The tour/route and boat were good. But the guide, Hillary ruined the trip for us. She constantly criticized other architectural boat tours, which we found very unprofessional. First thing she told everyone once we were seated was that talking amongst ourselves during the tour was discouraged. So we all sat quietly, as she asked, then later told us we weren't very responsive, basically seem to talk down to us like school children. Money not well spent. Have been on the Architectural tour run by the actual Architectural Society several times and even though it was much more money, the whole experience, knowledge, and tour guides far exceed this experience. read more

I really enjoyed the boat tour! David is wonderful tour guide with lots of funny jokes and knowledge about the architecture in the city. The boat also has ponchos, snacks, and drinks downstairs. There's also a few intermissions throughout the ride so you can go downstairs to warm up / use the restroom. I highly recommend Summer of George and you can also get a discounted ticket on Groupon as well! read more

Summer of George - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Thought this boat line was great! We were lucky enough to have Hillary, our tour guide, because she was first rate!!! Funny, SUPER informative and the whole experience was great! Best tour guide I've had in Chicago. Loved that they had parking!! read more

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This is an amazing Boat Tour of Chicago's Architectural and I'm so happy that I found tickets for us at a senior discount on Groupon. My wife and I have been wanting to do this for a long time because we love our city and its skyline, and we know that there's lots of history here. Yesterday was a very scalding humid day in Chicago and if you don't like the heat, I recommend that you sit indoors instead of the deck, I really don't care because I love the heat and I loved the deck because you can see everything and take great pictures. Hilary the young lady that gave the tour was very funny and sweet, answered everyone's questions and let us at times stand up to take great photos or videos. At the lower level they sell T-shirts and chips and drinks for whomever wants them. The tour is 90 minutes long and it's highly informative, you will learn a lot about the architecture and history of our beautiful city. We really enjoyed it. read more

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So glad the rain held off! We arrived at summer of George on a Saturday morning. We booked our ticket a few weeks in advance. Check out places like Groupon for deals or special. We paid for parking which was around 10 dollars. The skies did not look too we but we were hopeful that it would not rain during the tour. I grew up in Chicago but never knew the history or Chicago's down town architect. This tour gives you a nice history lesson. We were on the first tour for the day that starts at 10am. It last about 1.5 hours. I learned so much. Why a lot of the buildings are shaped the way the way there are. How the Chicago River shaped some of the building design style. I enjoyed it so much I would go back again with someone that's never experienced it. read more

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As a life-long resident of the Chicago area, I had my doubts about this tour...I was wrong!! The tour is 1 1/2 hours of fun, facts and sight-seeing!! The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about not only the architecture, but the history behind the scenes. You learn about the neighborhoods, the people that influenced them and the history of the areas. The ability to see Chicago from the river is unique and BEAUTIFUL. This tour is worth every penny and should be a must-do for anyone with even a passing interest in the city!! read more

Summer of George - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What an ABSOLUTELY fantastic morning! Beat 90 minutes I've spent on something in a long time. I could have stayed on the boat much longer and listened to Hillary explain the different types of architecture, what buildings were what now and what some had been. The history of Chicago and just an all around FANTASTIC personality. Being in the public is something she has a real talent for. Witty, smart and captivating. Ralph was our Captain today and lord I knew we were in for a great experience just by how witty and fun he was just to start off the do's & don't of being on board. These two made this experience what it was and will gladly tell everyone I know to look them up when in town visiting. Thank you to you both for a fantastic time, and first time visiting the city and receiving so much information in a fun and memorable way read more

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Always an amazing time. I keep coming back to this company! Dave is the best tour guide! Shoutout to captain joe! read more

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Had a wonderful time on this tour. Sean was a fantastic guide, and I learned a lot about Chicago and its marvelous architecture. I liked that the boat wasn't too big or crowded. Highly recommend! read more

Hello all, Last week I went on the architecture boat tour with Summer of George in Chicago with my family. I LOVED it! Everything was on time, smooth, and informative. My sister gets motion sickness, but she had no complaints about this! Captain Ralph was hilarious as was our tour guide, David. I enjoyed David's perspective as a local Chicagoan and his expansive knowledge of the architectural history of the area. He also gave pointers about restaurants along the way. We were excited to locate one of the cousins of the triangular architecture pointed out in the tour when we walked in the city later. I especially enjoyed the shoutout to Jeanne Gang, the only woman architect mentioned on the tour. "Women are doing it, they are setting the bar high!" I loved that comment. I would highly recommend this tour and would go again! My family loved it, and we have spectacular pictures. Great job and a great morning! read more

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Great experience! David was our guide and he was funny, engaging, and super knowledgeable of the architecture on the River. Highly, highly recommended!!! I was also impressed that they used the entire 90 minutes of tour time. Very organized. read more

