Travel through a rich history of architectural genius, legendary stories and fascinating tours that reach back in time to the where things all began in the western suburbs of Chicago. Unlock the doors to discovery and delve into a world of art, history, nature, and more! Perfect for family trips, solo adventures, or educational excursions, these tours offer a unique window into the cultural heritage and history near Oak Park.
During the summer and fall, there is a lovely lineup of tours to take no matter your interest. From a bus tour that takes you through the history of organized crime near Oak Park and River Forest to a beautiful bike tour down dozens of Frank Lloyd Wright filled streets, come explore everything the wonderful western suburbs has to offer. Check the lineup below and schedule your tour experience now!
Home and Studio Tour
Frank Lloyd Wright’s first home and studio was the birthplace of an architectural revolution. Wright used his home to explore design concepts that contained the seeds of his architectural philosophy. In his adjacent studio, Wright and his associates developed a new American architecture – the Prairie style. There are two tour offerings, one solely of the Home and Studio interior and the other accompanied with a self-guided neighborhood tour after.
Date(s): Everyday
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm
Location: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio
Cost: $20-$30
Pedal Oak Park
Meet us where wheels and architecture become one on the Pedal Oak Park Bike Tour! Bring your own bike or borrow one from your tour guides at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust who will lead you on a ride through many of Oak Park’s architectural wonders. The tour begins at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. After your Home and Studio tour, you’ll pedal down a tree-lined street in a neighborhood where nearly 30 buildings were designed by Wright. Some of the Wright sites featured on this tour include the Frank Thomas House, Heurtley House, Cheney House and Furbeck House!
Date(s): Every Saturday and Sunday through October 29th
Travel Type: Biking
Time: 9:30am
Location: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio
Cost: $45
Wright Around Oak Park
When the architecture experts at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust describe Wright Around Oak Park as the most comprehensive of the Trust’s many tour offerings, you know you are in for an architectural treat. This 2.5-hour tour begins with an expanded tour of Wright’s Home and Studio. See where it all began with this exclusive expanded tour that includes access to the studio balcony (not included on the standard tour!) Then you’ll step into the neighborhood for an expanded walking tour that includes an expert’s description of the exterior of ten Wright homes. See the evolution of the Prairie style as Wright transformed the neighborhood where he lived and worked with his innovative designs.
Date(s): Every Saturday and Sunday through September 30th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 12:00pm
Location: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio
Tour Cost: $65
Unity Temple
Unity Temple is Frank Lloyd Wright’s only surviving public building from his Prairie period. Limited by a modest budget and an urban site, Wright created an innovative design and used unconventional materials to produce one of the most sophisticated accomplishments of his early career. The oldest Wright building still in use for the same purpose for which it was built, Unity Temple stands today as a masterpiece of modern architecture and design. The Unity Temple offers three separate tours. One fully self-guided of the interior, a regular guided interior tour and an in-depth interior tour.
Date(s): Daily Monday to Saturday
Travel Type: Walking
Time: Tours start at 9:00am
Location: Unity Temple
Cost: $15-$40
Historic Olmsted Walking Tour
The Fredrick Law Olmsted Society offers regular monthly tours. Come see the preservation of Olmsted’s vision for Riverside and catch a glimpse of his concern for humanity, nature, sense of community and the innovative and thoughtful essence of his work. These tours are two hours long and rotate monthly on which area of Riverside they cover. Immerse yourself in more than 150 years of rich architectural history, with homes by famous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, William LeBaron Jenney and Howard Van Doren.
Date(s): August 27th, September 24th, October 29th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 2:00pm
Location: Riverside Train Station
Cost: $20
REGISTERIn Ernie’s Footsteps: A Walking Tour of Young Hemingway’s Oak Park
A 90-minute outdoor tour explores young Hemingway’s connections to Oak Park. Sites to be visited include the Birthplace Museum, Boyhood home, Oak Park & River Forest High School, Oak Park Public Library, Congregational Church and WW I War Memorial in Scoville Park. Your tour guide is Dr. Nancy Sindelar, author of Influencing Hemingway: The People and Places That Shaped His Life and Work. Included with each registration for the walking tour is 1 copy of the book, Influencing Hemingway.
