'Wendella Tours & Cruises' has been in existence since I was a kid, and I am in my 60s now…read more Everyone visiting Chicago should take this tour of the Chicago River and it's surrounding architecture at least once. Everyone who lives in Chicago should take this tour many times, because when family and friends visit Chi-town, they MUST be taken on this tour. Then the more friends and family coming to see you, the more time you take this tour with them. - It's Obligatory. So every time a visitor comes town, I treat them to an afternoon tour on Wendella Tours & Cruises. It's not just that Wendella offers an amazing service - it's that this service is necessary in order to understand Chicago's unique architectural heritage.

Every time someone proposes to go on a Chicago River Cruise I groan. Why would you want to go on a…read moreboat for an hour when I can see the buildings perfectly fine from here? I've already done the cruise, why would I do it again? I end up going along with the group and doing a cruise, and I love it every time. On the river is the best way to experience the skyline of Chicago. You get to see the best of the best and hear history behind it. Even though this is a tourist trap, it is one of the few that I've been on that I actually think it is worth it.

Captain Chris was very kind and respectful in allowing us to say goodbye to my uncle, father,…read moremother, and her 10 cats :), by laying their ashes to rest in Lake Michigan. He made us feel safe and accommodated our needs. He's very professional, calm and personable. Everything went very smoothly and we couldn't have chosen a better captain. We really appreciate Captain Chris and highly recommend Knock Out Charters!!

Captain Chris & the entire crew made our day! We booked a…read moresunday pregame cruise for the Bears vs Cowboys on september 21st. We were able to board & sail around tailgate style for a couple hours before getting dropped off at soldier field. After the game we go picked up & had a nice 20 minute ride back to DuSable harbor. The vessel is awesome & they provided staff to bartend, etc. Awesome day! I highly recommend KnockOut Charters & will definitely book again in the future.

We had an excellent charter experience with Captain Bill on a speedboat. Booking the boat was quite…read moreeasy through the website, then you can contact the captain yourself to see who is available (company gives names/contact info). I would definitely rent from CSC again. Prices were also pretty average compared to other companies! Definitely recommend.

Captain Rob and Jill were great. Everything ran like clockwork and they were accommodating on the…read moreboat. Great conversationalists as well. I appreciated the simplicity of booking and acquiring their services. It felt a little too easy to be true but it was. They just have an efficient and fun operation. Thanks captain Rob and Jill!

Jim did an excellent job explaining the architectural history of Chicago. He was engaging and kept…read moreus entertained while we battled with the cold weather. The views were phenomenal and although the tour was 75 minutes, it felt shorter.

Just did the 60-minute architectural river tour departing from Navy Pier this past weekend and it…read morewas a fantastic experience. Our guide Ruby was awesome - engaging and funny with a perfect mix of architectural history and fun facts that kept everyone entertained. Right before docking at the end of the tour, the captain turned the boat toward the river entrance for a minute so everyone could take photos in front of the skyline, which was a nice touch. The biggest selling point for me was that all of Shoreline's tours are dog-friendly. I brought my pup Shadow along and they even gave her a treat as we were boarding. A couple tips: getting your tickets on Groupon will save you a couple bucks off retail, and bring your own water if it's a hot day - beverages on the boat are pricey. Great guide, amazing views, and pet-friendly. Highly recommend!

Chicago Walking Tour - Elevated Architecture Downtown 'L' Train…read moreWe have previously taken the CAC boat tour and one of the surface walking tours (both of which were great), but this time we wanted something with a slightly different perspective while staying downtown. We chose the Elevated Architecture Downtown 'L' Train tour led by Andrew, our CAC docent. As no one else had signed up for the tour that morning, it became a private tour. Andrew was not only very knowledgeable about the architecture and friendly, but also, given that he works in planning at the Chicago Metro, was able to take us on an even deeper dive concerning the "L", its history, and some of the current challenges. As we were about 35' about street level for the tour, we were also treated to a different perspective of the building and their design/decoration, something that cannot be readily observed from street level. Thans again to Andrew for an information and entertaining tour above the streets of downtown Chicago-truly a unique experience.

