The guy who narrated the tour was articulate, easy to listen to, and really knew his stuff. The architecture in Chicago really is STUNNING. Not sure it is worth the extra money to get priority seating. If you show up a half hour before the sailing time, you will get a good seat. Sit on the top deck, near the middle. The left side of the boat seems to get more attention. read more

Nick was informative and fun. We enjoyed him. Also, his voice reminded us of Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon (bonus).

Recently booked a private event on the Chicago's First Lady. The group sales person, Mary, could not be more accommodating. She worked with us to meet our budget. Friendly staff, beautiful Chicago River views and all had a great evening. Highly recommend. Only reason 4 vs. 5 stars is it's expensive, but it's online with the Chicago expenses. read more

What a great experience! A river cruise is a must when in Chicago and this was our first time. Chicago's First Lady did not disappoint. We sailed with Charles and he was so knowledgeable about everything. Who knew there was so much to know about a building?! It was a beautiful day, not cold and smooth cruise all the way down. I cannot vouch for drinks but I know they sell them. A fantastic experience overall and would absolutely do again if I'm ever visiting Chicago again. read more

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We loved this tour. Our guide, Alice, did a great job and we learned a lot, all while having fun. We'd do this again but would either dress warmer next time, or wait until later in the year (we did this the first weekend in April). read more

What a lovely experience!! Didn't do any research but the timing was right given our location and no regrets about this spur of the moment decision. We did the architecture "three C's" tour; the tour guide was fantastic, cocktails tasty and reasonably priced, and just an overall wonderful time. Would highly recommend. Can't beat those views!! read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Gary was great! Loved the tour. Recommend to see and hear about great architecture in Chicago!

Amazing tour full of fascinating information...highly recommend! The volunteer guide was super knowledgeable and very informative! read more

First Lady - The new St. Regis residential tower. - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wonderful tour of some of Chicago's amazing buildings along the river. Kasey was spectacular; informative and passionate. Highly recommend.

I loved this tour! Our guide was a fascinating and informative volunteer from the Chicago Architecture Museum, and you could tell she loved her work. The time flew by, and the architecture along the river is truly stunning. Highly recommend. read more

My husband and I were lucky enough to attend the CAC First Lady boat tour on Saturday 8/19/23 at 11:00am. We had the pleasure of having Patricia as our docent. We were so impressed with Pat's knowledge of the buildings, history, and architecture. She has so much passion. It was if she was telling the history of the buildings to guests for the very 1st time even though she has been doing this for 17 years! She also added a great sense of humor. The Air and Water show was also taking place and the Blue Angels added an entertainment bonus. Again Pat-thank you for making our day! Jim and Tamora read more

First time visiting Chicago and found this little gem of a boat tour. The whole ride and the guided tour was fantastic. Jacob in particular was spectacular in narrating the history of Chicago and the architecture. Overall 10/10 recommend if you want a comprehensive and interesting lesson on Chicago, and photo sessions. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was such a fun way to see the city! Our Docent was Gary and our Captain was Lee. Gary was so fun and knowledgable. I highly recommend if you are looking to go on a river architecture cruise! read more

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Really enjoyed this tour of Chicago from the river. Learned a lot and appreciated all of the guide's expertise and narration. Definitely check it out if you're spending a weekend in Chicago or want to know some cool tidbits about the city and it's architecture! read more

First Lady - Chicago skyline - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We did a 7:30pm cruise and it was perfect! We had amazing weather! Georgia was our tour guide and she was great!! Can't say enough good things!! She was so knowledgeable, genuinely excited to tell you about every building and so easy to listen to! Would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting!! read more

First Lady - Panoramic view from the boat! We did a 7:30pm cruise and loved it!! - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Super in depth and interesting river tour of Chicago. It really shows you another side of Chicago that you can't learn by yourself. Learned a ton about the different buildings and the architects and their influences on the Chicago skyline. The tour guide was super nice as well and very knowledgeable. Well worth it as a way to discover Chicago! read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Number one certified group architectural tour! The 1st Lady offers large group tours. Line up accordingly b/c how you place in line determines who you sit by on deck. (Best stand near those you wish to sit by.) Drinks are available on tour! Canned beer, tea, etc.. Extremely knowledgeable on interiors and exteriors of buildings along the shoreline. I learned so much about Chicago taking this tour. Ticket costs: We payed $50 per person for our tours. read more

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Phenomenal tour! Captain Jorge gave a funny and informative speech about our tour, the boat and what to expect. Then the mike was hand to our docent. She clearly knew a lot about the buildings/architecture and general history. The ride was smooth and comfortable (minus the wind). The sun came out a few times and warmed us up. read more

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Took a boat tour with this company on the 4th of July weekend, during Covid. We were visiting Chicago from Los Angeles, and we were happy to find something to do, because many attractions not open due to Covid. The tour lasts 90 minutes, and there is both outside and indoor seating. We sat outside, and the weather was very nice. Narrative was provided by a volunteer ( forgot his name, but he was awesome). My husband arranged for the tour, so I wasn't aware that the tour is focused on the architecture of Chicago Buildings along the trip. If you are looking for a detailed boat tour designed to learn more about architecture of Chicago buildings, this is the perfect tour for you. Personally, I would have enjoyed a more general tour focusing on a broader spectrum of information. read more

