The Lake Fireworks tour was excellent. Gabby was our guide and she was excellent and very…read moreknowledgeable. The tour combined fireworks, history, and architectur. The whole family loved it.

I've been to Chicago many times, but never did the architectural boat tour thinking 'oh it's too…read moretouristy.' This time I gave in thinking the weather is nice and I want to do something relaxing. Wendella was highly ranked and a friend recommended them. I was bummed when I saw the 90 minute sunset tour was sold out. I saved $50. lol I was happy to find that they had a 45 minute tour at 8pm. This was actually perfect and for $28! I got to see a little bit of light when we boarded and the actual sun setting and views of the city in the dark. Very beautiful. The host tries to tell us history and be funny, but I think most were busy taking photos or just relaxing as a breeze hit. The ride is smooth so not to worry if you typically get motion sick. I felt fine. You may book tickets online and I'd show up by 7-7:15pm to get on the 8pm boat. The line gets long and if you want premium seating in the back or along the sides, then you want to be early. This 45 minute tour takes off a little bit further in than the 90 min one that has entry just off the bridge by Michigan Ave. Not sure if the boat had a restroom. Overall I'd budget about 2ish hours for this activity from the time waiting in line, cruise, and getting off the boat. Highly recommend!

Definitely one of the must do while visiting Chicago!…read more Great boat tour with excellent docents. I ended up with a much great understanding of the Chicago buildings I was walking around or through.

Great boat tour showcasing all the beauty of the city! Each style was clearly explained by our tour…read moreguide. Highly recommend this specific tour which is run by a non profit .

Captain Wheeler,Deckhand Yosef made my birthday awesome! Helped my family with our super large…read morewagon stroller . WAITED patiently for us to transport our gear down the stairs. VERY friendly and social ,they come highly recommended.

A river tour is a must when visiting Chicago! We decided to do Shoreline Sightseeing, and it was…read moresuch a great experience. We were nervous because my mom gets motion sickness easily, and we weren't sure she'd be able to enjoy the tour. Thankfully, the water was calm enough, and she absolutely loved it! The views were beautiful, and we learned so many fun facts about the city along the way. Definitely recommend adding this to your Chicago itinerary!

A beautiful day on the Lake Michigan. Had a blast on Veteran-owned FIREBOAT-TOURS today! Such a fun…read moreafternoon soaking up Chicago's history and architecture from the water. The itself was comfy and solid, and it's pretty cool to think this fireboat served the city's fire department from 1937 to 1981. Lucky us, we caught a perfect day light winds and clear blue skies. Thank you to Cliff, our tour guide, who had serious knowledge of Chicago history and a fun vibe was fabulous. The bartender, magic manning, was a total character, bringing good energy and making sure everyone had a good time. In fact, the whole crew was super welcoming and made the experience even better. Next time we are going to try the sunset cruise and do this all over again.

This fireboat tour was spectacular! My friend and I both had a wonderful time and can't recommend…read moreit highly enough. The length of 2 hours was perfect so we didn't feel rushed. We motored around near Navy Pier and on the river. While I'm generally not into architecture, the buildings were beautiful and interesting to learn about. I expected that the tour would include a recording of the information about all the sights, but the person narrating the tour did so live. He came up and chatted with all the passengers a couple of times. We felt very well cared-for. Word to the wise though, it can get a bit chilly so wear layers if possible. Highest recommendation!

A neat small place to learn about Chicago architecture and it's development, with short…read more timelines on the walls and miniature model of the city and another ofWrigley Field. I bought a perfect, sturdy canvas bag labeled Chicago Architecture Center.

The museum has great models of Wrigley field and downtown. There is a video that discusses the…read moreevolution of the city. There are interactive displays that describe prominent buildings, architects , and architectural styles in Chicago. A good place to learn about Chicago architecture!

Such a fun boat ride just chilling riding going in and around all the buildings and learning about…read morethe architecture and history all while taking Chicago in The staff was great and it was a nice ride and break from walking Lovely time

Such a great city for architecture, the very oldest building sitting next to the newest…read moreskyscrapers. I loved this tour...even though it rained and we had to spend part of the tour inside to stay dry without much of a view, it was still a great tour for the cost. We were warned to make a reservation cause the tours do fill up, and this was a holiday weekend. Do not leave Chicago without doing this!

Booking an architecture boat tour is an absolute must when visiting Chicago!…read more We booked our tickets through Citypass which I recommend doing early as this tends to be popular and spots fill up very quickly. Our guide, Charlie was super knowledgeable and very entertaining which made the experience even better! He taught us about the history of Chicago and we got to learn so much about the city's iconic buildings. Highly recommend this tour!

Quick take: Must do in Chicago…read more Definitely go on a river boat tour if you are visiting Downtown Chicago. The tour guide was awesome. The weather was so nice. Not too hot and not too cold. Very interesting history and stories about all the businesses and buildings along the river.

We did the Extreme seadog boat cruise. It was an absolute blast. Our first mate had a fantastic dry…read morehumor to him. The captain was funny. We just had a great time. Highly recommend.

The staff, very engaging, left on time. We took the architectural tour. Learned alot about the…read morebeautiful buildings that surround Lake Michigan.

My husband and I recently took a tour and had a wonderful time! The tour was interesting and we…read morereally appreciated how our guide, David, wove the history of Chicago into the present and future of the city. Truly a wonderful way to see the city, while learning and appreciating how far it has come.

The tour guide was very engaging, knowledgeable and upbeat. The boat ran well and the weather was…read moreperfect. There was a bar and a bathroom on the boat but I didn't have a need for either this ride. Very cool and the architecture is beautiful on the water. Next time I'll be sure to grab a sunset tour. I took the train and walked roughly 10mins to the pick up location but believe they have on site parking also.

Captain Kirk Kessler, a United States Coast Guard - Certified Master Captain, goes all out to give…read morehis passengers a wonderful experience. His boat, the Peony, is equipped in a manner to meet the needs of his guests. His first mate, Woody, a chipper mini Golden Doodle, adds a fun touch to each outing. Kirk is extremely professional, going over his shipboard rules with all his charges before they embark. His rule #1 - "Stay on the boat!" Captain Kirk gets a sense of each of his sets of guests, and how comfortable (or apprehensive) they are on the water. Passengers preferring a sedate, "gentle" excursion will get one (to the extent weather and lake conditions permit); those guests up for a more adventurous outing with 15-30 degrees of heeling will have their wishes fulfilled. As a USCG-certified Master Captain, Kirk knows what he needs to do to trim the sails and change his headings to make his cruises pleasant ones for his passengers and their predilections. A charming host/skipper, Captain Kirk will make your sail/cruise an unforgettable one - withe the beautiful Chicago skyline as your sunset backdrop. You can't do better than Salty Dog Sailing Co.!

I highly recommend chartering with Salty Dog. Captain Kirk () was very professional. I was a…read morelittle nervous, but he set everyone in our party at ease. The boat comfortably fits 4 people, and you can just sit back and relax. Woody is extremely friendly, greeting us on the dock when we arrive, and sleeping next to us the entire trip, except when we turned and he had to flip to the other side! And it's true sailing, we went about 3.5 miles from shore, getting some incredible views of the city. It was a great day, great conversation and an overall awesome time!