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Chicago Helicopter Tour: City to Shoreline

17 Reviews 4.41 out of 5 stars Based on 17 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor |
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards.
Chicago, USA

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On average, this is booked 25 (0) days in advance.

20 to 25 minutes (approx.)
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Offered in: English

Overview

Your journey begins with a southeast departure from the Vertiport, offering early views of the city’s iconic skyline. Flying east, you’ll head toward the lakefront and cruise south along the shoreline, passing Soldier Field, the Museum Campus, and continuing down to the historic Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park. From there, the route turns north, following Lake Michigan’s edge past Navy Pier, the John Hancock Center, and up to Montrose Harbor; a favorite city escape with marinas and beaches. You’ll then loop south once more, enjoying a sweeping view of Chicago’s lakefront before heading west to return to the Vertiport. It’s a dynamic tour showcasing both downtown and the scenic south shore in one unforgettable flight.

What's Included

  • Helicopter Tour
  • Gratuities
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Meeting Location

Meeting point

1339 South Wood Street
Chicago, IL 60608, USA

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

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Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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Chinatown

A historic Chinese-American neighborhood on the South Side known for its pagoda-topped gate, dim sum restaurants, and the Chinatown Square shopping plaza along Wentworth Ave.
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Admission Ticket Free

McCormick Place

North America's largest convention center, hosting major trade shows and conventions on the lakefront just south of downtown.
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Admission Ticket Free

Northerly Island

A peninsula (once an island) on Lake Michigan, now a nature park and outdoor concert venue (Huntington Bank Pavilion), just south of the Museum Campus.
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Admission Ticket Free

Soldier Field

Home of the Chicago Bears NFL team, a lakefront stadium known for its distinctive blend of a classical colonnade and a modern glass-and-steel bowl.
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Admission Ticket Free

Field Museum

One of the world's largest natural history museums, home to Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex fossil ever found.
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Admission Ticket Free

Adler Planetarium

America's first planetarium, offering space science exhibits and sky shows on the shore of Lake Michigan.
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Admission Ticket Free

Lake Michigan

One of the five Great Lakes, forming Chicago's eastern border and defining much of the city's identity and skyline views.
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Admission Ticket Free

Grant Park

Chicago's "front yard" is a sprawling downtown park hosting Lollapalooza, the Taste of Chicago, and other major events.
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Admission Ticket Free

Cloud Gate

Anish Kapoor's reflective stainless-steel sculpture in Millennium Park is one of the city's most photographed landmarks.
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Admission Ticket Free

Lake Shore Drive

The scenic roadway running along Lake Michigan's shoreline connects the city's lakefront parks, beaches, and skyline views.
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Admission Ticket Free

The St. Regis Chicago

A luxury hotel and residential skyscraper on the Chicago River, one of the tallest buildings in the U.S. designed by Jeanne Gang.
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Admission Ticket Free

Navy Pier

A historic pier turned entertainment destination with a Ferris wheel, restaurants, shops, and lake cruises.
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Admission Ticket Free

Magnificent Mile

The upscale stretch of North Michigan Avenue is lined with flagship stores, hotels, and skyscrapers.
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Admission Ticket Free

North Avenue Beach

A lively lakefront beach near Lincoln Park, known for its ship-shaped boathouse and volleyball courts.
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Admission Ticket Free

Lincoln Park

Chicago's largest park, stretching along the lakefront and home to the zoo, conservatory, and numerous trails.
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Admission Ticket Free

Lincoln Park Zoo

A free, historic zoo within Lincoln Park, one of the oldest zoos in the country.
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Admission Ticket Free

Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower

Once the tallest building in the world, this downtown skyscraper still anchors Chicago's skyline and offers the Skydeck observation experience.
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Admission Ticket Free

360 Chicago Observation Deck

The observation deck near the top of the John Hancock Center (875 N. Michigan Ave.), offering panoramic views of the city and Lake Michigan from the 94th floor, plus TILT, an attraction that tilts visitors out over the edge of the building.
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Admission Ticket Free

John Hancock Center

A distinctive black steel skyscraper on the Magnificent Mile, instantly recognizable by its X-braced exterior trusses; once the tallest building in Chicago, it offers the 360 CHICAGO observation deck near the top with sweeping views of the lake and city.
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Admission Ticket Free

The Art Institute of Chicago

One of the oldest and largest art museums in the U.S., located in Grant Park; famous for its Impressionist collection, American Gothic, and the bronze lion statues guarding its main entrance.
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Admission Ticket Free

Wintrust Arena

A modern arena near McCormick Place on the South Side, home to DePaul University basketball and a venue for concerts and sporting events.
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Admission Ticket Free

Clarence F. Buckingham Fountain

A grand Beaux-Arts fountain in Grant Park, one of the largest in the world, known for its color-lit evening water shows in summer; modeled after a fountain at Versailles.
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Admission Ticket Free

Water Tower Place

A landmark vertical shopping mall and mixed-use tower on North Michigan Avenue, named for the historic Chicago Water Tower across the street; one of the first major urban shopping centers in the U.S., with retail, dining, and residences in a single skyscraper.
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Admission Ticket Free

Chicago History Museum

Located in Lincoln Park, this museum chronicles the city's history from its founding through the Great Chicago Fire, the World's Fairs, and beyond, with artifacts, photographs, and exhibits on Chicago's people and neighborhoods.
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Admission Ticket Free

University of Chicago (pass by)

A prestigious private research university in the Hyde Park neighborhood, known for its Gothic-style campus, rigorous academics, and ties to dozens of Nobel laureates; its main quadrangles and Rockefeller Memorial Chapel are landmarks in their own right.
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Obama Presidential Library (pass by)

The presidential library component housed within the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, chronicling Barack Obama's life and presidency, is part of the broader campus that also includes a Chicago Public Library branch and museum, which opened to the public on June 19, 2026.
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Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (pass by)

Housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Fair, this Hyde Park museum features hands-on science exhibits, a real U-505 German submarine, and an Omnimax theater.
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Montrose Beach (pass by)

A popular lakefront beach on Chicago's North Side, known for its dunes (a rare natural habitat for the endangered piping plover), a harbor, and views back toward the downtown skyline.
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Show 27 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Frequently Asked Questions

(7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Chicago Helicopter Tour: City to Shoreline?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (CDT). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

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Activity code: C-328653P8

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.41
17 reviews

Average 4.41 out of 5 stars based on 17 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and partner sites such as Trustpilot, Viator, and TripAdvisor

5 stars
13
4 stars
0
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
1 star
0

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On average, this is booked 25 (0) days in advance.

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What's Included

Activity name

  • Helicopter Tour
  • Gratuities

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
  • Operated by a business

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Free Cancellation

100% refund
No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (CDT).
  • This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

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