So fun and entertaining! Plus you get the history of Chi-Town and the River's many uses throughout history

This was such a fun activity to do, we almost froze to death as the temperatures dropped to 3 degrees Celsius but our tour guide was such great fun and we had a good time. We went for the lake and river cruise, so got to see a bit of Lake Michigan and then went down the river. They have other options too (river cruise only, speedboat tour etc) but this was the only one available when we went. We were sitting towards the front and middle, didn't get wet at all. I would definitely recommend this tour. For 5 adults we paid around 200 USD for a 75 minute tour, you get to see a bit of the lake and then cruise along the river. I would suggest doing the boat cruise in the summer months, it was freezing when we went in October. read more

This was my third time in Chicago but I had never done any of the Chicago boat tours and figured it was time. I looked at the various options and decided that the architectural tour was the one for me, rather than the fireworks or party cruises, as I wanted to see and learn about Chicago's marvelous buildings. After looking at the reviews (and prices) for the main boat tour companies, Seadog and another popular company were the two I was deciding between. In the end I chose Seadog as they also include a 10-minute lake speed ride at the end of the tour. I booked the last tour of the day, the 7:15 pm, so that I could catch the sunset too. It was my birthday that day and this seemed like a really nice and special way to end the day's celebrations. I could not have made a better choice! Going down the river in the middle of all those majestic buildings was a really magical experience. And the speed ride on the lake at the end was the cherry on top -- we got to see the majestic Chicago skyline under a beautiful sunset, and that gorgeous and impressive image is forever etched into my mind! Our guide, Anna, was awesome and explained in great detail the history and fun facts of each building. There was a lot of information given about each building so even hardcore history buffs would really enjoy this tour. As for me, I was too in awe with looking at the buildings to remember all that info, but even so, Anna made the stories so entertaining and lively that, a week later, I still remember a lot of interesting details. Tip: The building across the Seadog boats in Navy Pier has a variety of food options if you're hungry before or after the tour. I recommend the Garrett Popcorn shop -- if you've never tried it, you're in for a treat! read more

Seadog Cruises - The majestic Chicago skyline at sunset - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wanted to show off Chicago to a friend of mine who was visiting the U. S. and opted to take her out onto Lake Michigan. But wait, I also wanted her to see the fantastic Chicago Architecture from the Chicago River. So, I called up Sea Dog and inquired if they had such a combination tour. Guess what , they do have such a tour. It is called , somewhat misleadingly , " The Chicago River Architect tour" I informed the Agent that I wanted the River AND the Lake tour. He assured me that despite the misleading reference as a River tour, it was actually a combination River AND Lake excursion. So, I took a chance and sure enough , it was in fact a combination River AND Lake excursion. We started out on the Lake and hit top speed as we went up and down the lake front. Wheeeee. Tour personnel volunteered to take photos of the patrons while using the patron's cameras to do so. That was kind of them as some of us are not very good at taking selfies. After speeding up and down the Lake front we changed course and entered the Lock System to exit the lake and enter the river to tour the River front Architecture. As we slowly moved down the Chicago River we received an excellent history lesson by the tour guide on the sites and buildings being viewed. It was a 75 minute excursion for about $ 37.00 per person. Well worth the price for speeding up & down the lake front followed by an instructional tour of Chicago River Architecture. Great Lake front and River front views combined with informative history lesson. read more

Seadog Cruises - Chicago Architecture seen from the Seadog - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Seadog Cruises offered a fun, informative 40 minute jaunt around the Chicago Skyline. Our Captain Swag and Steve and narrator Chopper were funny, friendly and very helpful. We has a group of 15 including three wheelchairs. They helped get the chairs up and down the ramps and couldn't have made our party feel more special. Very fun for the kids and with a tiny bit of spray to cool us off! read more

Me and My Son had a ball on The Seadog Lakefront Cruise boat ride. It was fun and such a great experience for the both of us. Great fun and memories. There was a long line but it moved quickly. Look forward to doing the speed Seadog Cruise. read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing experience, jake, capt swag and cool J were spectacular. Fast fun and informative. This trio is highly recommended.

