Chicago River 90-Minute Architecture Tour
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Chicago, USA
+6
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the architectural gems of the Windy City from an ideal vantage point—and learn insider facts and stories about the city's top attractions—on this Chicago River cruise. Travel in comfort aboard a boat equipped with both indoor and outdoor seating areas. Covering more than 130 years of architectural history, this tour is the perfect opportunity to see a huge area of the city without the hassle of taxis and public transit.
- Enjoy unobstructed views of the city’s top attractions
- Gain an in-depth understanding of local Chicago architecture
- See Marina City, the Wrigley Building, and other historical highlights
- Maximize your time: Admire top city sights, all in one boat tour
What's Included
- Indoor and outdoor seating available (indoor is climate controlled)
- Narrated tour on board by professionally trained tour guide.
- Restroom on board
- Expert Local Guide
- Alcoholic BeveragesDrinks and snacks available for purchase on-board the vessel.
- Gratuities
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
Make your own way to the boarding dock, located on Michigan Avenue, 15 minutes before your chosen departure time. Then, climb aboard your vessel and choose between indoor and outdoor seating options to ensure your comfort.
Set sail, and float past Chicago's architectural wonders. Cruise along all three branches of the Chicago River while your architectural guide narrates the evolution of Chicago's skyline and the significance of each landmark.
As you go, admire iconic structures like the Willis Tower, Merchandise Mart, and Wrigley Building. Take in the sights of the Chicago Riverwalk, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the unique Marina City apartment buildings.
The tour concludes back at the starting point.
Set sail, and float past Chicago's architectural wonders. Cruise along all three branches of the Chicago River while your architectural guide narrates the evolution of Chicago's skyline and the significance of each landmark.
As you go, admire iconic structures like the Willis Tower, Merchandise Mart, and Wrigley Building. Take in the sights of the Chicago Riverwalk, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the unique Marina City apartment buildings.
The tour concludes back at the starting point.
1
Wendella
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Centennial Fountain And Water Arc (Pass By)
Merchandise Mart (Pass By)
Michigan Avenue Bridge (Pass By)
Wrigley Building (Pass By)
Chicago Riverwalk (Pass By)
Lyric Opera of Chicago (Pass By)
Marina City (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
- Outside alcohol is prohibited
- All bags subject to search
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- 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
- Maps are available with highlights in simplified Chinese. They can picked up per request at the ticket window.
- Special requests entered at checkout cannot be guaranteed
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 300 travelers
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Frequently Asked Questions (10)
Q:Where do we meet for the 90-min Chicago 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 had an absolutely incredible experience on the Wendella Architectural Boat Tour in Chicago. The views alone are stunning, but what made the tour truly unforgettable was our guide, Jack Pickard. He’s more than just a guide, he’s a local legend. Jack combines deep knowledge of Chicago’s history and architecture with a gift for storytelling that keeps everyone completely engaged from start to finish.
He doesn’t just rattle off facts, he paints a picture of the city, weaving in anecdotes, history, and humor in a way that makes the skyline come alive. You can tell he loves Chicago and has spent years mastering his craft. By the end of the tour, we felt like we knew the city on a whole new level.
The boat itself was comfortable, the staff were professional, and the whole operation ran smoothly. But if you get the chance to tour with Jack, you’re in for something special. It’s not just an architectural tour, it’s an experience.
Highly recommend Wendella, and especially Jack Pickard, if you want the very best way to see and understand Chicago.
Reviews
4.7
based on 11,061 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Great day to enjoy Chicago. The 90-minute architecture tour was very informative. Our host John M. made the experience the best.
I wasn't sure if I would be into a 90 min tour, but I was wrong. It was great. It was entertaining and educational.
Very informative the jokes were funny. Wendell’s staff was friendly. I learned a lot about the Chicago skyline
Great tour. Your Master of Ceremonies provide historical information which brought the tour to life. We would encourage anyone considering to board the tour....DO IT! You wont be disappointed.
As an aside, has Viator ever considered recording the narrative, and making the recording available to tourists? There was so much information/historical details about the buildings, it was a hard to keep up while looking at the buildings. I think it would be great if there was a recoding available that I could access/buy to go along with my photos.
