Went on an architectural tour and it was awesome! Great mix of speed out on the lake and fantastic views of the city from the river. This is a must do activity when you visit the city. read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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AWESOME EXPERIENCE!!! Kind of expensive though, $26 for a 30 minute extreme boat ride?! We got lucky and someone gave us a spare ticket so we only had to buy one ticket. You definitely need a poncho!!! They sell it for $5 at the ticket stand. They music they play during this is awesome, both trendy/old school songs. I'm glad we didn't eat before, but I felt my stomach getting a little upset by the end of the ride. They basically take you into the lake and spin and do fun things! They stop twice - once to tell us some history about Chicago and another time to take photos for the groups on the boat. read more

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Not what I was expecting, but a good experience. We purchased our tickets for the Fireworks Cruise online about a week before departure. Picking up the ticket was super easy, just head to will call and give them your name. I quickly learned that the boarding was first come, first served. The line to board the speedboat was absurd. We arrived a half hour early and it was halfway down to the street already. So, be sure to arrive super early if you want to have a great seat. Before you actually board they have you stop for a photo in front of the boat/skyline. They try to get even more money out of you. The pictures were $20 for one large and two small, so note that if you have a party larger than three, someone will be left out. I wish I remembered the names of the folks on the boat, because they were lovely. My group of four were seated almost in the back row, the spray from the lake wasn't bad at all, but you did get slightly wet, rather, misted. They had a playlist of mashed up music playing while we cruised along, but it was rather strange and no full song was ever played. Still, they tried to entertain. Chicago from the lake at night is quite beautiful. The lights were bright and only eclipsed by the totally bad-ass, huge, orange, crescent moon that made an appearance on our trip. We learned some things about the skyline architecture, which building was which, and some funny puns and jokes about them. The view for the fireworks was quite cool from the boat. I was disappointed with the length of the fireworks. While I didn't time it, they felt like they were only 5 minutes long. On a side note, it is absolutely amazing watching the captains dock the boats with such precision. Good job Seadog Employees. We enjoyed our ride and will see you again sometime. read more

Seadog Cruises - Fireworks cruisr - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great tour! The guide Tila was amusing. The views are spectacular. The only complaint(s) are the amount of time spent idle in the boat. You have a 10-20 min wait each way into and out of the main channel leading to downtown. I realize there is nothing anyone can do but had we known about this I would have opted for a different tour. Again this is very scenic tour of the buildings in downtown from a boat and well worth the money. Just know what you're signing up for. Thanks! read more

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Excellent experience from start to finish! My team of 30, in town for some meetings, just finished the 30 minute speed boat cruise. They all loved it!! Kale was our narrator, he knew great facts about the lake shore and made the experience that much more fun. We will be back to try the other SeaDogs boats. Thank you! read more

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Choose this company & you'll be thankful! Request Lucious because he's awesome! Tony & Steve are also great! It took a little long to get through the river locks, but the speedride at the end with the music blasting makes up for it! That was a fun way to end the ride. read more

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We had a 5:15pm reservation for a 75 minute architecture cruise on Friday, September 2nd. This was our first time taking a cruise of this sorts in Chicago. So, this easily had the potential to be 5 stars; however, our specific circumstance prevented it from being so. We arrived at 4:45PM and got in line and actually we were number 3 & 4 in line. Now, in retrospect -- is there a bad seat on the boat -- no. However, we arrived early and wanted to be in one of the first two rows on the ship. I didn't quite understand how they even knew people purchased tickets, because they did NOT collect tickets from hardly anyone who boarded. As we started to board, #1 & 2 got right on without presenting a ticket. #3 & 4 (us) were stopped and asked for our ticket (it was prepaid voucher on my phone). FYI...I went to the box office before getting in line to make sure that we did not need to exchange the voucher for an actual ticket. They said no. Once they asked for our voucher, they said they didn't have the scanner and had to run to the box office for the scanner. While we waited for the gentleman to return, they let the next 25 people on board and held us back. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, they did not ask anyone for tickets except two other people. So, we were now sitting to the mid/back of the boat. We still enjoyed the tour. I actually really loved the combination of the speed boat ride at the beginning versus the gentle architecture tour. Our guide, Diesel Dave, was an excellent tour guide! He was very knowledgable and very friendly. I would return to the company again for future tours; however, by not having everyone present a ticket -- anyone could have boarded whether they had a ticket or not. And then by requiring our ticket and not being prepared with a scanner --- they wasted our time of arriving early for no purpose at all. read more

