VIRTUAL TOURS
UCHICAGO Alumni

NEXT Public Event

Chicago Neighborhoods!

Connect with architecture, history, and alums from the comfort of home.

 

Join your fellow alums on interactive virtual tours through the University of Chicago Alumni Association. Each 60-minute-long, interactive virtual presentation includes lively commentary by Chicago Detours expert tour guides.

Live narration is accompanied by a variety of visuals, from historic photography to 360-degree panning street views. 

Our events include interactive elements, such as trivia, creative challenges or educational games. The opportunity to ask questions or give comments in real time encourages your connections with the always interesting community of UChicago Alumni!

Our virtual tours are NOT academic lectures. They are fun, curated experiences that are designed for learning and enjoyment!

Special alumni rates are discounted 20% from regular rates for our public events.

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Who We Are

Chicago Detours is a boutique Chicago tour company that tells neighborhood stories through in-person tours, virtual tours, and custom content for private group events. We customize fun and meaningful experiences that connect people to places and each other through the power of storytelling.

Our Services: 

– In-person Private Tours

– Custom Tours and Content

– Private Virtual Tours and Events

UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS

CELEBRATING HEROINES OF HISTORY

Back again for Women’s History Month! Get inspired for 2022 through the overlooked stories of diverse women, like a daredevil pilot, a trailblazing sculptor, and a fierce labor union leader. 

Retail tickets: $18. Special UChicago rate: $15.

Thursday, March 10

7pm-8pm CT

book now

AFTER YOU REGISTER

You will receive a confirmation email from us within a half hour of registering. If you do not see the confirmation email, check your spam folder for an email from info@chicagodetours.com to make sure you are receiving notices from us. 

We will send the Zoom link to join the live event in a reminder email one hour before it starts.

If you miss the live event for any reason, all registrants will have access to a video of the virtual tour for a limited time after the event.

Our virtual events are always available for private groups

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Let’s Connect!

 


Ellen

Private Tour Coordinator and Tour Guide

There is no shortage of things to discover in Chicago—I love being an urban explorer and uncovering its hidden places. I have an MA in Public History from Loyola University Chicago, and I have worked as a museum educator and kindergarten teacher. My desire to learn new things fuels my passion for educating others, which I get to experience every day as a Chicago tour guide. I live in the northern neighborhood of Rogers Park.

“Our guide Ellen was exceptional and gifted with a great personal touch.”
Robert
GetYourGuide

Jen

Tour Guide

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a lifelong resident, the vibrant history and modern majesty of Chicago never ceases to amaze. I’m a graduate of Columbia College with an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Art. I’ve worked for many years as an educator at City Colleges of Chicago. As tour guide at Chicago Detours, I integrate my enthusiasm for culture and architecture with my passion as an educator. West Town/Noble Square area is home for me.

“Jen was a perfect storyteller and kept us spellbound for hours.”
Heather
TripAdvisor

Elyse

Tour Guide

With our Chicago neighborhoods, vibrant cultural institutions and nearly two centuries of larger-than-life stories, there’s never a dull moment here! I’m a fifth generation Chicagoan and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to guiding tours, I’m a creative writer and amateur genealogist. I also enjoy the city’s dynamic theater scene. You can also read overlooked stories from 19th-century newspapers on my “Second Glance History” blog. I live in River North.

Anthony

Tour Guide

Chicago is unique as it always evolves into the future while holding on to the past. I’m fascinated by how people latch on to old architecture but happily pave over others. My background is in theater and performance and I’ve been a tour guide here for more than 10 years. Currently I’m finishing my Master’s in Public History at Loyola University because I love to teach the history of this scrappy city. I’m in the Edgewater neighborhood.

Marie

Operations Coordinator and Tour Guide

Chicago’s history is so fascinating, you could spend a lifetime uncovering its secrets…I’m willing to give it a try! I have an M.A. in US History from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and then pursued doctoral studies in Urban History at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I love to learn new aspects of Chicago’s rich history and then share my knowledge as a tour guide with Chicago Detours. I live in Ravenswood.

“Marie was a bubbling fountain of information and contagious enthusiasm.”
Lorit
TripAdvisor

Sonny

Operations Coordinator and Tour Guide

As a fourth generation Chicagoan, I have been living and loving Chicago by bike, on foot, public transit or automobile. I am a graduate of UIC where through the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, began my eagerness to understand the nature, history and impacts of urban planning and development. It is incredibly rewarding to give back to this wonderful city by helping out in the office of Chicago Detours. I live in the incredibly diverse neighborhood of Albany Park.
“Sonny was extremely knowledgeable about all things Chi-town.”
Wade K
TripAdvisor

Alex

Content Manager and Tour Guide

Chicago has so many neighborhoods, buildings, and by-ways that it’s hard to go long without seeing something new, or something familiar from a new angle. I studied Cinema History for my M.A. from the University of Chicago. I’ve worked as a culture writer for various publications and as an educator of the humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. I’m thrilled to share my love of this city’s busy past and unique architectural spaces with Chicago Detours. I live in the Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park.

“Alex was fascinating to listen to. He clearly knows his history and it shows.”
Katie K
Yelp

Amanda Scotese

Executive Director and Tour Guide

I’m an interpreter of personal stories from the past and the city’s landscape. I love to imagine what originally happened inside old unmarked buildings, and what forces have shaped their design. I studied Chicago history, architectural history, and anything Chicago-related through my M.A. in the Humanities at the University of Chicago. My love for stories was enriched by my B.A. in Literature from the University of Michigan. I’ve written travel articles for publications like Rick Steves’ Italy best-selling travel guides, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. I live in the Chicago neighborhood of West Avondale.
“You can TELL Amanda is hyper-passionate about doing the research and getting the story that nobody’s heard before.”
Shelby F
Yelp