If you're going to Chicago for the first time, you MUST purchase tickets for the architectural boat tour. Before arriving, I polled my friends who had been there before as to what I should do and without fail, every single one mentioned this tour. I had high hopes and was not disappointed. The tour is approximately 1.5 hours long. I suggest purchasing tickets in advance, although you can purchase tickets when you arrive (summer days and certain times do fill up in advance). Even though there are seat numbers on your tickets, seats are first come, first serve. There are enough seats for everyone upstairs and all of the seats have equally great views, but if you don't want to sit in the middle, don't come late (well also, if you come too late the boat will leave without you, sooo...). They suggest arriving 30 mins. prior. We were there 20 mins early and were completely fine. You wait on line until they are ready for boarding. I wish it was sunny the day we went, but even on an overcast day it was fantastic (they provide ponchos if it rains and there is a downstairs area). Our tour guide was extremely knowledgable about the different styles of buildings, and even for a non-expert like myself, I walked away feeling like I knew a lot about design and form (I've determined that post-modernism is my favorite style of architecture). Floating along on the water is the best part. No traffic, no obstructed views, and you get to see all types of buildings up close as well as panoramic skyline views. If I were to do it again, I would go around sunset. It would give the tour a completely different perspective. PS: Don't forget your camera! read more

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I was not on this boat for a touristy architectural cruise I was on here for the free food & booze at my company party. I loved this cruise because it was very laid back unlike the Odyssey which is all fancy schmancy. The food was fantastic! My favorite hor dourves were the mac & cheese bites and the chicken vesuvio. I could've eaten 10 of the things, but I was trying to save room for dinner. For dinner we had lots to choose from. My favorite had to be the mashed potatoes, jerk chicken, and tomato, cucumber salad with feta. So delicious I still think about it to this day. The desert spread was like a sundae bar. We had ice cream and all sorts of toppings. I gotta give it to the bartender though. He was so nice even tho I was asking him to make 10 kamikaze shots. He even ran out of roses lime juice so he was squeezing the limes by hand. Really awesome guy! It was an all around great time. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is the first river architecture tour I've taken and I was not disappointed. I was told from word of mouth that the Chicago Architecture Foundation's River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady Cruises is the best. The tour is conducted, rain or shine--I went in the morning and it was a clear beautiful day. I would recommend wearing sunscreen, bringing hats and other things to protect yourself from direct sunlight since there is no shade or cover. Furthermore, bring something to drink, it is a 90-minute tour. There is a full wet bar below the top deck which offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as of June 2015, a Bloody Mary and Mimosa costs $8+ (not including tax). They do check your bags when you first board the ship but do a poor job of searching through, so if you want to sneak aboard some alcohol it won't be a challenge. All guides on the Chicago's First Lady are volunteers from the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Although the tour guide is originally Australian, she was a local Chicago resident and had clearly worked this tour numerous times, very well paced and very insightful. If you like architecture, history and want to get a snapshot of the buildings in Chicago, you will not be disappointed when you take this tour. read more

First Lady - Chicago's Classic Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I thoroughly enjoyed this tour, even though it started in the pouring rain. Yes, POURING RAIN. And i STILL enjoyed it - does that say anything? I noticed some of the reviews said that their tour guides just went through a laundry list, but our tour guide was great. She gave us some history about the river, the sanitation problem, and the eventual reversal and the commotion that it caused to the southern states. She pointed out a lot of interesting facts about various buildings and the history behind some of the architecture and the relationships between various architectures. Only thing I didn't like is the price. It is PRICEY. Especially when stupid ticketmaster (big fu to them) charges a $7 surcharge PER PERSON. That, my friends, is an example of highway robbery. read more

First Lady - If it's raining they sell ponchos for $2/ea - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Alina made this tour unforgettable....we loved the beauty of Chicago's architecture at night. read more

