1. Chicago Riverwalk

    1. Chicago Riverwalk

    0

    Chicago, IL

    Chicago Riverwalk

    4.6 (265 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Chicago Riverwalk Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Chicago Riverwalk

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    Aaron O.

    A gorgeous walk along one of America's coolest skylines. This place is seriously awesome, and I got here just at the beginning of the season - lucky for me! You could see people running, cycling, and just enjoying getting out all along the walk. It was an excellent way to engage with Chicago and get to know the loop area a bit better. Highly recommended!

    Irene E.

    A wonderful 1.25-mile pedestrian path along the Chicago River, from Lake Michigan to Lake Street. Vibrant multi-use public open space, filled with bars, and cafes. There are also boat tours, kayak rentals and the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum. Many waterfront restaurants on the north side of the river.

    Max S.

    The Chicago Riverwalk is very cool. It's not only an opportunity to get your steps in, but to take in all the sights, and grab lunch during. Because you're downtown, the Riverwalk is lined with tall buildings on both sides of the river. You can't miss the Trump building with all the glass windows reflecting the sun! It's also a sight to see when the drawbridge goes up. You hear the alarms going off for a while before it finally does. Because I walked here from my hotel, I can't comment about parking. I'm pretty certain it's not easy though. The majority of people on the streets are walking. The sidewalks are crowded.

    Celebrating St. Patrick's in Chicago.
    Michael H.

    Spent all day today on the Riverwalk as the great city of Chicago turned it's river green to celebrate their annual St Patrick's festivities. Amazing!! This is always my favorite part of downtown, but was exceptionally beautiful today as the entire river turned green. It also snowed!!! Being from Florida, we don't see snow and being able to walk around in it and eat great food and drink great beers was so much fun. Can't wait to come back.

    Andrea U.

    The Chicago Riverwalk is a1 1/4 mile pedestrian path along the south bank of the Chicago River, extending from Lake Michigan to Lake St. It's a popular destination for walking, dining & enjoying views of the city's architecture and the river. The Riverwalk features a continuous path with access points at various street intersections. There was music playing & many dining outdoors. I was impressed that there were clean bathrooms, lots of garbage receptacles and even water fountains along the river walk. The Riverwalk is accessible from various street-level intersections along Wacker Drive. Visitors can enjoy walking, running, and even kayaking on the river. It provides unique perspectives of downtown. There are elevators for those that are physically challenged.

    Ramesh A.

    Chicago riverwalk is a beautiful place to catchup city architecture and also have a good relaxed stroll along the river. There are restrooms along the walk. There are lot of cafe, bars, quick eateris along the walk and some of them have great activities. One of the must do while visiting Chicago, you can join and exit along the route but would worth doing the full city walk.

    07.04.25 view of the Chicago River and the RiverWalk from Michigan Avenue Bridge
    May A.

    The Esplanade [Chicago IL] We made our way down to the RiverWalk from the northeast corner of N Wabash Ave and E Wacker Dr. where immediately below is O'Brien's Riverwalk Cafe. We saw a lot of activity going on at the Chicago River including boat tours and cruises, leisure boats, water taxis and, of course, kayakers and paddle boarders. On the riverfront patio are seasonal shops, cafes, public art, wine and cocktail bars, and plenty of dining options while enjoying stunning views of the Chicago skyline, We walked through the crowded riverfront taking in the scenery and the cool vibe... this is similar to the San Antonio River Walk. Unfortunately, we were not able to complete the 1.25-mile path due to an evening boat tour we were trying to catch at another meeting point location and not at the Riverwalk. We ascended back up on Michigan Ave. Review #3827

    Brad G.

