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Around Town on a Chicago Segway Tour

What is the best way for getting around the city? On foot? On a bicycle? Perhaps as a passenger in an open top bus?

All three options are good choices, but there may only be one option that provides the greatest mobility without the attendant fatigue and mobility restrictions: Segways. Segway is a branded two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transport vehicle that was introduced in 2001. Powered by an electric motor, Segways can reach a top speed of 12.5 miles per hour or about three times your walking speed.

Personal Transport Vehicles

Segways are easy to operate, self balancing and can take you places where most other vehicles are not allowed including bicycles. They are prized by many for their versatility, originality and functionality, the latter ideal for people who have mobility issues including disabled veterans.

After slowly catching on, Segways use has become much more widespread and are now used by campus security, tour operators, and in some locations are used by first responders. For tour operators such as Chicago Segway Tours, the personal transport vehicles are prized by visitors to the Windy City especially people who want to see more of the city with little time to spare.

Chicago Segway Tour

One such tour takes people throughout the lakefront region, sweeping past Lake Michigan with the Chicago skyline ever present. That tour takes tourists to DuSable Harbor and Park, Monroe Harbor, to the Columbia and Chicago Yacht Clubs, over to Burnham Harbor and includes a visit to Northerly Island. Along the way, the Segway users can stop and take photographs, capturing scenes that they otherwise might miss.

Grant Park is another destination that permits Segway access, a 319-acre urban treasure that includes the stunning Rose Garden, the majestic Buckingham Fountain, Millennium Park, and the colossal Agora sculptures. Such a tour would take hours to complete on foot, but with a Segway you can see everything in under an hour without feeling rushed or tired.
At the edge of Grant Park are three museums that can be visited too: the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, and Field Museum of Natural History. It is on Northerly Island where the planetarium is situated and reached via a narrow isthmus.

Easy to Operate

A Segway scooter is easy to operate. You simply need to set out with a fully charged unit, something your tour operator will ensure before you head out. A kickstand will hold the Segway upright as you approach it for the first time.

An on/off button activates the Segway and features two modes: “turtle” and “normal” — you may start with the slower mode before progressing to normal when your comfort level has been reached.

When you are ready to move out, you will be given a helmet to protect your head. Then, you will hold the Segway upright and place one foot on the platform. When the red light on the panel turns green you can release the kickstand and place both feet on the platform.

Lean forward slightly and the Segway will begin to move. To turn it, just lean in the direction that you want to go. The Segway will sense that command and respond accordingly. When done, you bring the Segway to a stop, turn the button off and put the kickstand in place. Success!

Tour Your Area in a Segway

So, whether you are touring Chicago or seeking a better view of your own city, a Segway can take your there. They are easy to operate, fun to control, and make touring any area a fun adventure.

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