Safari / Nature Tours in Chicago

Chicago might not be what you picture when you think ‘safari,’ but its nature tours have a surprising charm. If you want to escape the city’s concrete for a few hours, spots like the Lincoln Park Zoo or the beautiful Morton Arboretum offer guided tours that feel more like mini-adventures than your average stroll. And the best part? You won’t have to drive hours out of town to spot birds, turtles, or even bison.

One of my favorite hidden gems is the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary along Lake Michigan. If you’re visiting in spring or fall migration, pack binoculars and watch hawks, warblers, and more stop by. The guides there know the birds by name, which always makes it fun. For a different kind of wildlife tour, the Shedd Aquarium sometimes runs behind-the-scenes tours focusing on local aquatic ecosystems , a really cool way to learn about Lake Michigan’s critters.

If you’re up for a more rugged experience, the Chicago Botanic Garden offers nature walks that dive into native plants and butterfly spotting. Pro tip: wear layers in spring,the mornings can be chilly even when the midday sun warms things up. So yeah, Chicago’s nature tours may not roar with lions, but they’ve got plenty of life and stories right in the city’s backyard.