Lots of fun! We went on the extreme ride which was extra soaking because of how windy it was and how choppy the waves were. Wouldn't recommend the extreme one to younger children on such a windy day just due to how bumpy it was and how jerked around you get! It's perfect for a hot day when you need to cool off and you learn a little about the harbor itself as well! Would definitely do it all over again! read more

Had a great experience on the 75 minute architectural tour last week. Billy was our tour guide and did a phenomenal job. We had been on the Seadog before and are Chicagoans, and still learned new information about the city. The tour also included a 15 minute "speed" ride out on the lake which was a nice touch. read more

Absolutely loved our 75min Architectural tour on Monday (Memorial Day). My parents and I had a blast! We are from the Chicago area, and were all really impressed with what we learned about the architecture around the city. Our crew was great- Billy was our tour guide and Chopper, and Swag drove the boat. The staff were all very friendly and Billy was extremely knowledgeable. All I can say is ask questions because the people on our boat were so quiet and that is how your hear the cool stories! I would highly recommend this excursion and I will be bringing guests back! My only suggestion would be making the speed portion of the trip a little longer. I know my mom was bummed it ended so soon...other than- AWESOME!! read more

Jake from State Farm Was hilarious! We went on a company party and it was so much fun. The dog was cute too! Thanks jake!! Sorry for misbehaving?! read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Did the extreme thrill ride today and it was Aaaaamazing. So much fun!! Had two teenage boys and two moms and it was by far our favorite part of the trip!!! Highly recommend!! Captain Cat, first mate Taylor and MC Joey were all awesome!! read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun, entertaining, and informative. I also enjoyed being able to check-in to FB at a location called "middle of Lake Michigan" during the cruise. As a tourist, I was fortunate to visit the Navy Pier on a beautiful summer day. The Seadog cruise was a great way to get a fuller Chicago experience after taking the Lakefront speedboat tour. Based on that experience alone, I think it's a great balance of the other tours they offer. We passed on the Architectural one, but they actually talked a lot about the buildings we could see from Lake Michigan. Also, our boat only had an iPod with music intended only for the Extreme Thrill tour so we got a taste of some classic rock and roll and old school hip hop jams from LL Cool J, Outkast, and Beastie Boys! Too bad we couldn't stay for the Fireworks cruise at night, but I'm sure it's worth the little extra cost. read more

Okay so when I heard architectural tour I thought boring. WOW what a great way to see Chicago buildings and the river. Grant was our guide and he was funny and interacted with the group. He would try to answer any questions you may have had. After the city tour they took the boat out on Lake Michigan and sped it on up. What a great way to end a tour. This should be your number one on the bucket list as much better than just going up in a tall building Looking down is over rated. All the other tours just cruise. So if you are old and don't like fun and speed choose another company. read more

Chicago is known for its architecture and what better way to view the beautiful buildings than by boat. I recommend doing the river and lake tour and get the last departure. Since they mostly operate during the summer season, you will beat the heat. Going on the last departure will allow you to view the scenery in the daytime, but you will also get to view them at sunset and it makes great for picture taking. read more

Leaving from the Navy Pier on Lake Michigan this is just flat out FUN. My wife and I took the lake front speedboat tour where a jet propelled tour boat spends half an hour throwing itself around Lake Michigan like a jet ski on steroids. Cruising at about 35 knots with lots of great views of the Chicago waterline you'll be hard pressed to find a better way to cool off on a hot day. A week in Chicago and this was one of our favorite finds. read more

