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    Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours

    4.7 (285 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Tallest building created by... gasp... a WOMAN.
    Trista W.

    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.

    Our boat
    Suzanne F.

    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!

    Madelyn A.

    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.

    Chiqui A.

    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!

    Julisa W.

    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!

    Wide angle view
    Von M.

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

    Chris g.

    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!

    Eddie R.

    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.

    Mark S.

    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!

    A cruise with a view.
    Malissa B.

    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!

    Dnyl P.

    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.

    Architectural river tour

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

    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!

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    14 days ago

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

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

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    9 months ago

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

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    Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours

    Are the tour boats covered for guests who need shelter from the cold or rain?

    The boat I was on had an open top and a covered second floor. The second floor had the bathrooms and bar.

    My flight was cancelled and I have been trying to reschedule my tour. I've called and emailed them, like I've been told, but I have not been successful. Does anyone know how we can contact them?

    Hello! Please check your spam. There should have been an email from Peek showing the cancellation.

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    Review Highlights - Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours

    Our docent was excellent: succinct, informative, and very good at setting up photo ops for us out-of-towners.

    Mentioned in 24 reviews

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    Chicago Architecture Center

    Chicago Architecture Center

    4.8(813 reviews)
    0.4 miThe 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)

    Photos
    Chicago Architecture Center
    Chicago Architecture Center
    Chicago Architecture Center - Amazing right?

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    Amazing right?

    Wendella Tours & Cruises - Chicago River Architecture Tour

    Wendella Tours & Cruises

    4.4(1.6k reviews)
    0.4 miNear North Side

    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!

    I never write reviews, but the experience with Wendella Tours was bizarre and made me angry. AVOID…read moreTHIS TOUR GROUP. Me and my partner scheduled a 90-minute architecture tour for 06/24/2025 at 8:30PM (Total $90 for two tickets). We arrived early and while waiting, we received an email at 7:56PM saying there was an issue with their boat and they had to cancel the tour. We went down to the ticketing office and spoke with the employee. He explained there was an issue with their boat and it was impossible to refund our tickets at his ticketing office. He advised me that we could call the main office number and ask for a refund and then shrugged saying he wasn't sure if they would be able to. The employee stated he could reschedule us to 8:45PM (a firework tour - not what we wanted) or 9:00PM for the architecture tour. I advised him we would be fine with shifting our plans to 9:00PM. He printed me and my partner our tickets and we stepped aside to wait for an hour. We looked at the tickets and noticed that the 9:00PM tour was printed as only 45-minutes long, not the 90-minutes originally purchased. I went back up to the ticketing office and inquired about the discrepancy and asked for a refund on the difference, as the 45-minute tour was only $28 per ticket (Total $56 for two tickets). The employee again said he couldn't refund us for the difference. At this point I was upset because literally, what do you mean you can't refund the difference? After me being persistent (and a different employee also saying no refunds), they finally admitted they actually COULD refund me there, and then issued me a refund / receipt saying my card would be credited for the original amount in 2 - 5 days. I left completely confused by the interaction. How are YOU going to cancel on me, and then say "Oh no refunds" *shrug*. Umm you didn't provide the service I purchased... I would urge you to use literally any other architecture tour group.

    Photos
    Wendella Tours & Cruises
    Wendella Tours & Cruises
    Wendella Tours & Cruises

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    Marquette Building - The Marquette Building

    Marquette Building

    4.3(6 reviews)
    1.0 miThe Loop

    The Marquette Building is a beautiful example of the Chicago School of architecture. The early…read moresteel framed sixteen story skyscraper was built in 1895. The steel frame is what allowed long "Chicago windows" due to less pressure of the masonry. It was designed by Holabird and Roche. The skyscraper was named for Father Jacques Marquette, the first European settler who explored Chicago in 1674-1675. Mosaics, sculptures and bronzes honor this expedition in the Marquette's entry and lobby. The bronzes and sculptures show the trip and important historic figures that were met along the journey. The railing around the atrium features beautiful Tiffany designed mosaics. Louis Comfort Tiffany was commissioned to create a mosaic frieze to detail the story of Marquette's life, the exploration of Chicago and the Native Americans that he met. Art panels are made of lustered Tiffany glass, mother-of-Pearl and semi-precious stones. It is stunning! The building is free and open to explore. Ask the security guard for a brochure or if you are lucky, he may even share some history about the building. There is also a small exhibit behind the lobby that discusses Chicago skyscrapers and architecture.

    Chicago September 2019…read more Walked into the Marquette Building in downtown Chicago to view the beautiful artwork in the lobby. No admission fee. Just walk in and enjoy the view. The lobby is not too big but filled with stain glass art work that is eye catching. One can view the art from the first or second floor. Many Yelpers have already posted photos with great historical commentary. I'll just add a #metoo. No where to park around here unless you want to spend $30.00 ... I just jump on the CTA and pay $2.50 one way (or $5.00 round trip). Many of the buildings in downtown Chicago have fantastic art work in their lobbies. Most are free to explore. Welcome to Chicago !

