chicago architecture center boat tour on the "the first lady" was well done. very rainy day but a…read morechoice of remaining upstairs out in the open, where we were given a big umbrella which was nice, or some of our group went downstairs out of the rain. liz our docent was so knowledgable and informing, 11 out of 10 for her.

If you're in Chiago you have to do the Architecture tour at least once. If you're in Chicago…read moreduring the Summer as I was you can seek sanctuary in the air conditioned lower level. I wish the audio was a little bit louder on that level due to the sound of the fans and people talking. If you like my reviews, consider "following" my profile for reviews all across the SF Bay Area . Why "follow" someone? It causes the person you follow's reviews to tier to top when you pull up a business. I find this very handy when researching venues. Rod's Review grading scale explained. Essentially I personally base it on the likelihood of a return visit and I try to be stingy with 5 star reviews since they should be "special" in my eyes. Price/Value also play a role obviously but there are $ and $$$$ littered across my grading scale. 5 stars - "I'll go out of my way" (approx 6 % of my reviews) 4 stars- "If I was in the area I'd go here and would recommend", (approx 38% of my reviews) 3 stars "Maybe if was nearby", (approx 37% of my reviews) 2 stars -"Would likely not return, Only if you want to go", (approx 16% of my reviews) 1 star -"No thanks, even if I was hungry", (approx. 3 % of my reviews)

Jim was excellent on the Architecture Tour. We travelled from Sheffield, England, and this was our…read morefavourite activity of the week. Jim was passionate, funny, and knowledgeable. The route was stunning, a great way to see the city. Great value for money. He also let us know about the $7 tickets for the lake cruise that we wouldn't have done otherwise.

This experience was fun. Cruising through the river while learning about Chicago's architecture was…read moreamazing. The boat was clean. So were the bathrooms. The view from the boat was stunning. Not to mention Jim, our tour guide. He was super nice. If you're reading this Jim, keep it up.

When you arrive the signs are very clear. We almost got looped in with the wrong time and the…read moreemployees were very helpful in ensuring we made it to the right boat! A side note there is a Peet's coffee right above this that you can stop in for a snack. They also have a full bar and snacks available for purchase on the boat which was a surprise to me! The bathrooms on board are super clean as well. Now, the best part was Scott! Our tour was engaging, fun, and very informative. You can barely feel yourself moving which is wild! I got a ton of great photos and learned so much about the city. I would do this exact tour again it was so fun. They do have lots of options to choose from!

This cruise was such an educational and amazing experience and the highlight of my trip. It was…read morenice to learn about the extensive history of Chicago and its architecture. The trip was about an hour and a half and has a bar that serves a few cocktails and snacks. There was ample seating on the top deck and lower seats as well. We scheduled around 3pm which was a great time to visit. Access to the boat was easy to locate. I would recommend arriving at the stop earlier as seats are first come first served.

Highly recommend!…read more Easy to book online. Came in early June, 12:00pm reservation. I had booked a tour a year before but had to cancel last minute due to illness and they refunded me 100% the day before. Line started 30 minutes before the departure time so get there early if you want a specific spot. Chairs on top as well as some benches on the side. Seating area downstairs, bar, and complimentary water, lemonade, coffee/ tea. Nice bathrooms on board. Ed was an amazing tour guide, very knowledgeable and Chicago local who knows his history of the city!! Informative and funny! *Note: This is the only tour I've been on so I have nothing to compare it too. Some of the other tours looked bigger, I would probably try another one next time just to compare.

Chicago riverboat architectural historical tour on main branch of river. Time to cruise…read more Nonstop 90 minutes. Talk about the architectural sky scraper wonders. foremost. Mind blowing enormously tall. Alot of humor and details on rental price @$400,000 a year. Famous people like Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey lived here. Willis seats tower 100 stories tall 1,052 in the Windy City Sky! It's the tallest! there are 37 drawbridges on the main branch river. That's all the facts in my head could remember. The river is alive! The buildings taller than Sequoia redwood trees or Oregon Douglas Fir. Glass, concrete and steel in assorted shapes - seemingly alive like a living tree. I feel the energy of the river and the buildings standing tall. Worth the moolah.

Took the 8p Architectural Tour. Perfect time to do it and have the sun set during the tour. Our…read moretour guide was Eric, a 22 year old young man who was phenomenal. Would absolutely recommend and I also need to go again. A lot of information to take in. Very cool date night activity.

As someone who had never been to Chicago I was told that this was one of the "must do" things to…read moreget the full experience. Originally I was annoyed that it was going to rain the day that I did it, but that ended up being for the best because it scared a lot of people away. From the look of all the empty chairs they can pack a LOT of people on these boats. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed myself if it was so packed. It was nice that they had restrooms available because this is a lengthy ride. I learned a good deal and got to see some interesting sights. I thought it was worth the time we spent on it.

