While in Chicago, my wife scheduled an architectural tour on the Chicago River. In the summertime, especially, this is prime time to take one of these tours, where you can enjoy seeing the different architectural designs of the skyscrapers built over the past 100-plus years. When we went, the weather was gorgeous, but it was hot since it was early August. Make sure to hydrate, or at least bring some sort of beverage, even if it's an Aperol spritz. Our tour guide was great and explained the history and stories behind each building we saw, including the Chicago Tribune building. During the 90-minute tour, you go west, south, north, then east along the Chicago River to check out the various buildings and the stories behind them, as well as others under construction, like the Bally's Casino. As a sidebar, that building is pissing off the locals across from it because it is now blocking their view. Make sure you buy tickets in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before the boat leaves, as the queues build quickly, and you will want a good seat on the top deck to capture the buildings around you and take pictures. Also check whether the staff creates a second queue as they take ticket holders from both at the same time, so if you are in the back of one, they don't go through that queue first before the other. In the summertime, the tickets will sell out quickly, so make sure you buy in advance if you're looking to take a tour. read more

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We took a Saturday morning architectural cruise with Chicago line cruises. The check-in process was extremely organized, as was the boarding. We had great seats on the back of the boat and the staff was very helpful. After the safety briefing, we got underway. The guide was so knowledgeable about the history and the architecture of Chicago. Highly recommend! They offer free water, lemonade, and soft drinks, as well as alcoholic beverages for purchase. The tour guide was so funny and offered spare hats to the men who had limited hair on the boat to keep them from getting sunburned! read more

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

Chicago Line Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Focus on the two- and three-star non-paid reviews on this page. Chicago's architecture is not to be missed, especially from a river vantage. Three of us did the 90-minute evening cocktail cruise. Had little expectations of limited cocktails (and that low bar was the case), but was really looking forward to the tour, it had been over a decade. We sped through the river (on pace with many other tour boats) with the motor-mouthed guide NEVER pausing for a question and continuing to speak to buildings way out of sightline. Very poor timing. Left feeling exhausted and got very little in the way of true knowledge of the buildings. Shop around, there are a lot of other architectural tour companies. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Broken bridge - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The tour was everything which was advertised. Our 90 minute Chicago river architectural cruise departed 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. read more

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Wow - what a terrific Architectural Tour!! Lynn was an amazing font of knowledge about buildings large and small all along the river. It was so interesting and entertaining, and so nice to be cruising along the river on a hot day. The crew was pleasant, there were drinks for sale, and the ride was smooth. When rain threatened they handed out free rain ponchos which kept us dry and comfortable during an ensuing slower. Very highly recommended!! read more

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The Chicago skyline is truly iconic and being able to see it from the water is really special. However, this tour did not fully meet my expectations. If you did not get there 30 minutes early, you had to sit on the sides of the boat and for the majority of the tour you could not see what the tour guide was talking about unless you happen to be on the side they were narrating about. I'd say for about 75% of the tour we were on the wrong side of the boat and we passed by several other tour boats that were open in the middle so that you had a 360 view no matter where you were sitting. I think for the price of this tour we should've been guaranteed to be able to see the sights no matter where we were sitting and this tour wasn't any cheaper than some of the other ones that we saw. I appreciated the free beverages and the tour guide was super knowledgeable, but not being able to see really put a damper on things. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Curated review of Chicagos built environment. Learned a lot and enjoyed a boat ride without the massive crowd. read more

So I loved this tour, it really only got one star taken off because of a last minute charge that wasn't advertised and charged to be the day of. They called it a voucher fee, $26. Seemed a bit weird that I paid for the tour weeks ago and the day of the tour I get this random extra charge show up that they didn't authorize with me beforehand about. I know some people who are more price sensitive would not take it as lightly as I did, for me I just felt a little deceived but I knew I wasn't going to care about $26 as long as the tour was really good, so I said nothing about it and pushed onwards. First of all, the tour guide Marshall was awesome and super informative. He knew everything about what seemed like every single building we passed by. The tour was 90 minutes and Marshall was giving us facts about everything the whole time. We learned alot about architecture while we were on the tour and the different types that were introduced in the building designs we passed. They offer free coffee which we used, as well as water and lemonade. You can also buy beer wine or hard liquor. I would definitely recommend this tour to someone new to Chicago read more

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I've done it before and always enjoy it. The narrator gave us alot of useful information. read more

