Don’t spend time figuring out what to see in Chicago and how to get there—this hop-on hop-off tour provides a mapped-out itinerary of the city's top sights. With several strategically located stops, the tour allows you to explore the Windy City at your own pace. See the world-class Art Institute and landmark skyscrapers, while audio commentary onboard gives you insight into the city's colorful history.

See top attractions like Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, and Grant Park
Capture unobstructed views from the open-top, double-decker bus
Learn about Chicago’s sights and history from the onboard audio commentary
Choose a Classic, Premium or Deluxe ticket to suit your schedule

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

A full circuit introduces you to the city’s top attractions, with none of the logistical headaches.

What's Included

Hop-on, Hop-off, Open-top, Sightseeing Bus Tour
Audio Guide
Live Bus Tracking (Download Free Big Bus App)

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Start time

06:30 PM

What To Expect

BIG LOOP ROUTE

11 Stops

35 Points of Interest

Duration: 2 hours

Operating Schedule: Operates: Daily First Bus 10 AM, Last Bus 5 PM. Service every 60 minutes. Red Loop lasts 1 Hour. Customers are advised to download the Big Bus app to find out more about our new health and safety measures and for real-time bus tracking information. Alternatively please visit the Big Bus website.

98 E Wacker Dr

319 W Jackson Blvd

200 S Michigan Ave

800 S Michigan Ave

500 E Solidarity Dr

425 E McFetridge Dr

441 N Columbus Dr

600 E Grand Ave

163 E Pearson St

150 E Chestnut St

614 N Clark St

Points of interest passed by on this route

Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower

The Art Institute of Chicago

The Chicago Theatre

Field Museum

Adler Planetarium

360 Chicago Observation Deck

Grant Park

Navy Pier

Millennium Park

Water Tower Place

Hard Rock Cafe Chicago

BigBus Chicago

Buckingham Fountain

Cloud Gate

Financial District

Maggie Daley Park

The Magnificent Mile

Tribune Tower

Holy Name Cathedral

Chicago River

Chicago Riverwalk

Soldier Field

The Rookery Building

Centennial Wheel

Chicago Cultural Center

Wrigley Building

American Writers Museum

The McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum

Northerly Island

Pritzker Military Museum & Library

Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Symphony Center - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Monadnock Building

Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
1 Day tickets will be valid for same day use. Tickets claimed after 2 pm will be valid for the next calendar day.
Redeem vouchers at any Big Bus hop-on hop-off points
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:How often does a bus arrive at each stop during the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:A bus arrives approximately every 30-45 minutes.

Mar 2022

Q:Do I have to go to a central location to redeem my ticket for the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:You can simply show a printed or electronic version of your ticket at any of the stops to board the bus.

Mar 2021

Q:How will I know which stop(s) to use during the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:Our pre-recorded audio guide will communicate upcoming stops. You can also download our free App for more information on routes and times, and what to see and do at each stop location.

Mar 2022

Q:How long is one full circuit of the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:A full round trip takes approximately 2 hours if you do not get off on any stops.

Mar 2021

Q:Is the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour wheelchair accessible?

A:Yes, we operate wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts that can accommodate up to 650 pounds however, not all vehicles are equipped. If you require an accessible vehicle, please let us know in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring a pet with me on the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:No pets are allowed onboard the bus, except ADA service animals.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring food or drink with me on the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:No food or alcohol is permitted onboard the bus. Non-alcoholic drinks in screw-top bottles are permitted.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring luggage on the Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Tour?

A:No, luggage is not permitted onboard the bus at this time.

Mar 2021

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Make sure you get your Viator voucher validated before trying to board bus.

It’s the best way to get the greatest views on the upper deck of a Hop on Hop off in the shortest time, with the least cost too!

Reviews

4.0

1,586 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 1,586 reviews

Chicago Tour

Tammie_J, Oct 2023

The most memorable of the hop on hop off was the easy access of getting around the city. Most important was not having to drive.

Terrible

Harish_K, Sep 2023

Waste of time and money. Not worth what I spent waiting for the bus to move around the city. Nothing worked on the bus and the service was pathetic!

Great Tour

dgeorge440, Sep 2023

Fantastic way to see Chicago, extensive tour and the audio was one of the best we have heard. Would recommend this tour

Will do it again!

Mark_A, Sep 2023

Only one on the bus that night, however the guide gave an amazing overview with the same enthusiasm, excitement, and humor as if he had a whole bus load.

Do not prepay for a tour. Pay when you arrive.

