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| Tour Info Overview Steve's Segway Tours operates tours in downtown Chicago visiting the lakefront area, Museum Campus, and several of the major parks. These tours are conducted on Segway i2s, with each customer riding his/her own Segway. The Segway i2 is the latest generation of Segway PTs (Personal Transporters), and they allow the rider to move in any direction simply by leaning that way. The tour group is led by an experienced tour guide, who will impart a great deal of knowledge on the history and architecture of Chicago, as well as entertain the tour group with humor and interesting anecdotes. Before embarking, the tour guide will carefully teach the tour group how to operate their Segways, as well as instruct them in safety. Tours operate in foul as well as fair weather.
Hours of Operation
Standard group tours operate three times a day. There is a morning, afternoon, and evening tour. The following chart summarizes tour specifics for our standard types of group tours, but please refer to the next section on "Types of Tours" to see all that we offer.
| Tour | Length | Departs | Returns | Price | | Morning | 3 hours | 9:30 am | 12:30 pm | $70 + tax | | Afternoon | 3 hours | 1:30 pm | 4:30 pm | $70 + tax | | Evening | 2 hours | 6:30 pm | 8:30 pm | $60 + tax | | Architecture | 3 hours | *see Note A | *Note A | $85 + tax | | North | 3 hours | *see Note N | *Note N | $70 + tax | | Specialty | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | Varies | | Private | 3 hours | Flexible | Flexible | $100 + tax |
*Note A - Architecture Tour - Sunday Morning and/or Afternoon. Other days and times by
arrangement. *Note N - North Tour - Weekday Morning (preferred) or Afternoon during the summer. Weekends, spring and fall, by arrangement. Tours are offered all year long! To cater to walk-up traffic and inquiries, the Location is often staffed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day during the busier summer season (June through early September). However, it is far far safer/wiser to call us in advance for reservations, as well as to ask any questions you may have. Although we are often "there" (at our Location), we cater to last minute bookings, and the staff member who was supposed to be "there" may actually be leading a spur of the moment tour when you drop by. Hence, call! In the slower months of operation (April, May, and mid-September through November) tours are offered mostly by reservation only. And obviously, in the winter months (December - March), a reservation is absolutely required.
Types of Tours Steve's Segway Tours operates several different types of tours: standard three-hour morning and afternoon tours, two-hour evening tours, and specialty tours.
Morning Tour -- A standard three-hour tour through Grant Park, Museum Campus, and along the lakefront, with stops at Buckingham Fountain, Millennium Park, and various other locations. The tour guide speaks a great deal on this tour - discussing Chicago history, architecture, and interesting facts, at various stops along the way. This tour departs at 9:30 a.m., returns at 12:30 p.m., and costs $70 + tax per person.
Afternoon Tour -- Exactly the same as the morning tour, except this tour departs at 1:30 p.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m.. It also costs $70 + tax per person.
Evening Tour -- With an hour less to work with, the emphasis is on riding the Segway. Tour guides still discuss history, architecture, and offer interesting anecdotes, but they keep their comments brief. This tour departs at 6:30 p.m., returns at 8:30 p.m., and costs $60 + tax per person.
Architecture Tour -- A three-hour tour conducted by Bill Elliott - owner/operator of Chicago Redcap Walking Tours (see Steve's Recommendations page). Bill has created a Segway version of his fabulous downtown Chicago Architecture tour. On Sundays, when the city "sleeps", he takes you into the Loop for a close up look and discussion of Chicago's incredible buildings. On other days, he conducts an architecture intensive Segway tour, however you won't be able to ride into the Loop. You will have to be satisfied with riding around the Loop (but you will get to the new Riverwalk). This tour costs $85 + tax per person. North Tour -- A three-hour tour that heads north from our Grant Park location, along and over the Chicago River, and then along the Lakefront to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Unfortunately, tehy won't let us into the Zoo on Segways anymore. But that's okay. We now ride a bit into the neighborhoods and do some exploring instead. Please note - there are long stretches of just riding straight on this tour. We do far more "playing" on the standard tours. This tour costs $70 + tax per person.
Specialty Tour -- A general designation that encompasses several specific tours. The most common specialty tours are the "red-key tour", and tours either to areas outside the standard tour route, or that include additional activities. The red-key tour is for returning customers who wish an opportunity to ride the Segway at its top speed (red-key). This is way fun and we highly recommend it! A non-standard tour route can be requested by a group or organization booking a tour. Steve's Segway Tours makes every effort to accommodate such requests. We also cater to customers wishing to "design their own tours" by adding activities to the tour. Stopping for a nice lunch at a beautiful location is the most common added activity, but tell us what you are interested in, and we will make every effort to accomodate you! Prices for specialty tours depend on the design and duration of the particular tour.
Private Tour -- You can request a private tour with your own personal tour guide! The cost is $100 + tax per person, but there is a minimum charge of $250. Steve's Tour -- Want Steve himself to be your tour guide? You can request this for an extra $100.
Rescheduling due to Weather Conditions
Tours operate rain or shine, and in warm weather and cold. Customers not wishing to take their scheduled tour because of weather concerns or conditions are allowed to reschedule (" rain check"), but not receive a refund. "Rain checks" do not have an expiration date. This policy is designed to cater to out-of-towners who are unable to find a satisfactory date to reschedule to while still in Chicago on their current visit. They have the option of taking their tour at any future date when they will be in Chicago again, or they may transfer their tour to friends or family. This can be accomplished with a simple phone call. Note - Rain Checks require communication! Please don't just not show up and expect to be granted a rain check. You absolutely must call to discuss. Please don't be the straw that break's the camel's back. Most rain checks have been issued to conscientious customers who had called, and had every right to a rain check. A few however, have taken advantage of my very liberal policy and taken last minute rain checks because it was "threatening" rain, or raining before their tour began. Their actions have kept others from being able to take the tour (sold out), as well as cost Steve's Segway Tours considerable money (by not being able to accomodate those who could now have taken the tour that "was" sold out). Please don't be the one who makes me change my policy to "We go rain or shine - use it or lose it", which is the rain check policy of my competitors.
What to Bring with You
You need to bring a credit card (preferably the one you used to reserve your tour) for the Agreement to be Responsible for any Segway Damage, that you are required to sign. You will also have to sign a Liability Waiver. If you are under 18, you need to have a parent sign these. Your parent or legal guardian needn't accompany you, but we have to have a signed liability waiver or you won't be able to take the tour.
You should bring a camera, probably sunglasses, and sunscreen as well. If it is not summer, we recommend you bring an extra layer of clothing as Chicago's weather can be a bit unpredictable. You probably want to have a pair of gloves if it might be cold. If it looks like rain we can sell you a plastic rain poncho for $1, so don't worry about bringing rainwear. And bring a camera! Okay, we already mentioned this, but it bears repeating. Some of the views are so spectacular you will definitely want pictures!
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