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)

Phenomenal architecture tours! We had Brad who is an architect who shared so much knowledge about…read morethe river high rises! The way he differentiated the architectural periods since the Chicago Fire taught us so much! If you have a choice of docents, try to get Brad!

Amazing views. Excellent speaker who knew all her histories…read moreon each and every building. She was amazing with her knowledge and facts on building. Service was great but it was cold. Overall wonderful time and amazing view. Highly recommend for the views and for relaxation with the family.

I found this boat charter on Yelp! Spoke with Paul and the process to book was so seamless! He…read moreanswered all my questions promptly when wondering how to tip and if we needed to bring coolers. They supplied ice for our trip which was great! At the end of our time we were already trying to book with them again! With the new adjustment we were able to have 30 with proof of vaccines! Highly recommend them!

Captain Paul and team was AMAZING! We had a post graduation cruise for my daughter and best friend,…read morecruising into the sunset. The most memorable trip for my daughter, friends and family. Captain Paul was extremely flexible in making the most beautiful experience. We cruised on both the river, and saw the sunset on Lake Michigan. The experience of a private yacht for my daughter's celebration was priceless. Thank you Captain Paul for your hospitality!

Great service! Had our reservation from 1:30pm - 3:30pm but arrived early in order to find parking…read more The valet parking charged $20 for all day. The parking lot is very small but we got lucky to find a space. We had a party of 5 and had reserved the pontoon for 6 people but we got upgrades to a bigger pontoon. We were able to head out 1pm - 3pm. Bring your own cooler with drinks and snacks! The Bluetooth connects to your phone so no need to bring a speaker. They have a cute picnic area too. The only bad thing is that there are no real bathrooms other than a very stinky porta potty.

This is pure BUCKET LIST material ... where else can you feel like the city is literally on your…read moreshoulders - in a cool way! The scenery is unmatched. Add to this the boats (clean & reliable) and the staff ... oh, and the price (divide it among the passengers, and it's the best bang for your hard earned buck!

We were very disappointed with our service with tikiboat Chicago. We planned a weekend bachelorette…read moreparty and rented a boat for Saturday. 2 weeks before the event, we get an email stating the boat is out of commission and were offered a different boat for Friday afternoon or Sunday afternoon. This was terrible service as we could only use the boat on a Saturday and only had 2 weeks to find a different option. This was almost impossible as boats are booked well in advance for Saturdays in Chicago. Would highly recommend Sofia with Get my Boat if you have a party of 12 looking for a great time. I am giving 2 stars as they were initially easy to book with.

Booked a party for my birthday but had to cancel when members of party tested positive for COVID…read more Captain cancelled the trip but I was never contacted for rescheduling or refund. I made several calls and emails that have not been returned. Very disappointing.

Our experience last summer was fantastic! This team was amazing and professional! Unforgettable…read moreexperience! Fun in the Sun went above and beyond to make sure every detail was perfect. From start to finish, everything was truly amazing. The yacht itself was stunning, and the crew The captains were professional and knowledgeable, making the trip feel safe yet exciting. They couldn't do enough for us from serving us our food and drinks to taking some amazing photos. The whole team has a good dynamics and they all know how to treat their clients properly. They were like a really close friends to us! Wonderful people and service. Thank you guys and will definitely avail your service again next time!

Fun in the Sun was absolutely amazing. Our experience last summer was fantastic! The whole team…read morewere friendly and personable they made us feel like we were family. Our boat was ready to go when we were, was clean, and in good condition. I can still remember how amazing our last summer is because of this team! We learned so much about boat traffic and we had a chance to drive the boat. Their Team Captain was the best, high energy, very positive, and super patience! Very professional and attentive service! When it comes to their prices, everything was fair and great. We rented for an incredible day price. I cannot recommend this place enough. We will definitely be coming back. I am completely amazed how much fun we had! Amazing experience thank you so very much!