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Unfortunately, it began raining while we waited in line to board but the STAFF were great and had us board early. Regrettably this impacted my ability to obtain quality images for my food and travel blog post. Such is life. At least I took many architectural shots from land in the days prior. The docent was very good and very knowledgeable giving us the details on the Chicago Tribune, various architectural styles (Art Deco, Mission Craftsman, modern etc.). It was not always the easiest to hear because we were located inside. The boat is a standard older style 2-hour boat cruise style. We have done boat tours in Tahoe and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They have nice restrooms, a bar and indoor and outdoor space with seating. I was able to get some shots from underneath the overhang outside when the rain lightened up. read more

What a fabulous tour that the Chicago Architecture Center provides! We had Steve as our guide on the most recent trip, and the energy he brought to the tour was incredible. Such an amazing experience to get to see so many iconic buildings from a whole new angle. If you have friends in town that have never seen Chicago, take them on the CAC's Architecture Tour. It can't be beat! Thank you CAC, Steve, and all of the volunteers and workers who make these tours so amazing! read more

Highly recommend this cruise - our tour guide person Joni was born and raised in Chicago, very informative and fun! Enjoyable cruise offering adult beverages and snacks :) read more

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I'm absolutely shook that some people said this tour was a huge disappointment. Did y'all close your eyes for a whole 120 minutes?! How can you not like a giant boat, river, booze, and Chicago's infamous architecture? It's not the cheapest tour, but it's definitely worth it. Tourist or not, it's a great way to learn about the influences, adversities, and developments of Chicago's riverwalk and buildings. I'm new to Chicago and already feel like I know more about Chicago than most of my friends who grew up here. I'd totally hop on again (but I might use Groupon this time). read more

Susan is our tour guide we took a 9am tour to get our tour started, what i didnt realize that this tour stays in the river, it doesnt go out into Lake Michigan through the levy system. they are easy to locate down by the waterway, they have lots of umbrellas designated to whichever tour time you take. staff was helpful in directing us. I enjoyed be able to drink a mimosa at 9am that made the trip all the more fun, lots of history and beautiful architecture all throughout, at one point in the middle of the tour you get this smell of melting chocolate,Susan interrupted what she was currently discussing to see if all smelled the same thing. i turn to my husband and say where is the chocolate smell coming from.women and chocolate go hand in hand. it turns out there is a chocolate factory up the way and when the wind blows right the air fills with the smell. so i looked up the info and was able to find it! Blummers read more

Although we have been to Chicago many times, this was the first time that we went on the architectural river boat cruise. We went on a Sunday morning at the 10 am slot and it was great because it was not full and while it was nice and sunny, the sun was not as strong yet. The tour guide was a volunteer from the Chicago Architecture Centre. Our tour guide, Lindy, was really great and very knowledgeable and provided lots of great facts not only about the bulldogs and architecture but also about the city of Chicago. As she was a volunteer, she is not allowed to accept tips. The 90 minute tour went by so quickly. Highly recommend this boat tour. read more

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I've done an architectural tour in Chicago a few years ago, but on my recent visit I was with some newcomers to Chicago. We chose this company based on reviews and availability for tours during our time in the city. Buying tickets was seamless as you do it online or through the Ticketmaster app. We arrived 30 mins prior to departure and boarding the vessel was pretty quick and easy. We were able to easily snag an outdoor seat as our weekday 4pm cruise was not at capacity. There is a bar that sells liquor and snacks inside the boat. Our host Lisa was amazing and offered great information on all of the buildings and sites we saw up and down the river. Overall this was a great 90 minutes and well worth what we paid. read more

Absolutely lovely tour. The docent was incredibly knowledgeable, and I've learned something new every time I've done this tour. I think this is the best architectural boat tour in Chicago! read more

Great river tour. Learned a lot about the history of Chicago, buildings, architects, and structures. Got some beautiful photos. This was a 5:30pm tour. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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On tour on Chicago river now. WORST NARRATOR EVER! Most boring tour I've ever been on. Did this tour years ago and it was fantastic. It makes all the difference in the world to have a good speaker and she is terrible. Boring,, phrasing is all wrong,just drones on and on, no sense if humor.BORING!!!Would not recommend this tour to anyone if this volunteer is the speaker. Perhaps company needs to pay people instead of using volunteers! read more

We really enjoyed the tour. I'm not obsessed with architecture or anything but it was very interesting.