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Great experience on the Architectural boat cruise of Chicago. Our guide was very knowledgeable and good at his job. And Tom at the bar was very hospitable. I would recommend totally recommend this tour. read more

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This was a great tour! Our guide was VERY knowledgeable and the information was so interesting. I do NOT recommend this for kids: it's a slow boat talking about buildings: After 5 minutes your kids will be extremely bored and restless. read more

What an amazing experience. I learned so much and saw so many incredible moments. The guide Katie was beyond knowledgeable. Highly recommend. read more

When searching for top things to do in Chicago, I continued to see many posts about doing a river tour. While I'm pretty much down for anything with being outside / around water, what sold me was that this company also went over the architecture of the buildings. There's so much history on this side of the US, so I knew I had to book this. - The tour guide was knowledgeable, funny, and calming (her voice was almost as soothing as in a meditation session) - With your ticket purchase, you get access to free coffee, tea, water, lemonade, and soda (can purchase alcohol for an additional cost) - There are two decks for seats (top deck and bottom deck). The top deck allows you to see where the tour guide is pointing when they're talking about the buildings, but it is also directly in the sunlight and can be brutal on a Chicago summer day. The bottom deck protects you from the sun, but prevents you from knowing exactly what building is being talked about immediately until you hear more about the design aspects of the building. - In the beginning, the tour guide encourages folks that want to talk to do so by the bar, but not everyone listens, so we got stuck struggling to hear the tour guide amongst what could have been a bachelor party or birthday party. Overall, would recommend this tour because you get to learn so much about Chicago, relax on a boat, and really take in some beautiful sights. read more

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Go to this cruise!!!! Not the others! Our concierge at the Gwen, Ramon, recommended this to us. The guide, I think her name was Diane (last name was Gonzales) had so much knowledge and narrated the entire time. Tons of info on famous architects and characteristics of each building. Also it was a very nice day. The captains came out and introduced themselves. You get comp soft drinks and coffee and tea. Beer and booze for sail. Super nice way to learn and spend 90 minutes on a boat on a beautiful day and best way to see the iconic buildings of this city. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I always use Chicago Line Cruises when booking river architecture tours. Process is easy, crew is friendly and helpful and the doyenne very knowledgeable about our city's architecture history. This latest trip was on a particularly hot day so appreciated the complimentary beverages and below deck seating. My out of town family really enjoyed the experience. Will use CLC again! read more

I loved the cruise! Prompt leaving the dock, easy to find, and great tour guide (shoutout Jim!) Would definitely go back with other family members to ride and learn about how Chicago came to look as it does. Free endless cookies and drinks also make it awesome. If you check in on yelp you get 1 free ice cream voucher! Be sure to wear sunscreen if its sunny, and be prepared to be feel the full force of the sun in the summer. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Waiting to board! - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Informative | Full-Service | weather Informative: we did the architecture. They start promptly at their stated time. Jim was our guide and he offered SOOO MUCH INFO! We learned a lot from chicago political history, to facts about the fire, to architectural history, and bios of famous architects. The trip is about 100-110 minutes long but it's jammed back with information that makes you feel more connected and knowledgeable about the city. Full-Service: The staff is pretty robust, there are about 3-5 attendants inside the lounge where there is complementary water, lemonade, and coffee/tea. Once you are aboard you can have a chocolate chip, raisin, oatmeal, and sugar cookies on top of water, lemons are, hot tea, hot chocolate, or coffee. Weather: the quality of your experience is dependent on the weather. We had perfect 70 degree F with no clouds. So much of the tour is looking up and off in the distance that any kind of rain, clouds, or fog would impact the views. Pro Tip: sign in on yelp and you get a free ice cream. A $5-8 savings. Pro Tip: Parking is limited in the area so budget time to find parking in the area. Pro tip: be early. There are about 100 quality seats on the boat but normally about 150 tickets sold. Get there early (20-30 minute) and sit in one of the first 5 rows. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Date afternoon - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great 90 minute architecture tour in Chicago! I've been to a few others, and I liked them all. In comparison, here's what I liked: 1. lower deck with complimentary cookies, hot cocoa, coffee, tea and cold water and lemonade 2. a much more in-depth lecture of the architecture in Chicago, including quite a bit of history 3. restrooms! 4. lower deck to get away from the sun or the cold (cold in my case, as we went late October) 5. docking outside of Navy Pier. We didn't have to wait for the dam to open to get into the river and back on the dock. One thing that I liked but didn't like was the guide. Amy was awesome, totally knowledgeable and completely friendly. But the tour did feel more like a lecture than a tour, and there really wan't much interaction with the audience. She had so much information to give out that there was also no room to ask any questions. A little bit of fun facts would have made the otherwise education tour much more interesting. read more

