This is a MUST DO when you are in town, so educational, great boat, great staff, reasonably priced drinks. Its 45 minutes long and so enjoyable. Not many shady seats on a hot day so be forewarned. read more

We had a great time on this tour. Did the 730 and got to catch some in the sunlight and some of the city with the lights on as the sun went down. Our tour guide was amazing! read more

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We are newly transplanted to Chicago and had heard this was a must-do. We rushed over before the last tour at 7:30 PM and were able to get tickets at the gate! We went on a Monday evening, so it probably wasn't as crowded as usual. The weather was warm and humid, but once on the boat, the breeze and water cooled things down. There was plentiful seating with a bar and bathrooms available for all. We absolutely loved the tour. I was starry-eyed the whole time taking in the beautiful Chicago architecture. And because of the time of night, we were able to see the city after the sun went down. So, so beautiful. I took an embarrassing amount of pictures. Overall, I highly recommend this tour!! read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delightful experience! I grew up in Chicago and moved away half a lifetime ago for architecture school. (I ended up leaving the field but I maintain a keen interest.) I finally came back to visit when its not a cold month so I decided to cross this off of my bucket list. I liked to think I already knew something about Chicago architecture and history, but there was plenty of new information for me here. It's told from a river-centric perspective and goes over more recent developments. (They didn't teach us about the Contextual style back in my day, as just one example.) They do an expert job of crafting a story jumping from buildings on one side of the river to the other, then on the way back hitting all of the other buildings of note that they seemed to miss on the first pass. The underside of the bridges were awesome too, if you're into that sort of thing. Don't forget to apply and reapply copious amounts of sunscreen, and know that there will be very loud and startling boat horns. read more

The tour is great! So cool to learn the history, the whys and the styles of 100+ years of huge building architecture. Cynthia was awesome and clearly passionate about sharing! Easy to get tickets - open seating - bar/drinks (limited snack options though). read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Decommissioned bridge - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have taken the First Lady Architecture Tour four times, and it never gets old. Their docents are great teachers and storytellers. I tell everyone to put it at the top of their Things To Do in Chicago list! read more

So many people told us to go on a boat tour. We chose this one. We were so impressed and happy we went with this tour company. We learned so much and we highly recommend this company. read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Tour - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely remarkable experience!!! I cannot say enough good things about this tour. If you are lucky enough to get a good day and book the tour during sunset it will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life! I had no expectations going into this riverboat tour and let me just tell you we were blown away, a must do if you are visiting Chicago! read more

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Overall, I give this your 10 stars. Beautiful day on the water. The best part was the woman who narrated the tour. Extremely knowledgeable. I learned so much about Chicago architecture and time periods when various buildings were built. It's a must do. read more

Before coming to Chicago, these boat tours weren't on my radar. The Uber driver who picked me up from the airport recommended one, and after seeing how gorgeous the river view was and hearing good things from my coworkers, I decided to book one for myself. The weather was gorgeous, so I was just grateful to get out on the water for any reason that day! Though the ticket says a seat number, there's not actually assigned seats, so if you're persnickety about your seat, you may want to arrive early so you're one of the first in line. However, I went on the weekend evening and the middle was mostly empty, so you'll still get a seat. There's a bar below deck. I got a mule, just for the heck of it. The cocktail didn't blow me away, but the prices were pretty reasonable I guess, at least compared to most spots in Chicago. The views are really stunning. Definitely have space on your camera because you can get some great shots! The guide was really knowledgeable and entertaining, and I learned tons about the buildings on the Chicago skyline. This tour is really fascinating and fun, and is a lovely excuse to get out on the river. read more

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One of the touristy things I knew I wanted to do when visiting Chicago was do a boat tour to see all the amazing architecture that Chicago has to offer. There are many options online but I found this one which is connected to the Chicago Architecture Center. To reserve your seats, book tickets online and choose from one of the many tour times that they offer. They have tours starting from 9am all the way until the evening for their night tours. We opted for the 9am one which proved to be not as crowded on the boat. We saw the 9:30am boat soon after us and it was much more packed so I recommend going as early as you can. To find the meeting location, go to the Northeast corner of Michigan and Wacker at the blue tent sign. Go down the stairs and keep going straight until you see an orange tent that says "Chicago's First Lady". The volunteer tour guide talked for 90 minutes walking us through the history of the buildings as the boat made its way all around the different parts of the Chicago River, starting toward the Navy Pier then going north through River West, then going back down south past Willis Tower, then finally making its way back to our starting location. We noticed in reviews and other articles that people suggested to sit on the left of the boat tour because most of the talking points were on the left. We moved from our middle seats which proved to be pretty accurate because a lot of the buildings that the tour guide brought up were on the left; however, I wouldn't say that it was a much better view that it's worth the hassle especially if it's packed on the boat. Chicago is of course known for their building architecture and it was cool to see all the different kinds of buildings and hear their unique history. read more

