Small-Group Sightseeing Boat Tour in Chicago
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Chicago, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Get a chance to experience the Windy City from multiple vantage points during this two-hour, small-group boat tour in Chicago. Hop aboard a secure and reliable US Navy-built Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) for a unique sightseeing experience. Pass by iconic sights such as Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Fort Dearborn, Vietnam Memorial, Wolf Point, Shedd Aquarium, and more, all while comfortably seated in a group capped at only six people.
- A 2-hour small-group Chicago sightseeing cruise by RIB
- Enjoy an intimate experience within a group limited to only 6 travelers
- Admire and photograph local landmarks and the city skyline
- Safety first: life jackets are provided
What's Included
- Life Jackets
- Bottled water
- Please bring your own sunscreen
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- SP+ Parking2431 N Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
Proceed to "A" dock which is the most northerly dock at the marina. Your Captain will be waiting for you at the front gate with his life jacket donned. The video link should help you locate us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJE6A1WH0hk
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Navy Pier (Pass By)
Soldier Field (Pass By)
Adler Planetarium (Pass By)
Chicago Skyline (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Had an amazing time on the water in Chicago! The views were stunning and the whole experience was just awesome. Our boat captain was incredibly nice, professional, and full of interesting facts. Highly recommend this experience if you’re in the city!
Reviews
5.0
based on 118 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
What an exhilarating, fun adventurous way to experience the Chicago skyline, timeless architecture that blends beautifully with modern buildings. Captain Don was fantastic, very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate about this fabulous city. Highly recommend this tour for fast, enjoyable time
This was an incredible time. We were looking for something that was a little less crowded but involved the water. Cptn Ken was great and provided. The boat was incredible, he was informative, and we got to see the lake, river and much of the shore. Communication was superb. Well worth the time and no disappointment.
Simply book this.
Great experience, riding the high speed boat on the lake and river was a lot of fun. Captain Ken was fantastic and very knowledgeable! Highly recommend!
Very personal tour via small boat in lake and River. Great for couples, friends, or even family. Tour guide is very knowledgeable and drives around to landmarks with great spots for pictures. There are times where the boat is going fast which is super fun to experience, especially on a hot day. Will definitely recommend to anyone that visits over an overcrowded architecture boat tour. WARNING: You may get a bit wet towards the end just due to chop in the lake. We just had to head back to the hotel to freshen up, but still highly reccomend!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review and recommendation! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the personalized experience, the landmarks, photo spots, and especially the faster ride on the lake. We love creating a fun, memorable experience for couples, families, and friends!
And thank you for mentioning the possibility of getting a little wet toward the end. Lake conditions can change quickly, and when there’s some chop, a bit of splash is part of the adventure! We always want our guests to know what to expect, so we really appreciate you highlighting that for future guests.
We’re glad the splash didn’t take away from your experience and hope to see you back on the water again soon!
Captain Ken and Ryan were fantastic! They were friendly, professional, and incredibly experienced. Captain Ken's knowledge of Chicago, its architecture, history, and the waterways was truly impressive, and he shared it in a way that was engaging, entertaining, and easy to follow.
Our family of four took the evening cruise departing around 6:35 p.m., and it ended up being the highlight of our entire Chicago trip. Cruising across Lake Michigan before entering the Chicago River offered breathtaking views of the skyline, and the combination of beautiful scenery, fascinating history, and entertaining narration made for an unforgettable experience.
If you're looking for a tour that's both relaxing and informative, this is it. We would absolutely book again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago. It's worth every penny!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for choosing to cruise with us and for taking the time to share your experience. We sincerely appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming your family back on board the next time you're in Chicago!
This was not another boring boat tour. Ken was very knowledgeable about the area and architecture. My sons 19 and 14 loved it. Would do again.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Knowing I kept two teenagers entertained and engaged is about the highest praise a boat tour captain can get! It was a real pleasure having your family on board. Thanks for joining us, and I'd love to welcome you all back anytime you're in the area!"
— Captain Ken
Captain Ken was amazing. Super friendly and knowledgeable. Clearly he loves what he does. We had a great time. I would highly recommend this.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Captain Ken and other captains who work for him love what they do. It is a way for us to give back.
Outstanding tour extremely knowledgeable about Chicago and its infrastructure as well as its history, highly recommended
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for choosing us!
Thrilling and beautiful suitable for all ages
Shows off Chicago and her history. Captain Ken has a charming personality and a great knowledge of Chicago. It is a little difficult to find but despite us being late he gave us the full tour. We would do this trip again if in Chicago
PS
When you reach the harbour Captain Ken can be found at Peir A
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Captain Ken and the team are delighted to hear you had such a memorable tour exploring Chicago’s history. We really appreciate your patience in finding us at Pier A and are so glad you got the complete experience. Hope to see you on the water again soon!"
Captain Ken is a real captain. Nothing better than being on the water on a small boat without the crowds while being in the capable hands of someone who knows the local water and sights…
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for the kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your time on the water with Captain Ken. He truly loves what he does, and it means a lot to know his local knowledge and relaxed, crowd-free experience made your trip special. We appreciate you choosing us and hope to welcome you back for another great day on the water soon
I enjoyed the experience. It was very informative. I would recommend that you wear a sweater or jacket because of the winds during the ride.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you found the trip enjoyable and informative. And that’s great advice about bringing a sweater or jacket — the breeze can definitely pick up out on the water. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to have you join us again in the future!