    Great area in downtown Chicago, and another thing that bugs me about Louisville, KY. Architects and city developers in Louisville have vision, but not an elaborate vision of what our downtown and waterfront could be. Back to the riverwalk. It's another place I always walk every time I'm in Chicago. Whether it's above ground walking down the river or down next to the river... you're sure to have a good time. You can walk, eat somewhere, look at all the architecture, take a cruise, rent a kayak, or whatever. It is full of people, and tourists are all around the riverwalk, to the north and the south, but it's still always an entertaining and relaxing place to be. I'm not sure if I can add anything here that others haven't talked about, but if I could add just one thing, it would be to take a walk during the day and again in the evening. The reflections from the buildings vary wildly. I can't choose the best time because they both have their benefits.

    Wrigley and Tribune buildings.
    Navin K.

    If you're in Chicago, you must take a stroll along the Riverwalk. Last night, I left my hotel as the sun was setting and spent a blissful hour people watching, visiting places that meant something to me from previous visits to the city, taking pictures of the gorgeous buildings, and simply sitting by the river and reflecting on life. Refreshing! Can't wait to return!!

    Ultima M.

    I was in Chicago for St Patrick's day weekend and I was fortunate enough to stay at a hotel that had a view of the river and the Riverwalk. I got to see the river turn green for the holiday YAAYY The Riverwalk was a total VIBE everyone was out walking and partying and thoroughly enjoying themselves Before leaving Chicago I was able to enjoy a nice walk alone along the river, the views are amazing, the architecture is breathtaking A must do when in Chicago!! I love it here, and I cant wait to come back

    map of the area
    Janice K.

    This is a great area to walk around in downtown Chicago. There are so many bars and restaurants to pick from. There are also plenty of seating areas to watch the tour boats and water taxis go by. I did notice that in the morning there was no adverse smells, but later in the day there was a strong fish smell. There were a couple people fishing, but I think they were doing catching release. Well, I hope they were doing catch and release because the watercolor is not good.

    Katie R.

    The Riverwalk absolutely exceeded my expectations. It's such a nice place to walk while enjoying the beautiful city skyline. From its starting point at Lake Street, you can take it all the way to Lakeshore Drive, and even end up over by Navy Pier. There are quite a few restaurants and bars along the riverwalk, most of which have plenty of outdoor seating. There's also a bunch of areas you can stop to sit, including an area with adirondack chairs over by the Lake street entrance. We ended up sitting there for 30 minutes watching the boats and kayakers pass by, and taking in the amazing architecture. While we didn't stop at any of the bars or restaurants this time, we'll definitely be doing that on our next visit.

    Map of the path.
    Tony H.

    One of the best things to check out when you're in Chicago. Multiple entrances along Wacker Drive to get down to the walkway, nice views of the skyscrapers and of course the river itself. There are a few restaurants/patio bar near the State St. entrance and a few boat tour ticket booths. The riverwalk also feels a lot more calmer than walking around street level with all the cars driving around downtown.

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    It is beyond breathtaking here, during the day and night. In the summer and in winter. Always a perfect spot for photos.

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    6 years ago

    Went there several times during the summer months awesome place can't wait for 2021 to go again.

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    Chicago Riverwalk Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chicago Riverwalk

    Where are the accessible wheelchair entrance?

    You can access it from: - Lakefront Trail - Wacker Dr between N Wabash Ave and N State St (near… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Chicago Riverwalk

    It's great if you just want to walk alone, go on a romantic date, or stroll with your friends and family.

    Mentioned in 30 reviews

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    Skydeck Chicago - NEVER FORGET (look closely)

    Skydeck Chicago

    3.5(947 reviews)
    0.7 miThe Loop

    Really cool experience and things to visit/read while you're on the way up. You start by going…read morethrough the bottom floor and there's a ton photo opportunities and history about Chicago and the Willis tower. There's information about different Chicago foods including the deep dish pizzas, Chicago style dogs, jabiritos, and more! Once you get through the bottom floor, you take an elevator up all the way to the sky deck. The elevator travels at 18mph! And it takes really quick time to travel up. But during the way up, there's a ton of information that's played in a video. You can feel your ears popping as you change altitude. Thought it was really cool to experience. Once you reach the top (103 floors) , you can look at all 4 sides of the view and it's stunning! Once you're ready to go into the glass floor, staff take two groups at a time for efficiency for each window. They will take photos for you with the company camera, and then will allow you 90 seconds for your own pictures and photos. That's how the line keeps moving without anyone taking too long. After you're finished you can hop back into line for the elevator down. I thought this was well worth it. The photos and the views and efficiency was well executed. Definitely recommend!

