Recently Viewed
Chicago River Cruise: Historic Architecture Tour
4.8
1,887 Ratings
Chicago
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.
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…
- 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 Spain. Today, it remains the home of the Wm Wrigley Jr. Company and is renowned for its stunning white towers that light up the city at night.
- Willis Tower - Willis Tower stands at the core of downtown Chicago, representing the future of work and leisure. This 110-story structure is one of the tallest buildings globally and the second tallest in Chicago, making it a standout feature of the city’s skyline.
- Aqua Tower - Aqua Tower is an 82-story mixed-use residential skyscraper located in the Lakeshore East development in downtown Chicago, Illinois.
- Chicago Chinatown - The Chinatown neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, is situated on the South Side and serves as a prime example of an American Chinatown, or ethnic-Chinese neighborhood.
- Merchandise Mart - Chicago’s Merchandise Mart is a landmark building that hosts premier home showrooms and ample office space.
- Navy Pier - Attracting visitors for over a century, Navy Pier is an essential stop on any Chicago itinerary.
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
- 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
- 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,…
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, Trump Tower & the Merchandise Mart, passengers will also get a chance to learn about current and upcoming developments. This Chicago River Cruise is the only cruise that navigates the three primary branches of the river including the main branch to Navy Pier, the north branch to Goose Island, and the south branch to Chinatown. It is also the cruise closest to Skydeck, has the least expensive parking, and is great for those coming from the suburbs due to its location off Interstate 290.
- Tour times cannot be changed
- Cruises are on rain or shine
- Minimum drinking age is 21 years
- Please arrive 30 min before your cruise time
- Seating is first come first serve. If you have a large group, arrive early
- Each guest needs a ticket including children & infants
- Refunds will not be issued if tour/activity is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship
- Vessel has full bar and restroom
- Please take note that parking is about $12.00 - $15.00.
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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(1887 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Fran
Aug 3, 2026
Worth the money - Easy to navigate and get to. The parking is in a lot you have to scan a QR code and pay for located adjacent. ~$17 for all day. The tour itself was executed well with a knowledgeable tour guide. Enough to see the river and riverwalk skyline. Take note of weather as some fog may not make the building appear but if it's a clear day, it will be really nice. If the sun doesn't hit you when the buildings shadow you, take a little sweater as the wind may make it cold. Overall, I enjoyed this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Mary_b
Aug 3, 2026
Fascinating details and amazing views - Extremely interesting tour and our guide and captain were entertaining and filled with knowledge. Absolutely loved it!
Review provided by Viator
Tamara_g
Aug 3, 2026
Loved the tour and Billy out guide - Love the tour!! Billy was fantastic. We had been told about this tour for a long time. We are so happy we went. Thanks
Review provided by Viator
Tiffini_l
Aug 1, 2026
Low bridges meet tall buildings - Book! So fun and informative. Went to celebrate my birthday and will always have this nice memory attached.
Review provided by Viator
Adambw6477lf
Aug 1, 2026
Nice interesting tour - teenagers enjoyed it too - Decent open top boat with bar and toilets downstairs. Captain is a character and the guide is a Chicagoan who does a great job describing the architectural styles and related Chicago history. Good morning activity
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K6029bamaryb
Jul 31, 2026
Highly recommend - Great tour. Good value. Recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charles_s
Jul 31, 2026
Informative!! - Very informative!! The guide had a wealth of knowledge!! We dealt with the rain and Hillary made it fun!!
Review provided by Viator
Suann_z
Aug 2, 2026
Chicago architectural cruise - I found the experience fascinating. The guide over shared a bit. He was making “jokes” about not having kids, not wanting kids and not liking kids. My granddaughter was with, so he could have left it at he didn’t have kids without the extra comments. Otherwise, he was pleasant, enthusiastic and entertaining.
Review provided by Viator
Fretziel2026
Aug 3, 2026
Beautiful Views, But Disappointing Tour Experience - If I could give this tour negative stars, I would.
We booked this architecture tour because a friend highly recommended it, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a pleasant experience for us. Before the tour even started, Hillary informed everyone that she did not want a full recording of the tour. We completely understand and respect that policy. My brother had a 360 camera because we wanted to capture memories of the experience and the beautiful views, not to record the entire tour or her narration.
What bothered us was the way this was communicated. Instead of addressing it privately with us or having someone speak to us directly, it was announced over the microphone in front of the entire group, which made the situation feel uncomfortable.
From the moment Hillary started speaking, the focus seemed to be on rules: no talking while she was talking, no standing, and no taking photos by the boat’s railing. The way the rules were communicated also affected our experience. Her tone came across as sarcastic and unwelcoming at times, which made the atmosphere feel uncomfortable rather than enjoyable.
We mainly booked this tour to enjoy the stunning skyscraper views and take great family photos. Instead, it felt more like being in a classroom where we had to sit quietly through a long lecture.
Another frustrating part was that Hillary would often point out buildings that were already behind the boat, so everyone had to keep turning around just to see what she was talking about. She also spent time criticizing other tour guides, saying they were boring or too obsessed with the bridges, which didn’t add anything to our experience.
Another uncomfortable moment was when another gentleman stood up to use the restroom, and Hillary immediately seemed upset. The tour felt overly strict and controlling, making it difficult to relax and simply enjoy the experience.
Bathroom breaks also felt closely monitored. My husband had to hold it until the tour ended, which made the experience very uncomfortable for us. Overall, it did not feel like a relaxed or welcoming environment, especially for our first architecture tour as a family.
We were hoping for a fun, engaging tour that balanced interesting information with time to enjoy the views and capture memories with our family, but that wasn’t the experience we had.
I would not recommend this tour to friends or family, especially to anyone looking for a comfortable and enjoyable first-time architecture tour. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and reviews how tours are conducted. After reading other reviews, it seems our experience may not have been an isolated incident.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_s
Aug 2, 2026
CNceled by rain - It was canceled, and I want you to know it's not your fault—blame the weather. Thank you so much for your understanding and patience with the refund.
Review provided by Viator