Prohibition Chicago: Myth vs. Reality Walking Tour
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
More than 100 years later, stories of Prohibition-era Chicago still capture the public’s imagination. But the portrayal of that era in popular culture isn't always accurate. On this tour, you’ll hear how the culture in turn-of-the-century Chicago helped bring about the 18th Amendment through stories of notorious vice districts along the Chicago River and the South Loop. We'll talk about the rise of Al Capone during the infamous “Beer Wars,” culminating in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Along the way, we’ll talk about how the city played a role in the popular and artistic growth of jazz, and how Chicago during the Roaring Twenties has been depicted on screen, in blockbusters such as "The Untouchables" and "Chicago." Please be advised that this tour contains stories of murder and sex work. Although children are welcome on this tour, parents should use their discretion in determining whether it is suitable for those under 15.
Inclusions
What's included
- Entrance fee
What's not
- Gratuities
- Bottled water
Itinerary
As we stroll the Riverwalk (or Wacker Dr., depending on crowds), we'll discuss the rise of vice districts and organized crime in Chicago, and how the city played a role in the fight to ratify the 19th Amendment, which ushered in the Prohibition Era.
Now a restaurant named after a beloved sportscaster, Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse was where Frank Nitti, Al Capone's bodyguard and successor as head of the Chicago Outfit, lived for a while. We'll talk about how he's been portrayed in the movies hasn't always been accurate.
After crossing back into the Loop, we'll talk about the role Chicago played in the popular and artistic growth of jazz during the Roaring Twenties. We'll stop at the site of a now-demolished place where Capone and jazz intersected.
The Chicago Theatre was built in 1921 and its marquee is an icon of the city and featured in dozens of movies and TV shows set in the city. We'll talk about women that inspired the hit musical "Chicago" and its many iterations.
A hotel whose history dates back to 1870, the Palmer House was renovated and expanded in the mid-1920s and remains an example of that era's wealth and elegance.
Opened in 1897 as the city's first public library, the Chicago Cultural Center was used in two crucial scenes in "The Untouchables."
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 53
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Ratings come from 3 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- We'll meet in the plaza on Michigan Ave. between the Tribune Tower and the Apple Store. We'll talk about the first non-Indigenous people to come through the region and how it led to the birth and growth of Chicago.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Chicago History Walking Tours
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Chicago
- Its from-price is 56% below the median of the 524 experiences we list in Chicago.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 262 of 524.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Chicago
Chicago is a Great Lakes city on Lake Michigan, famed for skyscraper architecture, deep-dish pizza, blues and jazz and a long lakefront of parks.
Chicago rebuilt itself after the fire of 1871 and became the cradle of the skyscraper. The Chicago River runs through the Loop, where tall towers rise, and boat tours explain the architecture from the water. Millennium Park's mirrored Cloud Gate sculpture, known as the Bean, and the Art Institute of Chicago, with its Impressionist paintings, are close together. Willis Tower has a glass-floored observation deck.
Top-ranked sights in Chicago: Navy Pier, Wrigley Building, The Magnificent Mile.
Special offers in Chicago
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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