Excellent. Interesting and entertaining tour from Jake. I've been on a few architectural tours on the river, this one is a good balance between the architectural information and entertainment. Good guide, music and a zippy little ride at the end. read more

I took the 75 minute River and Lake Architecture Tour on one of the coolest days this summer. It was well worth it though. There was a small crowd on the boat for the tour, so there were plenty of choices in seats. The tour was impressive. Even with an overcast sky and bouts of rain sprinkles, the skyline was magnificent. As we veered out onto the lake, we had a small speedboat segment. I got soaked! I love every minute of it! The lake breeze along with the detailed tour guide was a perfect combination. As we entered the lock system to enter the River, we were inundated with historical tidbits about the Chicago River, Lake Michigan and Chicago. After our wait to cruise the river, we saw all of the great sights of Chicago and were given detailed descriptions of the most fascinating facts of each building. As a native Chicagoan (okay, fine...the suburbs), it was a once in a lifetime experience to see the city you've known all of your life as a tourist. 15/10 would love to do this again. P.S. Andy is amazing. All of his knowledge and storytelling was an additional bonus to an already spectacular tour. read more

Seadog Cruises - Scene from Seadog Cruises Architectural Tour - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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To be honest, I was scared about choosing the Extreme Thrill Ride. I get slight motion sickness from rollercoaster rides but I figured since we had done the regular river tour through Wendella already...we were curious to try something different with Seadog Cruises. Although we can't say that this ride is for everyone as it does get pretty extreme...I have to say that it was one of the best experiences from our entire 4-day trip in Chicago. It was so, so fun!! So in the beginning, the captain takes us on a gentle ride along Michigan Lake in the beginning and slowly begins to speed up the boat. I'm thinking, "Is that it?" Then all of a sudden, you hear the funny, autotuned T-pain music playing, and you see your boat going at high speeds and turning full 360-degree spins. Splashes. Sharp twists and turns. And lots of laughing and cheering. This ride was intense but so incredibly fun that I literally wanted to go on it again. We got a little wet as we sat closer to the front, but the captain and the assistant warned us a few times that we'd get more wet if we sat further in the back, so we refrained (others didn't!). One thing we were mandated to do was to keep our seatbelts on, which makes sense because you could easily lose your balance and jump off the boat during the twists and turns. I had my phone out during the ride; there was no fear that I'd drop it but I made sure to record my videos with both hands. However, I decided to put my phone away after some time and just throw my hands out in the air and cheer on with the group. Not to mention the incredible view of the postcard skyline...I just couldn't stop swooning over this beautiful city. We had a fantastic experience at Seadog Cruises and I'd give more stars if I could! Sooooo worth it! Make sure to dress warm and layer up!! read more

Seadog Cruises - 10/10 would do again. - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was a tourist today, along with my sister, parents, and 4 year-old daughter. We went to Navy Pier and the grand finale of our visit was a 30 minute lakefront tour with Seadog Cruises. Shout-out to Captain Dolan, Victor and Tita for an amusing and fun ride. This was perfect as it gave us just the right amount of time on the water with some fun stories and education thrown in. We were on the yellow boat and aside from my daughter being a bit cold, had an awesome experience! Definitely recommend this as a great way to get in some time on the water and sight seeing in a very fun, energetic environment. This was an extrememly memorable experience for us all. I highly recommend it! read more

Absolutely recommended the extreme tour for anyone that wants to see the skyline while pumping their adrenaline! Staff were very friendly and attentive. Ps you'll get a little but its worth it! read more

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The tour was great! Jake was our guide and he was informative and very funny. All of the people that I had contact with while in line or on the boat were very nice and professional. I had a lot of fun. read more

The sunset speedboat tour on the lake is definitely worth it. I only wish it lasted longer.

