced in the first place because we paid alot of money to Viator to do so. I am extremely disappointed with this tour booking company. I have many trips planned in the near future and I will not be using this service again nor will I recommend it to any friends or family.
Early access to the Willis Tower is worth it!! When we exited, there were lines, lines, lines. It was so lovely to be able to walk around the 103rd floor freely without crowds and look out the windows without having to try to look over people. My only downside comment is that our guide, who was pleasant, did not offer any information at all but simply rode up the elevator with us. The Trolley Tour was fantastic and that was really due to the excellent driver we had who was full of great information, details, stories and spunk. He had lots of history to share about the varied buildings and was very smooth and familiar with the streets. The River Cruise was lovely. The narrator was superb. The river cruise gives one an excellent and different view of the iconic architecture that makes Chicago unique! This VIP tour is worth every cent! DO IT! :
Great tour for your money!
Really a very good way to get the best from your time in Chicago.
Early access to the Skydeck was the highlight of this tour! Having the time to work up the nerve to stand out on the glass deck without people waiting in line behind you made all the difference. This should not be missed. The bus tour was good. Would have preferred to see Wrigley Field instead of the Fire House, although good info about the great Chicago fire. The tour ended almost 15 minutes earlier than the stated 2 hours. This gave us a longer wait at the Navy Pier between tours than needed. We ended up going on the Ferris Wheel on the Pier, so that made the time worth while. The architectural tour was fantastic, and also a must do! Overall I would recommend this tour.
Early bird VIP Viator Willis Tower tour gets you in before the crowds, but be warned that the selfie cameras in the glass windows are not operating at that time (8 a.m.) Trolley tour was informative, but the highlight by far was the architectural river tour by Pat, our outstanding guide!