Chicago Evening Crime & Gangster Bus Tour

This bus tour covers ground the walking tours simply cannot, running between the addresses that made Chicago crime famous. Over two hours after dark you cross the city to Capone-era sites, the hits, the rackets and the spots where the headlines were made, with the bus turning the distance between them into part of the story. The guide keeps it accurate and the route keeps it moving, so you see the whole map in a single night.

The ticket covers the bus and a live guide, which is the efficient version of a sprawling history that is otherwise spread across the city. The value is in the reach: you hit the infamous addresses that are too far apart to walk, with documented history rather than recycled tall tales filling the rides between them. Food, drinks and gratuities are extra, so plan accordingly.

It suits true-crime readers, couples and groups who want the full sweep over a single neighborhood, and the seated format works for any fitness level. Bring a light layer for the bus and the stops, and a camera for the exteriors. It pairs well as the orientation before a walking tour, since it shows you how the city's crime map actually fits together.