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Chicago Fireboat Tours

4.9 (64 reviews)
Open 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

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Alana E.

The Chicago Fireboat Tour was one of the highlights of our trip. The captain and crew were all incredibly kind and accommodating. We loved the narration by Cliff, our tour guide--his voice is perfect for the job (think radio DJ!)--and we enjoyed a refreshing beer from Magic Manny, the bartender. Seeing the city's iconic buildings up close was truly magical. There was plenty of seating, including several tables toward the back of the boat for families who wanted to enjoy lunch during the tour. I highly recommend this experience--you won't be disappointed!

Going through the lock
Chris C.

Took the family for an afternoon tour. Two teens and my spouse. Everyone enjoyed it. Smaller than other tour boats but it gives it a different feel which I appreciated.

Panoramic views
Andra T.

If you want to spend a lovely afternoon and learn something about the architecture of the buildings in downtown this it's the best way. Take a sit ,relax and enjoy. It's nice cuz on the back side of the boat it's covered but unfortunately you can't hear very well because of the noise of the engine so in a hot summer day,that's the best spot if you don't come prepare with had ,sunscreen etc.:) There it's also a small lovely bar that provide snacks and drinks ,2 tinny restrooms service ,a lovely entrance where you can admire some beautiful and tragic moments in the history of firefighters and of course the front side of the boat that it's having chairs to sit and enjoy.

Boat
Janae J.

Loved the Chicago fireboat tour. It's a smaller tour boat than some of the others. My friend and I found them on Groupon the deal was super easy to use and book. We got there with plenty of time to spare before boarding. Austin the tour guide gave an awesome satirical history of chicago and the unique architecture and stories that makes up the city. Loved seeing the buildings from the vantage point of the river. I was glad I dressed warm because the wind gets pretty strong coming out back onto Lake Michigan! There were also refreshments to purchase at the bar but my friend and I just stayed in our seats the whole time except to move around a bit to take pictures!

Carl B.

Had a great time. Learned a lot about the area and architecture. Was pretty chilly out but the Irish coffee warmed us right up.

At the dock.
Dave L.

This tour was one of the highlights of a recent trip to Chicago. We had a great time learning about the locks on the river, the river itself, Lake Michigan, Chicago parks, and the architecture. We arrived early, so we got our choice of seats. They have a little bar, so you can sip a cocktail, beer, wine, or soda while during your cruise. The boat is an old fire boat that has quite a history. It has been very well restored and modified for its current use. The pricing is very reasonable for the tour. I will definitely recommend this tour to anyone traveling to Chicago.

View of city
Victoria V.

It was a lovely night. My son and boyfriend loved the whole experience since it was their first time on a boat

View from the front seats on our way back.  Assuming these retro objects on the deck don't work anymore, but they look really cool.
Clojangles H.

Loved this tour! Great architecture tour. Cool historic fireboat. Much better than the huge touristy boats. Small bar for beer, wine, soft drinks, water. Can sit outside or inside. Great staff. Veteran owned.

Kyle B.

Really enjoyed this tour. Was initially going to go with the Wendella which most people do. I like this one because the vessel is smaller, so not as many people like the Wendella and priced better. It was informative, fun, and you get some AMAZING views and pictures. Wasn't too happy that they don't accept Groupon on weekends and holidays. But got over it and purchased from them directly. Based on the experience, glad that we went with them.

Bessy T.

book this for your visiting friends/family around @chicagofireboattours Lakeshore, Chicago This was a fireboat that ran for 45 years. Starting in 1936. Owners were in the navy and are starting a nonprofit to train veterans to work these tours and unique historical boats in Chicago, isn't that cool? They'll have a navy boat coming up, so stay tuned! It's $45 for 2 hours in the lake + river for a sunset tour. Firework cruises and architecture Tours also available

Patrick O.

So, I check out Groupon whenever I'm traveling to a new city and sure enough, I stumbled across a Groupon for the Fireboat Tour. It had good reviews and I figured "why not give it a try?" Turns out, the positive reviews are well deserved and I'm happy that I can add one more. I took the afternoon daily river tour and was not disappointed. First of all, the boat itself is pretty darn awesome. It has a ton of personality and plenty of room to move around accommodate large groups. Second, they have a very nice selection of adult beverages from which you can partake while you cruise around. Finally, the running commentary was fantastic. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and really breathed life into the whole experience. He brought the city of Chicago alive with a combination of stories, anecdotes, and facts about the about the city's architecture and history. If you find yourself looking for something to do in the Windy City, consider taking a cruise on the fireboat. You won't be disappointed.

Andrew W.

