Such a great city for architecture, the very oldest building sitting next to the newest skyscrapers. 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! read more

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There are many different boat tours out there with different prices and different lengths of time I would definitely recommend the architect boat river tour. I would say if you have 90 minutes this boat tour is a must do. I believe the option times that we had to choose from was anywhere from 10:00 a.m. for the first boat going out and the last boat was 4:00 p.m. but check the website for exact times. We booked our tour online to make sure that we got the time and date that we wanted to we preferred earlier in the day. We booked about 2 months out. These tours fill up quickly especially in the summer time. We started lining up about an hour before to make sure we got a seat up top so we could enjoy the view. If you prefer to sit inside you still will be able to hear the tour guy just you may not be able to see everything he is announcing it may be on the other side of the boat which you may not see if you're inside because of other people that are sitting. Our tour guide was wonderful explaining the different buildings and if you had any questions he would definitely answer those questions later on. This was my second time in Chicago I learned many new things by going on the tour I am glad that I did and I would recommend anyone else to do so as well. read more

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Our friend recommended going on one of the River Boat Architecture Tours during our weeklong stay in Chicago. My husband booked us two tickets with the First Lady River Cruise. Highly recommended! Our guide Bill was great. He is also a docent at the Architecture Museum. With your boat tour ticket, you also get a discount to the museum. We sat on the upper level of the boat. You can take great pictures from the upper level of the boat. Warning - If you do this in the summer, make sure to put on sunscreen and/or hat. The sun is no joke. read more

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I booked the 90-minute tour for my son and I. We had a great time! This was the ONLY tour I've ever been on where they give you the full 90 minutes worth when they say it's a 90-minute tour. I've been on tours and experiences that claim to be, say, an hour and they were just 40-45 minutes (shame on all of you other tours that do this!). This one went the full length and our tour guide, Jim, spoke for the complete 90 minutes. He is a magnificent narrator! We learned a lot about the history and architecture of the city. This is not to be missed! read more

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

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

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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

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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

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I would still love a "LIVE AGENT" to answer the phone each time I call; but Jennifer was GREAT to speak with! She was knowledgeable and quick to respond! Thank you, Jennifer! read more

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Best Tour in Chicago for a reason! The staff is professional and friendly. See the city in all its glory.

I am requesting a refund for a Groupon I recently purchased based on misleading availability information. Before purchasing the Groupon, I visited the merchant's website to confirm that reservations were available for the boat ride during the dates I would be in town. The website showed availability, so I proceeded with the Groupon purchase. However, immediately after purchasing, I attempted to make my reservation and discovered there were no available dates or times. Had the reservation system accurately reflected that no availability existed, I would never have purchased the Groupon. I made this purchase in good faith based on the information that was presented to me. I understand that Groupon may have policies regarding refunds, but in this situation the product cannot be used as intended because of inaccurate or misleading availability information. I respectfully request a full refund to my original method of payment. I am not going away respectfully. read more

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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 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

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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

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