First Lady - The Apple Store - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was going to knock it down to 4 stars because we were unlucky enough to have one of those boats that has about less than 30 seats on the open level, and the rest of us had to sit in the covered portion. I overheard one of the regulars mention it is the luck of the draw which boat we get. But once the trip started, our guide, Scott, more than made up for the inadequate boat. Scott was highly informative and actually funny and claimed he played the waiter to Rebecca de Mornay and Tom Cruise at the Signature Room scene in "Risky Business". We took the 6:30 p.m. Lake and River cruise that covered a lot of architecture and city information. The bad part of this time is that there is very limited photo op of the skyline of Chicago as the sun is setting behind the buildings. Couple that with the usual annoyingly selfish occupants on the boat who are hogging the prime real estate, good luck getting your picture. Still, the tour is a must-do, even for locals. It's enjoyable and reinforces our pride as residents of this fabulous city. read more

First Lady - Lake and River Cruise. Limited open seating. Back of boat is partially covered. - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Rain or shine Chicago's First Lady will set sail. We boarded the noon time with a ridiculous sleeting rain ! We toughened it out and stayed up in the to upper deck. The docent was informative, but not sure if its the rain or speaker but at times were muffled and hard to hear. This is a define must to get acquainted with the windy city. Salute to the CAF for a job well done ! read more

Gary was great!! great knowledge and history shared

so fun i loved it our tour guide was so nice and it was so informational read more

I was in Chicago for business, and I found myself with a few hours to spare. I've been to the Shedd aquarium and planetarium and a few museums before, but I'd never done one of these cruises, so I decided to give it a try. Truly money well spent. It was one of those weird July days that doesn't get above 70, so I was a little chilly from the constant breeze on the water, but the sun was out, so no big deal! I took the 1:30 cruise on a regular (not holiday) Monday, and it wasn't even close to full. Our volunteer's name was Pete, and he was, in a word, phenomenal. I know very little about architecture, and the thought of it doesn't make my socks go up and down. But Pete made it so interesting that I didn't even want to go down and get a drink from bartender Lauren for fear I would miss something. I learned so much, and I took a deeper look at the buildings that I normally wouldn't have. For visitors who are on the metric system, Pete also gave distance units in meters and area units in square meters. Truly a nice touch so everyone can get the scale of things. Pete wouldn't accept tips. He said in lieu of tips, he'd like us to go out and spend copious amounts of money in the great city of Chicago. 10-4, good buddy. read more

First Lady - The skyline, heading south. - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm going to have to say that I really agree with Shelly's comments. The view is awesome and you get a very different feel for the city from the river than you do on foot. The view is gorgeous and the guide is informative. It's super relaxing, and there's a slight breeze even if it's a hot day. It was a lot of being "talked at" for me for 90 minutes, but then I started talking to the guy next to me and I loosened up. Definitely go if you're from Chicago or if you're a tourist. It goes all the way to Navy Pier and it definitely feels "Devil in the White City." read more

Great tour! The staff was energetic, the views were spectacular! My companion and I bought tickets online, and picked them up at will-call with no problems! We got in line for the boat, and minutes later, boarded. The standing in line was not bad at all, as the tour guide took the time to socialize with the people in line and get a feel of her audience! (+1!!!) We decided to sit on the lower level (outdoors), but closer to the bathrooms...and bar, heh. Despite the beauty of the buildings, the smoothness of the boatride, what I feel compelled to compliment is...the cleanliness of the bathrooms. There is nthing worse than getting confined to a space with dirty bathrooms... The bar was a little pricey, but not terribly so! read more

First Lady - Waiting to depart! - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Me before going on the tour- $50 for a tour, really?! Me after the tour- Take my money.  This tour was wonderful.  Our guide was an older lady who was full of architectural knowledge and so many puns.  She was a hoot! It was like having your grandma give you a tour around the city, and we loved it!!  I don't think my friend and I said a word to each other the whole 90 minutes because we were so engrossed in everything our guide was talking about. I've been on a few architecure/historical/boat tours before and this was definitely one of the best!! read more

