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    Chicago Riverwalk

    4.6 (270 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Chicago Riverwalk Photos

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    View from above near Columbus (I think?).
    Haley V.

    Just absolutely beautiful. I love the walkability and connectivity to trails and major roadways. What a dream!

    Jeannette L.

    Take in gorgeous views on the Chicago Riverwalk! We loved taking strolls whenever we could along the Chicago Riverwalk. Plus it's free!

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    Hope W.

    This was my first visit! Loved it! So beautiful out there! Great food options and views! I will be back next time I'm visiting!

    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.

    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!

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    Anjali G.

    Best part of chi town. Just a walk beautiful walk. Love to see the different buildings. You can stop along the way to eat some ice cream or coffee. Just a fun experience to walk to talk to friends and family. People watching experiences are plentiful. Lots of cute dogs along the walk aswell and people enjoying there days in the boats floating along aswell. 12/10 must see in Chicago. Staying along or very close to riverwalk is recommended!

    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!!

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    8 months ago

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    Very beautiful at night. Always worth a stroll and there are many nice restaurants nearby.

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    1 year ago

    Very good restaurants and alot to do downtown Chicago. You can't go wrong visiting any part of the Riverwalk.

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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… 

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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 - NEVER FORGET (look closely)

    Skydeck

    3.5(955 reviews)
    0.7 miThe Loop

    We started our Chicago adventures by visiting the sky deck and Willis Tower. We had a great time…read morelearning about the history of Chicago. We purchased city pass tickets since we were visiting for a couple of days and chose the sky deck as one of our activities. They recommend making a reservation through the app so you can book the time you'd like to visit. Once we were in we went through the experience where we got to see exhibits and take fun pictures throughout. From there we took the elevator to the 103 floor to see the sky deck. The views of the city are super beautiful and of course we have to get our fun photos from the ledge!

    The overall experience and the downstairs museum detailing the city's history (with its great…read moredisplays and model train) are wonderful. However, the operations leave a lot to be desired. While a 90-second time limit makes sense on a packed day, on a slow day with only 10-20 people in line and 4 decks available, they should easily extend it. Instead, they cram multiple groups into one deck--forcing our party of four adults to share tight space with two strangers--and strictly require everyone to enter simultaneously. By the time you get settled and overcome any nerves, your 90 seconds are already up. We would have rated our experience much higher, but an employee soured the end of our visit. When we politely asked him to take a photo, he rudely and repeatedly barked that he would only do so if we left immediately afterward, even though we had timed our visit and were barely over the limit. Great attraction, but better customer service and flexibility are desperately needed.

    Photos
    Skydeck - Use your phone flash!

    Use your phone flash!

    Skydeck - Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Read sign if it's not obvious.

    Skydeck - Our friend living his best life

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    Our friend living his best life

    Willis Tower - Entrance

    Willis Tower

    3.8(1.5k reviews)
    0.7 miThe Loop

    We visited Willis Tower during our December trip to Chicago…read more We didn't book the ticket in advance because it was cloudy the day before. When we arrived in the morning, the cashier told us that we should wait in the afternoon and hopefully, the sky cleared up. So, we bought the 2pm tickets. Luckily, the fog was gone by 2 pm and the sky cleared up. There were lots of photo props before we entered the elevator. Once we were at the top, there were several spots to experience the Ledge but we had to line up. The line looked long but it moved relatively quick because each family was only given 90 seconds to take pictures on there. Yeah, it was way too little time but you can actually rejoin the line if you're still want to take more picture. Overall, it was a very cool experience to be standing on the glass floor on Ledge!

    I last visit the Sears Tower in 2014 so it was nice to come back and see all that has changed! The…read morestaff were all welcoming and friendly. The food options located in the building are excellent and provide great service as well. I visited the Skydeck which was amazing! I enjoyed learning about the history of Chicago's architecture and taking in the views of the city from the skydeck.

    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.

    Chicago Riverwalk - landmarks - Updated September 2026

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