Summer of George - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was a great experience. There was a lot more to it than I expected. I got some great photos and learned a lot. First, check Groupon for tickets. Substantial savings, even with the extra, annoying Eventbrite fee attached. Second, get there early-ish. The boat was much bigger than I expected, the guide said it's actually among the biggest and tallest of those that do the Chicago River tours. So there's a line. And you want to be toward the front of that line because you want to be among the first that board. Because, third, sit toward the middle of the boat, preferably to one side or another, if possible. You get a better view and you don't have as many people's heads in front of you. So the tour was led by a lovely and very cultured, intelligent guide named Hillary who is hired to a do a variety of art, food, culture and architectural walking and boat tours in Chicago. She was also really funny, as a bonus. Ask her questions about places to eat in Chinatown if you want to get brownie points. She narrates as you pass building after building, and she can tell you as much as you could possibly want to know about their architectural style, history, past and current uses, and any other factoids. The photo opportunities are endless. Whether you're an amateur or a pro, you can get great shots. That was mainly why I wanted to go - I had taken a photo class several months before and wanted to try my hand at shooting with the camera not on the automatic settings. I'll include some of my best shots below. The tour lasts a full hour and a half. The boat has all the amenities you'd need, including a bar. You start at the docks near downtown, go all the way to through the North Fork to where downtown ends, then back down the river past the docks to turn back around. I know it's a touristy thing to do, but I would imagine this should be a must-do experience for anyone who wants to enjoy some cool sights and learn a little bit about a city with a fascinating architectural history. Even if you live in Chicago, go. read more

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Took advantage of a beautiful fall day to make use of a Groupon for this architectural tour of the Chicago loop. This was our 3rd or 4th tour (longtime area residents) and by far the best due to the expert commentary and wit of Dave, our docent. He was an excellent guide and we learned a lot. About a mile walk from the Ogilvie train station but there's parking on site as well. read more

Summer of George - Dave the Docent (lower right) - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great boat tour in the heart of Chicago as you sail through the river for 90 minutes. Our guide Billy was great and informative on every single area we sailed past along the river including old and new architecture as well as certain stories surrounding what happened within the city. My group and I went on a beautiful sunny day...be sure to bring sunscreen and a water bottle if needed cause you may get sunburn after a while. The process of getting onboard was simple enough though we were standing off to the side in a parking lot behind an apartment building. Summer of George is a small group so that's understandable but they definitely do their best to make the experience enjoyable for their customers. I have been to Chicago many times already but this is my first time doing a boat tour and was glad to have been on this tour to learn more about Chicago's great architecture. read more

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Just not ready to say Goodbye to Summertime in Chi!!! But seriously though... any opportunity to cruise the river and get out to the stunning views over Lake Michigan is a Chicago MUST and this isn't just for tourists! Full transparency...I wasn't sure what to expect for $22 USD but I am really happy we took the gamble! While I cannot comment on ALL Summer of George cruise options, the one we took was marketed by a Promoter as a "PARTY Boat with Fireworks" which was the perfect way to kick off a Summer Night and fall more in love with this Magnificent City I get to call my home! Pros: top boat deck with DJ Spinning beats, ample seating, plenty of room to groove, full open bar one level down (interior), and 3-hours onboard to take in all the views with Navy Pier's spectacular fireworks show as the finale before going back to the boat dock. Cons: 3-hours onboard with whomever else in the general public books the same cruise, pricey drinks (you're a captive audience = not any other onboard option), no AC on the boat's interior and the restrooms were stuffy and lacked soap, TP & a working sink. Also their boarding process was a little sketchy and the guy running it was rude! Yelp tip: If you are looking for one of the famous Architecture boats, I'd highly recommend Wendella or Shoreline which you can catch at the Riverwalk by Michigan Ave. Book on Summer of George if you just want to keep it social or get your crew together and get a Party started:) They cruise out Rain or Shine but I can't imagine it being nearly as enjoyable on the lower level. Top deck is where it's at! Oh one more thing... ladies I recommend to wear flats and save your pretty heels for another night! Must easier to dance on a boat when you're comfy read more

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What a fantastic way to spend a couple hours on a fall afternoon in Chicago. The docent, David, was the perfect combination of funny and informative -- really, one of the best guided tours I've taken. If I'm noticing things he pointed out while walking around two days later, that's a very good sign. The price was very reasonable, and the accommodations sitting on the top deck were fine, if a little cramped together. Highly recommend! read more

Was pleasantly ducat how much I enjoyed this experience. I highly recommend this even if it's not your first trip to Chicago read more

Very informative and entertaining! Location easy to find and company supplied good directions. Billy the tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun (I actually took some notes because it was so interesting!). Our family went and all of us had a great time. Definitely recommend! read more