What a great way to see Chicago! We had a wonderful tour guide who knew so much about Chicago's architectural history. We took the twilight cruise which was amazing. You start out around 730pm and return around 9pm. There is a bar on board serving wine, beer, cocktails, soda and snacks. It was nice to be able to cruise and have a drink. You can't go wrong with where you choose to sit on the top deck of the boat. You'll have perfect views all around. My recommendation is to not sit too close to a speaker or it may be a bit too loud. There are also bathrooms on the boat, but be sure to go before the last warning or they'll close! The tour guide does not accept tips although I thought she deserved it! Overall, totally worth the money for the scenic and highly interesting cruise, something I would do again on my next visit! read more

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As I understand it, Chicago's First Lady is the only tour that is narrated by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Even though I'm not into architecture, I thought it would be nice to learn about Chicago's architecture and to pick up a few history lessons along the way. Yep, this tour delivered! Our guide was super knowledgeable but also had some fascinating personal stories to tell. Of course Chicago is always cold and windy but we sat on the top deck right behind the pilot house hoping it would block some of the wind. Overall, that plan worked and it put us close to the volunteer docent who narrated the tour. I noticed that none of the other tour boats were nearly as full as ours, some I'm convinced this is a hot ticket. I've been told this tour is more technical than some of the tours offered by other boat companies so if you want to float down the river with your kids, another company's tour might be a better fit. I'd recommend taking warmer clothes than you think you'll need. Expect it to be 10 degrees cooler on the boat then on Michigan Avenue. Burrrrrrrrrr. If you enjoy the tour, don't forget to tip your volunteer guide. :-) read more

Who doesn't like a guided tour? Now combine that with the tour being in Chicago, about architecture and on a great boat with great guides. That's what you'll get here. Our tour guide was fantastic and I never really imagined all the different aspects of why and how that great city came to be. I'm sure there is something to be learned by everyone. For those that are thirsty there is a full bar too, that's a double score! Highly recommned this tour to anyone visiting. read more

Such an amazing, illuminating and fun experience. Thoroughly enjoyed the lovely tour around Chicago by water that was chock full of insight. It's hard to put into words how such a tour opens your eyes as you walk around the city for days later: why that particular building is built to have 16 distinct corners, who is the architect behind the many non-descript black office buildings throughout the city, where is the next "world's tallest building" slated to go and why isn't it up yet, etc. It's both a history of architecture and that of Chicago itself, plus a great way to soak up the view. The boat itself was also rather luxurious: high quality restrooms, dead calm ride for those who might otherwise succumb to seaborn nausea... We loved it. Highly, highly recommended to anyone visiting Chicago, whether you think you are particularly interested in architecture or not. It's a great peek into one of the defining elements of this great city. Not to be missed. read more

So, I have lived in Chicago for 4 1/2 years now and never been on an architecture tour. I've been told by all of my friends that I need to do it, especially having worked at yelp I heard the tour guides every day on my lunch break as they spoke about the Merch Mart. My fiance's brother and his gf were in town this past weekend so we decided to check it out. I can't believe that it's taken me so long to do this! We had such a great time, and I learned so much about Chicago in general, but also about all of the different buildings that I'm used to seeing every day. I definitely suggest you do this tour. Especially since it was so very obvious that the volunteer running our tour just absolutely loves architecture! read more

First Lady - Architecture tour!!! - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome experience in this tour if you enjoy history and architecture. Our guide was Tim and he did an excellent job at explaining everything. If you do the tour in the evening bring shades. The sun is right on your face at the beginning and end of the tour. read more

First Lady - End of the tour - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have wanted to go on an architectural tour since I moved to Chicago back in September, however ran out of time before it got too cold! Now that it is finally getting warming we thought it would be the perfect time! The weather when we went was absolutely perfect! Make sure to bring water and plenty of sunscreen if you burn easily like I do. You will want to sit on the top and being in the direct sunlight for 1 hour plus you can burn pretty quickly! Our volunteer tour guide Mary was very knowledgeable! I loved learning interesting facts about buildings, some of which I had never even noticed before! Would love to bring family members on a tour next time they are in town! read more

DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS TOUR!!! Do you like boats? do you like rivers? do you like history? do you like architecture? If yes to any, don't miss this. Unfortunately when I went, it was freezing and snowing and a bit breezy. BUT, we still did it. :: Boat :: - Yes, bathrooms. - Yes, concession/full bar - Irish coffee anyone ?!? - Seating indoors - Seating outdoors :: Tour :: - History - Buildings - Did you know the ferris wheel was invented for the worlds fair in chicago ?? Honestly, even with the freezing conditions, I'm so glad to have made this. So awesome to hear the history of all the buildings (Montgomery ward, chicago tribune/suntimes, jewelry building which had a drive thru elevator for cars, etc). The irish coffees helped keep me warm. read more

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This company does it right! I've taken their boat tour 3 times now, and each time I'm impressed with guide and their "performance" -- always informative, funny, and enjoyable. The 1.5 hours flies by! I've learned a lot about the architecture and the history of Chicago, and think this is an activity everyone who visits the city should check out! read more

The cruise company, Chicagos First Lady, hosts the Chicago Architecture Foundation's architectural tours along the river and lakefront. Tickets run $25 on the weekends and $23 during the week. A portion of the fee goes to support architecture education. The season opens in late April and goes through November. This is a great way to see the city and learn about our world famous architecture. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Awesome views and a great way to take in the city if you are from out of town. The scenic beauty can't be beat. We did one of the late afternoon tours so got a great sunset view since the tour ended right before it got dark. Only bad thing is that if you are sitting outside, the tour guide can't always be heard too clearly and they sound kind of scripted. Apparently the CAF boat tour has much better guide operators who aren't as dry but those tours were sold out when I booked my tix. Either way the tour itself is still beautiful and i would still recommend it to anyone visiting for the first time. read more

First Lady - Beautiful view of the skyline in the Fall - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love discovering things about my city I never knew about before, and the knowledge I gained from the Architecture tour aboard Chicago's Leading Lady grew tenfold!!! I highly recommend every native Chicagoan treat themselves to a river cruise because it is so much fun to rediscover the city, learn about the wonderful architecture and history, and gain the most wonderful views of the skyline from the multiple vantage points cruising on the river brings you. The volunteer docent from the Chicago Architecture Foundation was knowledgeable and a pleasant host, and the staff aboard the ship were super friendly. read more

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Wonderful tour of the Chicago River and its architecture. Our docent, Kathy, was interesting and informative, without those annoying corny jokes too often liked by tour guides. The weather was gorgeous, and the boat's crew were professional and polite. Highly highly recommended. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We took the this tour on July 3rd. It was well done and really allowed a new comer to the city a time to see so much. Our tour guide 'Bri' was amazing and articulated the tour very well. I recommend taking this tour if you a new comer at the minimum. read more

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What a SPECTACULAR way to enjoy a beautiful day on the river with Chicago's First Lady. Architecture facts up to my knees! Brent, our tour guide, was friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed our trip very much! One thing: the restrooms closed ten minutes before the ride ended (which we knew); however, we went downstairs just to confirm that there were no restrooms available, and a gentlemen was very short with us. He didn't apologize for the inconvenience, just said "there's nothing I can do" in an unkind way. Unfortunate service from him - other than that, great trip! read more

Very casual, relaxing and informative. The tour guide gave relevant historical background on the history if each building discussed, including architecturally unique features, philosophy of the designer, some political intrigue and affectations, and events that caused construction obstacles. The two additions to the tour should be some Q&A and some background as to films that used Chicago buildings for movie backgrounds or major scenes. There were several people who asked questions afterwards, but couldn't get answers because we weren't there. As well, several buildings are easily recognizable for their importance in many films over the last 45-50 years. This would've made it more interesting from a layman's point of view. read more

