This is a wonderful crew team in the heart of Chicago. I had my best Masters Rowing experience…read morehere, and I love their emphasis on accessibility. They offer learn to row classes, and you can get scholarships to row in their competitive team.

The Lincoln Park Boat Club is completely member run by passionate folks who love boating -…read morespecifically rowing and paddling. I was into stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) so I was considered a paddler. SUP in Chicago can be hard. Lake Michigan is unfriendly to beginners so the lagoon used by the Lincoln Park Boat Club is perfect. The water is smooth, shallow and dirty enough to motivate you to keep your balance! The equipment at the LPBC is great too. There are a variety of SUP boards ranging from foam beasts that would never tip over to slender racing boards. Most of the storage was taken up by other boats. Some vessels were owned by members and others were owned by the club and could be used by anybody. Since the LPBC is completely run by volunteers, everybody has a lot of responsibility and autonomy. A lot of it is run on the honor system. For example, keeping the dock clean of goose poop and locking the garage was everyone's responsibility. To my knowledge, there was no cleaning or maintenance crew. There are no bells and whistles. The LPBC members I met were friendly. The SUP folks were competitive. It just wasn't my scene. I wanted a place to relax, skim across the water, and be outdoors. The other people I met were perfecting their techniques, getting stronger and racing. I ended up going only about four or five times, or about $100/visit. I'd remain a member if I could pay less than the competitive, more dedicated people. I asked if there could be a modified membership or a pay-per-visit deal but (as of this review) those aren't options.

We learned a lot about kayaking from the owner, John. He and his staff took their time in…read moreexplaining every detail of the equipment to us. We had a lot of fun paddling in the harbor and checking out all the boats docked there. There was quite a bit of boat traffic this Sunday afternoon so we rolled with the waves as boats come in and out. Some might find that unpleasant but we thought it was a good opportunity to get a taste of what kayaking on the lake could be like. Kayaks and paddle boards stay within the harbor, which is about 9 miles of boat docks. It's quite an different experience from other kayaking locations; it's manmade and urban and the only wildlife is seagulls. There is a parking lot though its $28 for 0-12hrs during the weekends. We chose to park on the other side of the trail and walked to this location. It's a beautiful walk! The best amenity is the private bathroom with shower. We usually don't get wet with kayak but since this is the lake, we were drenched. Highly recommend wearing swimsuit for any water activities. We'll be back to try the jet skis.

So the weekend is approaching! It's July! It's Hot! Chicago is surrounded by water, at least on the…read moreEast side. What are your plans? Might I suggest Jet Skiing?! Let me tell you about my 4th of July Adventure....... My plans were to hang out and eat BBQ with a friend, but she wasn't feeling too well and had to cancel our plans. After making sure she was ok, I was on the verge of catching up on a series on MAX. Then it hit me, "It's a BEAUTIFUL holiday, and you are about to watch tv? What are you doing? You said you wanted to go jet skiing before the summer is over. What are you waiting for? Let's Do It!" I called Chicago Water Sport Rentals on 31st and spoke with the owner who assured me that the day was perfect and the water was fine, code for: "No Danger Here". After an exchange of "God Bless You", I hung up the phone, quickly put sunscreen on, gathered my wetsuit and sunglasses and headed out the door toward the lake. When I got to the harbor and my jet ski rental destination, that's where the magic happened. After a thorough tutorial about how to properly use and have fun on the jet ski that I was sitting on, off I went to the high seas, I mean out toward open waters with the rest of the water sports lovers. Once I got past the channel filled with boat lovers, sailers, and jet ski pros, I played around in open-calm waters while the sun and the city were beaming down on me. The views are absolutely spectacular and the experience was exhilarating! I was on that thing for an hour. Yes, an hour. Last time it was 30 minutes. This time I wanted to challenge myself. Once I got into my groove, there was NO STOPPING ME, until my time was up. ‍ Lol. I highly recommend you try something new this weekend. If you have been jet skiing before, try a new venue off the 31st Street Harbor. Then treat yourself to lunch at the restaurant directly next door. This experience will make you feel ALIVE!

This lakeside club is the gem of Highland Park! The cozy clubhouse on Lake Michigan with canoes,…read morekayaks, sailboats and friendly members of all ages is our favorite place to be in the summertime.

This place is a hidden gem that's underutilized. For less then $300 bucks, a beachfront clubhouse…read morewith a huge deck including grills, tables, kitchen, showers, equipment, storage, and free to use club equipment such as kayaks, paddle boards, windsurfers... I'm here almost everyday. I can't understand why this place isn't completely packed with members all summer.

Beautiful grounds ! Great place for the whole family . Kids…read morebeach is nice , crowded during high season. Can't bring your own Kayaks or boats ..

If you're local it's awesome , if you're an out of towner like me you have to pay to park then pay…read moreto get in which sucks

Well organized. You meet at the arrival and they drive you to the starting point…read more Good for families, you'll go through downtown Naperville which is actually fun to see it from the river. Easy, I recommend with children.

Took our money- over $230 for 4- did not pick us up at site- went to River-no one there- no one…read moreanswers phone- have been calling for 2 days- texted- left messages-emailed Now I have to look forward to hours on the phone with credit card company to reverse charges- thanks a lot you jerks- you have ruined our whole day (and that of another couple) and cost me hours of time and aggravation!

