We had a really excellent tour guide. He had extensive knowledge of everything we saw, and humor to boot! (Remember: "Kiss your architect.") I never realized how residential downtown chicago is - and what a beautiful city! The planners did an excellent job. Thankfully our tour was on a gorgeous day - not a cloud in the sky. This is a MUST DO when visiting Chicago! read more

I will preface I was with a group of 15 girls trying to get on a sightseeing tour so of course there is going to be some confusion. However, I don't understand why the customer service was so bad. We we're rushing to meet everyone and thought we were buying the right ticket. We realized after the purchase we didn't go to the right boat. As we were in a rush to make it to the other boat, we ran to return our tickets. The company was so rude, we explained the issue, that we were tourists and we were on a bachelorette party and still didn't get any good service. I know they were losing four individuals business, but you would think that a tourism attraction would have some sort of customer service policy. We eventually chose to sell the tickets to other tourists for cash since the service was so bad. Shoreline was where our friends were. They held the boat for us and had a more reasonably priced ticket. In addition they let us take lots of photos at the end of the ride to document the bachelorette. read more

I've done this boat tour twice and loved it both times! Very knowledgeable guide. Take your camera, amazing pictures to be had. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Took my mother on this tour a couple weeks ago. It was a hot, sunny early afternoon on a Saturday. The boat was pretty full but thankfully we arrived early enough to grab choice seats (we arrived about a 1/2 hour ahead of time). The tour guide was a delight but one could tell he'd been doing it for a while, as his stories at times seemed rather rehearsed. Most all the people on the tour are tourists (makes sense). The boat takes you up and down the lovely Chicago River, where you see parts of the river not normally ventured when in the city. I will admit, you do learn quite a bit about some of the buildings but I was saddened as other buildings they discuss just don't seem all that noteworthy and seemed to just be filler. In the end though it's a pretty good trip but comes with a bit of a pricey tag to it. If you purchase your tickets online through their website, it redirects you to (the horrid) Ticketmaster, knocking on another $8 bucks or so in "convenience" fees to each ticket. Grrrr. Be sure to bring a camera along, as you'll be up for some good photo shots! read more

I went aboard Chicago's First Lady for a corporate event and I had such a great time! This was one of the more enjoyable boat cruises I've been on. Chicago's First Lady seems to cruise a little faster than the others...which is nice and makes for an authentic boating experience. Also, their food is delicious!!! Nothing too fancy but definitely yummy....our buffet included chicken and veggie wraps, grilled vegetables, fruit trays, mini cheeseburgers, and petit fours. I would recommend Chicago's First Lady for anyone that is hosting a corporate function for around 100 people, and I actually think it would be alot of fun for a wedding reception. With our cruise, the weather was rainy and yet we still had a blast! read more

This was a delightful, educational, and entertaining tour of Chicago history, architecture and culture. Well worth the cost: around $35-40 for the architecture sunset cruise. Our docent was knowledgeable, but could have upped his game a little bit... although I still laughed at the canned jokes :) read more

Friends of ours took us on this architectural boat tour of Chicago when we busted during the summer. We paid a little extra to get the photographer's trip where they stop and allow you time to frame and shoot. Their docents are known to be knowledgable and ours was no exception. Her knowledge of the city, its architecture and skyline, and stories were first rate. This trip was fun for the whole family and I would highly recommend as it was a highlight of our time in Chicago! read more

First Lady - Truly an amazing skyline and architectural boat tour! - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It was cold. Windy. Rainy. And still the best experience I've ever had in Chicago. Thank you CAF for making my $42 worth every dollar. From the jokes, to the interesting side stories to the informative architectural factoids, this tour is one you should experience before leaving Chicago. I appreciate this city so much more and have a renewed respect for its generations of architecture. The crew is so friendly and the bar and restaurants are pretty decent! Book your tickets online (even the day of) and go enjoy an 1.5 hour of man-made beauty! read more

A bit on the pricey side, but definitely a great experience learning Chicago's architectural history. Our docent (whose name I forgot) was incredibly knowledgeable with the year a building was built, by whom, and also with the architectural styles and the influences behind that. This is definitely something to do every handful of years since you will be able to see how the city develops. read more

This review if for the CAF Architectural Tour. Who would think that someone talking about skyscrapers for 90 minutes could be fun? Not me! Boy, was I wrong. I've taken this tour twice, and both time I've been captivated by the wonderful narrative given by our CAF (Chicago Architectural Foundation) tour guide. The tour is interesting, but even if Architecture isn't your thing, you get a very unique perspective of the city. And the fact that they make drinks available doesn't hurt! Tip: Show up early. We got there about 30 minutes early, and there were already a ton of people on line. We wound up getting ok seats, but if you want to make sure your group can sit together and be comfortable, you're gonna have to have at least one person stand on line 45 - 60 minutes before. read more