Valesta_L, Sep 2023

We missed boarding due to heavier than normal traffic. We called in to ask if we could board at the next stop, and understanding the answer was difficult at first. Then we understood that we could, however, no times were provided for the next stop. We paid $40 to park and wait for the bus at that spot. After waiting a while we called to ask if the driver could be contacted for an ETA. After waiting some time, the driver was unable to be contacted, therefore we were never able to board and missed out tour. We asked for a refund and was told that it is not possible

100% worth it

Rebecca_Y, Sep 2023

Fantastic day, saw lots of Chicago, Millenium Park & Navy Pier are amazing, highly recommend if your short on time it ticks off the good spots.

Great way to get overall highlights

susan_c, Sep 2023

Candace was by far the BEST driver/guide and her personality made the tour FUN! Anton was the other driver who chose to entertain us instead of playing the recording.

Didn’t know what was going on.

Jamona_W, Sep 2023

We got the the bus later on in the day. The driver didn’t inform us to grab head phones so we could listen as we rode. Basically we just rode the bus looking around at the city. Later that night it was totally different. We were told to grab the headphones, the tour guide on the bus was hilarious. The views were awesome. I rather do the night versus during the day

Seeing some of the main...

Karen_H, Sep 2023

Seeing some of the main city sights from atop a bus. It gives you an idea of where to stop and spend more time.

Chicago Hop on Hop off Bus tour

Breeda_K, Sep 2023

Just looking at the spectacular buildings. We got to see so much of the City from all different angles. Bus drivers so nice

No Driver Interaction

Niamh_K, Sep 2023

We had 3 different drivers , first guy was great but only one stop with him, then had to change buses to continue the tour which we have never had to do anywhere. Subsequent drivers/ tour guides non verbal , one just screamed random Street names !

Missing a couple of stops that day.

Estela_S, Sep 2023

We used the bus on Sept 10, which was the day of the Bears-Packers game. Two of the stops were not available on the day we used the bus. We were given forewarning via email two days before. However, it still added a lot of additional stress to our itinerary that day (one of the big things we wanted to do was the Field Museum). Other than that small issue, the bus was convenient and easy to use. Our first bus driver used the canned audio tour other than to give us reminders about which stops were not being used. But our second driver gave an oral tour that was much better than the canned audio tour. We really appreciated his insights to various Chicago sites. Overall, I enjoyed using the Big Bus tour and would recommend it to anyone.

Worth while tour, highly recommended

Breda_D, Sep 2023

Great way to get to know the city, see the location and areas you would like to spend more time. Guides very helpful. Would recommend it on you first day .

A great experience.

Maxine_S, Sep 2023

Loved the experience of the ride., when we're back in the ears will definitely take another tour. Just wish it was a bit warmer.

Nice

Syreeta_C, Sep 2023

I like the way it had different bus stops and the buses run every 30mins. And I like the way the bus ticket is good for 24hrs

As usual, a great way to view a new city

Isatu_C, Sep 2023

I love these big bus tours. They are a great way to see the city, especially when the weather is nice. I would have preferred to have an in person tour guide discuss all of the attractions but I didn't mind the audio version too much. I would suggest getting aquainted with the stops on the list ahead of time so that you don't accidently waste time treking to some of the places on your own on a different day. You should also start the tour early since the whole ride is about two hours long and trying to do the whole thing and actually stop at a few places can take all day.

Fun & pleasant ride!

Rajeev_P, Aug 2023

It was a valuable hop on hop off tour, one of the better ones we have experienced, especially from a schedule perspective. The staff was courteous and helpful, and the tour was as good as advertised. They did skip over a couple of stops – Alder Planetarium and the Museum Campus, due to the Chicago Bears playing at Soldier field in Museum campus, but they did communicate this ahead of time. But nonetheless, the tour operated in a very timely manner. We took this a few times over the weekend as we had the 48-hour pass. One could realistically just do the 24-hour pass to get a good feel of the loop, because there is only one route. We did notice staff stationed at pretty much all the stops along the way, helping people towards the bus and checking people in, which we thought was great. The pre-recorded audio guide commentary was good and informative, with some quiz a & humor such as – “anyone? Bueller?”

Very informative

Jacqueline_W, Aug 2023

Served its purpose. I didn’t give a five star because I was hit in the face with a tree branch on the route. Lol

Not worth it

Linda_E, Aug 2023

I have definitely had much better city tours. Audio for the guided tour was poor. Would have preferred live person tour guide vs audio. No personal touch.

Didn't Meet Expectations

Anita_A, Aug 2023

I paid for my parents to go and they said it was just OK. They definitely liked the Boat Agricultural Tour better and thought this would be similar but on the Bus and viewing the city, but they didn't get much touring or history on this.

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