Summer of George - Billy our tour guide - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My boyfriend and I got a Groupon for the "best 90 min boat tour" and it was amazing! We loved it!! I'm not from Chicago, but a suburb and it was a very informative history lesson! Even with covid, we had been socially distanced by the crew and I was a little worried since I forgot to fill out the waiver until we came up for them to collect, that we would miss getting seated on the top. (Luckily, we didn't!!! We still sat on the top of the boat!) 6 feet distance and we even had to wear masks whenever getting out of our seat. Great views! Loved this so much! Food and drinks were a little pricy but it is Chicago. We had Sean as our guide, who was very knowledgeable about his hometown. Loved learning about Chicago! Will definitely do this again! read more

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This would be my second time visiting Chicago; the first time I definitely fell in love with the city and culture, but adding this to the list of things to do, the second time around, epic! My friends planned a night out on a boat but I wasn't expecting to have this much fun. If you want the full experience, I highly recommend Summer of George. read more

It was my first time on Summer of George lake cruise. I had only heard about it before prior to getting on the cruise. I was here because of a boat Trance party courtesy of Trance Identity and Funky Entertainment who are one of the local promoters of various Trance and Progressive dance music events in Chicago. I came here to see one of my favorite and a well known (in the scene) German Trance DJ/ Producer, Roger Shah, who was returning to Chicago after five or six years. Roger was scheduled to play from 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM (the duration of the cruise). The boarding line had formed way before the boarding time. The boarding time was 5:45 PM - 6 PM. The boat left the dock shortly after 6:15 PM. The weather was a bit on the chilly side but the sun was out in full force so that kept me warm, relatively. I got to see beautiful views of downtown Chicago and the lakefront (not that I hadn't seen it before as I have done the Architectural tour but through Summer of George cruises this time), soak in some sun and best of all, enjoy some of the best sounding Trance music from one of my favorite artists. It was an awesome experience. The boat ride was great. No hiccups there and no issues with the DJ and sound system either. So a win-win situation. I had not been on such boat party anywhere before. I spent most of my time on the top deck with some friends and most of the crowd. I took some amazing and gorgeous photos. I did not check out their bar or any other services that they might have provided. I would recommend the Summer of George lake cruise. It's fun. read more

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The lost stars are thanks to the captain. On 9/29, 3pm tour. The host David was awesome. Wore a UofI cap. Very very knowledgeable and knew alot of facts. What soured, this whole experience was the captain's unaccommodating attitude. It was a simple ask where to get to a bar. Yes, was confused. Am a tourist that day. Some of the instructions was supposed to be simple, but you know what?! Have you heard of being courteous and not being a smart ass about your response?! This is what you call humor? I heard two other guests complain about this same ride attitude from the "Captain". Looks to me like a raggedy old man who failed in life and thinking he's made it in life... Whoever runs this show, should really think about what this entails to your guests. Spoiled the otherwise awesome tour that David delivered... read more

David was so incredibly knowledgeable and had a wonderful personality. The 90 minutes flew by because of how engaging and fun the tour was. Would highly recommend. We had an absolute blast! read more

Absolutely the best tour in Chitown! Our docent, Tequila, was so flipping funny and knows so much about the Chicago history and the architecture firms and interesting facts about the designs. Great for kids because she gave lots of movie making anecdotes. It's 90 minutes so it's worth it to make the walk to 900 south wells. LOVED IT! read more

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Billy was a fantastic tour guide. Knows the rich history of the city very well and kept us entertained.

We ordered tickets on Groupon and had to pre-select a time, and so we chose 10 AM. Note that there is still a convenience fee after the Groupon coupon purchase! We drove to the given address around 50 min before our 10 AM time and there is really nothing but a gate sign and a River City convenience store. The staff showed up around 9:30 and we lined up. Everything was prompt and on schedule! The tour is very architecturally-focused but very pleasant, with two levels. The captain and tour guide were both friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. We chose this tour over the double-decker bus tour and were not disappointed. read more

David is great!!!! Very interesting history and details. LOVE IT ! If you like buildings Go read more

Summer of George - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the best boat tour of Chicago and I've been on them all. First, it starts and ends south which allows them to show you more of the south part of the river. Second if you go on a Friday you might get lucky and get Hillary who's the best guide on the river! She doesn't just repeat back a script like many do, she nerds out about her deep and expert knowledge of Chicago history and architecture. Plus she's freaking hysterical. You'll never think about cakes the same way again. read more

Whether you're an architecture buff or just want to enjoy a cruise down the Chicago River, I highly recommend this architectural tour I booked the 6pm cruise and was able to get great day and evening views. Not only was it a relaxing tour but I learned a lot from our tour guide Hillary. This was by far my favorite activity in the city. read more