This is the way to tour Chicago! As a first time visitor to the Windy City, I didn't know where to start the sightseeing. Luckily I had a Chicago native with me who highly recommended Sea Dog's architecture cruise. Sightseeing at its finest! Moving slowly down the Chicago River, I was in awe of the skyscrapers and buildings that could be seen. You get to see everything from the new Trump Tower to the mighty Sears Tower, and everything in between. A tour is only as good as the guide you have and ours was exceptional. Sadly, I forget his name but he was real down to earth and very knowledgable about everything Chicago. I highly recommend this tour to any first time visitors or people looking for some great views of the city. read more

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What fun!!! We went on a cruise with Grace as our tour guide, and Saleem as our captain (so sorry first mate, can't remember your name...) Grace was so funny!! I loved the architectural tour of Chicago as we only were there for one day. It was nice to get in a little history and information about this cute city from the view of the river. It was also a very comfortable boat. The seats were plush and seat belts were large enough for a pregnant lady! It was a really great tour, you should absolutely come!! read more

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Loved this tour! We spent the afternoon in Navy Pier but were looking for a shorter boat ride tour and this one was perfect - 30 minutes! Great way to see the skyline and learn a couple fun facts! Also our guide was amazing! Malaiah (sp?) did an excellent job and was so funny!! Would definitely recommend this tour! read more

Took the cruises last week, we had so much fun. All the staffs are friendly. Thumbs up for the service. read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Seadog Extreme Boat Ride was awesome! Better than I expected and would do that again and recommended it to anyone. Ps: they aren't lying when they say you get soaked! It's like a big fun jetski! My only suggestion and something they can do better is to warn you further in advance how wet you will get so you can leave bags, phones, etc behind. read more

Seadog Cruises - The view coming in from the ride! - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Reall fun tour! Diesel Dave was the tour guide and he was super knowledgeable about the city of Chicago and the architecture, he made it fun and it was a very enjoyable tour. Especially when they bark every time after they say the word seadog. Can pick it up right off navy pier smack dab in the center of the touristy location! Will probably do the adventure tour at some point, but the architecture tour was definitely worth while and if you are new to Chicago make sure to check this out! read more

Seadog Cruises - Diesel Dave! The man of the 75 mins - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The boat and view overall is wonderful! But the reason this place is only getting one star from me is because they run a very hazardous business if you sit near the rear of this tour boat. The exhaust fumes and noise that comes off the motors is very toxic and there is no protection offered. This was brought to their attention and no refund or ear protection was offered. There is nothing in their site to indicate that there was such hazards. When brought up to the management I was given an email which no one answered. 10/10 would NOT do again. Nice view though. Take a normal boat. This is just a warning to parents with kids who don't want their children to be deaf or in respiratory distress. UPDATE: management actually was way more polite than the lady who told me she was a supervisor! I appreciate the reach out and am very happy that there will be a warning offered prior to the start of the trip! While it is still a hazard, the fact that there was a instant effort made is music to my ears! Thank you so much! read more

My husband and I came to the Chicago area for a quick getaway. We have been to the area several times, but have always come during the winter season, and therefore have not gotten out to do much other than drive around and grab a bite to eat. Well, this time we decided to enjoy the beautiful weather and learn a little bit about Chicago in a fun way, and Seadog Cruises offered it! We learned about Seadog Cruises through Groupon, which was a great value for us. We originally made a reservation for a 1:15 pm departure. We are staying about 1.5 hours from downtown and knew about 11:30 that we were not going to make it on time. I called the customer care line to change our reservation to the 3:15 time slot. Instead of changing it, the rep said there was plenty of space on the 3:15 and just to show up. Usually with prepaid prebooked reservations, you just go get in the boarding line. Since we have a change and our papers showed 1:15, I went to the kiosk. The manager who helped, I want to say his name was Steve, said that we missed our sailing. I explained that I called beforehand and was told just to show up. He went in to check availability and updated our reservations and printed up new tickets. Our crew consisted of Billy (guide), Grant (1st mate), and Captain John. Grant was very knowledgeable about the area. They gave us a great tour consisting of cruising the coastline, including a speed boat ride for about 5 - 10 mins, talking about the lighthouse from France, then taking us through the city river touring the city's downtown architecture and providing history of the buildings and area. There is some beautiful detail and creative architecture in the area! It can get a bit chilly during the speedboat cruising portion and I would recommend taking a jacket with you, even it if it's 80°+ out. Also know that you may get a little wet, particularly if you sit on a seat right by the rail. I didn't mind getting wet, other than it being cold! Parking is expensive in the area, $15 and up, so be prepared for that. It can also take a bit to find, so make sure you plan accordingly. Hubby enjoyed the cruise just as much. It proved a great visit to the Pier! After our cruise, we grabbed a bit at DMK Burger Bar. There are various eatery choices and much more entertainment available in the area. read more