    I have only been on the Skydeck once. I absolutely urge first-time visitors to check it out. The…read moreChicago skyline from the deck is breathtakingly beautiful. You'll need to purchase tickets to enter. The lines can sometimes be long but they do try and control that. Of course they have a gift shop...a few actually. You can pay for a photo of yourself on the deck and you can also snap some of your own. Staff are accommodating. You are able to learn a lot of history as well as seeing other important historical displays about the city. Big touristy thing to do? Yep! Should you do it? Yep!

    Photos
    Skydeck Chicago - Use your phone flash!

    Use your phone flash!

    Skydeck Chicago - Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Skydeck Chicago - Our friend living his best life

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    Our friend living his best life

    Landmark Theatres - Inside theatre 5

    Landmark Theatres

    3.7(24 reviews)
    17.2 mi

    When we were looking for a local cinema to see Ne Zha 2 for the second time, this time with English…read moredubbing, we were happy to find Landmark at the Glen! It replaced Arclight which was in a decline. The cinema had been renovated 2 years ago. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the cinema was pretty quiet. There were big kiosks for ticket purchases, and the process was quick and easy. We got a small bag (which was not too small) for $10 plus tax, a little pricy for popcorn, but it was good. The popcorn guy was friendly, and he also doubled as the guy to collect our ticket stubs, and informed us which cinema room to go to. We were there for the preview of the movie, and we got the entire cinema #5 to the 3 of us! While the lobby and hallways of the cinema was nice and cool, this room was a little too warm. We totally understood that they would not cool down an entire room when there was no audience inside. I went to talk to the popcorn guy about the air temperature issue, and he promised to have it adjusted. As I went back to the cinema room. We could feel that cool air started to come out, and it was comfortable for the rest of the showing. The chairs were big, clean, and comfortable. Sound and picture were great. The movie itself was enjoyable just like the first time, and the English dubbing was perfect. The entire cinema was very clean. I was especially pleased with their restrooms being spotless clean. There is a bar in the lobby, and across from it was the biggest poster I've ever seen in a cinema lobby, it was a colorful digital poster of Ne Zha 2, very appropriate for such a spectacular movie. When we left the cinema after seeing the movie, there was another guy at the hallway collecting ticket stubs, and there was obviously more audience coming in. We enjoyed this cinema experience very much, and would definitely return to see other movies in the future.

    This movie theater's really cute. I think it's a hidden gem in the Glen. Located right next to Yard…read moreHouse in Glenview, IL. The guy was very helpful getting me a cup for water and had the whold theater to myself. Definitely coming back.

    Photos
    Landmark Theatres - Kiosks in the lobby

    Kiosks in the lobby

    Landmark Theatres - Inside theatre 5

    Inside theatre 5

    Landmark Theatres - We held our ribbon-cutting with The Village of Glenview on Nov. 17, 2022.

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    We held our ribbon-cutting with The Village of Glenview on Nov. 17, 2022.

    Willis Tower - Entrance

    Willis Tower

    3.8(1.5k reviews)
    0.7 miThe Loop

    I will always call it the Sears Tower. I can't help it, that's what it was called the first time I…read moreever saw it and you know how it is...some of us humans just don't adapt to name changes of places we know and love. Anyway, I have been to Chicago many, many times (if you see me at a Yelp event, ask me why) and I like to see the tower whenever I am in the neighborhood. No longer the tallest building in the world, it is still a spectacular sight. The history and origin and the fact that it was the first skyscraper still holds intrigue and meaning for any architecture lover. As you can imagine, it can be extremely busy because after all, it is a building that holds businesses. However, that is not always the case. I have been at various times of day and it just really depends on the time, etc. If you are going for the first time, you absolutely want to get a view from the deck (Skydeck). The views are beyond incredible.

