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    Shoreline Sightseeing

    4.7 (1.9k reviews)
    Open 9:30 am - 9:15 pm

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    Riss G.

    Sam S was a great tour guide! Awesome tour! Great info, lovely views! The boat was large, comfy, onboard restrooms and bar.

    Wendy F.

    Absolutely spectacular! We went to this location for the accessibility and no stairs. Walked right onto a ramp that led us to the boat. The views were amazing, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and knew a ton of history of all the buildings. The only downside is there was no shade on most of the seating so being in the direct sun was rough. But regardless we learned a lot and really enjoyed it. Definitely recommend doing it at least once!

    Rachel S.

    We did the 7:30 architecture cruise. Our tour guide Lia was so funny and had so much great energy! The cruise went up north and south branch of the Chicago river and ended near the navy pier. On the boat they have a bar and and bathroom, they also have a nice awning on the boat. I enjoyed learning about the buildings but I also just simply enjoyed chilling on the boat and watching all the other boats and kayaks go by.

    Jasmine P.

    Spent the day cruising Lake Michigan on the shoreline cruise. The staff was very friendly, the tickets were affordable, and I had a blast with my family. It was very clean and very peaceful if you're looking for something to do that that's a little different. Definitely check this out 10 out of 10.

    Scott L.

    We took this tour early in the morning and it was not very crowded. Walked up and got our tickets shortly before sailing. We left from near the Navy Pier and then up one branch of the rivers while the guide gave us a humorous teching of the different building and history of the area. This included designs and the purpose of them, challenges with the river and train lines, and just fun facts with a lot of dad jokes. Highly recommend! Also, if you buy the tickets you can get a discount on the lake tour which is good for a few days (does not have to be the same day).

    Lydia F.

    Loved it! This boat tour was my favorite part of our trip!! The boat had plenty of room. Some seating was protected from the sun with an overhang and a bar. It also had an open area with bench seats that had a good amount of lean, so that you can see the highest points. The guide was awesome. I learned a lot about Chicago's history and architecture trends over the years. A lot of the buildings "front" side faces the river, so the view is very different from the boat. The boat ride was smooth with great views. I highly recommend!!!

    Ken Y.

    My work friends and I took the Chicago River architecture cruise which nothing short of amazing. It was a warm breezy night with fantastic views of the city at a level below ground. Katherine, the tour guide, provided some really interesting facts about the city's history and background on the designs of so many iconic buildings I highly recommend taking this cruise if you're ever in the Windy City.

    The view at the end of the tour and the captain turn the whole boat horizontally so everyone can get the perfect photo
    Mimi G.

    OMG--best tour I've ever taken! I tried to get on this tour three different times, and this year I finally made it aboard. It was absolutely worth the wait. The staff were amazing, both on deck and throughout the boat. We had Spencer as our guide, and he was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. His dad jokes might need a little work, but he more than made up for it with the great information and experience he provided. If you have the chance to take a tour with him, I highly recommend it--and don't forget to leave him a tip after docking! Anna was our bartender during the 75-minute tour and did a fantastic job. She offered a variety of options including draft beer, bottled beverages, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks. Card payments are accepted, which made everything easy and convenient. Highly recommend this tour to anyone considering it!

    Beautiful summer day
    Aimee A.

    This is the second time I have done an architecture cruise in Chicago. Different company, but just as great. Took family this time. Our tour guide, Joe, was outstanding. Covered a lot of history and explained the relevance of the architecture. Would go again with this company. Took the 10:45am tour - great views and good weather. Utilized the tickets through the C3 pass. These photos had auto-captions - enjoy!

    Regina C.

    Visited Chicago three times and I've done the Architecture Boat Cruise twice. If you are visiting Chicago, this is MUST to be added to your itinerary. To give some details and not spoil the whole experience, the tour guide describes the different architectural facts that surround the Chicago river. It was truly the experience that markets Chicago as a great city.

    Nick G.