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This is a pretty well operated tour, but opt for a slower/longer tour if you are looking to learn more about Chicago and to take in the skyline more. We opted for the Lakefront tour. We accidentally booked the wrong day tickets and despite their policy of no refunds, customer service helped us switch the date. It's very easy - print your tickets and show up early. I recommend about 30 minutes if you want first pick of seats. We showed up 10 minutes prior and we're about 2/3 of the way in line. There's separate lines for the extreme and lakefront tours, which isn't very apparent to those showing up. Ask one of the check in employees and he will direct you nicely. Someone also helped us move and store our stroller, which was really nice of him. The ride was basically a fast jaunt out to the lake to the sounds of hit music, a pause to talk very briefly about some of the buildings (kudos to the speaker for his jokes), and another sprint back. I wonder if we just didn't get as much info as the other high reviews? I feel as though I only heard about which were the tallest buildings and then we drove back. Maybe it depends on your tour guide. I highly recommend sitting in the front or sides for a better view of the water. If you care about learning more about Chicago, find a longer tour or architectural tour. Great option of a boat ride if you have young children who cannot tolerate sitting for longer stretches. Bring a hat, sweater and sunscreen! read more

Horrible experience! This was supposed to be the highlight and last stop of our Chicago weekend, but it was AWFUL. First, we were two families traveling with a total of 5 kids and we couldn't get 3 seats together unless we sat in the back of the boat, despite arriving early and standing in a line in the heat for 30 minutes. This meant very limited views, loud engine noise, terrible smell of gas fumes and two speakers blaring right next to you with a guide that NEVER stopped speaking for 2.5 hours -- she even spoke about random stuff like stand up comedians, her career, and homeless people (more on the extended length of this excruciating experience below...). But that wasn't the worse of it. They don't tell you about the "Lock" between the lake and river you have to go through. We spent 1 Hour sitting in the Lock, in the heat, engines idling and gas fumes making us all feel queasy, because the harbor police had to tend to a sick lady on a recreational boat behind us. I called the main number from the boat to ask what their protocol was when the boat was stuck for an hour -- would they shorten the trip or turn around? I explained we had a flight to catch and if we returned an hour late, we would miss it. There were 2 doctors in our party and it would be disastrous to miss our flight so I had to figure out alternative plans in that event. They told us they understood and to speak to the Captain to explain our situation and see what she said. Accordingly, we requested the sole crew member (also a kid) to ask the captain to come speak with us when she had a moment. "Captain Princess Jamie" -- a twenty something, thick, immature girl -- comes down from her deck a few minutes later, guns blazing and before I can utter a single word, starts SCREAMING at me in front of my children and other passengers, causing a total scene, condescendingly yelling that "there is a medical emergency on another boat, so we are in a holding pattern, 'who do I think I am to be asking about the delay, have some consideration!' etc etc...completely berating me for asking to speak to her! I finally get a word in and ask her to calm down, tell her that the main line told us to talk to her (she interjects that "those people are just in a call center and don't know anything") and that I needed to understand what they would do so I could plan accordingly. She continued in her disgusting tone that she "didn't know how to handle something like this, it was new to her, but she was going to keep on the tour even if they were stuck for 2 hours, that she wouldn't shorten it, or drop us off, that we'd come back 2 hours late then and "we can call whoever we need to, do whatever to change our flights, book a hotel, whatever..." She "didn't care!" "We would get back whenever we get back." An equally rude female customer behind us then joined in the yelling party at me and told me to "shut up and be worried about the lady on the boat who was dying." The child captain then started talking to her about how cool it was to witness EMT responding to a situation like this (completely condoning the other passenger's attack of me and discussing the "coolness" of the delay.) What?!!! By the way, it was a case of heat exhaustion on the other boat -- they took the lady off and sat her in a wheelchair and were giving her water; we would know, as there were 2 doctors in our party. No one was dying, but our "child of a captain" put everyone in a panic while completely berating me for being concerned about our missing our flight if the trip was delayed any more than an hour, which it was and was what happened . Anyway, after about one hour, we began moving again; unfortunately, not only were we so stressed about missing our flights, we were completely humiliated on top of having a generally miserable experience with the heat, gas fumes, constant blazing narration. No one in our party enjoyed the trip at all. We were all on edge, and I was holding back tears after being mistreated that way. And an hour into it, we were feeling ill from the idling gas fumes, but couldn't even move seats or ask for more water given how were treated. Then, at the end of the 2.5 hour trip (instead of 75 min) where we sat in the Lock for 1 hr 20 min total (20 on the return due to heavy boat congestion), the Child-captain announces on the speaker that she "chose not to speed up the tour at all even though she could have." WHAT?!! Did this child just add insult to injury, making clear that she had NO consideration for the predicament that put us in? Unbelievable. It truly felt racially motivated at that point. (I am a woman of Indian-origin). This is singularly the most awful experience we have ever dealt with. We felt like third class passengers by the petulant teenager ship captain and all we did was exactly what the main office told us to do. This child-captain Jamie should be FIRED, in addition to the full refund of all of our tickets for both of our families read more