The Chicago City Seadog 75 min jet oat with architecture cruise is worth it! Rebecca was a perfect guide - funny, took our picture and was so informative. So glad we went. read more

We opted for the 75 minute lake and river tour. Overall the tour was great. Boat was well maintained, they offered everyone bottled water, the tour guide (Maui) was energetic and informative, and the views are great. What they don't tell you is for at least 15-20 minutes of your tour, you are "stuck" in the lock to get between the lake and river. This could be a cool feature for some, but in the future is rather spend more time jetting around the lake. The tour starts out with a very short jet boat ride around the lake. Then you enter the lock and sit there (possibly in the sun) and not moving for what seemed like an endless amount of time. Once lowered to the river, you do get spectacular views of the city and informative insight into the architecture. It was very enjoyable. Then back through the locks and the tour is over. Everyone in our group agreed that we assumed there would be more time spent "jetting" around the lake and wish we got to do it again at the end instead of the end being a other trip through the lock. Overall, I recommend the trip. We reserved online about 3 hours before out tour. Maui was a great guide to have. read more

Seadog Cruises - View from the river - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

my granddaughter and I road on the super fast Seadog Aug/12 I want to tell you it was the most exciting experience I have ever done and in the near future we will do it again thank you Seadog for a fantastic experienc. read more

This is so that Abby, Captain Swag, and grammy award winner LL Cool J can have free snacks

All these years living in Chicago, I never have ridden those iconic red and yellow jet propulsion boats. Accompany a friend and three little ones, the staff (Tia) was really careful with the kiddos. We did the lakefront 30 minute ride as the boys wanted to ride on the boat. Architectural tour was too long for these boys and they'd melt down in one quarter of the 75 minute excursion. They were too short for the extreme tour. Since school is out, there were a ton of people there on a Friday. Tours go out on the hour for the 30 minute rides. The rear of boat, you may get splashed, but the warn you as you board the vessel. Small kid friendly, I recommend if you need to distract them while getting a bit of skyline tour information from the tour leader. read more

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AMAZINGGGGG!! So much fun!!! We did the Extreme ride and it was so much fun. Just to know: FRONT- you don't get very wet if at all.. MIDDLE- at your own risk.. might get something. Closer to the rail the wetter. BACK- YOURE WET!!!! TAKE HATS OFF!! And hold on to sunglasses!!! WILL DO AGAIN!!! read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The extreme boat ride is one of the best I have ever been on. Like the other reviewer, I was a bit wary bc I also get motion sickness and have had some lower back issues. However, this ride is worth it in terms of fun and price. You will wish you could go on again! Pro Tip: Pancho or not .... if you don't mind wearing someone else, usually there are some in the exit line where previous rides deposit theirs. It's just went and used. Or you can just brave it out bc walking around Navy Pier will dry you off in a short amount of time. read more

I have been on other architecture cruises in Chicago and SeaDog was not great but was good..the best part was the quick but not so fast speed boat ride on Lake Michigan followed by the trip thru Chicago river in downtown.. The guide was good but I think the other cruises provided more information during the architecture tour..We did spend alot of time waiting for the River locks to open and close which was not an issue with the other tours and this in turn eats into the tour time as well.. If in Navy Pier i would recommend going with these if not there are other options that start from River front and are better.. read more

The service is horrible and they actually overcharged us. I purchased the ticket from Viator, and the location on my ticket sent me to the wrong side of the map. The customer support number on the ticket doesn't connect you to the right person. Also, if you had any issues, don't even try speaking with manager because they won't help you smh read more

This cruise was so much fun! I found last minute Groupons for the 75 minute River + Lake cruise. It sounds like a long time but time goes by so fast and you learn so much through their extremely knowledgeable guides. They first take you far into the lake so you can get a beautiful view of the city by the water. The reflection is amazing, pictures don't do justice to the sight. We went during the night so the lights reflecting off the buildings and into the water was breathtaking. (They go pretty fast so it might be a bit chilly- I'd recommend a light sweater.) After chilling out in the lake, they'll start making a way towards the beginning of the river. You'll be chilling near the entrance for a good 15-20 minutes until the gate opens, but during this time you're free to ask any questions to the guide and/or guide will be speaking about random facts and statistics. (Supposedly, not many cruises/tours do the river part for this reason... not many like waiting) - but time seemed to go by quickly. How much facts our guide was spewing was incredible. Really. Idk how he did it. We learned so much about the city and the various buildings along the river- very fascinating stuff!! (No sarcasm) My family and I enjoyed it very much. The river architecture part is soo worth it. Next time, I want to try this cruise during the day! read more

