Highly recommend! Easy to book online. Came in early June, 12:00pm reservation. I had booked a tour a year before but had to cancel last minute due to illness and they refunded me 100% the day before. Line started 30 minutes before the departure time so get there early if you want a specific spot. Chairs on top as well as some benches on the side. Seating area downstairs, bar, and complimentary water, lemonade, coffee/ tea. Nice bathrooms on board. Ed was an amazing tour guide, very knowledgeable and Chicago local who knows his history of the city!! Informative and funny! *Note: This is the only tour I've been on so I have nothing to compare it too. Some of the other tours looked bigger, I would probably try another one next time just to compare. read more

See all

Chicago riverboat architectural historical tour on main branch of river. Time to cruise. Nonstop 90 minutes. Talk about the architectural sky scraper wonders. foremost. Mind blowing enormously tall. Alot of humor and details on rental price @$400,000 a year. Famous people like Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey lived here. Willis seats tower 100 stories tall 1,052 in the Windy City Sky! It's the tallest! there are 37 drawbridges on the main branch river. That's all the facts in my head could remember. The river is alive! The buildings taller than Sequoia redwood trees or Oregon Douglas Fir. Glass, concrete and steel in assorted shapes - seemingly alive like a living tree. I feel the energy of the river and the buildings standing tall. Worth the moolah. read more

See all

My friend who is local recommended this tour. A great tour! She talked nonstop and was very knowledgeable and entertaining. They were also very flexible when we missed the 3pm tour and they put us on the 4pm tour. Seamless. It is a little tricky finding the place . GPS led us astray. Allow time. Highly recommend!! read more

See all

10/10 would recommend. Love, love, love this tour. Doug was the best tour guide, friendly and funny. 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. read more

Ya know what, this is a safe to-do for both tourist and locals alike. And local adjacent, in my case. It was entirely different than what I expected, and in a good way. I got to see the city from a different perspective and I think everyone should do so from time to time. Great staff, clean boat. Didn't use the facilities but I was told there are two heads on board. read more

See all

A fabulous tour especially during the holidays in the evening. We loved the festive feeling around the city and having this experience from the boat on the Chicago River. The tour guide provides some facts about various buildings seen along the way and you have plenty of opportunities to get shots of all the high rises, bridges and historical sites. I highly recommend this tour for visitors and locals! read more

See all

Every person I asked for a suggestion about what to do when in the city and everyone said to take an architecture tour. They were right. I paid for the Gropuon which made our tickets half price. The one thing Is will say is that the parking directions for were confusing to me - I could have parked much closer but ended up going to the wrong location. This was something the tickets warned about but I just didn't figure it out. There was a bar and food on board but I didn't partake. We decided to do the nighttime tour per the suggestion of those who told me about the tour and I'm happy to have done so. The buildings were so beautiful and the lights were great. Next visit I will try the day time tour. It was an excellent way to spend 90 minutes and learn some really cool facts about a great city. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago. read more

I would do this tour 10x over and over again! It was absolutely amazing and educational. I loved being on the river. We happen to sit right under the awning on the boat, so when it rained we were covered. There were so many people on the boat, but it didn't feel like it at all. I felt completely safe the entire time. When it was time to get off, they had it super organized. This is a must do tour and the views were phenomenal. read more

See all

Highly recommend for anyone's first visit in Chicago! Get to the dock location earlier so you can pick a good seat. it's an open air 90 min cruising and the tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the architectural buildings. Very interesting and informative. We did the 4pm tour and it was sunny so don't forget sunblock, a hat and sunglasses! it got chilly because of the wind so I suggest to bring a jacket as well. There is a snack bar you can buy drinks and snacks. There are restrooms at the bottom. Have fun and take lots of photos and videos! read more

See all

Chicago is our new home and this was such a fun and informative experience! The weather was beautiful. The guide literally talked so fast I couldn't catch his jokes, then for some reason was talking about his family history. It was hard to understand what he was saying as it was all very fast paced. I would gladly try another tour to see what other fun facts about Chicago! read more

See all

Our guide Victor was impressively knowledgeable and made this so enjoyable! We went at sunset and it was beautiful.

Great educational tour. Wise docents. Nice boat ride with magnificent views. Good drink selection and nice bathrooms. read more

See all

I know what you are thinking: who wants to do an architecture tour on their trip to Chicago? That's what my friend thought, BUT it ended up being his favorite part of the trip. It's not too expensive, informative, and a smooth process. I scheduled it perfectly at Sunset and highly recommend booking it based on the sunset time. The payment online was smooth and seamless. When we arrived at the location to board, we scanned our barcodes and got in line--getting there early so you could get a good spot on the boat, whether in the middle or on the sides. We picked the sides to sit because it was less crammed and we had more seating space. Our guide was very talkative and spoke so fast that I couldn't understand, which showed his passion for the job. During the tour, we learned about the bridges, the History of Chicago, and why the buildings were designed a certain way. Sunset made the buildings shine, and to end it off, we saw the Cetenial fountain shoot water in the river and a dancing projector show against one of the buildings called Art on the Mart. read more