Visited Chicago from the Boston area and had to take advantage of fun things in the water! Saw these boats walking through Navy Pier and thought it would be a great time. Went with the yellow Seadog for the 30 minute ride. There's also the red Seadog Extreme (gets you wet!) Decently priced and very organized. Our guide Lucious was such a character and gave us quite a few laughs! Highly recommend for some fun at Navy Pier! read more

This review is for the 75 min architectural tour and speedboat ride. Everyone who's ever been to Chicago raves about and insists that you take an architectural boat tour. I was definitely on board because I thought it would be very educational. My partner chose this company because it was one of the highest rated on trip advisor. It's a solid tour, but not what I was expecting. I thought it would be led by an expert who could provide deep architectural insights. It tended to be more like a Disney ride... somewhere between it's a small world and a thrill ride. The tour guide did know a lot, but it was not deep knowledge. In addition, he was like an over the top Disney character. They would blast pop music through tinny speakers during the tour...a little much. And the ride on Lake Michigan, instead of focusing on the city skyline, was all about going fast and getting wet. Long story short, this tour was too over the top. Was it fun? Sure. If you are looking for a true architectural tour, choose a different company. However, if you are looking for more of a thrill ride with some information about buildings, especially if you have children, this one might be for you. read more

This was our second time doing the Seadog architecture tour - the first four years ago, this time with our teenage daugher and a friend. I went to book it ahead of our visit to Chicago a couple of weeks ago and found that there happened to be a Groupon which was definitely a bonus but we hadn't minded paying full price the first time around. The ride is 75 minutes and does go extremely quickly - we had time for the little zip around out on Lake Michigan both before and after going up the river this time - but it is just the right balance of entertaining and educational that we enjoyed it the second time around AND the girls really enjoyed it too. Definitely a great way to learn a little more about the city and its skyline, get some great pictures and enjoy a little time on the water! read more

so much fun!! our tour guide was so informative and made the history of chicago so interesting. i would recommend this for all ages

GREAT Time!! Patrick was our tour guide and he was funny and very informative! Would definitely recommend and go again!

our first time we celebrate my son 12 th bday all good great view of the lake front our guide was awesome he make us bark to get litle faster one less start the lady in the counter when we buy out tikets was rude and no polite all other and that was great !!!!! we definally enjoy the ride read more

