my wife and i will be touring china via viking in oct and need a visa, can we obtain it in chicago?

Colin, if you live in the consular district of Chicago, you can apply for ti from Chicago. Is Viking a tour agency? If yes, besides your passports, you need to get an itinerary from the agency, and prepare an application form attached with your recent bare-headed photo. The cost is 140 dollars for each person if you hold US passport.