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    St Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats

    3.5 (16 reviews)

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    Nice little boat ride for the low price. Pretty scenery along shoreline. Friendly crew! The narration is a recording. A little hard to hear it.

    One of the two paddle boats available.

    Lovely ride. Boat has top deck and lower/inside with expansive Windows. They offered soft drinks and water for $1. Perfect day with a nice breeze! Got a little sunburn even. It's a quiet stretch of river with handful of buildings/homes, lots of nature. Captain gives a quick bit of history every 10 minutes or so, so you can chat with someone or just soak it all in. Bet it's stunning when autumn colors start. Parking was plentiful. We arrived early and took a spin through a native plant demonstration garden. It's a lovely, winding, shady path of native wild flowers and trees that are labeled with occasional fun facts about the plants. Could be a 10-25 minute walk depending how much you stop to read and really notice the diff qualities of the plants. Many I've never seen before.

    This was the very beginning of cruise. See how everyone is smiling????

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Went on several cruises over the summer and had a great time. Can't wait for the summer to do it again!

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    11 years ago

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    Review Highlights - St Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats

    During our leisurely 1-1/2 hour cruise along the Fox River, we enjoyed a buffet-style fried chicken dinner with all the trimmings.

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    Chicago Fireboat Tours - View of city

    Chicago Fireboat Tours

    (68 reviews)

    The Loop

    A beautiful day on the Lake Michigan. Had a blast on Veteran-owned FIREBOAT-TOURS today! Such a fun…read moreafternoon soaking up Chicago's history and architecture from the water. The itself was comfy and solid, and it's pretty cool to think this fireboat served the city's fire department from 1937 to 1981. Lucky us, we caught a perfect day light winds and clear blue skies. Thank you to Cliff, our tour guide, who had serious knowledge of Chicago history and a fun vibe was fabulous. The bartender, magic manning, was a total character, bringing good energy and making sure everyone had a good time. In fact, the whole crew was super welcoming and made the experience even better. Next time we are going to try the sunset cruise and do this all over again.

    This fireboat tour was spectacular! My friend and I both had a wonderful time and can't recommend…read moreit highly enough. The length of 2 hours was perfect so we didn't feel rushed. We motored around near Navy Pier and on the river. While I'm generally not into architecture, the buildings were beautiful and interesting to learn about. I expected that the tour would include a recording of the information about all the sights, but the person narrating the tour did so live. He came up and chatted with all the passengers a couple of times. We felt very well cared-for. Word to the wise though, it can get a bit chilly so wear layers if possible. Highest recommendation!

    Tall Ship Windy - Tall Ship Windy

    Tall Ship Windy

    (534 reviews)

    Near North Side

    One of the best things I did while visiting Chicago! I booked the 8:30 p.m. Tall Ship Windy sail,…read moreand it was worth every penny. We left around 8:30 to 8:45, and by the time the 9:00 p.m. fireworks started, we had a front row view from the water. It was absolutely incredible. The captain and crew were friendly, welcoming, and did an amazing job. The ship wasn't overcrowded, so there was plenty of room to walk around and take in the views. Watching the fireworks with the Chicago skyline in the background was unforgettable. After the fireworks, we sailed under the night sky with the sails up and great music playing. It honestly felt like I was in the Caribbean, except with an amazing city skyline all around us. I'm from New York and was in Chicago for work, and I have to say this was even more impressive than seeing the New York skyline from the water. I also own a sailboat, so I really appreciated how well the crew handled the ship. One of my favorite parts was that guests could even help hoist the sails. There was a full bar with a really good rum punch, and so many great spots to take pictures of the sunset and the skyline. The crew was also happy to take photos for people. If you're going, get to Navy Pier early and enjoy the restaurants and drinks before your sail. This is great for families, couples, or even if you're traveling by yourself like I was. It's a unique experience that you won't get on one of the regular tour boats. I would absolutely do this again the next time I'm in Chicago.

    We had a lovely sail with Tall Ship! When we got the sails up and the boats motor turned off it…read morebecame so quiet and tranquil I couldn't have loved it more. For children I recommend this over the architecture tour because they tell pirate stories to the kids but it's not over a loud speaker. Much recommended!!

    Friends Of The Viking Ship

    Friends Of The Viking Ship

    (1 review)

    This is easy to find; you turn into the park, and it's right there, under a tent. They are open…read moreonly specific Saturdays; there's a list at http://www.vikingship.us/tours-of-viking/ . For your entry fee, you get a little slideshow about the history of the ship, a functional reproduction that was displayed at the 1893 Columbian Exposition (after the Norwegians sailed it across the ocean!), then a tour of the ship itself. You walk around it, then get to look into it; the various parts of the ship are labeled, and there are posters on the walls giving more detail on the history the docent provides. Outside the tent there are (sometimes? often?) interpreters dressed in period clothing with a small display of Viking clothes, musical instruments and weapons, and there's a small gift table in the tent, featuring jewelry by the woman who supplies the Vikings TV series; postcards and mini-posters, a coloring book, embroidered polo shirts, and two small histories of the ship, one written by one of the 12 Norwegians who sailed her. It's an interesting visit with a piece of local history, and it's probably your best chance to get this close to a Viking boat, unless you've been to Scandinavia. After the Exposition, the ship spent decades moldering in an open display in Chicago; it's now sitting in what looks like a plastic-tarp covered greenhouse with a bunch of box fans. The Friends of the ship are desperately fundraising to put the ship in a proper humidity-controlled building; when they do, they'll get the fancy dragon-head figurehead and tail back from the Field Museum, where they are safely in storage. I wish them well.

    Three Oaks Recreation Area - Lakehouse Patio within the beach area.

    Three Oaks Recreation Area

    (55 reviews)

    If you're local it's awesome , if you're an out of towner like me you have to pay to park then pay…read moreto get in which sucks

    What an amazing place! How did I not ever know about this? It is free for entrance otherwise it's a…read morefive dollar visitor fee. If you wish to go to the main beach, that's an additional $12 if you are not a resident of Crystal Lake. The grounds are immaculate, very well maintained, and the bathrooms are clean. There are two lakes, multiple pavilions that you can rent ahead of time. Lots of picnic tables for you to sit down. Near the bar and grill while you can't go in the water, you can take your drink and sit on one of the cheers on the beach. You can watch people practice on their WaveRunner. Swing on the swings at the bar and listen to great music. I did not have any food here. I did have an amazing Mojito. The bartender was a young man looking to join the Barrington police force. Polite, kind and also had great customer service skills. The reason why I didn't give it five stars is that there are absolutely no markings anywhere as to what trail you are on, how long of a trail it is, and where there may be porta potties. There aren't any maps or QR codes and it was a bit confusing as I came upon several wise and the trail to decide which way to go as I had limited time there. Given the fact that everything is so nicely taken care of I don't know how they can't have at least some markings on the trails that they have there. One of the workers sent me direction and it literally just took me to a pavilion. They have kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and SUP boards. They also offer lessons for SUP depending on the day. Lots of people fishing. Amazing Place! Please add signage for the trails! The pop and water machine near the beach entrance did not work. Hopefully those are checked daily to repair.

    St Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats - boating - Updated September 2026

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