    Took the Shoreline Sightseeing architecture tour at noon on a clear, sunny day. The boat was comfortable with plenty of seating and good views no matter where you sat. Cruising along the river with the sun out made the city feel alive, and the skyline looked even better from the water. The guide Mary Rose was knowledgeable and mixed history with fun details about the buildings, which kept it engaging without feeling like a lecture. The tour moved at a relaxed pace, long enough to take everything in without dragging. Being out on the water in perfect weather made it even better. The tour itself was about 1 hour 15 minutes. If you're visiting Chicago, this is one of the best ways to see the city and get a sense of its architecture. Highly highly recommend.

    View
    Thembi S.

    This was an awesome architecture tour suggested to me by my niece, and she also accompanied me. We arrived around 12:20 for the 12:30 tour. I'd recommend getting there early to get a covered spot. My niece and I were in full sunlight on a 75 degree day. Initially I felt like u was going to melt into a puddle, but cooled off considerably once we got moving - things for sweaty people to keep in mind, lol. The tour was awesome and I learned so much about architecture in general, but Chicago specifically. Idk they had so much art deco. The tour guide was great, had good personality and energy and even handled some overexuberant children very well. Highly recommend this tour!

    Brad G.

    During our sunset cruise on night one(different company), we saw a smaller boat and noted the name of the company. That company was Shoreline. As it turns out, before we left we were checking and our Citypass still had entry to one place left. One of those places was a Shoreline cruise so we booked our time and started off walking to the area. Our Shoreline cruise was an architecture cruise. It was hot on this day so we ended up on the lower deck to hide from the sun. I caught most of the tour guides voice, stories, and dad jokes but this was more of a relaxing sail on the river. I did like that we got to see the river/buildings west of the main downtown area. Much like the Riverwalk, if you can squeeze in more than one cruise... definitely do one during the day and one during the evening. The bar is also downstairs and we needed some water. I assumed the prices would be higher. I was surprised that water and drinks were priced reasonably. Shoreline is worth your time whether you're looking to learn something or just cruise along.

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    1 year ago

    Just long enough. So many kids being unattended by their parents, it was hard to hear or pay attention. Mid at best.

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    10 months ago

    Jim was excellent! Funny and knowledgeable about all things architectural and engineered!. Highly recommend.

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    Shoreline Sightseeing Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Shoreline Sightseeing

    Are there restrooms provided on the boat?

    Yes

    Are dogs allowed?

    Contact info Phone: 312.222.9328 ext. 1… 

    Where did you all park?

    Try ParkWhiz app to locate parking. There are a bunch of garages around.

    Did any one have a hard time redeeming their Groupon for the date they picked at the dock the day of the tour? Did they charge additional fees?

    I had no problem. They scan your barcode before you board. The Groupon was slightly cheaper than a regular ticket.

    Someone's review said that this is narrated by a recording? That would SUCK. Is it true?

    We did a tour a few weeks ago and had an awesome guide who narrated our tour. Definitely not a recording but I can't speak to all of their cruises. When in doubt, it would probably be a good idea to give them a call and check the specific cruise… 

    How long is the water taxi trip from navy pier to the museum campus?

    The water taxi trip is about 15-20 minutes long.

    Where does the boat tour depart from? It says 401 N. Michigan ave. Is there a landmark I can look for?

    There is an Apple store and their booth right in front of it. If you go down the steps by the Apple store you will see where you can line up for the tour.

    Is it necessary to buy tickets in advance or are there plenty of tickets available for walk up buyer?

    We didnt need to buy in advanced. But it was in the morning on a week day.

    For those in need of wheelchair accessibility, was shoreline a good fit?

    There are accessible tours available. Contact them in advance for times.

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    Review Highlights - Shoreline Sightseeing

    Did the Architecture tour with Brooke and it was truly a great way to see Chicago for an architecture nerd!

    Mentioned in 201 reviews

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    Shoreline Sightseeing - architecturaltours - Updated September 2026

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