Boat Tours and Cruises in Chicago

The Chicago River is one of the most important elements in the identity of this beautiful American city. In fact, many of the things to see and do in Chicago revolve around this body of water that divides downtown between north and south, east and west.

I invite you to read about the best alternatives you have at your disposal if you are planning a tour on some of the Chicago River cruises that offer you a short but fun enough trip to remember for the rest of your life.

The area that is crossed by the Chicago River has one of the most significant concentrations of skyscrapers per square kilometer in the entire planet. The Tribune Tower with its neo-Gothic architecture, the Ellis Tower with its simple and iconic modernist style and the Wrigley Building with its combination of neoclassical and Renaissance patterns are just a few of the area's architectural treasures.

For this reason it stands to reason that an entertainment-oriented Chicago River cruise that seeks to highlight the architectural beauty of the area is one of the best itineraries if you are looking for a guided tour of the waters of this river body.

Keep in mind that the entire route of this section of the river is crossed by a myriad of bridges that connect the avenues of the city with the north and south of the financial and tourist district of Chicago. Therefore you will also have the opportunity to admire the marvel of modern engineering of some of these bridges as the one at the height of Michigan Avenue or the one on Dearborn Street, opposite the iconic skyscrapers of the Marina City Goldberg Complex.

As for the route you have to know that begins on the banks of the Riverwalk in the area closest to Navy Pier and usually extends along the river westward. This to then climb north to Goose Island and then turn south towards the section of the Loop where the Chicago Union Station and the Willis Tower are located.

So on a river tour as comprehensive as this you will enjoy the commentary offered by the guide aboard the boat about some 40 notable buildings in downtown Chicago. All this while also recounting details about the engineering work that changed the course of the water in this river so that it flows in the direction of the Mississippi River with the intention of avoiding the pollution of the waters of Lake Michigan.

Details of interest

• Prices: a tour with these characteristics usually costs about 48 or 50 euros per adult, but keep in mind that the rates for children between 12 and 3 years of age are usually half that amount. Children under 3 years of age almost always have free access to the boat and be very clear that this rate includes the payment of the guide and the river tour, but is not taken into account for any consumption of drinks and meals on the boat. Therefore, it is recommended that you participate in one of the best food tours in Chicago when you leave this tour if you feel that this is something that your companions would like to do.
• Duration: cruises that focus on the architectural history of the area along the Chicago River usually last about 1.5 hours. Keep in mind that there are boat departures every 15 minutes from mid-morning to late afternoon and early evening.
• Conditions: You can choose the starting point of the boat, as both Navy Pier and the Riverwalk section of Michigan Avenue are designated ports for these Chicago River tour companies. As for the boat, you have to know that it is large enough to receive approximately 100 people and also that its structure is quite flat so you do not have to wait for the lifting of the city's drawbridges as other types of boats do.
• Advantages: with a river tour like this you can appreciate many of the sites that are toured with the best tour buses in Chicago from another perspective. In addition, you should appreciate the fact that these rates are quite convenient knowing that it is a river tour in a city as touristy and expensive as this one. There is also the fact that you can bring your own food and that it is a handicapped-accessible boat.
• Disadvantages: having a guide talking throughout the tour about the architecture of the city can be tiring if you are not interested in this subject at all.

Double the fun for the price of a single event will always be a good decision. Therefore, it is logical to know that cruises that combine a tour of the Chicago River with a tour of the shores of Lake Michigan is one of the best alternatives to get to know either of the two places. Which are so important for tourism in this city that they are considered a must-see by most locals.

Keep in mind that the shore of Lake Michigan is characterized by being quite attractive for local tourism in the state of Illinois and offers a complete perspective of the skyline of the second city with the most skyscrapers in the United States.

Depending on the time of the year you visit you might encounter a winter panorama where the freezing point is quite close in the waters of the lake or a beautiful summer scenery. Which is so seductive that it gathers hundreds of thousands of people on the beaches that have been artificially created on the lake's borders. Such as the 12th Street Beach or the well-known Oak Street Beach.

It should not be forgotten that these tours take place in a boat with other physical and mechanical characteristics. This is because a boat that is destined to navigate in a very predictable body of water such as the river is not the same as one that goes out into the bay to have to deal with a swell that is conditioned to the speed of the winds and that will cover a much larger area.

So you can be sure that this is a more intimate tour where there are not as many passengers aboard the boat. This will allow you to enjoy Chicago's Lake Michigan style cruises without having to stay overnight on the boat or visit other ports near Chicago.