Summer of George - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great tour with Hillary. She was funny and informative. Got the tickets for about half the price of other companies through Groupon. It was a great value! read more

I took my son on the boat this past weekend and I enjoyed it for the information and views while my son only enjoy the views . Allot of information I didn't know like how the buildings were made and the history of them . The captain was funny the tour guide was super informative I couldn't Believe how much he spoke he barely had any breathing time lol . I used the parking garage that's indoors and got my parking for like $5 on those mobile parking apps . U can either pay ten dollars cash or use the mobile park app or spot hero. I was surprised just how much parking was available . I love how the location although in downtown is on a quite street that isn't congested with the city traffic . If u have smaller ones they may be bored if they don't like the scenery so be prepared. Also they have a bar and bathroom on the boat lower deck read more

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Very informative and fun tour! Hillary was quite an entertaining guide and gave us a mix of architectural and cultural facts, which were mixed with some personal anecdotes and her own observations of the city's development over the years. Best views for the tour are definitely from the top deck, however, the day I went it was cold! And drizzling rain! You can still see from inside then pop outside to snap photos as needed (which is what I did). The boat has restrooms, a bar with cocktails, drinks and snacks (does take credit cards). I had a hot chocolate ($3) which was perfect on this chilly day. Sadly, there weren't enough seats on the inside for all of the passengers and once it started raining some people got stuck up top or standing for an hour! (Which is why I give 3/5 stars because that was unfortunate planning and guests were upset/wet). Otherwise, it was a great tour for the price and I would highly recommend it (and pack an umbrella or poncho for yourself if rain is in the forecast!) read more

Fri. 9/3/21  A wonderful Tour with Tours & Boats. Our tour guide, Hillary, was wonderful, full of knowledge & had a great presentation with humor & kindness mixed in.  We all enjoyed the tour.  Our Captain was also a informative, humorous man. The boat was clean. Q-tips say: Yes, do it.  We have been on other boat tours in Chicago but never been one one that covered all channels of the River. The tour boats float by well-known structures such as the Merchandise Mart, Navy Pier and Willis Tower while passengers learn about the city's famed architecture. The Boat offers drinks, snacks and have a washrooms on the lower level. Mrs. Q asks? Do you know the correct answers about Chi-Town? Do you know how many movable bridges Chicago has? 52 What City produces the most Chocolate? Chicago & probably the Chicagoans eat the most Chocolate. Did Oprah live in Lake Point Towers? NO. Oprah never lived at Lake Point Tower but was a regular visitor.  Anthony Quinn, Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa and David Axelrod did live there. After our Boat Tour we stopped at: Sociale Chicago for munchies & a drink. PS: Please, people from all countries, when there is an emergency and the captain/or tour guide tells you to sit down, DO IT! Thank you. read more

First time going on any tours in the city, needless to say it was amazing! Captain was very funny, tour guide "K5" was very knowledgeable and entertaining. If you're considering wether to go, don't think twice, go! We took the 6pm tour and the sunset was beautiful. read more

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Normally I would have passed on an Architecture boat tour of Chicago, BUT every "must-do" list recommended one and I found a great deal on Groupon. I can honestly say I would have missed out had we not taken the Summer of George boat tour! We had such an unexpected great time and it was definitely a highlight of our trip. Dave was so knowledgeable and very funny!!It was so interesting to learn about the different styles of buildings, the history of Chicago and the people that built it. It added to the remainder of our trip, when walking through the city looking at all the details of the buildings that surrounded us. We paid so little for our tickets through Groupon but if we came back again we would happily pay full price. Side note: we loved the "adult Capri suns"!! read more

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It was a pleasure to experience Hilarious Hillary as she provided us w/a tour filled w/valuable content behind the icing on the cake and some cool ChiTown history. It may not make sense now, but it will during the tour. I loved how she connected history w/her passion for architecture! Thanks Hillary. Love what you do. #WomanOfPurpose read more

Summer of George - Hillary- She's a Leo! - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our tour guide Billy was fantastic! He gave us a lot of great facts and made it fun! Absolutely the best architectural Chicago river tour I have done read more

Hillary is the best! Wonderful tour and great information! Enjoyed the tour very much. You sit upstairs, rain or shine.

A highlight of a great trip to Chicago. Funny and informative. Enjoyed the captain, though we didn't get to see too much of him. We could have listened to Hillary all day. We walked at least five miles that morning so relaxing in the nice weather and taking in the sites was a great way to end the day. Beautiful city. A good way to support local businesses too. read more

I love this boat tour of Chicago! I like that parking is right next door -$10 for all day I like that I don't have to drive through the city to Navy Pier. The Eisenhower leads into Ida B Wells, and Wells Street is only a few blocks in. I like the Groupon price ! Look for additional discounts. I like the knowledgeable tour guides! Great tour! read more