Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour

Overview

An authentic Chicago tradition since 1935, this is the tour that started it all. This unique excursion tells the story of more than 200 years of fascinating social, cultural and political history, and explores more than a century of groundbreaking architecture. The journey begins with an up-close perspective of Chicago's internationally-known architecture as seen from the Chicago River. Then venture through the Chicago Lock on to the calm, cool waters of Lake Michigan for expansive views of Chicago's extraordinary 26-mile skyline. Take the selfie of a lifetime on this inspirational experience!

City: Chicago

Thu 31 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $42.00

Make a reservation

Thu 31 Oct

Starting at $42.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Weapons prohibited by US Coast Guard
Outside alcohol is prohibited
All bags are subject to search
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
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

What To Expect

Wendella

All tours depart and return to Wendella's Michigan Avenue Dock Located in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Boarding for each tour will begin 15-30 minutes before the tour time. There is no reserved seating, as seating is first come first served. All groups should arrive 30 minutes prior to the tour time. All tickets are non-refundable, however, in the event you are unable to make your scheduled tour date or miss the boat, all tickets are transferrable to another time, date, or tour. Tours depart rain or shine. Located on the bottom deck of our climate-controlled lounge are restrooms and a full service bar with snacks, such as chips and candy (no meals or food are served), and a selection of beers, wines, cocktails and soft drinks. All vessel bars accept cash and all major credit cards.

Chicago River

Lake and River Architecture Tours begin at Michigan Avenue and explore Chicago's amazing architecture along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. All tours are narrated by professional tour guides.

Lake Michigan

Your tour travels along Lake Michigan and explores Chicago's beautiful skyline.

Centennial Fountain And Water Arc

Dedicated in 1989 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, known for reversing the flow of the Chicago River in 1900. For the first five minutes of every hour, the fountain shoots a water arc across the river from a tiered waterfall.

Merchandise Mart

The largest commercial building in the world.

Marina City

Pass by these iconic mixed-use apartment buildings - "a city within a city" with their unique corn-cob exterior.

Michigan Avenue Bridge

Michigan Avenue is home of the Chicago Water Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago, Millennium Park, and the shopping on the Magnificent Mile.

Wrigley Building

This white, terra-cotta landmark was built in 1922 as headquarters for the Wrigley chewing gum company.

Chicago Riverwalk

An open, pedestrian waterfront called the city's 'Second Lakefront.'

The Lyric Opera House

Second-largest opera auditorium in North America, with an Art Deco interior

Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower

The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Show 8 more stops

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (1000)

Alvin S

Jun 2022

I recently purchased three tickets for the Chicago Lake and River Architecture Tour by Wendella for my daughter, myself and my mother that utilizes a walker due to limited mobility. Wendella cruises CAN be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) friendly but it takes some preparation ahead of time that I will detail in the review below. First, here is some information provided by Wendella once you book your tour: "Guests are required to arrive at the dock specified on your ticket at least 30 minutes early, as the boarding process includes a security screening, as well as a checking-in procedure. Boarding generally begins 15 minutes before departure. The boat leaves promptly at the departure time, and we cannot hold the boat past the departure time if you are running late. Seating is general admission and is based on a first-come, first-served basis. We suggest arriving 30 minutes prior to your departure time to line up early if you have a preferred seat. All bags will be screened prior to boarding the vessel. The closest address to our Michigan Avenue Dock is 400 N Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 (near the Wrigley Building). From there you can check in with a dock employee who can direct you to the boarding area. For further directions click here. Please note that our Michigan Avenue dock has many stairs. If you need an ADA accessible dock, please call us at 312-337-1446 and let us know immediately (before your departure day) so we can make sure you are booked on a tour leaving from the accessible dock." That last line is important. I had to call to confirm that the time I booked was ADA friendly and sure enough the time we booked was not at an ADA accessible dock. We had to book a tour that was a half an hour later in order to get to use the ADA accessible dock. The instructions on how to best get to the dock were given to me by phone and I'll try to recreate those here: 1. ITS EASIEST TO PARK IN THE TRUMP TOWER. Downtown Chicago is beyond busy and if you want to minimize the distance you have to travel with your party, simply park in Trump Tower. 2. From there take the elevators within trump tower down to the main level and exit the building. 3. Head towards Wabash, Ave and take the ramp towards the bridge that crosses the Chicago River. You will notice a glass Elevator. 4. Take the glass elevator to level "LL2" and exit straight to the outside walkway. 5. From this walkway, proceed away from Wabash Ave and the boat will be in your left about 200 feet. 6. Whatever you do, GO EARLY!!! I arrived 45 minutes before departure but by the time I was able to park, get every situated and physically be in line....we had 5 minutes to spare. PROS of the tour: 1. Our tour guide Phyllis - SUPER KNOWLEDGABLE about the history of Chicago and its architecture. She was an absolute treat and is a local treasure 2. The Captain - Rodney - very helpful in assisting my mother onto the ship and always took an extra second to checkup on us. 3. The length of our tour was about 1 hour and 40 minutes. I think our was a little longer than most because it was Memorial Day Weekend and traffic in and out of the barriers between the river and Lake Michigan were BUSY 4. Assortment of drink and food options at a fair price. I was able to enjoy an ice cold adult beverage and some snacks at a reasonable price. CONS of the tour: 1. Despite our best efforts, we arrived shortly before departure so sitting was limited. If you want your pick of seating you have to get there early 2. Restrooms - While the restrooms were clean, the lines for the restrooms can be long. We snuck into one rather quickly, but I observed longer lines that can take up valuable time when you are trying to enjoy the view. My advice, utilize the restrooms before you embark or after the tour is over 3. Weather - Personally, the weather when we went was BEAUTIFUL, but according to the tour guide, it was the first dry Saturday they had in months. Just be mindful of the weather and plan accordingly. This was my second river/lake tour and will not be my last. It was my first with a guest requiring ADA friendly accommodations, so I wanted to share my experience in the hope that it can help someone in the future. Overall, great experience!

Jennifer_C

Jun 2022

The tour guide was great! He made the tour interesting and fun. Great value for the money. Family enjoyed it immensely.

Deborah_P

Jun 2022

The Wendella sailed to Lake Michigan from the Chicago River, which was absorbed amazingly beautiful! Kay was the tour guide and she was great! Will do again!!