Explore Chicago’s Sweet Side on the Underground Donut Tour

You do-nut want to miss out on this family-friendly food tour.

Stroll through scenic Chicago while enjoying some of the sweetest treats the city has to offer on the Underground Donut Tour. The family-friendly food tour serves up samples of delicious donuts alongside bits and pieces of fascinating Chicago history. 

Quick details about the Underground Donut Tour

underground donut tour with kids
Photo credit: Underground Donut Tour

  • Hours: Tours run many days of the week and several times a day. Departure times are typically between 9 a.m. and noon. 
  • Cost: $55/adults, $50/kids ages 10 and under

The Underground Donut Tour started in downtown Chicago but has since expanded to offer tours in 12 national cities, as well as several tours in Canada and Europe. The company recently added a second Chicago-based tour in the West Loop. 

Over two hours, families will walk a total of two miles as they visit four iconic Chicago donut shops. At each stop, you’ll have the opportunity to sample 2-3 delicious donuts and learn a bit about the shop’s history from an enthusiastic tour guide. 

The pace of the tour is relaxed and fun, but be sure to dress comfortably and bring a stroller for littles. Here are a few more tips for taking the Underground Donut Tour with kids: 

Tips for taking the Underground Donut Tour with kids 

underground donut tour with kids
Photo credit: Underground Donut Tour

  • Book your tour in advance. Tours fill up quickly, so it’s best not to assume you can grab a ticket the day of your desired tour. 
  • If you’ll be driving to the West Loop or downtown Chicago, reserve a parking spot in advance with SpotHero to avoid costly downtown parking garages. 
  • Bring a stroller or wagon for littles that won’t be able to walk two miles or for two hours. Even with all that sugar, it’s still a long tour! 
  • The tour runs year round in all weather conditions, so check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Tours will only be canceled if extreme weather poses a danger to guests. 
  • If you have any dietary restrictions, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy donuts! Many shops offer vegan, gluten-free and allergy-friendly options — just be sure to coordinate with the Underground Donut Tour prior to your tour date so they can make accommodations.

Is the Underground Donut Tour worth it? 

underground donut tour with kids
Photo credit: Underground Donut Tour

The Underground Donut Tour reached out and invited me to take their super sweet tour, so my younger brother and I headed downtown for an afternoon of coffee, Chicago history and more donuts than either of us were able to finish (although my brother did take plenty of leftover donuts home!)

We met our enthusiastic tour guide, Jackson, at the Doughnut Vault. The rest of our tour group was a family of three that was visiting from Texas to celebrate their daughter’s 10th birthday. Considering that tours usually cap at 20 people, I felt excited about having an especially small, intimate group. Our tour guide offered all of the adults a coffee (which we happily accepted on a gloomy, chilly day) and we were off! 

The guide 

Jackson was enthusiastic, goofy and knowledgeable; not just about donut shops, but about the history of Chicago, too! I’ve lived in the Chicagoland area my entire life and still learned several interesting things about the city I call home. For that reason, I would recommend this tour to both locals and tourists. Plus, I sampled donuts from some bakeries that have been on my foodie bucket list for years, but I’ve never gotten around to visiting. 

The donuts

underground donut tour with kids
Photo credit: Underground Donut Tour

You didn’t come to read a review of the Underground Donut Tour and hear about local history, so let’s dig into the sweetest part of the tour — the donuts! At each of the four shops, we had the opportunity to sample two to three different donuts. Each sample was a quarter of a donut (trust me, it’s much larger than it sounds) — and there were always extras for anyone who wanted seconds of their favorite flavor. The menu was curated so that we tasted everything from old fashioned donuts and signature flavors to seasonal treats and unique flavor combos. 

I appreciated the third stop at Stan’s Donuts, which was an opportunity to take a seat and get off our feet, use the restroom and chat with our tour group. At our final stop at Do-Rite Donuts, our tour guide led us in singing “Happy Birthday” to the birthday guest, which I thought was a sweet personal touch.

Overall, this tour is great for families with a sweet tooth that may also want to do some sightseeing and pick up some local history facts while they tour doughnut shops. The Underground Donut Tour is fun for all ages!


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Nikki Roberts
Nikki Roberts
Nikki Roberts is the assistant editor on the Chicago Parent team. She is always on the lookout for the coolest and trendiest new attractions, restaurants and events for Chicagoland families. Her newsletters, online family guides and exciting digital content keep families informed on all the latest happenings around town.

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