The tour was everything which was advertised. Our 90 minute Chicago river architectural cruise…read moredeparted from the Ogden slip (465 N McClurg Ct). The boat staff were all helpful and very friendly. I selected this cruise for my wife and I because it was led by someone with some real architecture knowledge. Our guide, Bryan, had a degree in architectural history and was from the Chicago area. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the buildings along our path on the main branch as well as north and south branches of the Chicago river. We found the tour very informative and fun. Bryan was not someone who was just trained to be a guide but we found him to be an expert in this field. I appreciated that they did not push the sale of drinks, but told us where on the boat to purchase them if you wanted anything to drink. They also politely asked that if you wanted to talk to your friends, spouse, etc, to please go below deck so others could listen to the presentation. I'd highly recommend this company and our guide, Bryan.

Great architectural boat tour down the Chicago river! Really glad I decided to do this last minute!read more

Great guide. Very knowledgeable about the interior, exterior, architect and history. Had photos of…read moremovies shot in the specific locations. Took time to answer questions.

This was fantastic! I've always believed the tour guide is what makes or breaks an experience…read more Access aside, these building designs are fascinating but Colleen turned them into a memorable story about the history of Chicago's innovative commercial architecture. She is a professional and I assume others who work for this company are as well. In my opinion, the tour ​structure and pace were optimal. She set us up with an introduction to each building, gave us time to absorb it and then went into details. We had a member of our group who can't always keep up physically so I was prepared to drop out but the pace was very accommodating because the actual distance between buildings is short and there are accessibility doors / elevators at each since they serve a modern population. We'd sign up anytime for any other tour Colleen leads!

I did the Birth of a Skyscraper tour with Mitch, and it was incredible!! I gained a deeper…read moreappreciation for Chicago's buildings. My partner even said that even though he passes by some of these buildings everyday, he didn't realize things until Mitch pointed them out! Mitch was engaging and friendly. He answered all of our questions as well, and I enjoyed his "storytelling format" of the tour. He also communicated with us about when and where we should meet. I highly recommend Free Tours by Foot for anyone visiting Chicago!

Bruce was a great guide on our Lincoln Park tour! Lots of info about Chicago's gangsters. Thank you…read moreBruce!!

The Marquette Building is a beautiful example of the Chicago School of architecture. The early…read moresteel framed sixteen story skyscraper was built in 1895. The steel frame is what allowed long "Chicago windows" due to less pressure of the masonry. It was designed by Holabird and Roche. The skyscraper was named for Father Jacques Marquette, the first European settler who explored Chicago in 1674-1675. Mosaics, sculptures and bronzes honor this expedition in the Marquette's entry and lobby. The bronzes and sculptures show the trip and important historic figures that were met along the journey. The railing around the atrium features beautiful Tiffany designed mosaics. Louis Comfort Tiffany was commissioned to create a mosaic frieze to detail the story of Marquette's life, the exploration of Chicago and the Native Americans that he met. Art panels are made of lustered Tiffany glass, mother-of-Pearl and semi-precious stones. It is stunning! The building is free and open to explore. Ask the security guard for a brochure or if you are lucky, he may even share some history about the building. There is also a small exhibit behind the lobby that discusses Chicago skyscrapers and architecture.

Chicago September 2019…read more Walked into the Marquette Building in downtown Chicago to view the beautiful artwork in the lobby. No admission fee. Just walk in and enjoy the view. The lobby is not too big but filled with stain glass art work that is eye catching. One can view the art from the first or second floor. Many Yelpers have already posted photos with great historical commentary. I'll just add a #metoo. No where to park around here unless you want to spend $30.00 ... I just jump on the CTA and pay $2.50 one way (or $5.00 round trip). Many of the buildings in downtown Chicago have fantastic art work in their lobbies. Most are free to explore. Welcome to Chicago !

It was super enjoyable. Learned a lot of history about the city of Chicago. Max is so energetic and…read morejust good time! You won't regret it. Take the tour.

Review for the WALKING TOUR: went with my family. The stories and the locations were not the only…read morehighlights, but the skill and presentation of the storyteller as well. Sophia was amazing, engaging and was full of energy/passion. We saw a deal at Groupon for $28 and we decided to take a chance on the activity. You don't go in any buildings, except one - the Palmer House Hotel. It was a good place for a break in the tour, though no scary stories were told about it. My feedback for the tour company is to add more stories if possible, I feel like there could be a little bit more added compared to the other tours I've been on. Parking: Use spot hero beforehand to find the best deal closest to Hoyt's tavern (meet up spot). Picked the spot near Dunkin Donuts for $10.99 and 5 min walk away. FYI: The tour does NOT circle back close to where they originally started. We ended the tour about 20 min walk away. So just keep that in mind. We were fine with it and even got to stop by one of our favorite Gelato places in Paris, Amorino on the way back. Discovered they have a store here along the walking tour.