Last summer, I was strolling along the riverwalk and saw the sign for Urban Kayaks. They mentioned…read moreanother location, next to the lake, so I went to check it out and fell in love. I vowed to return this summer and was so stoked I bought a $200 summer pass (good from June to October) even before Mayor Lightfoot opened up the lakefront. I have already visited Monroe Harbor three times in the last 30 days and absolutely love the Urban Kayak operation. Everyone is friendly and so professional. First, the kayaks are new and in excellent shape; makes you realize how pathetic the selection can be with other kayak rentals. Second, the staff are an enthusiastic and knowledgeable bunch who make sure everything is in working order before letting anyone head out on their own. Third, the Chicago views are spectacular and even when it's a hot day, it just feels great to be on the water. Fourth, they are less than a quarter mile from the Millennium Park Garage (check out ParkWhiz for super cheap parking). This summer pass has been one of the best investments I've ever made for my mental and physical health and I'm going to kayak all summer!

I would highly recommend Urban Kayaks to anyone that wants a scenic kayaking experience along the…read moreChicago lake front. Frank and LJ helped us out and their customer service is truthfully top. They make the experience super fun and chill and take the time to give you a brief but effective/informative kayaking tutorial before you start. I've kayaked many times before but I am far from a pro or an expert, so the tutorial was very welcomed and it was thorough and one that helped make the kayaking experience better! I HIGHLY recommend Urban Kayaks Lakefront and will definitely be kayaking with them again the next time that I kayak in Chicago!

The idea of buying a boat - canoe, kayak, or inflatable - is super daunting!!! Which is why I…read morewanted someone to walk me through it. Offshore of Lake Bluff has a solid selection of boats, and even in the off-season ( this visit is in January) there's decent variety in stock. Sam took me through the store and answered a ton of questions I had without pressure - selling. He's been boating since he was a tot and it's pretty clear that he loves his job as his eyes twinkled while he explained the ins and outs of different models of boats and gear. I was pleased to hear that while they have some boats in stock, they can usually order another if the one I want sells, since I should probably (I mean really) consider my income and savings situation before making a purchase. I will definitely be back when I know what I can afford. I am excited about getting out there in a boat I own instead of a rental. And I'll be proud to make a purchase here. It's always nice to support local businesses, especially if they provide excellent service, like they do here.

Offshore contacted Eddyline and changed their order with them so I could have two matching colored…read morekayaks, a Caribbean 12 FS and a Caribbean 14 FS, and delivered them to my home in Noblesville Indiana. My local Eddyline retailer was unable/unwilling to do the same. Great communication and pleasant demeanor. Highly recommend Offshore in Lake Bluff.

Man, this was the unexpected highlight of my recent 5-day trip to Chicago…read more Booked this on a whim through a Chicago friend... I wanted an activity to help show my cousin around Chicago for the first time so we did the Architecture & History tour, each in our own kayak. He'd never kayaked before, and it was a simple, fun, and safe little training session while we got going. Beautiful summer day and what a fascinating way to explore the city and see those buildings. Our leader, Matt, was a funny and gregarious guide and always directed us safely and helped create a vibe of camaraderie in the group. Super nice guy and just spouted knowledge about Chicago's history and the history of the Chicago river. It was such a sensory experience to get some exercise in while feeling the Chicago sun and hearing the water and factoids about Chicago ghosts and boats etc! I even had a chance run-in with an old friend I hadn't seen in years who happened to be walking along the Chicago Riverwalk at the very moment I was paddling down below. The whole thing was magical. Special thanks to Charlie who helped set us up with the right tour for what we wanted, and our tour guide Mateo H. for being the best we could have asked for. Trips are precious - sometimes they're a flurry of activity and you get home and begin to process the whole series of moments... this is a standout moment and I highly recommend this for anyone who is experiencing Chicago for the first time or - like me - experiencing it anew from a new vantage point. THANK YOU for a beautiful memory!

Great first time kayaking! The views were breathtaking and the staff member was very informative…read moreand kind to us. I will be doing this regularly. It's a great way to explore downtown Chicago and connect with yourself.

I've kayaked all over the world, but never through a canyon of steel and glass. With only a couple…read moreof days left of summer, I'm trying to squeeze in every single drop of it before cold weather comes to Chicago. Combining architecture, history, exercise, adventure, and only $69, this was an ideal activity for me. I'm very athletic. I exercise 7 days a week, including power lifting 3 days a week. It didn't feel like a workout at all yesterday, but by 3am, my biceps, triceps, and shoulders were actually sore enough to wake me up. While it is an activity for every skill level, it is a 6.5 mile journey, so how much you enjoy it might depend on what kind of shape you're in. The Chicago River has a lot of traffic during the summer. -A lot of party boats, large architectural boat tours, water taxis, speedboats, and jet skis. Being in a humble kayak while navigating all of that traffic can be a bit stressful, but our tour guides were excellent at instructing us how to stay safe while we share the water. They offer architectural tours, sunset tours, and a city lights tour. I'd love to squeeze in a city lights tour before the season ends. Chicago is the most beautiful city in America and ranked 2nd most beautiful in the world. Get a view of it from the river and you'll easily understand why.

A great experience but exhausting…read more We signed up for the fireworks tour on a Saturday night and it was excellent. Essentially, you paddle your way to Navy Pier area, watch the fireworks, and then paddle all the way back. The distance covered is around 6 miles and can be exhausting. Anyone can do this but I would not attempt it if you're not at least a physically active person. Overall, the experience was fantastic and the entire staff was very accommodating. Highly recommend if you're an active person and want an unbelievable experience on the Chicago River.