First Lady - Looking down the mouth of the Chicago River. - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I must say that I have a real appreciation for this city now after taking what is voted the number 1 tour in Chicago. I can see why. I have been impatiently waiting for my folks to visit Chicago since my move here almost two years ago. This is definitely a more enjoyable activity when the weather is cooperative. It was beautiful and sunny outside and around 70 degrees. I wold recommend to wear sunscreen on your face, or a hat. Maybe bring a light jacket as well. Though the winds weren't gusty and you're not on a Seadog, you may feel a draft in May. I purchased tickets from Ticketmaster that morning, as the weather has been a bit cockeyed all week. They are around $45 per person, and half that if you are a child. I'm short, but unfortunately don't pass as a kiddo. (even if your dad insists on calling you his baby girl forever - so MISLEADING)...The boat was well maintained, they house a bathroom and a bar and snack area downstairs, but we were so entertained I didn't want to leave my metal bucket chair. Get there about a half hour before departure time so that you can get a decent seat. We sat on the upper level towards the back and on the port side. The tour is 90 minutes. Our guide is a CAF volunteer and just has the utmost love for the architecture of Chicagos' city. Super knowledgable and available for all questions. The mic was loud enough that even my dad (with his two hearing aides did not have ay problems hearing her) The views were absolutely amazing off the water and they really encapsulate all there is to see. I learned that Chicago is the birthplace of the modern skyscraper. I also learned that the Chicago water tower is one of few buildings that made it through the Chicago fire of 1871. I feel that with my newfound knowledge I can distinguish between a gothic revival to mid century and post modern. It's good to know a bit of history behind the city in which you live. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Chicago or anyone that wants a more in depth look at our cities skyscrapers under the 23 bridges we passed during our travels on the Chicago River. read more

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An overwhelming amount of information (in a good way). We love water tours and try to do one in every city we visit (where there's water...). This was one of the absolute best. We loved it so much we'd do it again on our next visit to Chicago. Very knowledgeable guide, gorgeous views, comfortable boat, and how can you beat simply being on the water? Full disclosure, I started this review back in 2012 when we took the cruise and for some reason never noticed I hadn't finished it. I'm rectifying that now, but my memories of this cruise are still sharp and happy. We have several photos of this outing on our eframe for family viewing. read more

Visiting from Seattle for the first time and we were recommended this tour from our server at dinner! We bought tickets in the morning on ticketmaster for later that Saturday afternoon. You're asked to arrive 30 mins beforehand and there was already a short line when we arrived. It was in the mid 80s when we were there so it was reallly hot but they started bringing us onboard after 20 mins. Beer, cocktails, sunscreen and waters are available downstairs! We had a great tour guide and would highly recommend this tour. We learned so much about the city of Chicago and all the amazing buildings!! read more

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This was my favorite activity in Chicago, period. You get an incredible view of so many important and impressive buildings, and learn about their history from a member of the Chicago Architecture foundation. It's the one thing I would classify as a must-do for visitors. Tours run hourly, and are obviously more enjoyable with favorable weather. You can also get a $10 coupon off the website, but it's only valid in-person at the box office. Still, we paid full price and for me it was worth every penny. read more

I wish I could give this tour more stars, but I am so disappointed with my experience that I just can't. I have taken many architecture boat tours with other Chicago companies in the past  (both Shoreline Sightseeing and Summer of George were A+) and have always had a great experience. Its one of my favorite things to bring guests in our city to do! My sister and her husband were here visiting last weekend, so for the special occasion I decided to try out this tour, figuring the steep price ($60 per person after fees) and the fact that its run by the Chicago Architecture Center must make it a better experience in some way. This was not the case. Sadly, the docent leading the tour (Cynthia) was by far the worst I've ever had on any of the tours I've gone on. She shouted into the mic so loudly that other passengers got up to request they turn the speakers down several times because it was literally ear splitting. Even after speakers were turned down, Cynthia couldn't deliver the facts or information in a clear way... alternating between mumbling and shouting in a way that made it impossible to follow what she was saying. It was like being in a bad Public Speaking 101 class, and I hate to say it but passengers around us were getting angry and complaining about how hard it was to listen to her the whole time. She tried to include some personal anecdotes along the way,, but even these were delivered in such a strange and stilted way it was impossible to follow the thread of what she was communicating. My guests and I came away having understood or learned anything about Chicago Architecture. It was such a relief to get off the boat after 90 minutes to not have to listen to her anymore. All of that to say, for a boat tour that claims to be the best and give their volunteer docents "hundreds of hours of training", it is shocking to me that someone so ill equipped to speak clearly into a microphone is allowed to represent the Chicago Architure Center. Save your money by going to one of the better and more affordable companies. They pay their tour guides, and it shows in the care and charisma they bring to the tour and their job. That simply wasn't the case on the Chicago's First Lady tour, and although this may be a case of just one awful docent, I am too embarrassed by how bad it was to ever risk subjecting guests to this tour group again. I'm giving 2 stars because the refreshments were top notch and on a beautiful day the buildings were still beautiful. Thats really all there was to like about this tour. read more