    Photos
    Marquette Building
    Marquette Building - Amazing Tiffany mosaics that tell the story of Chicago

    Amazing Tiffany mosaics that tell the story of Chicago

    Marquette Building - Chicagou

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    Chicagou

    Odyssey Chicago River

    Odyssey Chicago River

    3.6(41 reviews)
    0.3 miNear North Side

    I was extremely disappointed with my experience on the Odyssey Chicago River cruise. My group and I…read morewere racially profiled by an employee who approached us accusing us of not paying for our dinner. We had paid in full. The employee never apologized and instead continued to question us, even though it was actually an Asian group nearby who had not paid. Being singled out, embarrassed, and treated as if we didn't belong was hurtful and unprofessional. No guest should ever be made to feel disrespected or targeted because of their race. This experience overshadowed what should have been a relaxing evening, and it left a lasting negative impression. I hope the company takes this seriously, provides proper staff training, and ensures that no other guests have to go through this.

    I surprised my girlfriend with the Christmas Eve Dinner Premier Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan,…read morewanting to do something new and special. I was hoping it would be a romantic, cozy, energetic cruise. I suppose I had high hopes from the mega cruises I've done with the big cruise lines. While all the employees were friendly, the atmosphere seemed a little lacking. First of all, the boat itself was hard to find. We walked the whole pier looking for it, as the ticket didn't specify WHERE on the pier it would be. The only indication we found it were some lights tied to the onboarding ramp. Once on board, the only thing that indicated it was Christmas Eve was the DJ playing Christmas music and a tree set up in the dining room. Even though the cruise wasn't full, all the guests were crammed into tables on the sides. Perhaps this was so we were all close to the windows, but we couldn't see out them anyway at night. The dinner felt a little rushed, being served as soon as we sat down. The drinks were expensive and the food was pretty mediocre. The dessert bar was pretty good though. Once we finished, we still had a couple hours left to wander around. The boat isn't very big, and nothing was really doing on, so we ended up standing on the roof in the cold looking at the sites most of that time. Overall, the experience was pretty "meh", so I don't think I would do this one again. Maybe it's more fun in the summer if you bring a bunch of friends.

    Photos
    Odyssey Chicago River - Interior of the boat with our dessert table.

    Interior of the boat with our dessert table.

    Odyssey Chicago River - Yumm

    Yumm

    Odyssey Chicago River - Great views from the ship.

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    Great views from the ship.

    Family Secrets Tour - Frank Jr

    Family Secrets Tour

    5.0(66 reviews)
    0.8 miNear North Side

    Just went on the tour today. Frank is a really nice man and the tour is Great fun. Entertaining and…read moreI was totally captivated by the stories. There's other "Mob" tours but this is one where the guy giving the tour was actually there. He grew up with all these people around him and his family. Along with his book which I also highly recommend, I would say the entire tale is fascinating and I cannot wait for it to be a movie. After the tour you really feel empathy for what this guy and his family was put through as a result of the mafia street life. If you're visiting the city, or if you are a local, take this tour, you'll love it!

    This was probably one of the best tours I've been on, and my fiancé (who has very high standards…read moreabout these things) agrees. We booked a tour for Saturday at 2 pm. There were some technical difficulties and the TV system on the bus ended up not working. Mr. Frank Calabrese Jr was very professional and good-humored about the situation. He offered everyone on the bus the opportunity to come back free of charge so that we may have the full experience with the photos he had been intending to show us. He proceeded to do the tour without the presentation, which honestly was great in itself. He is a very good story-teller, and had a great narrative. He had notes with him but only referenced them a few times to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. Everything was super authentic and off the cuff. I loved that we went around Chicago and we were able to get glimpses of how the city was like in the 60s-90s. What made this tour so great was that these stories were first-hand. It didn't come from someone who spent hours studying the history; this was his real life. He was very genuine about his experiences, and his anecdote about his kids at the very end of the tour made me tear up a bit. He even invited us to stay for happy hour at the Chop House to have a drink with him to talk. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone, regardless of whether you know the mob history or not. I personally didn't know too much, and still was captivated by his stories. He does have a book (which I definitely intend to read) and a movie in the works!

    Photos
    Family Secrets Tour - Aftermath of the car bomb attached to the underside of Michael Cagnoni's silver 1979 Mercedes-Benz.

    Aftermath of the car bomb attached to the underside of Michael Cagnoni's silver 1979 Mercedes-Benz.

    Family Secrets Tour - Assistant State's Attorney William H. McSwiggin a.k.a. "Hangman Prosecuter"

    Assistant State's Attorney William H. McSwiggin a.k.a. "Hangman Prosecuter"

    Family Secrets Tour - Tina Cruz and Liz Cote with Frank!!

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    Tina Cruz and Liz Cote with Frank!!

    Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours - architecturaltours - Updated June 2026

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