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...........Steve's Segway Tours...........

Located at the far East end of Upper Randolph Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312-946-9467
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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.

   TourLengthDepartsReturnsPrice
 Morning3 hours 9:30 am12:30 pm$70 + tax
 Afternoon3 hours 1:30 pm4:30 pm$70 + tax
 Evening 2hr 2 hours       6:30 pm      8:30 pm $60 + tax
 Evening 2.5hr2.5 hours       6:30 pm      9:00 pm  $65 + tax 
 Architecture 3 hours *see Note A   *see Note A $85 + tax
 River/North  3 hours      Flexible      Flexible  $80* + tax
 North 3 hours *see Note N   *see Note N $80* + tax
 Haunted Chicago 3 hoursby Appointmentby Appointment  $80 + tax
 Clue  3 hours  *see Note C    *see Note C  $100 + tax
 Fireworks 2.5 hours

Wed - 7:30 pm

 Sat  - 8:15 pm

Wed - 10:00 pm

 Sat  - 10:45 pm

 $75 + tax
 Hot Chocolate  2 hours *see Note HC *see Note HC  $60 + tax
 Specialty Flexible      Flexible      Flexible   Varies
 Private3 hoursFlexibleFlexible$100 + tax

* River/North and North Tours are $80 + tax for newcomers, but we will happily discount     
them to $70 + tax for returning customers with a group of 4 or more.  The reason is that we strongly believe you should take our Lakefront/Museum Campus Tour first, but if you insist on a North or River/North Tour on your first time with Steve's Segway Tours, even though there are a lot of narrow city streets and red light crossings involved, we will happily take you on these tours, but it will cost slightly more.
 
*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.
 
*Note C   -  Clue Tour                -  See Segway Scavenger Hunt on Team Building page.
 
*Note HC -  Hot Chocolate        - 10:30 am and 1:30 pm November - February.
 
 
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 Lakefront/Museum Campus 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 Lakefront/Museum Campus 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 Lakefront/Museum Campus Tour -- Originally designed 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.  But guess what?  We found that given the choice, almost everyone preferred going an extra half hour for only $5 more (this is the same thing we found with the winter tours as well), so the evening tour is almost always done as a 2.5 hour tour now, departs at 6:30 pm, returns at 9 pm (we happily often go earlier in spring and fall), and costs $65 + tax per person.
 

Architecture Tour -- A three-hour tour conducted by one of my architecture experts, and on occassions by Bill Elliott - owner/operator of Chicago Redcap Walking Tours (see Steve's Recommendations page).  Bill and my creative architecture experts (April and Freddy, for those of you who have been with us before), have created a Segway version of his fabulous downtown Chicago Architecture tour.  On Sundays, when the city "sleeps", we take you into the Loop for a close up look and discussion of Chicago's incredible buildings.  On other days, we conduct 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 ride along the new Riverwalk).  This tour costs $85 + tax per person.
 

River/North Tour -- A three-hour tour that rides along the new Chicago River Riverwalks as much as possible, and then takes you for a journey to/by some of the River North area art galleries.  We may even stop at the Spa Shop (located along the East Branch Riverwalk) for a 2-minute foot/leg massage.  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 $80 + 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, they 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 $80 + tax per person.
 
Haunted Chicago Tour -- A three-hour tour that explores the most eerie and infamous paranormal happenings throughout Chicago's history.  The supernatural repercussions of tragic events from its past still plague Chicago to this very day (i.e., things are haunted!). This tour costs $80 + tax per person.
 
Fireworks Tour -- A two-and-a-half-hour tour that combines all the best elements of our marvelous Evening Tour, with a stop towards the end to view the spectacular twice weekly Navy Pier fireworks display. This tour costs $75 + tax per person.
 
Hot Chocolate and Cool Segways Tour -- A winter option available November - February that is very similar to the 2-hour Evening Lakefront/Museum Campus Tour.  It includes either a stop at Kim and Carlos for a cup of hot chocolate, or sometimes a cup at our location.

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!  Private tours are highly recommended if you are looking for a special time tour, more control over your route or how long we stop at any particular point, or just want the privacy of an intimate experience with just you and your tour guide.  The cost is $100 + tax per person, but there is a minimum charge of $254.
 
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.
 
If you choose to take a rain check, that does NOT mean you can reschedule to any time and date that is convenient for you.  It means we will make every attempt to accomodate your wishes, but we will most often NOT be able to create a tour for you on a date and time when no one else is already scheduled!  Sorry, but you have to understand that rain checks are a courtesy we are offering you, not a right you have.  Hence, we will keep and have a record of your rain check, absolutely, but won't be issuing a rain check certificate.  It is a courtesy extended by us to you.
 
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 don't forget to bring a camera!  Okay, we already mentioned this, but it bears repeating. Some of the views are so spectacular you will definitely want pictures!