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My neighbor who lived in Chicago recommended the architectural boat tour and I found this company on Groupon. It was very easy to book online. My coworker and his wife decided to join me. It was a beautiful, sunny day for the tour. Inside the office there was a station for coffee for visitors to enjoy. Restrooms were available before the 90-minute tour. On board the boat, they served complimentary cookies, lemonade and water. The chocolate chip cookie were so soft as if they were freshly baked. I believe cocktails may have been available for purchase. Initially I sat in the rows of chairs and later moved to the front of the boat since I love taking pictures. Definitely more unobstructed views from the front! I was even able to capture a panoramic photo. Very educational tour! read more

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Don't wanna do the crowded mainstream boat tour in Chicago. Look for this intimate boat tour with great friendly service. Reservation staff and boat crew are both so easy to work with. Hannah and Dan both helped me reschedule my family tour with no hassle land no extra fees. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my second architectural boat tour, and it was super informative. We were able to snag a Groupon, and decided to go for it. Sharon, our tour guide did not even take a break! If you ever have a question about Chicago architecture, she's your girl. We were on the double decker boat, which was nice. They had complimentary water, lemonade, and cookies, as well as a cash bar. We definitely learned a lot, and recommend Chicago Line for your next architectural tour! read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We did the architectural tour! The crew was friendly and helpful in getting us onboard. Free lemonade, water, coffee, and tea available throughout the tour. The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable and was able to answer all the questions people had! read more

If you're into architectural history, then this tour is for you. Just don't bring children because they'll lose interest and get loud. I couldn't hear the tour guide. Luckily you can move around. The complimentary drinks are wonderful. The guide was knowledgeable, insightful, and had lots of bad dad jokes. Recommend parking lot on E Illinois St. Street parking is only 2 hrs max. read more

We had a great time on Chicago Line Cruises' architectural tour on the Chicago River! We got a bunch of Groupons together for our family visit to the Windy City and the city did not disappoint. Traveling along the river is the best way to see the sights, especially on a boat and you don't have to drive or see only through a subway window. If only the weather were cooperative. It started with a few drops of rain before we pushed away from the dock. Then the heavens turned on the firehose and we got soaked. But I can't fault CLC for the weather and they did give everybody rain ponchos and the coffee & hot chocolate down below at the snack bar was free. Even the cookies, which were delicious! Our tour guide/narrator was very knowledgeable of the local architecture and regaled us with anecdotes and history. One thing we did learn was that Chicago denizens sure do love their balconies though. Next time, I sure hope we get a sunny day, so that all my pictures aren't through a rain speckled lens and everything is the same color: Gray! read more

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I bought a Groupon for 2 for this cruise. I have been on one other river boat tour and I like this one much more. The staff was especially friendly and our tour guide was excellent. He was funny and not dry or boring to listen to. We sat up top and got some sun and took in the views. We did go downstairs to get some of the complimentary water and lemonade they had to offer. They also had complimentary Starbucks coffee, tea, cookies, and a bar for purchasing beer and wine. We really enjoyed this tour and would do it again next time we are in Chicago. Tip: bring or wear sunscreen if the sun is out. We did not and woke up with a bit of a sunburn. read more

We definitely enjoyed our time on our 90 minute tour. Our tour guide was wonderful and gave us every detail about the city. 10/10 recommend!! read more

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Sean our tour guide was phenomenal. You could tell he really enjoyed what he did and how engaging he made the tour. Incredibly knowledgeable about the Architecture of this great city. I am a Chicago native and I learned a lot about my birth city. We did the night time tour and the sights were splendid with how well the buildings are lit up. I still call it the Sears Tower, Hancock and Wrigley Building. Can't conger up the courage to change. read more

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The views on this tour are incredible, especially during a summer evening. However, the narration is nonstop and does not allow you to enjoy the views with your party or listen to music. In fact, if you talked too much you would be reprimanded. read more