    I went to Willis Tower at 5 PM on a weekday with absolutely no idea what kind of crowd situation I…read morewas walking into. I had mentally prepared myself for lines, chaos, and the slow march of humanity. Imagine my surprise when I basically walked right in. In fact, my longest wait of the entire experience was for an elevator, which feels like a very reasonable thing to wait for in a giant skyscraper. I also loooooooved all of the historical information provided throughout the experience. It kept things interesting and made the journey feel like more than just walking in and riding an elevator to a great view. The cute photo ops sprinkled throughout were a nice touch too. And can we take a moment to appreciate the bathrooms? There were plenty of them and they were so clean. THANK YOU. As someone who judges attractions at least partially on restroom availability, this earned major points from me. Supreme appreciation. Everything felt organized, easy to navigate, and flowed really well. I don't know if I should credit the time of day, the weekday timing, or if it's always this smooth, but whatever the reason, I was pleasantly surprised from start to finish. Would absolutely visit again.

    Photos
    Willis Tower - Chamber music in the sky

    Chamber music in the sky

    Willis Tower - I was too afraid to step all the was back to the outer wall. Others were posing and having a blast. I'd do it again!

    I was too afraid to step all the was back to the outer wall. Others were posing and having a blast. I'd do it again!

    Willis Tower - Lots of fun photo ops while heading up to the tower.

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    Lots of fun photo ops while heading up to the tower.

    Cloud Gate - Cloud Gate ("The Bean")

    Cloud Gate

    4.6(991 reviews)
    0.3 miThe Loop

    There it was! The giant bean that Chicago is very known for. Loved that it was accessible and ADA…read morefriendly so everyone could enjoy it. We came early on a Monday to beat the crowds. The later it got, the more people showed up. I was lucky to snap this photo before more people started to come in. Really cool sight to see. It's a giant mirror and has two sides, the park side and the city reflection side. So the view from both and don't forget to check out the middle.

    Cloud Gate, otherwise known as the Bean, sits in the middle of Millennium Park in downtown Chicago…read moreand is one of those public art installations that consistently surprises people who encounter it for the first time despite being one of the most photographed objects in the city. I walked up to a seamless polished stainless steel form that reflects everything around it without a single visible seam or joint across its entire surface. That engineering achievement alone is worth appreciating before I even started engaging with what the reflections actually do. The reflections are the experience. I watched the Chicago skyline curve and distort across the surface in a way that shifted constantly depending on where I was standing, and walking slowly around the perimeter gave me a different composition every few steps. Walking underneath the concave arch in the center, which locals call the omphalos, produced a funhouse mirror effect that reflected me and everyone else from overhead in a way that was consistently disorienting and engaging regardless of how many times I have seen it. On a clear day with blue sky the effect was particularly strong, with the skyline wrapping around the sculpture against a bright background. On overcast days the palette shifts toward silver and grey and produces its own version of the thing. Admission is free and the park is open and accessible, which made Cloud Gate an easy addition to my Chicago itinerary without any planning required. It gets crowded, particularly on weekends and during summer, and the area immediately around the sculpture fills with people taking photos throughout the day. Early morning visits before the crowds build give you a more relaxed experience and better light for photography. It is one of the few landmarks in any city that genuinely lives up to what people say about it.

    Photos
    Cloud Gate - 07.04.25 touched the surface of The Bean... check!

    07.04.25 touched the surface of The Bean... check!

    Cloud Gate - 07.04.25 The Bean with Chicago's skyscrapers in the background and the clouds floating above

    07.04.25 The Bean with Chicago's skyscrapers in the background and the clouds floating above

    Cloud Gate - My wife, her parents, and me at the Bean.

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    My wife, her parents, and me at the Bean.

    Chicago Riverwalk - landmarks - Updated July 2026

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