Private tour in Chicago Colm R
5.0
(13) reviews
4 hours
1
4 hours
1
Colm R.
5.0
Guide rating
29
Reviews
Tours delivered
2 hrs
Avg. response time
Greetings from Chicago! My name is Colm and I'd love to show you around my favorite city! I am a certified tour guide and enjoy meeting new people who wish to share my passion for Chicago's architecture and history. I have lived in Chicago for most of my adult life although I originally hale from Dublin, Ireland, so I know how to tell a story! I empathize with travelers because I'm a keen traveler myself and always hire a guide in a foreign place to discover its secrets, learn its history, and hopefully be entertained! In turn, I pride myself on revealing the real Chicago, avoiding some of the crowded tourist traps and offering a way to get to know the city's famous places more intimately. Feel free to ask me for recommendations for Chicago's best museums, attractions and dining. Always happy to take pictures and videos of my guests on all my tours. All tours are customizable so if you would like me to combine 2 tours, add a trip to the Art Institute, or extend a tour please feel free to reach out to me. I can provide: - Private tours - Historical & Heritage Tours - Sightseeing Tours - Day Trips/Out of Town - Cultural Tours I'm a fun and friendly guide and I especially like to show people around who've never been to Chicago before, to be able to see the city anew through their eyes. I very much look forward to meeting you and showing you around! Certified Member of Chicago Tour-Guide Professionals Association I do not have any restrictions in regard to my guiding, I can offer a full range of experiences
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Colm R.
Take a train ride* with me to the town of Pullman, home of the company town created by George Pullman in 1880 and now recognized as a National Park. Did you know that initially, George Pullman did not want to build the town near Chicago? This is a story of the American dream, a social experiment in company-owned towns, and the birth of the trade union and the civil rights movements in the USA. On this tour, we will walk around the streets of Pullman together and learn why the town was created, its struggle to survive, its importance to the history of the trade union movement, and its impact on the civil rights movement. We'll grab some lunch at a local eatery and discuss the lifestyle of George Pullman. On the train ride back to Chicago we'll talk about what happened to the Pullman company and the subsequent struggles for the town. *(Tour also available by car for an additional fee) Join me!
Colm was a fantastic guide. His mastery of bringing to life histoical events made the entire tour an absolute joy. He was very personable and his clear enjoyment and excitement for Chicago History pulled all of us in. On our tour, he had a binder of photos and newspaper clipping that he compiled. That was impressive! It worked seamlessly into his narration, but also it was that extra cherry on top to exemplify his dedication. Loved it!
We took Colm’s Pullman tour and enjoyed! He has conducted considerable research on the history of the area and George Pullman himself. We came away with insight and a in-depth perspective that we found most interesting. Highly recommend.
Excellent tour! Well worth the time. Pullman is a fascinating place— full of history. Colm was on time, informative, and pleasant
Colm was super friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. I was skeptical as to how he would fill three hours of a tour of Pullman, but his depth and breadth of research were fantastic, and he left me wanting more! In particular, I would take any tour with Colm having to do with history or architecture - you can tell he's a lifelong learner, passionate about Chicago, and delivers a nuanced, informative, and unique tour.
Colm is a great tour guide, from the moment he met us at our accommodation he kept us entertained and informed with stories of Chicago, the railway and the Pullman experience. His knowledge of architecture is encyclopaedic and he made the whole day interesting. Pullman is a work in progress and would be greatly enhanced by examples its railway coaches. On our return to the city Colm pointed us in the direction of 'Eataly' - an emporium of Italian food with a choice of restaurants inside. A ***** day
Colm Ronan is an excellent guide and we learned a lot on his tour of Pullman. My niece and I are History buffs and we heard about some very interesting tidbits about George Pullman, his family, people involved with the town, and stories about other happenings in Pullman after George's death. I would recommend this tour to anyone who would like to learn about this original company town.
• Meet at the north entrance to Chicago Cultural Center and take the train down to Pullman. We can also meet at your hotel and walk/take a cab to the train station. • After arriving in Pullman we will spend approximately 1. 5 hours walking around the town. I will discuss the history of the various buildings and show you pictures of the original structures. • We will also go to the Visitor Center where you can use the restrooms and make a gift shop purchase if you desire. After the walking tour, we will stop for lunch (optional/seasonal) at one of the local restaurants. • Over lunch, I will discuss the lifestyle of George Pullman and his family plus the impact of the strike of 1894 and how Pullman impacted the civil rights movement. • Once lunch is over we will take the train back to downtown Chicago. **If you decide you would prefer to travel to Pullman in my car, there will be an additional fee, so please contact me to create a customized tour.
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
We will travel to Pullman by train. If you prefer to travel by car - either your car or mine (BMW X4) - this option is available for a small surcharge.
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide: The Chicago Cultural Center at 77 E. Randolph Street (https://goo.gl/maps/noQ9NY2A7QMQxV28A) Alternatively we can meet at your hotel and either walk or take a cab to the train station.
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4 hours
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