Date(s): August 4th, 25th, September 8th, 22nd
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 10:00am
Location: Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum
Cost: $40
Home and History Tour 2023
The La Grange Area Historical Society is excited to be back on-site for the 2023 Home and History Tour in La Grange. Join us and walk through seven unique residences! The homeowners will be available to answer questions and chat about their experience living in their home. Get a sneak peak of the Home and History Tour weeks earlier on September 7th as the La Grange Area Historical society will be hosting an exclusive preview virtual home tour.
Date(s): September 17th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 12:00pm
Location: La Grange Area Historical Society
Cost: $50
There goes the Neighbor Hood
Did you know that beyond the idyllic streets of Oak Park and River Forest lies a hidden history of notorious gangsters and illicit activities? Step into the intriguing world of gangsters and prohibition-era crime as we embark on a journey through the history of organized crime in Oak Park and River Forest. The Tour offers an immersive experience of the fascinating world of organized crime from the Prohibition era until the 1990s. These tours provide an opportunity to delve into the rich history and hidden stories of Oak Park and River Forest, shedding light on their connection to notorious figures like Al Capone. There is no walking tour, just a comfy bus tour that brings the intriguing gangster history of these suburbs to life.
Date(s): September 10th, October 1st, 9th and 29th
Travel Type: Bus
Time: 11:00am
Location: FitzGerald’s
Cost: $40
Street of Dreams Sidewalk Tour
Meet us for a stroll through River Forest history. Learn about the oldest commercial building, the architect of the Methodist Church, the “power couple” who helped bring the Columbian Exposition to Chicago, and much more as we take a sidewalk tour down the stretch of Keystone Avenue known as “The Street of Dreams.” Learn more about the history and development of beautiful River Forest!
Date(s): August 12th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 10:00am
Location: River Forest Methodist Church
Cost: $10
Tales of the Tombstone Cemetery Walk
Join us for The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest's 32nd Annual "Tale of the Tombstones" Cemetery Walk. Check back in for the Theme for this year’s Tombstone Walk. Tours will depart from Forest Home cemetery's main gate in 10-minute intervals between 12 and 1:30 pm, and the tour will last approximately 1.5 hours.
Date(s): October 15th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 12:00pm
Location: Forest Home Cemetery
Cost: $20
Thatcher Woods Walking Tour
From the first Indigenous people to our Cook County Forest Preserves, the Des Plaines River has been a part of the history of River Forest. On this walk we will explore land and history along the river, think about many who have passed along, and see what they've left us. We will begin and end at Trailside Museum, a community landmark.
Date(s): August 19th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 10:00am
Location: Trailside Museum
Cost: $10
Women’s History Walking Tour
Join us as we celebrate Women's Equality Day--the anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment--and honor the women who worked tirelessly for equal voting rights. Tour guides will share the stories of Grace Wilbur Trout, Lillie Pitkin, Augusta Jane Chapin, and many others. We will also visit the site of the historic “Suffrage Shop”, a retail store that sold pamphlets and books about the suffrage movement, as well as all the signs, banners, sashes, and flags needed for a successful parade or rally!
Date(s): August 26th
Travel Type: Walking
Time: 10:00am
Location: Oak Park Public Library
Cost: $10
Evans Field Walking Tour - Walk past a marsh and through woods along the Des Plaines River that are home to diverse flora and fauna.
Growing with the Gundersons Walking Tour - Stroll through southeast Oak Park's Gunderson Historic District and learn how the Gunderson Brothers developed and promoted this neighborhood.
Ridgeland Ramble Walking Tour - Join Museum guides for a walking tour along Lake Street and surrounding blocks and learn about the history, buildings, activities, and people of this east side neighborhood.
After stepping back in time to experience the fascinating history of western Chicagoland, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy in these charming suburbs. The 2023 festival season is just underway… check out all the upcoming fantastic festivals near Oak Park HERE. You’ll find everything from food fests to Oktoberfest celebrations and lovely lineups of live music. After you work up an appetite soaking up the summer fun, grab a bite on a perfect patio or rooftop. Check out our list for the best outdoor dining options near Oak Park HERE.