We set out for the 2:30 tour on a beautiful Friday Afternoon. Everything is very well organized and the staff is incredibly friendly. Ellen was our guide -- she's a true Chicagoan, right down to her moxy and accent. The cruise was really interesting, lots of great history, courtesy of Ellen, and beautiful buildings A nice bonus were the Aperol Spritz's from the bar downstairs. I highly recommend this tour as a great way to appreciate this wonderful city! read more

See all

I loved everything about this from the price point that I found online and don't forget to show up in person to buy tickets to ask for other discounts. I was able to get a military discount that I was not offered online, especially from other competitors. Plenty of room for everyone to sit you can stay in the sun if it's nice out or you can go downstairs if it's rainy we're having too much sun. There's restrooms on board that were nice. They offer free drinks to a certain extent and if you want alcohol, you can purchase it. I think they have chips or snacks as well. Really great way to explore the town! Loved it. read more

Very impressive and unexpected. We were at a ball game when someone told us about this tour. This was our first time in Chicago and they highly recommended this tour. I looked it up immediately and found this one. I booked it for the next day. The confirmation was easy to follow and find the meeting point. We took the 1030 tour. It was full but not packed. We had Sadie for our guide. She is a local and was super knowledgeable. Her description of every building on the river was super impressive and very informative. She gave us historical information. She gave us information on building codes from past and present, fun facts, and she made it fun. We learned more about Chicago in 1 1/2 hours than i could have learned from a book or a class. Like what the locals did for me, I will tell you, this is a must. This was worth the cost and time we had during our trip. Make the time and take the tour. You will not be disappointed. read more

See all

Had an amazing time with my Mom and Uncle John on the Chicago Architecture Center River Tour aboard The First Lady. The docent's storytelling brought the skyline to life--history, design, and fun facts all rolled into one. Smooth boarding, friendly crew, and amazing views from start to finish. To top it off, the Chicago Riverwalk is filled with excellent restaurants, making it the perfect spot to grab food and drinks after the ride. A perfect Chicago day! read more

See all

What a fun excursion. We learned the architecture of Chicago from a very informative story teller, enjoyed the cruise, and even a couple beverages (they were ok). Shade was available (we snagged it!), and it made for a lovely day! I recommend it! read more

See all

Great boat ride and knowledgeable tour guide. It was a bit too sunny, wish there was some shade.

This tour was fun and I just wanted to do something in the city for fun. Even though I'm from Chicago I just wanted to do something different and fun. Jim the tour guy was really funny and he was really knowledgeable about the city buildings and architect. I purchased this on the Groupon which was a deal and they have parking right there next to the docking boats for $10 or you can use spot hero as well too and I got the indoor parking garage for $8. So if you want to get out for the summer and do some stuff this would be really cool to do. read more

See all

Great tour! Went on the boat First Lady, the docent was well informed and didn't miss a beat! Highly recommend! read more

Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours - Architectural river tour - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautiful ride along the Chicago River with an extremely knowledgeable docent--we learned so much about Chicago architecture and history...our appreciation of this amazing area grew stronger this afternoon! read more

See all

We went in mid-July. Apart from it being as hot as hades, it was absolutely worth it! Chicago is a stunning city but seeing it by boat is an elevated experience. Absolutely recommended!! read more

Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I took the Chicago Riverboat Architectural Tour with my family of four on August 30, 2025, and unfortunately, it was a very poor experience. We arrived at 9:45am to check in for the 10:00 tour, only to find that the entire top deck was already 100% full. We were forced to sit on the lower deck, which had severely obstructed views of the very buildings we came to see. Because the guide was on the top deck, I couldn't see him point to anything, so I rarely knew which building he was even talking about. The audio on the lower deck was terrible--between the motor noise and the small, inadequate speakers, I could only understand about 20% of the narration. This company should only sell as many tickets as they can accommodate with a clear view and audible experience. When I asked for a refund due to these issues, they refused. I noticed other boats, like Shoreline Sightseeing, only had a single deck where everyone had the same experience--something I would recommend instead. Overall, I wasted my morning and left disappointed. I would not recommend this tour. read more

Woo-hoo...REVIEW #7,000! That's a lot of typing and picture snapping on a smartphone for nearly two decades, and there's always more to Yelp judging from my endless backlog. I decided to reserve this milestone review for what I consider the essential tour of an inarguably great city. This is one of several companies that provide the Chicago River boat cruises. In fact, I went on the Wendella Tour Boats several years ago in the winter and loved it. I thought it would be great to go on another one on a sunny day. For approximately $58 per person, a true bargain, we were afforded a ninety-minute tour going up and down the river narrated by a local historian Ed who turned out to be a cello alumnus of the University of Chicago. He was informative and entertaining as the unique view from the open boat allowed Jamie W. and me to appreciate Chicago's architectural greatness. Landmark buildings abound with memorable sights such as Marina City, The Wrigley Building,?Merchandise Mart. Sears (now Willis) Tower, Lakepoint Tower. Oh yes, there was the Trump International Hotel with his name spelled out for all to see and genuflect. Yeah, right. RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO read more

