Chicago River Cruise: Historic Architecture Tour

Explore Chicago’s iconic architecture on a guided river tour. Discover historic landmarks, new developments, and enjoy a unique cruise experience through the city’s three river branches.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Wrigley Building - Situated in the heart of the Magnificent Mile and just steps from the Michigan Avenue Bridge, the Wrigley Building has been a prominent feature of Chicago’s skyline since 1920. Originally designed as the headquarters for the successful chewing gum company, the building was inspired by the Giralda Tower of Seville Cathedral in…
What's Included
  • Fully enclosed interior with air conditioning, seats, & windows
  • Outside seating available (first come, first serve)
  • On-board restrooms
  • Guided architecture cruise of the historic Chicago River
What's Not Included
  • Full bar & snacks (available for purchase)
  • Gratuities
  • $12 to $15 discounted parking lot connected to marina
Additional Information

Marvel at the magnificent architecture on the Chicago River with expert tour guides! All ages welcome.
Each architecture river tour is narrated by a professional guide which leads passengers down the Chicago River to discover the city’s most renowned landmarks. In addition to historical insight on well known structures such as the Civic Opera House,…

Location
900 S Wells St
South Wells Street
Registration takes place in the parking lot connected to the marina. Please note that parking typically costs between $12.00-$15.00. For more details on directions and parking.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(1636 Ratings)
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Rohanj752
Nov 24, 2025
90 minutes well spent! - Our fantastic tour guide Hillary ensured that there was no dull moment aboard the vessel. Hillary taught us how to spot post-modernist architectural works, how to hear the language their designs speak, and also good deal about bridges (oh, and also how to wave like royalty)! The tour is definitely a must for for anyone interested in knowing more about the city's most famous buildings, and some history surrounding them. Seating was on the upper deck, but the boat also has a bar on the lower deck if that's more incentive :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Krista_k
Nov 17, 2025
Fun For Everyone! - I've lived in Chicago my whole life and I finally got to see my gorgeous city from the river! Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and made the experience so much fun! Make sure to bring a jacket just in case it's windy or cold - our tour guide lost his hat at Wolf Point.
Review provided by Viator
Katedg2231ti
Nov 16, 2025
10/10 would recommend - We loved tour! Super informative and great views! We had Sean as our tour guide and he was awesome. So much information with lots of jokes! Can’t wait to do this again one day and see how much the city has grown!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joe
Nov 15, 2025
Wonderful tour! - Sean is a phenomenal guide and captain Joe kept us safe throughout the trip. Chicago is a beautiful city in a garden. Well worth the price!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jackie-loren-travels
Nov 15, 2025
Chicago Boat Cruise - I did the sunset cruise with some friends and it was such a great experience . Kenny the tour guide was very knowledgeable about the city and kept everyone engaged . It was so beautiful . Highly recommend this tour .
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Lauren_b
Nov 11, 2025
Awesome time even in cold rain - Loved the view of the city. I’ve been to Chicago many times and this was the best experience to date.
Review provided by Viator
Kenpril_e
Nov 10, 2025
We literally did this... - We literally did this tour on this first snow of the season BUT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT. The 90 minute 3:00 pm tour turned out be the sunset tour due to it being november so we got amazing pictures! Heath was entertaining and informative!
Review provided by Viator
Marielle_c
Nov 5, 2025
It was wonderful! Loved... - It was wonderful! Loved learning about the buildings and the history of Chicago. Guide was very knowledgeable.
Review provided by Viator
Yvonne_d
Nov 2, 2025
Great introduction to Chicago’s architecture - Great architecture cruise. Our guide was entertaining and very knowledgeable about both the history and engineering of the buildings along the river and Chicago in general.
Review provided by Viator
Margaret
Nov 2, 2025
Great Tour of Chicago River and Architecture! - My sister, dad, and I went on this tour and were blown away by how great it was. David, the tour guide, was informative and funny. He truly knows his stuff and incorporated alot of history into the tour. He introduced himself as a docent, and that's truly what he was. My family and I really enjoyed learning about how the city came to be and how it has changed over time. Chicago has many beautiful buildings and a rich history, and this is the tour to take if you want to learn about it. The location was easy to find and get to. The gentleman checking us in was very friendly and helpful. It is also a family owned and operated business!
Review provided by Tripadvisor