There are many boat tours and cruises that you take on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. However, none are quite like Chicago Fireboat Tours. For starters, the boat itself is very historical. According to the owners, the boat dates back to 1936, and was an operating Chicago fire boat for 44 years . Yes, this is one of the actual boats used to fight fires and patrol Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. I went for what might be considered a sunset tour in June of 2023. The boat left from Du Sable Harbor, and went out into Lake Michigan. It went North to Navy Pier, and then turned back South again. We then turn West to head into the Chicago River. After passing through the Chicago River locks, we went West and turn into the South Branch of the Chicago River. We went South to about River City before returning to Du Sable Harbor along roughly the same route. The course itself was mostly at a leisurely pace. We did pick up some speed after we entered the Chicago River. The total time of my cruise was about two hours. You have two options for enjoying the cruise. You can sit up front and feel the speed of the boat and be outside. The other option is to stay in the back and remain inside and under a covering with plastic covered openings if you want a slower paced experience. I moved back and forth to both spaces throughout the course. While this course does not have the commentary of the architectural cruise, I still enjoyed viewing the iconic building along the Chicago River. In sum, this was a fun cruise on a very cool boat.

Oly M.

Love love loved our tour today! The tour guide was fabulous - just the right mix of history and fun facts with lots of jokes in between. I was so relieved to see they made sure everyone followed the COVID guidelines at all times. Even being local to Chivago for almost 2 years now, I learnt a whole lot of new tidbits today and I have done different boat tours on 2 different occasions other than this. They had a full bar on the boat, the boat in itself was beautiful - an original fireboat from 1937! There was good covered seating in the back and open seating in the front. Highly recommend opting for the fireboat tour over the others since it was worth every penny I paid and was 120mins of full adventure by the clock.

Chicago Fireboat day!!

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Went on the Santa Cruise this past weekend and took my nieces. It's great for smaller kids and so festive.

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Just had a wonderful time. So much info from the tour guide. So worth it crew kind and very informative. Don't miss this if visiting Chicago

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Nothing better than an historic boat run by Navy veterans with a sense of humor and great Chicago back story.

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Chicago Architecture Center

Chicago Architecture Center

(813 reviews)

The Loop

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)

Chicago Boat Company - Celebrating her!

Chicago Boat Company

(180 reviews)

Near North Side

One Facebook ad, quick online reservation, and here we are Thanksgiving weekend floating down the…read moreriver in a hot tub in 20 degree weather...AND we would do it again! Here's what to know: -Make the reservation online days or weeks in advance so everyone can complete/sign waivers online well in advance -A couple of days before your date, the person who made the reservation will receive a text w/ additional waiver to sign and a training video on safety. Complete prior to date as it reduces the amount of time to check-in -Yes, they do ask for the credit card that was used to pay for the reservation, their ID, and they have to be at check in -There are a lot of fees for misuse and misconduct so definitely read the documents -once checked in, a team member walks you to the marina area and the changing rooms; the bathrooms are near the changing area and require a key to enter -The bathrooms and changing area are heated -The changing area has a few lockers to keep your belongings safe and you are responsible for keeping the key (if you lose there is a fee) -Once in your bathing suit, keep your shoes on, warm hat, and jacket -The boat doesn't have areas to keep your stuff so keep most of your items in the locker -A team member will walk you to your boat and there is a covered plastic crate that you will put your coat, locker key, and shoes in -There is a walkie talkie on your boat so you can stay connected w/ your assigned team member -The water is very warm and you can control the heat off/on -Make sure the entire group pays attention to how to drive the boat, it's def a team project -The boat doesn't not go very fast but turns seamlessly so give yourself grace for figuring how it maneuvers -Yes you are on the water w/ big water taxi boats and tourist boats; they definitely make waves and will push your boat out of their way -You can drive the boat w/in a 5 block radius -We had the most fun just floating in one of the "pier" type areas; sooo many people bundled up walking near the river said hi, took pics of us, and asked about our experience -You will stay warm the entire time, it was sooo hot sometimes we stood up just to cool off If you are thinking about this experience just grab some friends and do it! We are already talking about doing it again and bringing some friends!

When I asked if I wanted to cruise down the Chicago River in the middle of February, I first…read morethought my husband had lost his mind. However, once I saw the hot tub option I decided to be open minded and boy am I happy I did. The company has great communication and Devante, our crew member, was very helpful and friendly. We had 90 minutes but honestly because you can only cruise between a bridge span of three blocks we came back early. Just know that you are the one driving the boat so you definitely have to take somebody who is willing to be the designated captain. Overall, a really fun experience and I would try it again in the summer..

Chicago Fireboat Tours - boatcharters - Updated May 2026

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