We really enjoyed this tour. It was a colder day, and we were outside on an exposed deck, but the sun was out so that helped. We had no problem seeing anything from our seats. Our guide had clearly been doing this tour for a while - he knew so much about the buildings! The variety of buildings and their proximity to the water, along with the back stories and history, made this a very enjoyable tour. read more

First Lady - Great way to learn about Chicago - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautiful views of the river and the buildings ling it. Extremely knowledgeable volunteers from the Chicago Architecture Foundation offer a great guided tour through the loop on the river. Perfect for sight seeing without having to walk the whole time (fantastic because I have a hurt knee) and is just enough time to enjoy the day, but not so long that it takes up your whole day. You can schedule for when is good for you. read more

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Hello Chicago yelpers! I'm so glad I took 90 mins out of my vacation to view the city on the river. I bought my ticket online in advanced which cost me around $46. Picking up my ticket at will call was stress free. Took the morning tour which was perfect for me. There wasn't much people on the tour so I didn't feel crammed or felt like I had to fight over seats with all the other tourist. I got a spot right in the front of the boat. The tour guide was really knowledgeable. I've been on many boat tours around the world and my experience on Chicago's first lady was perfect. Great for all ages but better for people who can keep up with the guides verbal facts. I'm a fan! -Miss yelp 2012 read more

In the name of full disclosure, I am a Docent for the Chicago Architecture Foundation and give the River Cruise. What surprises most people is that we are the only "tour guides" on the river who do not get paid. I think it helps that we do this simply because we love Chicago's architecture and history. ( I think we are all frustrated performers!)And I have to confess that I love to go on other docents tours because they always bring something new to the table! We are constantly evaluating each other to make sure that the info is correct. My husband took a tour on one of the competitors and told me that Lake Point Tower is a cantilever building (it's definitely not) or I've heard that it was designed by Mies Van der Rohe (no way). I also love presenting Chicago in such a beautiful and unique way. We have people from all over the world who come to Chicago because of our architectural legacy. On one tour I had a group of Brits on board,who had taken the El in from O'Hare on a layover from Minneapolis to the UK just to take the tour. It was pouring rain and probably 45 degrees, but they all told me that it was well worth the effort. My insiders scoop ... weekdays are always best or Sundays late afternoon; sit toward the back of the boat; dress appropriately! Have fun and maybe I'll see you on the river! read more

I only did the tour because everyone recommended it to me, but I enjoyed this tour way more than I thought I would. I had picked an early tour and got there well in advance of the start time. The seating is first come first served, so I recommend getting there about 45mins before the start, especially if you want a good seat. There are other similar tours that offer similar experiences, but this one is guided by a docent from the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Now, I didn't spend my time fact checking my docent, but i though he was knowledgeable. One thing special about my tour was that is was a "Photography Tour", so they would stop at points so that people could take photos. That was nice but it did make the tour a bit longer. Even if it did not stop the views of the city are brilliant! I highly recommend anyone visiting Chicago between April and November to take a tour! read more

Russ is absolutely INCREDIBLE!! So so knowledgeable and kind. I would recommend this tour to not only visitors but locals as well!