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FIRST OFF OUR TOUR GUIDE TRISTAN WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! I really enjoyed our 30 min boat ride. the tour guide was knowledgeable and funny and the boat driver was very skilled. while we were not aware prior, one on the boat they made it very clear that we were likely to get wet which was fine. it was a solid 30 mins of fun facts and hilarious jokes. also, if you are on the heavier side, they do require seatbelts. but two things, 1. the seats are wide and cushioned so they are very comfortable and 2. they offer seatbelt extenders. absolutely loved the staff and service that we received while getting tickets, waiting in line, boarding/de boarding, and everything else. would 100% recommend. read more

I grew up taking the Seadog with my grandparents every summer, but had not been on in 15+ years. My friends and I were looking for fun activity to do during the COVID-19 pandemic, and decided to book online. Check-in was very easy, and the staff ensured that everyone kept their masks on and practiced social distancing on the boat. We brought my dog and she loved it too! Pro-tip: They offer a discount when you bring your dog! Our guide Lucious was very kind, knowledgeable, and energetic. If I could give more than 5-stars, I would! I had even more fun than I remembered having when I was little! read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I took an awsome ride on the SeaDog Thrill cruise! ...I am physical disabled that uses a wheelchair. The staff at Chicago Navy Pier SeaDog was so kind to me and excellent customer service!! ...Princess Jamie showed me compassion and care the whole ride...She made me made feel like... just because you have a disability. Does not mean you can't have fun and enjoy life!! I can not forget to mention the other amazing Staff Swagg Princess Jamie Cool J Andy Took really good care of me!!....Thank you so much on making sure my experience on the SeaDog Thrill cruise was amazing!!! read more

What an amazing trip! My daughter loved the river tour and lake speed ride! A big shout-out to Andy our tour guide who kept us laughing, Captain Princess for a very smooth ride and Gator for keeping us safe through the locks. Highly recommend!!!! read more

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Had a great time with friends on this adventure cruise. Skunk and the rest of the crew were very nice, informative, and engaging. Highly recommend doing this if you're in Chicago! read more

they were very amazing, we came with our military family and they had amazing hospitality and accommodation with us. love this spot. we got on the speed boat read more

tl; dr: great tour guide, subpar customer service and not worth the money for the haunted boat tour on a busy marathon weekend. Thanks for reading! I booked the 9:15 p.m. spooky haunted tour on Saturday, Oct. 13. Less than two hours before we were supposed to arrive, I got a text (that didn't apologize) saying our boat tour was cancelled. I immediately called the provided number and the woman was uninformed and slow to help us rebook. We rebooked for Sunday evening and arrived at 6:45 p.m., as the woman informed me multiple times on Saturday night. Once we found the location at Navy Pier, we go to the barren check-in window only to find out we were the only three people booked on the tour. What's more is that they need six to go out in the water and we had to wait to see if three other people randomly happened upon the stand and purchased tickets. We came back at 7 and they said the boat tour was happening. We finally left with two other people (so not the six we were told), at 7:25. The tour guide (whose real we did not catch) but went by the ghost name of William Ogden did a great job trying to engage with the five of us on board. He very clearly knew his Chicago history - ghostly and otherwise - and we learned a lot. Highly recommend him! I'm surprised it was so empty with thousands of people in town for the marathon. They did make the tour happen even if it was just five people. FYI - it was also absolutely freezing out there, which we expected, but also we were still very cold. Just something to consider. read more

Amazing ride definitely recommend it's so much fun with tour guy Cool J, captain with awesome skills Jamie and last for the best safety check Eric! It was a wonderful experience in Chicago! read more