Details of interest

• Prices: Prices for these cruises that combine a tour of the Lake Michigan shoreline with the most important section of the Chicago River are usually around 45 euros for adults and about 18 euros for children between 5 and 15 years of age. Children under 5 are usually free of charge, but it is not common that there is a space for strollers and this is something to keep in mind so you don't get a surprise at the boarding area.
• Duration: despite the fact that two completely different areas are combined within the same itinerary, the number of hours you have to be on the boat is not doubled. That is to say, a tour like this one usually lasts about 1 hour and a half, just like the ones that focus exclusively on the Chicago River. This is quite convenient, since many people find the idea of spending 3 or 4 hours on a boat continuously inconvenient or distressing.
• Conditions: The entrance fee includes guides who offer frequent commentary on the architecture of the city and the importance of the Great Lakes region for the entire Midwest. However, it should be noted that this is a tour package that is less focused on the guide's opinions or stories and much more on the appreciation of the city's scenery. It should also be noted that access does not include food and beverages, but you are not prohibited from bringing your own if you wish.
• Advantages: as it is a tour less focused on the historical details of the city and the architectural beauty that defines it then it is much more suitable for young children. This is due to the fact that it allows the family to converse and entertain themselves independently and without interrupting the guide's speech. Actually, it is one of those excellent things to see or do in Chicago with children if you consider that they are at the right age to enjoy a river tour.
• Cons: Combining two bodies of travel in the same itinerary may be too much for those who only wish to spend a short time on the water due to the fact that they suffer from a tendency to seasickness and nausea on boats.

There is a third alternative among the best river cruises in Chicago and it is those boats that take you during the night along the waters of the beautiful river that crosses the city from east to west and from north to south as well as along the shores of Lake Michigan. Knowing the entire coastline of the lake from the southern end where the Adler Planetarium and Field Museum are located to the area of North Avenue Beach which is where Lincoln Park is located.

The itinerary is basically the same as in the previous proposal, but the big difference is that all this takes place under the moonlight and surrounded by a myriad of artificial lights in a sea of buildings that generates one of the most emblematic nighttime panoramas of the great modern American cities.

During the Christmas season this walk is a real spectacle because you can also appreciate the Christmas decorations that are developed in coastal points of the city as the Navy Pier and the entire area of the Riverwalk along the Chicago River. So it qualifies as one of those plans to see or do in Chicago at Christmas without having to spend so much money or so much time.

Clearly, this is one of the best things to do in Chicago at night, as it is an entertaining and very complete activity that can appeal to all types of travelers. That is to say, from those who go to the city in search of partying and adult fun to those family groups who are on a more moderate itinerary.

Details of interest

• Prices: The rates for Chicago River cruises that operate night itineraries are basically the same as those established for daytime tours. Therefore, adults usually pay about 45 euros per admission ticket, while children almost always pay 20 euros, as long as they are between 5 and 15 years old. Minors also do not pay admission tickets on this type of tour, which makes it a thrifty experience for those families with babies or children in their early childhood.
• Duration: an hour and a half is usually more than enough to make a fairly complete tour of the waters of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan during a night in which there will surely not be so much congestion of boats on the river course or much less on the shores of the lake.
• Conditions: on Chicago River cruises with night tours, outside food and beverages are also allowed, as long as they are snacks suitable for consumption on a shared boat and are not alcoholic. Keep in mind that like the other options, this is a comfortable and modern boat in which there are all the favorable conditions to give access to disabled people or people with reduced mobility.
• Advantages: during the nights you have access to a quite privileged scenery of the city that is not experienced when traveling along the river canal during the day. Chicago is a city with a very marked nocturnal identity, just like that of other great metropolises such as New York, London or Paris. Anyway, if you want to see all this life and nightlife from the heights there are also the best helicopter tours of Chicago that can complete your night so that you have known the city by sky, land and sea in one trip.
• Disadvantages: nighttime can be an inconvenient time for those who are very sensitive to cold, especially on those autumn and early and late autumn nights when it is still possible to navigate due to the lack of ice on the river and bay.

The best way to book Chicago river cruises regardless of whether it is a day or night tour, will always be digital means. Through an online reservation you receive an immediate confirmation of your purchase, you can check which dates and times are available for reservations and you can also understand all the details of the payment and refund policies for cancellation of the reservation.

There is also the possibility of going to some of the points where these tours usually depart from, such as the Riverwalk or Navy Pier. But there is no guarantee that the prices for immediate purchase will be as favorable as the ones I have mentioned and there is no guarantee that you will get tickets for all your companions for that precise moment.

The first piece of advice I can give you so that you can fully enjoy Chicago River cruises is to be willing to listen to what the guide has to say if you are interested in the history of your surroundings. If this is not the case, then I recommend that you position yourself at the other end of the boat so that you don't have to feel like you have to limit your volume when talking to your companions and so you can experience the experience on your own terms.

The choice of attire is another issue that you can not fail to prioritize when having a tour in one of these river cruises. Chicago is a city that is characterized by having some pretty strong autumns and winters that require several layers of clothing to cope with them. That while the inclement summer sun can become your best enemy if you don't have the right sun protection for your skin or fabrics that are breathable and cool.

As you may have noticed, these river tours are quite inexpensive and offer you the opportunity to get to know the financial and historical heart of the city without the need to spend too much time walking or spending lots of money on personalized guides.

That economic savings can be very interesting for you if you are planning to visit other iconic places in the city. So by paying for an attraction like this that is relatively inexpensive you can have money left over to buy tickets to the Field Museum for an afternoon filled with natural history or to buy tickets to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago if you decide to go for a more abstract, modernist approach.