We used to live in Chicago and went back to show the city to our teenage children. The architectural boat tour was a great start to introduce them to the architectural landscape and history of our beloved city. […] The captain of the boat was a lot of fun and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. I studied the architecture of Chicago in college and she knew her facts.
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See What the Windy City Has in Store
On a Guided Tour of Chicago’s Architecture
Put a new spin on visiting one of the largest cities in the United States! Chicago architecture boat tours are one of the most popular ways to explore the town that’s home to designs by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. We offer 90-minute architecture cruises that cover all 3 branches of the Chicago River, as well as private boat charters for those planning an event on the water. Got a group of 10 or more? Check out our group cruises and tours, where we offer discounts for large groups like school groups and convention attendees.
Our Chicago Recommendations
In addition to architecture boat tours, Chicago features many points of interest for tourists making their way to the Windy City. Check out the Skydeck(opens in a new tab), a viewing area on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower with a glass floor to see the streets down below. You can also stroll through Grant Park, home to some of the city’s most notable attractions. See Buckingham Fountain(opens in a new tab) and the Art Institute of Chicago(opens in a new tab), home to artwork like Seurat’s “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte(opens in a new tab)”. And don’t forget to snap a photo with Cloud Gate(opens in a new tab)—affectionately referred to as “the Bean”—located inside Millenium Park(opens in a new tab).
For those who can’t get enough of the city’s culture and history, the Museum Campus is something you won’t want to miss. You’ll find three of the city’s main museums there: the Field Museum(opens in a new tab), Shedd Aquarium(opens in a new tab), and Adler Planetarium(opens in a new tab). And for NFL fans, Soldier Field(opens in a new tab) is only a short walk away!
Our marina is located in downtown Chicago, so it’s easy to explore these attractions after taking an architecture boat cruise with us. Check out our tour options below to learn more about what our city has to offer.
Hear from Our Previous Guests
We had a great informational time on the tour. So many buildings, so little time! Even at 90 minutes the tour seemed to fly by. Our guide, Sean, did a great job keeping the same pace as the boat describing each building in great detail, builders, architects, year, styles, and revisions.
Absolutely terrific river tour of Chicago’s architecture. When the other architectural tours were full, we defaulted to this one. HOME RUN! Billy was a wonderful guide. Obviously comfortable in front of a crowd, and his spontaneity kept us entertained throughout.
I have wanted to book this boat tour for years! I had family in town from England as well as out of state so I figured this would be perfect for everyone to see as much as possible with such a big group. It was perfect! We had so much fun!
Fun experience! The tour guide and captain of the ship were funny and engaging. The views is spectacular. I was born and raised in Chicago, but seeing it from the river at sunset was just spectacular. The route that was taken was incredibly scenic and I got some awesome shots of the city.
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