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We've wanted to do this for a while. Not to mention as long as I've been coming to Chicago, I never got the chance so we came for a day trip and went all in!! Glad we did and would recommend it to anyone. There are a bunch of yours with several different lines and I'm glad we chose this one. It was a smaller boat, which meant fewer people so it was up close and personal. That made for a more enjoyable tour to me. Our "guide" Katie, I believe that was her name, was extremely knowledgeable and articulate. Lots and lots of information to absorb. Well worth it! And the views are incredible! The only thing I don't think I liked was that trying to take pictures was instructed by the rails overhead on the boat, but that wasn't enough to say anything bad. I say book it and go!! read more

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What a great experience with Chicago Line Cruises! Note: be sure to check out Groupon - I saved $30 purchasing on there vs. directly on the website. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, entertaining and made the experience enjoyable. There was also complimentary water, lemonade, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies which I truly appreciated! If you're looking to see the city, I'd recommend doing the architectural boat tour! read more

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We were tipped off by the staff at our hotel to choose Chicago Architectural River Cruises for their family friendly pricing and we were so glad we did. Between the free ticket for our 6 year old, the half price fare for our 9 year old and our groupon for $20 off the adult tickets, the price was half the other big architectural boat tour in town. I took that tour years ago and can honestly say this one was entirely comparable. Very smooth sailing, left on time, good facilities, very informative guide...the best way to see Chicago and learn to see more in that skyline as you walk around town. Highly recommend the tour, the tour company and taking advantage of the family friendly discounts! read more

When visiting Chicago, it is recommended to do an architectural boat tour. There are plenty of options for boat tours, they all seem to follow the same script, so I don't think it really makes a difference which one you choose. My traveling companions booked ours online, last minute. The tour takes about 90 minutes. The boat we had for our tour had 2 levels and was already packed, full disclosure, we did arrive 10 minutes before the start of the tour. The top level is the best area to see everything. Plus, the tour guide is on that level, so there's a lot more interaction there. The lower level has the tiny bathrooms and the refreshments (drinks and cookies) plus some really poorly placed seating, but you can move the chairs around to get some kind of view while there. As the tour took off, it was pretty evident EVERYTHING on the tour is focused on the right side. Worry not those sitting on the left side, on the way back, you'll get to see the phenomenal buildings, you just won't get the information associated with it, because guess what, the tour is still focused on the right. I think I would have enjoyed the tour a whole lot more if I had known how the tour would operate. I don't know what the original purpose of the boat was, but it wasn't for an architectural river tour. Is an architectural river tour a must in Chicago? Absolutely! However, show up at least 30 minutes (or more) early and situate yourself on the top level and on the right side. read more

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One of the must do's in when in Chicago is an Architecture Boat Tour. I got a Groupon deal with this company ($59 for 2 for a 75min tour). Other places are about $35 per person so it was some good savings. When you get there, they will charge you $5 and change for tax. The tour overall didn't feel like 75min since it was so informative and entertaining. Our boat tour guide was very funny and engaging so time just flew by. I recommend coming in earlier and sitting on the right side as about 80% of the tour focuses there. However, if you sit on the upper deck you will have no problems seeing/watching both directions - it does get problematic if you want good photos though! Lower deck seating is limited, but it is a shaded area and the Water, Coke, Lemonade, Tea, Cookies and Muffins are down there (for FREE!) Overall, it is a great experience. You get to learn so much about the history of the city. Definitely must do. read more

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I'm a born and raised Chicagoan, but I always love learning a new tidbit or two. This was my second architectural tour (both from a different company), and I feel as though the pros and cons to Chicago Line were crystal clear. Pros: -Food and drinks available on the boat for free! They serve Starbucks coffee, water and lemonade to keep you refreshed, and offer multiple types of cookies and muffins for sweet treats! -Our tour guide was a recent graduate with a Masters in Architecture, so he knew his stuff! -The seating that was available was probably my favorite part. You could sit on the top or bottom level. On the top, they had foldable chairs in rows, and also benches lining the edge of the boat, and you were free to get up and switch seats as the boat was moving. It was nice not to get squished between two people, or even stuck behind someone tall, since the seating was flexible. -Because they leave every hour on the hour between 8am-4pm, none of the tours were really overly crowded. Arrive 10 minutes before your tour is supposed to leave and you'll be fine. Cons: -There wasn't a lot of interaction. We were very much talked at the whole time, and although it was informational there wasn't any rapport building, which made it nothing more than average. On our other tour, they had funny Q&A time and also surveyed where everyone was visiting from. This tour lacked in the bonding experience. -Our tour guide would stop and take pictures with his phone and/or professional camera, which I thought was odd. It was a little distracting because he kept trying to talk and snap pictures to send his friends at the same time. TIP: Grab a Groupon if you plan to go on this tour! It's almost 50% off! read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Beautiful skyline view from the tour! - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A tour unlike any we've ever been on - Far and away the best way to see the city and in a way that's unique and will leave you both wanting to do it again and with a new appreciation for Chicago and all the great architecture that makes the city what it is! This two hour tour, complete with coffee and cookies, was simply stated - spectacular. The tour guide did a great job of pointing out literally every building that had any history associated with it - granted could have been lying and we wouldn't know the difference. Either way, it was very thorough and on a sunny day it was an incredible way to spend a late morning after grabbing breakfast downtown. Cheaper to book online and it was the best way to make sure we got on. It's located in a bit of an awkward spot, around the block from where our GPS took us. It's back behind the buildings that sit on the water. This is the sort of tour we'll be recommending to our friends and taking ouf family on. Hands down the best way we've seen a city in the US - great photo ops, great guide, and a great way to spend a weekend morning. read more

