Chicago River Architecture Tour with Small Boat Upgrade Option

Embark on an expert architectural tour of Chicago’s remarkable buildings and designs. Cruise along the Chicago River and discover the city’s architectural treasures.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Chicago River - Chicago is known around the world for its architectural feats, both inside and outside of the buildings. From the 100-year-old Art Deco, Neo-Classical, and Gothic Towers, to some of the tallest modern-day skyscrapers, Chicago is where old meets futuristic architectural endeavors. It has something for everyone in a way that no other city replicates today.

We are born-and-raised Chicagoans ourselves, passionate about the community that we know and love. That passion and desire spills into all of our tours, drawing on personal experiences for curating a tour that just can’t be duplicated by a book or a movie. We want you to experience everything firsthand.

What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Tea and coffee
  • Dock pickup and drop-off (if combo tour chosen)
  • Available for purchase onboard
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Welcome aboard the Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours! We’re delighted to offer a comprehensive, expert-led river boat tour focused on the architectural marvels of one of America’s most distinguished cities. Famed for its unique, bold, and historical architectural ventures, summarizing all the architectural gems that define the Windy City is a monumental task. If you’re eager to delve deeper into the designs, the visionaries behind them, and the groundbreaking innovations they incorporated, put on your captain’s hat and embark on a scenic journey along the Chicago River, where you’ll witness architectural feats that attract aficionados from across the globe. Tours set sail from 465 N. McClurg Ct.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Combo tour ticket option is not wheelchair accessible
Location
465 N McClurg Ct
North McClurg Court
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(764 Ratings)
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Gee_g
Jul 24, 2024
Fun time - It is a fun thing to do and have a drink at the same time. You also learn some things about the downtown buildings. I love it.
Review provided by Viator
Lizaanddavid
Jul 23, 2024
Must Do in Chicago! - This was my favorite activity we did in Chicago. This specific tour was recommended to us by several locals. The tour guide was outstanding. The Captain of the boat was welcoming! I highly recommend the Chicago River Boat Tours!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C4883ffjohnt
Jul 20, 2024
Excellent trip, interesting commentary - Excellent trip. The live commentary is interesting, relevant and delivered well. The length of the trip (90min) is just right. Paying a little extra for the small boat (less people) also made the trip more engaging. Note that there is very little cover on the boat, so good weather and appropriate clothes are important.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dawn_b
Jul 16, 2024
Good way to spend 90 minutes - The boat was clean, the staff quite friendly and the tour was very informative. Liked that we saw 3 branches of the river to give a little more perspective. We did not take advantage is the drinks for purchase but did have complimentary water and lemonade. The tour makes me want to see other parts of the riverfront.
Review provided by Viator
Maurice_b
Jul 14, 2024
Great Experience - Gentle smooth ride with refreshments. You should do some research to find African American contributions to Chicago Architecture.
Review provided by Viator
Dbartelli
Jul 13, 2024
Excellent afternoon tour - Excellent tour. The guide took time to meet with people on board to make the experience more personal before setting out. Extensive knowledge of history and architecture with lighthearted antedotes too. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mikaja
Jul 14, 2024
Lovely scenery but could understand the host - It was very enjoyable 90min. Chicago is a beautiful city and my family and I loved it.I was looking forward this tour the most as being and architect. However, the host of the tour spoke so fast and not clear that most of the explanations about the buildings I did not understand. Nore my family. And we are proficient in English. That was a bit of a let down.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pfm1957
Jul 22, 2024
Expectation not met. - The person doing the tour tried cramming too much in, spoke too quickly, and had a raspy voice we could not understand. We were not alone in that.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kvonder
Jul 14, 2024
architectural cruise - The guide good but hard to understand -poor quality sounds system. The boat was also overcrowded…it was hard to find a set that my are wasn’t touching a stranger.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
972daviant
Jul 16, 2024
Do not book your tour with a 3rd party company - Do not use a 3rd party service to book your tour. We used Viacom powered by Trip Advisor. We never could find the boat for our tour and there are no docents available to help guide you. We wasted precious time and money on Ubers for two days in a row and never got to take our tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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