My friend and I are from Chicago but we decided to do some touristy stuff. Highly recommend the river and lake architecture tour. Griffin, Captain Swagg, and Tony the Tiger were the crew on this awesome tour. We were running late to our scheduled tour so Seadog Cruises was very accommodating and let us get on the following tour. We had a Groupon which generally you can not change times but am grateful we could. On the Seadog Website it states this particular tour is BYOB so my friend and I brought diy mimosas. Nice way to spend our Sunday morning. Definitely plan to bring my family at some point to get this other perspective of the city. read more

Seadog Cruises - Tour guide Griffin, my friend and part of my head on the Seadog boat - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Princess Jamie( hope I didn't spell the name incorrectly) Tiger and Lucious are the best!!! Love this high speed cruise!!! I will definitely recommend it to others!!! Keep this staff on board for future rides!!! They made the experience sooo much fun!!!! read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Do NOT come to Chicago without going on this tour. It is absolutely amazing, and well well well worth the money. Everyone on board is so amazing and the tour is amazing. Tyler, chopper, and grease were absolutely fantastic crew to have aboard. I will go on this boat tour every time I come to Chicago now!!! read more

Seadog Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Make sure to sit in the front so you can really experience the wind slamming into your face while the boat is going super fast! Some tips for the ride (especially the women): --bring a sweater/long sleeve shirt for the ride, it gets chilly the farther you get from the lakeside --bring a hair tie, otherwise you'll be whipping yourself and your neighbor with your hair --if you wear glasses/sunglasses during the ride, it'll probably get wet --if you raise your arms when the boat is speeding up, you'll have a lot more fun read more

First - make sure you have a coupon. Either a Groupon or one from one of the Chicago visitors magazines. I love being on the water and wanted to fit in a boat tour during my time in Chicago. I knew I'd be spending an entire day looking at architecture in Oak Park the next day so I wanted a more low key and laid back architectural cruise. If you are looking for detailed information about Chicago's architecture and skyline, this isn't the cruise for you. The tourguide provides basic information about buildings pointing out which ones are which and gives additional details on some. It was just the right amount of information for me, but certainly not as detailed as some of the other cruises. Take the 8:15 p.m. cruise. You get stunning views as the buildings transform during the twilight sky and then come to life with beautiful lighting. It was great being on the water for sunset. At the end of the cruise, you get a quick speedboat ride on the lake. It provides stunning views of the skyline and some fun before returning to the dock at Navy Pier. Overall, it was a great experience and I would cruise with Seadog again on a future visit to Chicago. read more

I thought that this was a great architectual tour. Our guide was kowledgable, and very funny, and had a witty sense of humor. We learned about buildings that we had never even glanced twice at. The ride was 75 miutes with about 10 minutes on the open water going kind of fast (not very fast) and then about 50 minutes touring. The rest of the time we were stuck in "lock ins" that allow you in and out of the citys canals. My #1 complaint is that the bathrooms were so disgusting. The toilet didn't flush. The sink didn't work, there was no toilet paper, and it looked and smelled like it hadn't been cleaned in years (I'm not exhaggerating!) Other than that, it was great. We had a BOGO from our Entertainment book, and it was definitely worth the $35 for both. read more

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If you visit the Navy Pier I highly recommend taking the Seadog tour! As a visitor is was a combination of a bit of a thrill ride and historic lesson! Being out on Lake Michigan and seeing the breathtaking city skyline is worth the money! We experienced the 30 min tour. It flew by! The crew was welcoming and funny. This is a good experience for all. The cost is 39.00 per person which is slightly high but again--- worth every penny! read more

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Did the yellow boat Lakeshore Speedboat Cruise. Probably really good for people with kids, overpriced for what you get, and a little boring for adults only. The Captain Grant was awesome and friendly. This boat goes fast, but not excitingly fast. They play good music which makes it more fun. If you want excitement - probably go for the red boat. If you want info - probably go for the architectural tour. If all you want is to see the shoreline of Chicago from out in Lake Michigan - this is a good tour for you. read more

Seadog Cruises - Navy Pier - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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