Chicago Line Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We took a Lunch Cruise on the 'Sprint ' out of Navy Pier' it was very hot out that day, We we're looking forward to getting inside and enjoying the air conditioner , but it was so hot in there in the sitting area" it was obvious that everyone was hot , also on first entered the room they escorted us to our seats, we set for a while then we got up to get drinks at the bar we turned around to sit back down the hostess had given our seat to someone else' it took about 30 minutes for the Staff to resolve the issue....decided to get in line for food, they ran out off food , We had to stand there ' waiting for more food to come.....Cruise date June 29, 2024. 12:30 pm read more

I think the enjoyment of this tour is based on your tour guide. We booked the architecture tour last Saturday at 10:30a. We got there early to get a good seat (and because they ask you to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure). They actually tried to get us to board the 10a at the last minute, but I declined as it was packed and the whole reason we got there with so much time to spare was to ensure a view. At any rate we did the 10:30 and were up front where the tour guide(s) were. On this cruise we seemed to have an architecture student giving the tour and she appeared to have a boss/professor with her that was grading her. The cruise is a nice way to see the city. You really do get to see a glimpse of several neighborhoods, see Lake Michigan close up and ride the river. It is a great picture taking opportunity. However, the actual tour part is kind of dependent on who is giving you the tour. Our architecture student was very knowledgeable in architecture terms, styles & dates - you know stuff you might get on a test! As far as giving engaging stories that the average person can relate to, um , not so much. At one point her boss/professor actually took over and I thought thank God, he was so much more personable and had great stories to go along with cold hard facts. Unfortunately, it was short lived and most of the cruise was just boring. Yes, I said it, it was boring! I was really looking forward to it and I really found it dull. Loved the boat ride, like the views, but the dry content was very dull. It was OK, but for $80 for 2 tickets I really expected more. They do provide drinks and cookies and it is a short walk to Navy Pier when you are done, so there is that! read more

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On the second day of my trip, my father and I did a boat tour with Chicago Line Cruises. We weren't disappointed and came away feeling like we were a part of the Windy City and the Windy City was a part of us. You tour the river that flows through Chitown with your tour guide who explains the history of the buildings and streets. Lots of beautiful buildings such as the John Hancock building, Sears tower (technically Willis tower but no one calls it that), and Chicago School. Ted Mosby must've been the designer because the architectural landscape of the city is gorgeous (just kidding, many architects including John Root and Daniel Burnham played a part in these historic beauties). Tour is 90 minutes. Complimentary drinks and pastries are served. I wish it was longer but I don't know tour guides who could talk that long and not be bored. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and cracked some funny jokes so we were entertained and educated. Wait till you hear the story about how Wrigley got into the gum business! If you visit Chicago, you should definitely do this. Beautiful scenery, educational tour, plus you're on a boat. The only thing more Chicagoan than that is the Cubs at Wrigley (a review on that later)! read more

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This was the highlight of my Chicago trip! I mainly chose this tour company because it was cheaper than the other ones and it also offered complimentary soft drinks and coffee. They are located a little further away from the rest of the tour groups that leave from the Magnificent Mile but is only a 10-15 min walk. The tour was so informative and the tour guide was funny and gave so many interesting facts. What impressed me even more was that his knowledge was up to date so he shared a lot of the recent real estate development in Chicago. The boat was not going very fast so you can really take in the scenery. Tip: book in advance! We booked one week before the actual date and many slots were already taken. read more

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