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Overall a great way to get an overview of Chicago architecture and appreciate what a nice city this is. Tbh and I feel guilty for saying so, it's actually a prettier city than NY - prolly bc it's cleaner and newer and not so many tall buildings obscuring views of the sky and the river with all its bridges looks cool. From the info I learned on the tour it sounds like all of that is intentional, with a lot of regulation and thought about how much sky can be seen from the ground, what a building will look like, rules about parks and plazas etc. stuff you can do when the buildings are newer. Anyhow it's a nice way to appreciate this city. The chairs are a little wobbly and hard but it's only 90 minutes. You need to keep looking up so your neck eventually gets a little stiff especially if you have neck issues. It's very much like the quality of a museum tour with knowledgeable docents and not a cheesy touristy tour. It's not cheap - about 53 through Ticketmaster but easy to book. Get there 30 min before and stand in line. There's plenty of seats and we were on the 3pm tour and it was only about half or less full. The tour immediately before ours looked full. It's easy to get confused and there seems to be a lot of other tour companies with different boats. It was very smooth so I wouldn't worry about getting seasick. read more

Sometimes, one does a thing when visiting a new city because everyone they've ever met says it's the only thing TO do, because it's the best thing they've ever done and it's the only way to really SEE the city. So, you set it up, buy the ticket and get ready to take the ride, with all of the usual amount of skepticism. "I've done tours, I've been on boats, and I also live in a city so what could all the fuss possibly be about?" you say to yourself. There's simply no way that my entire worldview and understanding of architecture, history, physics and ecology can be blown to bits and then reconstructed into something completely new, thereby changing my life. And then, you step aboard the Fair Lady, and Dave takes the microphone, and by extension, the helm of your soul. I was rapt, I was vocal, and I experienced a full spectrum of emotions alongside dear friends, as he led us through time and space, all along the Chicago River. Dave is now my best friend (see pic). So, if you're visiting Chicago for the first time, the only thing for you to do is take a CAC boat tour led by Dave because it's the best thing you'll ever do and it's the only way to REALLY see the city. read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Even though I was in Chicago for my graduation, I had never really been to the city before so I carved a free day into the weekend to do touristy things. Someone in my party suggested we do tour which highlighted the rich architecture of the buildings that sat along the Chicago River. That sounded great to me, since over the past few years I've come to appreciate architecture and design. There are a few companies that offer river tours, but the Chicago Architecture Foundation had the excellent reviews and seemed like the quintessential choice - so off we went. Purchasing tickets was pretty seamless - you can get them directly on their website and they use Ticketmaster as their vendor which really makes the entire process easy. The boats launch right off the Chicago Riverwalk, which makes it ideal if you want to enjoy the sights either before or after your tour. Once on the boat, we were given a rundown of the tour, as well as where the bathrooms were and where we could get drinks if needed. The boat has and enclosed ground level and an open-air upper deck; since it was a lovely day, the majority of us were up top which is prime area for capturing pics and soaking up the surroundings. The tour lasted 90 minutes; our guide, Claudia, was excellent. She was friendly, knowledgeable about the history of all the buildings we saw, and provided a plethora of information that really enhanced the feast for our eyes. It's amazing not only the number of buildings that sit on the river, but the history and variety of styles that have resulted in an eclectic mix of structures. Overall, I thought the Chicago Architectural Foundation put on an excellent tour. I can't recommended it enough - the comfortable surroundings, the knowledgeable staff, and all the eye candy make it an essential event for local Chicagoans and tourists alike. read more

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The only choice when booking when a Chicago River architecture tour. Why? -The guide is a volunteer from the Chicago Architecture Foundation and was full of information. No cheesy jokes, just pure information but presented in an informative, interesting way. You will learn a ton. And while there is a lot, is is presented in such a way that keeps your attention. Heck, our docent even sang to us. -The boat is not overcrowded. We sailed past several other boat tours where it looked like a frat house on a college game day if you wanted to be outside. People standing and packed in. This boat had plenty of space for all to be outdoors. -The boat and ground crew are also lovely and helpful An absolute must do in Chicago and must be with this outfitter. read more

This has been on my bucket list for a while and I'm so glad I was able to get around to doing an evening tour. Tourists and Chicagoans alike would enjoy this tour. Our tour had a lot of people who had just run the Chicago marathon that day. I found the guide to be engaging and endearing. It was so cool to be able to see buildings I drive past on a daily basis from a different perspective while learning a little about the history and architectural styles they portray. There really was no bad seat on the boat. I might recommend sitting towards the ends if you don't want to get disturbed by people coming back to their seats after getting drinks. . read more

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I think I just got very lucky with a good tourist and very nice weather. It was a perfect experience where we explored the north, south and east portions of the riverbend. Lots of fascinating facts and new ways to appreciate Chicago architecture. There is so much history behind this city that I got to learn and appreciate. It's amazing how people can get together to preserve drinking water, dedicate time to clean the river and also develop buildings to embrace the river. One of my favorite facts is how architects used to design their buildings to face away from the river, but as time progressed, we wanted to view the rivers more and embrace that natural piece of the city. read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Starting point - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our tour guide Jessica was excellent! Extremely knowledgeable about the city. She's been in Chicago for 35 years. Jorge was our captain. I highly recommend this company for anyone wanted to enjoy and lovely ride with excellent information read more

Joni crushed it! Loved this tour. Lots of great information about Chicago architecture and history. Boat was clean and steady. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting! read more

This was easily the highlight of our first time visiting Chicago! Russell was the BEST tour guide we could have ever asked for- he was extremely knowledgeable, entertaining and a pleasure to talk to after the tour was over. Thanks Russell!! read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This cruise was such a fun experience! We are in town for Lolla and had a couple free hours so we decided to try out this cruise on the river. We had no expectations but our guide Bobbi was so great. She was so knowledgeable about the history of the architecture and you could tell she loves her job. The cruise was 90 minutes but it went by so fast. We got to see so many cool buildings that had rich history that I would have otherwise not known about. This is a nonprofit organization, so we are glad to know our money is going towards something so great and wholesome! read more

All 4 of our group are FROM Chicagoland, but 2 of us had not been on this river tour in 30+ years, and the other 2 had never done the cruise tour at all- so we thought it was about time to do this! Our docent/tour guide Anne was so interesting and knowledgable, and she impressed us greatly by pausing her talk only a couple of times, to take a sip of water, during the entire cruise. (She mentioned, at the end, that she is a volunteer, and you could clearly see how much she enjoyed sharing the city with us!) She compared many of the old and new architectural styles and details, and had lots of historical references that we Chicagoans could relate to. The tie-ins to art, transportation, and commerce kept us listening to every word. By the way, there is not a bad seat on the upper level of the boat. Honestly, just cruising down the river on a beautiful day, with views of the sun reflecting off the buildings, and seeing the crowds of people along the various river-walk areas would have been enough of a treat. Whenever we have out-of-town guests visiting Chicago, we send them to this tour. It was fun to do this ourselves! read more

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A very strong 5 stars! So many people recommended this tour when I told them about my first trip to Chicago. I'm not much of a history OR architecture person at all, but booked it anyways. Our guide was informative and detailed. -- there's no bad seat -- the views of the city are remarkable -- downstairs has a bar with drinks and snacks(chips, cookies) -- you don't need to love architecture to enjoy this activity read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great tour, it was rainy wet and cold however and when going below the deck to warm up you could not hear anything at all which was a huge disappointment. I'd recommend they upgrade their speakers so that when the weather is unexpectedly bad people can hear downstairs as well read more

Great tour! Lots of wonderful information. Easy to hear, comfortable ride. Bathroom, bar area, and seating areas were extremely clean and well-kept. 90 minute tour was $57. Highly recommend if you are in the Chicago area! read more

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Highly recommend this experience as an out-of-state visitor seeing Chicago for the first time. The views were awesome, and our guide was engaging and clearly an expert in her field. I learned a lot and got to experience so much of the city in a short period of time. Definitely worthwhile! read more

Late departure and a pretty irritating tour guide. Gary on this Saturday morning tour was so hard to listen to. Boring performance and not much useful info was shared. He treats this more like a standup comedy of bad jokes. read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Gary! - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I asked Hillary a question at the end and she stated she was giving her tour when I asked. I actually waited until she asked us if we had questions and raised my hand and she ignored it. when I said something about it she said it was when she was giving her tour. she is a liar and did not deserve the tips we felt were mandatory to give her. Disappointed it was my wife and my anniversary outing. read more

Our group of 6 had tickets for last night's 7:30 PM architecture cruise. We easily found the meeting location for the boat and waited in the queue to board. Our tour guide Mark was incredibly knowledgeable of the history of the river and had a true passion for the architectural and storied past of Chicago. The views were stunning - this is a must do activity! read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This tour is a MUST SEE for anyone interested in exploring the history of Chicago and it's incredible building architecture. You get to go down all three arms of the river and there are plenty of amazing photo ops. All of the seats have good views so no need for the extra priority option. Our tour guide was Mark and he was simply wonderful. 100% recommend this fantastic experience. read more

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Outstanding tours! The walking tour that traces architecture through time was 90 minutes well spent. The boat tour is the highlight of any visit to Chicago. Be sure to checkout the cost of becoming members before buying tickets... if buying 4 boat trip tickets them family membership may be way to go since it also offers discounts at the gift shop and most walking tours become free. read more

We had a great tour with Russell. He knows so much and is interesting. We learned about all eras of architecture and the seats were very comfortable! read more

On Saturday, August 9, we enjoyed an exceptional tour of the Chicago River. Our docent, Patricia, was extremely knowledgeable and delightful. Her enthusiasm for the architecture and for Chicago overall were infectious. Patricia really made it a wonderful experience. read more

Jacob was awesome- from his knowledge of the city to his friendly nature, he really made the cruise interesting and fun. He talked to everyone and really made an effort to get to know you. Give this man a free pizza and a key to the city! read more

What an educational, enjoyable trip learning about Chicago and the magnificent skyscrapers. There is a great photo opportunity towards the end of the trip when you're at the lock between River and Lake Michigan with the skyline in the background. read more

Chicago Architecture Center - Historical Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You can't deny that they do a good tour. I just wish that it was more accessible, and that the CAF was a more responsive organization; it annoys me to give them any money. My mom, sister, and 12-year-old nephew were visiting recently, and a boat cruise was a must. This one was packed. There was a CAF docent that narrated the tour and she did good job. It lasts for about 90 minutes and travels both the north and south branches of the river, heading south to about Cermak and north to about Chicago Avenue, and travels down to the locks before coming back to the pier. There's an inside section of the boat where you can get some drinks and snacks if you wish. I learned stuff that I didn't know and may not have heard on prior boat tours I've taken, so it was pretty cool. And the last time I was here the Riverwalk wasn't really a thing, so it was cool to see how that has been improved in the last decade. I'm looking forward to get down there myself to visit the bridge museum and some of the places nearby. What I do appreciate about the CAF cruise is that you can trust the information you're getting is accurate and true (the docents have to train for months, and on top of that I'd expect that the boat cruises are only led by the best docents). The other tours I'm not as sure about, whether they are making up patter simply for interest in some parts of their patter. Logistical things: Parking is... well, really, take a cab or bus or something if you're coming here, but if you can't you can use the SpotHero app to find parking nearby. We parked in Illinois Center. Be aware that there are stairs only to get to the Riverwalk, where you'll meet your boat. In addition, the slip from which they leave is not necessarily the same one to which the boat will return. This caused some concern for me since my mom has asthma and breathing issues and Chicago's climate exacerbates it. Get here early to find the seat of your choice; I stood throughout the tour since there weren't really seats easy to find. read more

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Very informative and interesting tour. John S was a great guide. There are restrooms and a bar on board if needed/desired. You get to see a lot of older and newer buildings. Its 90 minutes total and $54/adult. I think its worth it. read more

All aboard! Perhaps the high point of any Chicago visit, this riverboat tour of the Windy City's architecture is a MUST. Knowledgeable staff guide you through generations of Chicago history, pointing out the architecture and artifacts that make this city such a gem. If it were possible to give a 6-star rating, I would for this river tour. read more

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I highly recommend the Chicago Architecture Center Old Post Office tour. Our tour guide, Alice, was excellent. There is so much history there and I learned a lot from her. Some in the group were from Chicago and some were visitors and all seemed to get a lot out of it. Thanks! read more

Wonderful riverboat tour featuring the docent Paula. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the architecture of Chicago and had such a pleasant passion and Voice in telling us all about Chicago Architecture along the river read more