Interesting and educational! Our cruise leader was very knowledgeable and enjoyable to listen to. I’d recommend this to anyone with interest in Chicago’s history and architecture.
I enjoyed this tour very much, and I am happy with the customer service, they were able to accommodate my request to push the reservation because I was stuck at the airport
I enjoyed the tour, only problem was the weather but of course that didn't make any difference about my experience. Definitely worth the tour and the time it took.
We learned a lot about the city’s history and the architecture. The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the city.
I loved learning about the City’s history and incredible architecture. The weather was also nice, which was a bonus.
The tour guide was funny and the whole experience was very educational. It's my first time in Chicago and I do recommend the ride
Unable to hear and understand the architectural tour because of 2 main reasons:
1. There was 2 groups of foreigners (Hindus or middle Easter’s) continuously talking and laughing during the tour. One group had a toddler girl and they were continuously yelling and playing with the girl. They were laughing and yelling to each other. The girl was literally throwing fries to the floor of the boat and eating them directly from there. Then she was touching side passengers. Their noise overwhelmed the tour audio.
There was a second group of foreigners non stop laughing and talking over the guide.
2. The guide audio was low and no one from the crew took care of this situation plus the noisy people around.
We were all annoyed but we didn’t want an altercation due a situation not controlled by the tour company.
We just threw away 97 usd. I am told Shoreline is way more strict on keeping order and making all passengers respect others. Next time going with them.
This was a very interesting tour. Just the right amount of time to see so much of the Chicago's amazing downtown buildings. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and charasmatic. Just the right amount of people. There was drinks on board for purchase. Great quick way to see the city. Go on the early cruise as it was much less crowded.
Such an interesting tour! Tess was amazing! Huge amount of information, time went so fast. We were so glad we took the tour. Highly recommend.
Our guide, Tess, was both charming and informative. She made the experience more enjoyable with her own curiosity and love of Chicago architecture and history. We learned and lot and enjoyed the experience!
A recommendation for anyone going on a sunny day - wear a hat. You can sit in the covered section below but it’s much harder to see the buildings from that vantage point. The sun was brutal while we waited to start and for perhaps the first 5-10 mins and I wished I’d had a hat.
Jay was a fantastic guide !! So knowledgeable, friendly and engaging ! Thank you ! A must-see Chicago experience !!!
Had a great experience! A beautiful ride through the Chicago river, and our tour guide, David, was so knowledgeable and passionate about teaching us about the history of Chicago! So glad Viator partners with Wendella Tours. A Tour company that has been around since 1935!
If you suffer from morion sickness, you will not have a problem with this tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Great time!
Beautiful sites
Be camera ready
Sunny on upper deck
Boat is large don’t feel cramped plenty of room!
Great tour of the city of Chicago and really informative history of the building in the city. Very informative, a must do!
Very informative. We were super glad that we took the time to do the tour. The guide was easy to follow and had great control of the audience
Great knowledge about the architecture around the city. Great experience. Awesome tour guide. I definitely would recommend.
I would totally recommend this trip to anyone visiting Chicago! Our guide, Shannon, was amazing and knowledgeable. I recommend eating beforehand and getting in line at least 30 minutes early to get a seat on the top deck. Wear a jacket at night!
Such a great tour . So much information and our guide was so knowledgeable. Very nice. Tour was organized and on timec
Spiro was a wonderful guide! He is knowledgeable, engaging and clearly loves Chicago! This tour was one of the highlights of our vacation.
It’s such a great and fun way to see part of the city, and get a little history and culture in the process. I’ve done this tour twice and can’t recommend it enough- especially on a day with great weather. Love the full bar as well!
Wonderful, stress free way to experience Chicago Architecture and leave enough time to park and get there. The address given is for the location of the boat ride, not for parking.
The tour was really informative, and entertaining. The boat was full but had room for everybody. Would recommend.
Great tour. Perfect amount of time. Easy to find location. Great tour narration & story telling. Boat was easily boarded & disembarked. Comfortable seating
Well organized,reasonably priced.well narrated ,viator app didn’t work as it should .Could not download tickets .Overall a really good experience
It was amazing and we had the best tour guide! He made the experience so much more enjoyable. Highly recommend! Chicago is a beautiful city!
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 River 90-Minute Architecture Tour
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