Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Chicago, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Step aboard a boat for a comprehensive cruise that details the history of Chicago's architecture. Enjoy views of the Chicago skyline accompanied by architecture-focused commentary that points out each of the landmark buildings. As you cruise through Lake Michigan, snap photos of you and your party against the stretch of Chicago's 26-mile shoreline.
- Comprehensive architectural tour
- Live commentary on Chicago's architectural gems
- Travel by boat along the Lake Michigan shoreline
- Buy tickets in advance for this must-do Chicago activity
What's Included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Restroom on board
- Local Expert Guide
- Outdoor and Indoor climate-controlled seating option
- Alcoholic drinks, non-alcoholic drinks, and snacks available for purchase on board
- Storage
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 400 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Arrive at 400 N Michigan Avenue 30 minutes before your departure and you will be directed to your boarding dock. Please allow yourself plenty of time to arrive if driving. We do not have parking. It is recommend that you book parking in advance.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Arrive early for boarding onto your boat at Wendella's Michigan Avenue Dock, conveniently located in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Seating is first-come first-served, so groups should arrive 30 minutes before the tour time.
On the bottom deck of the climate-controlled lounge, you'll find restrooms and a full-service bar offering snacks like chips and candy.
Depart from the dock to start discovering the architecture of Chicago as you float along the city's skyline. With lively commentary highlighting each landmark building, gain a comprehensive understanding of the city's architectural heritage. As you sail along Lake Michigan, capture photos against Chicago's 26-mile (42-mile) shoreline before returning to your departure point.
On the bottom deck of the climate-controlled lounge, you'll find restrooms and a full-service bar offering snacks like chips and candy.
Depart from the dock to start discovering the architecture of Chicago as you float along the city's skyline. With lively commentary highlighting each landmark building, gain a comprehensive understanding of the city's architectural heritage. As you sail along Lake Michigan, capture photos against Chicago's 26-mile (42-mile) shoreline before returning to your departure point.
1
Chicago River
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Lake Michigan
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Centennial Fountain And Water Arc (Pass By)
Merchandise Mart (Pass By)
Marina City (Pass By)
Michigan Avenue Bridge (Pass By)
Wrigley Building (Pass By)
Chicago Riverwalk (Pass By)
The Lyric Opera House (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Weapons prohibited by US Coast Guard
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Outside alcohol is prohibited
- All bags are subject to search
- Arrive 30 Minutes prior to your departure time
- Contact tour operator for wheelchair & ADA access
- Indoor and outdoor seating is available on a first come, first served basis
- Special requests entered at checkout cannot be guaranteed
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 300 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (10)
Q:Where do we meet for the Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour?
A:We are located at 400 N Michigan Avenue at the historic Wrigley Building. Wendella has four dock locations that extend west from the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) Bridge to Wabash Avenue.
Apr 2021
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
We expected a relaxing boat ride with beautiful views — but we got so much more. Our tour guide, Kenny, was absolutely fantastic. His deep knowledge of Chicago’s history, combined with his engaging personality and fun trivia game, made the experience unforgettable. This tour exceeded our expectations, and I would absolutely choose it again!
Reviews
4.7
based on 2,453 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Great tour! So interesting! Boat was clean, guide was knowledgeable, and staff friendly! I would recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning Chicago History and architectural history.
Greatview of the City and its architecture. Knowledgeable guide with the right mix of facts and humor.
Was awesome,I will do it again very very very soon,was raining but still was amazing day thanks wandella
Excellent guide. Great history of the Chicago architecture. Very thorough& informative. Thank you Tanisha.
A very enjoyable and informative tour. In particular, the view of the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan was spectacular. Thank you to Dave for his interesting and humorous commentary.
The docent was excellent - knowledgeable, funny, and engaging. It was my first time on Lake Michigan, but not my first tour of the River. It was definitely worth the extra time and money!
Beautiful tour; our guide, John, was fantastic. Provided a wealth of historical information in a fun manner. Saw a lot, learned a lot - thoroughly enjoyed this tour!
Great tour staff and our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and humorous. He brought Chicago and its history to life.
The guide was knowledgeable and personable, but we spent too much of our tour time waiting at the locks.
The views were AMAZING! But our guide seemed like she didn’t want to be there. She didn’t interact with guests ( that I could see) she had so much opportunity while we were going through the locks to talk to people and give more details. I did not see her doing that. She also spoke very quickly, sometimes hard to understand.
It was a pleasant and enjoyable experience. I was able to view the city from a new perspective, and the trip was well worth the cost.
This was a perfect activity for anyone who loves to see the history of Chicago and experience the beauty of the outdoors on the river and lake., we loved it , the tour guide was not only knowledgeable but funny as well ! We enjoyed it and would recommend anyone to do this trip it was about and 1 1/2 hours which was the perfect amount of time .highly recommend!
The tour guide was courteous and well informed. The city was impressive. The boat was comfortable.We enjoyed ourselves.
Such amazing views and the tour guide was amazing!! This is a must do experience when in Chicago and you learn a lot about the city’s history!
Great tour! Kenny was an amazing guide. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone. Book the 90 minute tour.
You do not put the dock number on the ticket. We almost missed the boat. The trip was overbooked. We had no place to sit.
This is such a fun and informative way to view the city. It is well run and organized and the bar on the boat is an extra touch. The guide, Emma, was articulate and has a wealth of knowledge that we would never know otherwise.
The guide was great. He was very knowledgeable and made it the ride enjoyable. Best Tour in town for me
The cruise was fabulous but found the guide to be obnoxious and some of her jokes inappropriate especially to people not familiar with Chicago
Excellent tour guide, history & views!
Enjoyed the lighthouse story & water pumping station factoids.
Having previously taken the River Tour, I strongly prefer the River-specific tour based on this recent experience.
Out of the 90-minute tour duration, we spent over 30 minutes waiting at the Lake/River lock. Additionally, our tour guide was very difficult to hear and frequently used the time to promote her personal podcast, opinions, and beliefs. I paid for a Chicago River and Lake Tour, not a platform for personal advertisements.
The guide on the River Tour was much more personal and fun to interact with.
The views were great on the river but for the lake, our guide spoke about a ton of random buildings and we could not identify which one she was discussing.
I'm still happy I took the tour but next time I hope I would skip the lake portion and hope for a clearer speaking guide.
The sights were beautiful, the boat was clean, and the tour guide was funny and informative. Definitely worth the money.
Chicago is a land with a vast plethora of architectural history, and I cannot recommend a better experience of the city's many highlights than this lake and river tour. Our host Alyssa was witty, knowledgeable, and was very quick to answer any additional questions we could think up.
Kenny the tour guide was great! He’s knowledgeable, funny, and engaging. The tour itself was really cool and a must-do in Chicago. The start point was easy to find and all of the staff couldn’t have been nicer.
Kenny was an awesome host! Had a great time even in the rain! Lots of fun trivia and kept the crowd in it the whole trip! This was our second time and just as great as the first!
I did this tour with my dad who is almost 90. We both loved everything about it, especially the time on the lake.Very informative and well worth it!
I never got on the boat I had no clue where to park so I was driving around for 15+ minutes (mind you I’m not from Chicago) then someone who was collecting tickets said the boats depart at the exact time they are supposed to so we missed it trying to find a parking garage. I already requested a refund.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Sorry to hear about this experience. Parking can be challenging in Chicago, as it is in all larger cities. We do always try to depart on time, but we will review your refund request.
It was very rainy and foggy. Very informative and fun only thing that would have made it better was better weather.
We went on the architectural tour, and our tour guide was Kenny. He did an amazing job, so if you can get him as your tour guide, I highly recommend him!
It was raining when we started, but thankfully it cleared up and turned into a beautiful day. We absolutely loved the tour! I would definitely recommend it—it’s such a great experience and a wonderful way to see and learn about the city.
Beneficial to have both river and lake experiences.
Knowledgeable tour guide, witty and entertaining as well.
Member Pricing
From
$42.75
per personWas $45.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour
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1 hour 30 minutes
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