Fantastic trip for a very reasonable price. The host was friendly and knowledgeable and made the trip a real pleasure. We were delighted to find this trip also included the city river tour in the price. One very slight improvement would be to make the location a little better signposted but we would definitely book again.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re really happy to hear you had such a great trip and found it to be a good value. It’s great to know that Capt. Ken helped make the experience enjoyable and that you appreciated the included city river tour — we love being able to offer that as part of the experience.
We also truly appreciate the feedback about the signage. That’s very helpful, and we’ll absolutely take it into consideration as we work to improve the experience for future guests. Thanks again for choosing us, and we’d be delighted to have you book with us again!
Wonderful! Informative, cool, marvelous. We liked maneuvering through the Chicago river under the skyscrapers.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much! We’re delighted to hear you had such a wonderful time and enjoyed cruising through the Chicago River under the skyscrapers — it really is a special experience. We appreciate your kind words and hope to see you back on the water again soon!
Best tour ever!! Captain was very friendly and overall great experience !! Bout ride was really fun !
Captain Ken was great.
My son and I had a blast on the trip.
The RIB was a great vessel to explore Lake Michigan and The Chicago River.
Most unique boat on the water.
This was an absolute awesome experience! Highly knowlegable and friendly captian! Good mix of excitement and information. Perfect for a family! Way better than one of those crowded commercial river tours...our captain previously worked for one of those and had extensive knowledge! 1000x recommend!
Ken did a good job of navigating the weather and keeping it a lot of fun for my 12 year old. His stories were good and this covered much of what you would see on the Architecture Boat Tour, but with some quick legs along the edge of the lake as well.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Capt. Ken likes what he does and being a school teacher he has learned to capture the attention of our youth.
Easy to book and right on time for a great water tour of Chicago. Amazing and private zipping across lake Michigan.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Capt. Ken is a person who has a strong attention to detail and being on time is always crucial
Had an amazing time on the water in Chicago! The views were stunning and the whole experience was just awesome. Our boat captain was incredibly nice, professional, and full of interesting facts. Highly recommend this experience if you’re in the city!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for coming out. We enjoyed your company
This adventure was the highlight of our trip. Captain Ken was amazing and so knowledgeable. We learned so much about Chicago’s history and had a wonderful time out on the water. We always felt very safe as he is very skilled at what he does. Captain Ken is super funny which was a bonus! We would definitely re book with him.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We appreciated your company. Come see us again when you are in Chicago.
My boyfriend and I had a fantastic time, highly recommend to those that want to hear about the city’s and buildings history and also enjoy a fun boat ride.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Come back and see us again. Try our evening tour where you get to view of the city lights from the lake.
Ken was great! Super nice guy, lots of knowledge, and neat way to see the city from the water without a huge crowd. Loved it!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Capt. Ken needed to find a unique way to show the City of Chicago and huge crowds make it difficult to be unique. Thank you for choosing us come back and see us again
The only way to see the city! Ken was really informative. The weather was perfect so we got some amazing pictures of the city. Loved the boat & would definitely recommend this as a must do for anyone visiting.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Capt. Ken also informs passengers if the weather is going to be hazardous too. Safety is paramount when you are on this tour. If inclement weather is forecasted he notifies the passenger before, so passengers can make an informed decision, however, weather in Chicago changes drastically at moments notice. Capt. Ken does have ponchos on board if a rain shower pops up.
Ken was an amazing tour guide! We like to find unique experiences and this was definitely one- we recommend it!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you for the recommendation. Come see us again when we start our 4th Season in 2025
What a great experience. Captain Ken is very knowledgeable and accommodating. Chicago is full of great stories and history.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
It's a great adventure too. History is part of it and Capt. Ken sometimes comes up with great stories along the way.
My partner and I were running late due to traffic and parking, Ken was very helpful, kind, and patient! The boat ride was perfect and enjoyed by the both of us!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Capt. Ken does his best to help with scheduling, but sometimes if people are going to be to late and we have other passengers we must leave within in a 10 minute window.
Simply amazing! If you are looking for a boat tour of Chicago. STOP. Go no further! This venture by Capt. Ken is worth every penny!
The small party experience with family or friends is so much enhanced in using the RHIB and the professionalism of Capt Ken and his maritime background.
Capt Ken is personable, knowledgeable, and accommodating.
This was our highlight of a two day visit to the Windy City. In essence, if there is anything you are deciding to do in Chicago, a trip with Capt Ken and Blackhawkboattours.com should be number 1 on your list.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank you James and thank you for your service. Capt. Ken gained a lot of professionalism while he was a federal boarding officer in the U.S. Coast Guard.
What a blast! After friends with a boat canceled our plans, I scrambled to find a boat tour that allowed for a great first-time lakefront experience for my out of town guests along with some local flavor. We struck gold with Captain Ken and Blackhawk Boat tours. This was a super fun experience. Ken is a professional who prioritizes your safety and truly wants you to enjoy your experience. This is now on my must do list with friends. Definitely a winner!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Fantastic news to hear we were able to accommodate you needs for this day. Safety is paramount at Blackhawkboattours.com
Best boat tour!! Don’t miss it! We brought four teenagers and the parents and teens all loved the tour with Captain Ken. The kids stayed engaged and learned a ton of information with a very different feel than on the larger boat cruises.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
The kids are great hope you and Danny enjoyed the game at Soldier Field
This was such a great experience! Captain Ken was superb and was very informative. Way better experience than a large boat and we got to see so much! I would love to bring my kids back to do his tour again.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Great to hear you enjoyed the tour. Our company incorporates a little bit of everything from going fast on the lake to a leisurely stroll up and down the river.
From $89.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Small-Group Sightseeing Boat Tour in Chicago
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