Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Cruise along Chicago River and Lake Michigan
- 360-degree panoramic views of Chicago's skyline
- Expert commentary on architectural landmarks
- See iconic buildings like Willis Tower and John Hancock Center
- Learn about Chicago's rich architectural history
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided boat tour of Chicago River and Lake Michigan
- 360-degree panoramic views of Chicago's skyline
- Expert commentary on architectural landmarks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Itinerary
Lake and River Architecture Tours begin at Michigan Avenue and explore Chicago's amazing architecture along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. All tours are narrated by professional tour guides.
Your tour travels along Lake Michigan and explores Chicago's beautiful skyline.
Pass by: Dedicated in 1989 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, known for reversing the flow of the Chicago River in 1900. For the first five minutes of every hour, the fountain shoots a water arc across the river from a tiered waterfall.
Pass by: The largest commercial building in the world.
Pass by: Pass by these iconic mixed-use apartment buildings - "a city within a city" with their unique corn-cob exterior.
Pass by: Michigan Avenue is home of the Chicago Water Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago, Millennium Park, and the shopping on the Magnificent Mile.
Pass by: This white, terra-cotta landmark was built in 1922 as headquarters for the Wrigley chewing gum company.
Pass by: An open, pedestrian waterfront called the city's 'Second Lakefront.'
Pass by: Second-largest opera auditorium in North America, with an Art Deco interior
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- This tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately for the weather
- Food and drinks are not included; consider bringing your own
- The tour is wheelchair accessible
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for the weather
- Bring a camera to capture the stunning views
- Arrive at the departure point at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- Weapons prohibited by US Coast Guard
- Outside alcohol is prohibited
- All bags are subject to search
- Arrive 30 Minutes prior to your departure time
- Contact tour operator for wheelchair & ADA access
- Indoor and outdoor seating is available on a first come, first served basis
- Special requests entered at checkout cannot be guaranteed
Traveler reviews
My Kind of Town
As a Chicago area resident, I wanted to show our town to friends from the UK. 🇬🇧 This architectural boat tour plus Lake Michigan was outstanding. The city truly shows itself off very well.
Excellent, informative and a great start to Chicago trip.
Our trip was very enjoyable, informative and learnt a lot about the history of Lake Michigan and how the city of Chicago was built. If there was any down sides , ours were there were 3 separate school field trips on our tour 11.30am, so weren’t much room to find a seat if you were looking for a number of seats together ( larger family or group ). There are a number of steps down to the riverside. You can purchase drinks and snacks and there are restrooms onboard.
More than just architecture
Leisurely ride on the Chicago River while being entertained by an informative guide about the history of Chicago’s many iconic buildings - and a little more !
Lovely Tour with Lake and River!
My family and I really enjoyed the Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour! We had already been on the River Architecture Tour on a prior visit to Chicago, therefore doing both the lake and the river was lovely! Our guide, Tess, was fantastic and provided a lot of information, but was also engaging and we could understand her very easily as she was clear and enunciated well. The pickup location is very well-marked and we found it easily. We did get chilly once we got on the lake but it was wonderful to see the city from that perspective. Going through the lock was fun as well! Overall we enjoyed this tour-- thank you to Tess!
River and lake tour
It was a great tour I recommend it. Got to see Chicago downtown all in one from the water. Have been there many times and never seen downtown and all buildings from the lake. It was a great tour and learned about some of these buildings great information. Very educational