Chicago's 1-Hour Express: Unforgettable City Panorama!
Discover Chicago's best on our Big Bus tour. Board our open-top, double-decker bus and see the city's iconic landmarks, from the Magnificent Mile to Millennium Park. Utilize our convenient stops to explore vibrant neighborhoods and attractions, including Willis Tower, the Chicago Riverwalk, and more. Spend your day shopping on Magnificent Mile, enjoying Navy Pier's Ferris Wheel, or tasting authentic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Our flexible tour lets you create your own itinerary, with a free app to track bus arrivals. Listen to digital commentary in multiple languages, offering expert insight into Chicago's history and culture, while recommending the best places to eat, drink, and shop. Offering comfortable seating and panoramic views, our Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour is an ideal way to explore the city. Hop off as often as you like within your ticket's validity period, and simply hop on again when ready to continue.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
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Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
tiffanycottingham14, 10/27/2025 7:54:40 AM
Our driver was Kandace! She was amazing. She chose to do the tour on her mic, or you could listen to the recorded tour with your headset. Kandace is funny, she kept us laughing but all of her information was amazing! I would recommend the Big Red Bus! We hoped off and on at stops we wanted to see. We had amazing seats, and it was great. I am sure the other drivers are great too! Somehow we ended up always getting back on her bus lol
Elvia_M, 10/26/2025 4:11:27 PM
Great way to tour around town and see the sights quickly. Then you can decide which you would like to visit, time permitting, or come back later on your own. We found a couple of places that were actually within walking distance from our hotel to come back to later. Only one driver gave added information about the different places along the route which we really enjoyed. Earpods given, but still difficult to hear audio at times. Recommend tour overall.
Vacationer48783, 10/26/2025 2:59:15 PM
Our driver and tour guide was Dorothy. She is amazing. Professional, pleasant and a total joy. She helped make our first visit to Chicago fantastic and we will definitely be back.
77khanhb, 10/26/2025 2:57:08 PM
She is a great driver, energy is high, history wasn't boring, said she couldn't control nature and I get it, because who can? People are so rude nowadays.
657jenv, 10/20/2025 10:19:37 AM
Always a big fan of Hop off and Hop on buses. The audio narration is informative without being too overwhelming. I was visiting the weekend of the marathon (but not running) so the whole city was very very busy and the buses were running behind because of traffic. Do not fault them for this just a warning to check to make sure when you are booking travel and if you are there for the marathon expect them to be running behind of no fault of their own.
Lynette_P, 10/19/2025 9:51:17 AM
Big bus is not Greyline hop on hop off but did provide a great way to get an overview of Chicago downtown, parks, and museums.
Sinead_I, 10/18/2025 9:08:17 AM
Pleasant knowledgeable drivers. Using earphones, 1 is English and 2 is Spanish. Volume is the other button!
Seaside751524, 10/14/2025 8:12:35 AM
Not very positive. Bus smelled very oily on the bottom level. Chicago Marathon stopped all of our service. You think they would have known that to warn me when I booked. Long wait between rides and kind of crabby drivers. I will ask for refund.
Gary_H, 10/14/2025 7:06:24 AM
Always a brilliant way to start any city visit,,, get you barings & then plan ahead as to where /when you want to visit
jlokier, 10/13/2025 4:24:14 PM
The good: they have good WiFi and a decent recorded audio about what your looking on the tour. The bad: they change routes without telling you, you can be waiting for an hour for a bus that gets to your location and tells you they decided to stop the service so you need to wait for another bus. If you ask the driver for guidance or help they just grunt at you. You need a lot of patience if you decide using this service.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Redeem vouchers at Stop #1 Riverwalk (98 E Wacker), or with the driver at any Big Bus stop along the route
- Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required
- Self-guided tour topics include Chicago Architecture, Public Art, Chicago Riverwalk, and Millennium Park
- Download the free Big Bus app for stop locations, city information and live bus tracking.
- Two ways to activate tickets: 1. Download and open the Big Bus app. Tap "Add Booking" and enter your booking reference. On the day of travel, open your ticket and press "Activate" then show your activated ticket to the driver at any stop along the route. Plus, use the app for route information and live bus tracking. 2. Redeem voucher and activate with Big Bus staff at Stop #1 - Chicago Riverwalk - 98 E. Wacker Drive (on the corner of Michigan and Wacker), or with any driver at any stop along the route.
No departure point available
Redemption
Operates daily: First Bus 10 AM, Last Bus 5 PM Download the free Big Bus app for city information and live bus tracking Two ways to activate tickets: 1. Download and open the Big Bus app. Tap "Add Booking" and enter your booking reference. On the day of travel, open your ticket and press "Activate" then show your activated ticket to the driver at any stop along the route. Plus, use the app for route information and live bus tracking. 2. Redeem voucher and activate with Big Bus staff at Stop #1 - Chicago Riverwalk - 98 E. Wacker Drive (on the corner of Michigan and Wacker), or with any driver at any stop along the route.24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund