When you arrive the signs are very clear. We almost got looped in with the wrong time and the…read moreemployees were very helpful in ensuring we made it to the right boat! A side note there is a Peet's coffee right above this that you can stop in for a snack. They also have a full bar and snacks available for purchase on the boat which was a surprise to me! The bathrooms on board are super clean as well. Now, the best part was Scott! Our tour was engaging, fun, and very informative. You can barely feel yourself moving which is wild! I got a ton of great photos and learned so much about the city. I would do this exact tour again it was so fun. They do have lots of options to choose from!

'Wendella Tours & Cruises' has been in existence since I was a kid, and I am in my 60s now…read more Everyone visiting Chicago should take this tour of the Chicago River and it's surrounding architecture at least once. Everyone who lives in Chicago should take this tour many times, because when family and friends visit Chi-town, they MUST be taken on this tour. Then the more friends and family coming to see you, the more time you take this tour with them. - It's Obligatory. So every time a visitor comes town, I treat them to an afternoon tour on Wendella Tours & Cruises. It's not just that Wendella offers an amazing service - it's that this service is necessary in order to understand Chicago's unique architectural heritage.

chicago architecture center boat tour on the "the first lady" was well done. very rainy day but a…read morechoice of remaining upstairs out in the open, where we were given a big umbrella which was nice, or some of our group went downstairs out of the rain. liz our docent was so knowledgable and informing, 11 out of 10 for her.

If you're in Chiago you have to do the Architecture tour at least once. If you're in Chicago…read moreduring the Summer as I was you can seek sanctuary in the air conditioned lower level. I wish the audio was a little bit louder on that level due to the sound of the fans and people talking. If you like my reviews, consider "following" my profile for reviews all across the SF Bay Area . Why "follow" someone? It causes the person you follow's reviews to tier to top when you pull up a business. I find this very handy when researching venues. Rod's Review grading scale explained. Essentially I personally base it on the likelihood of a return visit and I try to be stingy with 5 star reviews since they should be "special" in my eyes. Price/Value also play a role obviously but there are $ and $$$$ littered across my grading scale. 5 stars - "I'll go out of my way" (approx 6 % of my reviews) 4 stars- "If I was in the area I'd go here and would recommend", (approx 38% of my reviews) 3 stars "Maybe if was nearby", (approx 37% of my reviews) 2 stars -"Would likely not return, Only if you want to go", (approx 16% of my reviews) 1 star -"No thanks, even if I was hungry", (approx. 3 % of my reviews)

Loved it! This boat tour was my favorite part of our trip!! The boat had plenty of room. Some…read moreseating was protected from the sun with an overhang and a bar. It also had an open area with bench seats that had a good amount of lean, so that you can see the highest points. The guide was awesome. I learned a lot about Chicago's history and architecture trends over the years. A lot of the buildings "front" side faces the river, so the view is very different from the boat. The boat ride was smooth with great views. I highly recommend!!!

Just did the 60-minute architectural river tour departing from Navy Pier this past weekend and it…read morewas a fantastic experience. Our guide Ruby was awesome - engaging and funny with a perfect mix of architectural history and fun facts that kept everyone entertained. Right before docking at the end of the tour, the captain turned the boat toward the river entrance for a minute so everyone could take photos in front of the skyline, which was a nice touch. The biggest selling point for me was that all of Shoreline's tours are dog-friendly. I brought my pup Shadow along and they even gave her a treat as we were boarding. A couple tips: getting your tickets on Groupon will save you a couple bucks off retail, and bring your own water if it's a hot day - beverages on the boat are pricey. Great guide, amazing views, and pet-friendly. Highly recommend!

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.

What an incredible experience! This lake, locks, and river boat tour with Chicago Fireboat Tours…read moreexceeded all expectations. From the moment we boarded, the crew was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history and beauty of the area. The journey through the locks was fascinating and gave us a unique perspective on how the waterways connect. Cruising from the lake into the river provided stunning views of the skyline, waterfront, and surrounding scenery that simply can't be appreciated from land. Cliffs narration was informative, engaging, and filled with interesting facts and very fun stories about the city's history, architecture, and maritime heritage. The boat was comfortable, well-maintained, and offered excellent viewing opportunities from every seat. We especially enjoyed learning about the engineering behind the locks and watching the water levels change as we passed through. Whether you're a visitor or a local, this tour is an unforgettable way to experience the beauty, history, and character of Chicago architecture. The combination of scenic views, fascinating stories, and the unique lock experience makes this one of the best boat tours we've ever taken. Highly, Highly recommend Chicago Fireboat Tours!

Took the Art Deco tour yesterday, what a great way to learn about some of the history of Chicago as…read morewell as the gorgeous buildings!! Our guide was knowledgeable and kept the tour interesting. Unfortunately I flew out yesterday afterwards, but will definitely be back to check out the Center as well.

Entry to the museum is only five dollars if you show them your ticket from the First Lady boat…read moretour. The ground floor has a short eight minute clip with information about the city. There is also a great display of the city as well as a Wrigley ballpark exhibit. Unfortunately, the upstairs is currently being renovated, so there was not a lot to see this trip. They have a great gift shop.

It was my first trip to Chicago and everyone was telling me to do the architecture river boat tour,…read moreand they were totally right! Our tour guide was Nathan and he was very personable, funny, and informed. The tour was more beautiful than I imagined. We also went at 6:45pm which was definitely worth it to see the sunset. The tour started out in daylight and ended in twilight, it was glorious.

10/10 would recommend. Love, love, love this tour. Doug was the best tour guide, friendly and…read morefunny. The views are amazing. Great to see the skyline. Good information as to what we were seeing. Going through the lock was fun and unexpected. As a first-time visitor to Chicago, this is some of the best vies of the skyline.

This was one of the cheaper tour options, so my expectations were low - but Josh did an outstanding…read morejob! Very informative and entertaining.

Great $$, Plenty of room on the boat and wonderful commentator! I would definitely recommendread more

Prepare to get wet, most fun archechure tour of Chicago River. I was most impressed by how massive…read morethe draw bridges are. This is a guided tour with a knowledgeable guide. This is a large speedboat ride , not a big boat tour.

For 30 minutes whirling around the bay, the view of the city is nice and the weather is perfect in…read moreearly/mid October- just make sure to bring a windbreaker and you'll be set. Watch out for caps, sunglasses, and your phone if you're taking one of the faster boat rides as the wind element can definitely whip it out of your hand. Suitable for all ages, young children and elderly will likely enjoy this ride, the turns are wide so there's relatively little G force to worry about. Recommended if you're looking for a relatively affordable attraction on the waterside! Otherwise, you'll get about the same entertainment on the shore minus the lackluster commentary of the staff (designed to humor more the kids).

Heath was our tour guide and he was so funny and informative! The boat ride was very comfortable-…read morethere is food, drinks (alcohol included), and ponchos sold on board! There is indoor, climate control seating on the bottom, as well as seating on the bottom that is covered. The best seat is definitely being on top of the boat if it's not too hot or cold so that you can get full pictures of the skyline and see exactly where the tour guide is pointing.

We came for a trip and wanted to learn more about the architecture in Chicago…read more David was our tour guide and he was super knowledgeable! The tour was wealthy of engineering information. We left on time and came back as timed. It was great value for our group of 5

I always have the best experience with CE boating I've used them for my annual boat experience for…read more3 years in a row they always come through! The boats are very nice and fit a decent amount of people ! 10/10!

From the owner: We are closed for the 2025 Season and will return for the 2026 Season. We will welcome you back…read moresoon to book your private boat rental with CE Boating in Chicago. Cruise Lake Michigan, pop bottles, relax, and celebrate. Limited spots.