Greatly enjoyed our nighttime cruise on the Chicago River and lakefront. Our commentator Jacob was very informative and entertaining. Would do trip again. Had great time despite the cool November air. read more

Wow! What a severe disappointment. I had no idea that the tours vary so widely. I know because we did another river cruise, Wendella Tours, previously that BLEW this one out the water! Straight up, I would not recommend this company to you. The first thing is that it was EXPENSIVE; $47 for adults, $23 for ALL CHILDREN UNDER 3, INCLUDING our 6 month old son who will not remember this experience. He can't even walk. Doesn't take up much space and hangs out in our arms so it's not like he needed a seat. What did we have to pay for him for???!!! The price would be justifiable if we got to out on the lake. Aside from the ridiculous cost, the tour was only confined to the river. We did not go out on the Lake (like the other tour took us)!!! A great visual element on the tour. And really a historical part that helps you understand the relationship between the river and the lake because you get to go through the levy, experiencing first hand what the tour guides may either mention or try to explain while on the tour. There are refreshments on the boats (that you have to pay for), but this tour company also had a smaller selection than the previous tour we took. I'm so glad that I was able to experience more than one tour to be able to speak to the various elements and aspects of what's generally offered. If I hadn't taken the previous tour, i wouldn't know all that we missed out on on his tour. In terms of the richness of history and depth of information and entertainment you get on the tour is all relative and just dependent on the actual guide you have. The best thing about the cruise was that the boat was well cared for. Although, smaller than the other tour boat we took on the better tour. And did not have a downstairs outdoor balcony. The confusing thing is that there are apparently different Chicago River tours run by different companies, all claiming to be the premiere architectural tour. But steer very clear of the First Lady Tour. It's unfortunately not worth it. read more

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Laura was our docent, and she did a great job! She really knew her concrete. I live in a fairly landlocked area, so I really enjoyed the relaxing ride. read more

Such a wonderful tour! We went at 4 during the weekday and there were enough seats to sit on top. They serve drinks that weren't very expensive and also had some snacks. They sell hats, sunglasses and sunscreen in case you forget your own. Having a hat definitely helped. Our guide was Judith and she was incredibly smart and also very funny. read more

First Lady - Tour - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had the best time with Chicago's First Lady on the architecture boat tour! It was fun learning about the history of Chicago as it pertains to its architecture and its waterways! I'm usually not much of a history person, but I found the information that our tour guide Susan provided to be very intriguing. We went under 24 bridges and saw countless beautiful buildings and structures. We learned about the river itself and the Chicago fires and how it all has impacted and currently impacts the city. The tour was about an hour and a half and the weather was honestly perfect. It was supposed to rain but it ended up being partly cloudy with the sun poking out every once in a while so we were perfectly comfortable sitting on the top deck. There's also bathrooms and a bar on the lower deck of the boat; it seemed to be a full bar. I would highly recommend Chicago's First Lady for their architecture boat tour! We had a great time!! read more

we loved this tour! we went as a group for a school event and this tour was definitely the highlight of our trip. we were with Ronnie Jo and Captain Diamond (i believe that was their names?) and they did absolutely wonderful. the volunteer was very obviously passionate about what she was talking about and made the experience so much more enjoyable. the bar was reasonably priced for an attraction and the lakeview lemonade was really good. i would definitely come back for this tour again. read more

First Lady - a view from the boat - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Knowledgeable architectural guide, Kathy, gave us a great tour of Chicago's river front and surrounding buildings. History, fun facts, and architectural details were plentiful on this informative trip. Highly recommend it, and Cathy! read more

First Lady - Trip on the Chicago River with First Lady Architectural Tour. - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My boyfriend and I signed up for a tour in June. As recommended, we arrived about 30 minutes early for our tour and the line to board the boat was already pretty packed. Definitely get there early! I don't think there's a "bad" seat on the boat, but when you're sitting on moveable chairs, you want to make sure you're not being cramped into a tight spot. Luckily, we chose to sit on the left side of the boat where most of the "action" happens, so we had a great view of everything. The tour is 90 minutes long and the whole time, our tour guide entertained us with interesting facts and even some jokes. I feel like we were given great detail on practically every single notable building. We really enjoyed learning about the rich history of the architecture in Chicago, and if you've never been, I highly recommend taking this tour at least once! I also have to really commend the entire staff of volunteers for doing such a great job. It's easy to tell these people really have a passion for the rich history of Chicago. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and I would not hesitate to recommend Chicago's First Lady to my friends! read more

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Russ was really wonderful and informative on this 90 minute Architectural Boat Tour. He explained all the different architecture types and about the architects themselves and had great stories. He even threw in a little comedy here and there. It was interesting to learn when the buildings were built (all within the last 100 years!!) and the histories surrounding them. The structures themselves are an amazing accomplishment and the beauty of each one is enjoyed on this cruise. The tour goes down the Chicago River and forks to the North (turns around) and then to the South (turns around) and then back up the River to the Navy Pier where it turns around and heads back to the dock. We really enjoyed this tour. read more

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One of our favorite tours while visiting Chicago! With many companies offering architectural boat tours, we chose Chicago's First Lady because it was the official sponsor of the Chicago Architecture Foundation. As you make your way down Michigan Ave, pass all the other booths and walk down the stairs towards the blue awnings when you get to Wacker Lane. The docent onboard was knowledge and provided detailed history of the buildings along the Chicago River. There was a full bar on board, and we loved being able to soak up the sun and history with a nice glass of champagne. PRO TIP: Buy the tickets from the booth and not Ticketmaster to avoid the $8/ticket fee. I was able to buy my tickets the same day and didn't have issues with them selling out. read more

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