See all

Really nice ride, speaker was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend doing this tour. If you have trouble hearing sit in the front or closer to the speakers read more

This experience is A MUST if you are in Chicago. This is one of the coolest things Chicago has to offer. The narrator for our tour was a delight. She shared so much incredible information with us and had amazing stories. It goes by fast because it's so entertaining. They offer a morning sailing and a sunset sailing. We did the morning one and it was so amazing we almost booked the sunset one the same day but had other plans and couldn't fit it in. So next time I'll definitely book the sunset one. Hopefully during the summer. It doesn't matter where you sit because you turn around and get to see both sides of the river. There was a bar station on the boat for you to purchase drinks and snacks. There was also a couple of restrooms on the boat as well. The employees were all super kind and helpful too. I can't express enough how this experience is A MUST! read more

See all

It was my first trip to Chicago and everyone was telling me to do the architecture river boat tour, and 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. read more

I booked a tour with Viator and it was an easy process. The Chicago Architectural Tour was so interesting and we had a beautiful morning to boot. The boat has indoor & outdoor seating but of course the best views are outside. The Tour Guide was very knowledgeable on the history and architecture of Chicago and was able to convey his knowledge with ease. We did the 45 minute tour and that amount of time was perfect. We had done great opportunities for amazing photography! read more

See all

Super relaxing with a bar in the lower deck. It was a chilly November day when we went so there was a perfect excuse for an Irish coffee! The dock is a short walk away from Navy Pier so that was our next activity. My father is an architect and enjoyed all of the facts he learned from our very knowledgeable guide! read more

Wow! Super awesome tour!! Thank you Avery for being the best walking tour guide! Loved all the annotates! He brought lots of energy and enthusiasm to the tour and early Chicago architecture! Thank for being awesome! read more

See all

This was an outstanding tour! You don't have to be an architecture major, student, aficionado, etc. to enjoy this either. I'm the type to appreciate buildings and engineering, but I'm by no means an expert or even an amateur! Still, this was an engrossing tour with fascinating history about the buildings and the city itself! We had an excellent guide, and I wish I could remember her name to give her a shout-out. But, I think you'll probably find a great guide on any of their tours. The boat trip itself was relaxing and enjoyable. They have a bar on board, which we made use of for a couple of waters (canned, but tasty). If you need to escape the sun or the heat, they have a lower deck that has a/c. But, we didn't mind, even in late July. The tour started at 10:30am or thereabouts, so it wasn't too hot. I would totally do this again! And I highly recommend it for first-timers or tourists to the city. If you only have a few days, make this one of your events. You get to see so many of the buildings, the heart of downtown, and you can learn a lot about Chicago! read more

We've been to Chicago many times, but this is the first time we took the architecture boat tour. The views of the Chicago skyline from the river were spectacular, and the clear sky on a relatively cool summer day made the tour even more enjoyable. The volunteer guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Chicago and the backgrounds of the key architectural monuments. In fact, everyone I know who has taken the tour told me that they enjoyed it. read more

See all

We had a wonderful time on our tour last night. The guide was knowledgeable and entertaining. It was fun to have some cocktails as you learned about the history of Chicago. I would definitely recommend! read more

See all

Informative, beautiful. This is a great way to learn about Chicago history. Highly recommend!!

Absolutely fabulous tour, really interesting and the guide was clearly very well versed and passionate about the buildings in downtown Chicago. Highly recommended! read more

See all

Excellent way to learn about Chicago history and its architecture. Deborah was an amazing guide! Must see while in Chicago! read more

Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours - Cruising under Michigan Ave bridge on the First Lady - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was an extremely entertaining and educational boat tour. This is the original tour that is also completely dedicated to Chicago architecture and uses the proceeds to better Chicago. The tour guide was very good and donates her time to do this. This is the tour you should take. :) read more

See all

This was the first real group stop on a bachelor party weekend in Chicago. Before the nights of debauchery, we wanted a tourist stop that we could proudly tell our wives and families about. Our tour guide Bob provided an energetic, informative, and funny ride that all 13 of us will fondly remember. Would 100% recommend for parties, dates, outings, or any other event. Bob helped make our weekend one to remember. read more

Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a full day to kill in Chicago prior to our evening flight. What better way to spend it than on a 90-minute river, learning about and admiring the city's architecture! The boat had ample seating on the top deck, but without any shade. (Don't forget your broad spectrum sunscreen!) Both sides of the boat have seating, where you can find some shade. There is seating indoors, near the beverage and snack bar. There was plenty to see on both sides of the boat. If you sit on the starboard side, it's easier to follow along with the tour narration. The tour guide was engaging and entertaining and had an appropriate amount of Bad Dad jokes. Next time, I want to take a night tour! I bet the lights of the city are amazing from the river. read more

See all