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We did the express speed boat tour and it was definitely worth the money! If you don't mind getting wet and enjoy roller coasters this is your tour. Bring only what is really needed because you will get wet! The further back you sit in the boat the more wet you will be. You can't beat the views of the skyline out in the lake! The guides are super friendly and will take photos with your phones after the tour is finished. The photos they snap at the beginning are $20 if you'd like to pick them up after the tour. Nothing special about them though. read more

Seadog Cruises - The view was amazing. - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Loved this ride it was relaxing and fun! We had a great speaker/host named Griffin and the captain Chopper. Griffin was hilarious and we loved listening to the history of Chicago. Would do this again. read more

The sea dog cruises were amazing! Absolutely one of the highlights of my covid trip. The staff was very friendly and the captain was amazing. Great humor and thrilling turns and twists were one of the amazing parts of this extreme ride! We did get soaked but it was very fun! The music even matched the ride also! I heard if I make a review, the staff gets a cookie! This is for the staff on the 12:30 PM extreme cruise! Woohoo, fantastic and great. The covid protocols were good also, 6 feet apart was not really a factor but masks were required. Also that the high 40-60 MPH winds were blowing our breathes away. Great job again, recommend a ton! read more

Really a fun tour and Andy is a great tour guide! He is so knowledgeable and funny. Oh! A plus is you can bring your own alcohol on the boat but try to keep it to beer cans/bottles. Anything else might be too tricky to pour. read more

A friend and I went on a ride on 6/15/19, and the weather was awful. It was raining the entire day and foggy, yet our ride did not get cancelled, so be aware that you will most likely go rain or shine. We went on the 3:30 pm Extreme Thrill Ride. The ride probably would have been really great had the weather been normal, or even just not raining. Once the boat started going fast, it was impossible to keep your eyes open as the rain was hitting your face so hard, it actually hurt. Good luck looking at the skyline while your eyes are closed and you're getting pelted with 40 mph raindrops :( The ride itself was fun, with some twists and turns, but the weather kept I think almost everyone on board from actually enjoying it. We were out on the water for maybe 15 minutes before it was deemed too dangerous (the boat instructor used the word "dangerous" himself) and we were sent back in. They ended up cancelling the rest of the tours for that day, and stated "we were lucky" since ours was the last tour. Right. Lucky. You'd think maybe they would offer refunds, partial refunds, or even a discount voucher for your next ride to make up for it. Nope. All they said as I got off the boat was, "Sorry about that, hope you enjoyed." To be fair, the people working on the boat were very nice, but the weather conditions were just so bad that I can't expect how they would think people would be enjoying the ride. The tickets are not cheap either, so it was an extreme disappointment. The ride should have been cancelled due to the inclement weather. We trusted them with going anyway because we thought they would have warned us if the conditions were rough. They didn't. So overall, it was very disappointing and very hard to enjoy, not to mention painful and uncomfortable. Maybe we should have asked if we could have rescheduled our ticket day, but again, we trusted Sea Dog's judgement that going out would be okay and enjoyable. I don't see anywhere in their FAQ about getting a refund unless there has been a cancelled ride, which our ride was not. So please, please be aware if it is raining, DON'T take the Extreme Thrill Ride. And if you do have to go, bring goggles and a ski mask. Seriously. read more

Enjoyed a fun Seadog Cruise tour of Chicago recently on the weekend! We used a Groupon and were able to walk right up and use the tickets purchased online with our Groupon. They had tours available every hour during the day. The weather was gorgeous for our 75 minute Architecture boat tour! It was even more fun than we imagined it would be. We had Captain Kat (Katherine), First man Kevin and Maui as our tour guide. Maui had great energy, was a fun guide with lots of info/stories to share about the city. He put his own spin on things. The music playing in the beginning of the boat ride as we speed along waves of the lake/ocean was really good too. If you're interested in touring Chicago definitely check it out by boat and consider Seadog Cruises! read more

Yesterday we were able to take a tour on the Seadog skyline tour. Our guide was Named Lushes. He was amazing and real funny. We enjoyed his Dad jokes and the interesting facts he explained to us on certain building. I left that tour with excitement and new knowledge!! Definitely recommend taking another one as him the tour guide read more

Great experience well educated explained everything in detail made the tour fun will recommend