The river cruise is definitely a must see of Chicago. In the 90 minutes on the boat, you get to tour the North, East and South branches of the Chicago river. You start in the middle of the eastern branch and head west, then to the North branch. You go up to Goose Island. Then you head toward the south branch and then out towards Navy Pier on the Eastern Branch. Along the way, the docent points out various architectural giants with many interesting facts. You get the see quite a number of beautiful buildings. For me, I think it helps to read up on the architecture just a bit prior to the tour so you can follow along. Sometimes I was so focused on getting a good picture that I missed out of what the docent was saying! Weather: It stays about the same as it is on land, probably just a BIT chillier with slightly more wind but I ended up regretting the sweater I brought for the occasion. You probably won't need anything extra unless it is a very cloudy day. There is a bar and bathroom on the boat. Be sure to get there just a bit on the earlier side so that you can grab a good seat. It looks like on my "sold out" tour, that everyone was able to sit outside, so the group doesn't book up the boat fully and force some people to stay inside instead. You can also get tickets online and get it 'will call' or print at home for convenience. read more

Our tour guide Lindy was amazing, full of knowldge and insight and pleasantly funny and witty!! She made the tour a wonderful experience!

This tour is totally worth every penny. We went on the 5:00 tour and the sun was just starting to set. The guide, being a volunteer, was amazing and funny, knowledgeable and seemed to really care about providing a good experience. Also the views from the river were incredible. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Friends and family that come to visit me in the big, bad city inevitably complain about all the walking they are forced to endure. This tour is a great way for them to sit for 90 minutes and still be touring Chicago. Informative and entertaining, and too short to verge on boring. read more

Incredible, fascinating and very informative tour! Aside from seeing the breathtaking views of Chicago from all 3 branches of the Chicago river the tour guide was very informative. We learned endless very fascinating things about the city of Chicago in general and what we were viewing as we cruised the river! Highly recommend doing this tour when in Chicago. We also highly recommend visiting Chicago! read more

Took this tour and it was fantastic!! Our tour guide, Mary Jo, was so energetic and passionate about this wonderful city. I would recommend this one mainly because it is the only nonprofit tour on the river. read more

Best parts of this tour: - Great city views you don't get to see from the streets - Great photo-ops - Relaxing - Very informative - our guide was very knowledgeable and I definitely learned a lot about my new city. Downside: - I had hoped there would be more anecdotal Chicago information. Yeah, yeah, I know this is an architecture tour, but I thought I would get more history, pop culture. - They try to cover so much information that our guide didn't seem to cover everything he wanted to talk about Overall, a worthwhile tour, but there are probably better options if you want more of a "city" tour. read more

Dropping $28 for a 1.5hr tour never sounds good at the get-go, but the CAF tour was worth it and then some if you are visiting. Our guide was fantastic and had an intimate knowledge of virtually all the buildings and history of Chicago. My review is certainly skewed as it was a clear fall day and 70 degrees outside. On this tour we meandered through downtown Chicago via the Chicago river. The commentary was rich but was still interesting even for someone without an architecture background because it was interleaved with all kinds Chicago history trivia. Highly recommended! read more

Earlier today I attended an architectural boat tour with my family and loved it! You learn so much about Chicago building and what style they were based off of and such. I would definitely recommend if your visiting Chicago or if your a Chicago resident, it is the #1 thing to do with all of this nice weather we've been having. read more

First Lady - A photo from my boat tour - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was an amazing tour. They are all docent led and they really know what they are talking about our guide clearly loved the city of Chicago where she grew up. She had amazing energy that despite the rain that started to fall was able to motivate part of the tour group to stay on top and see the rest of the buildings. With the architecture you learn the history of Chicago. Bring a warm jacket and a rain coat if there is the chance of rain. Pre order the tickets through the hotel concierge you will save the money of ordering them online. read more

Great way to spend a couple of hours learning about the skyline of Chicago. Grab a drink and let the tour guide you thru the history of downtown Chicago. Young and old will LOVE it. A must while in Chicago. read more

Had a fabulous time on boat tour. #Shelby was the best guide. So knowledgeable and great energy. So much fun.

My wife and I greatly enjoyed this tour and Patricia's narrative. She seemed to genuinely care about the architecture in the city and that came across in her storytelling. A great way to get to know a new city. read more

This is a must in Chicago! Super knowledge host who keeps the content interesting and at times funny. Magnificent views of the city. Just try and do this in warmer weather. read more

This was an amazing tour. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgable, and gave us a great history of the city. I've been to Chicago many times, but this was our first experience with this tour. It came highly recommended, and I can see why. The boat have great seating on the upper deck, and below they had a bar where you could grab a drink or coffee to warm up. I balked at the price of the tickets at first, but I figured what the heck, give it a try. Worth every penny, and I would consider taking the tour again when I am in the city in the future. read more

We absolutely loved our architectural river tour! We went at the end of April and it was very chilly to us but the sun was out and with the right amount of jackets and cold weather gear it turned out to be a perfect day for a riverboat ride. Our volunteer guide was very knowledgeable and made the entire journey go by sooo quick. We enjoyed the entire tour and would definitely recommend this excursion to anyone visiting Chicago. read more

Went on the Chicago by Night cruise this past weekend and had such a good time. Our guide Cameron did a stellar job talking about Chicago's vast array of amazing buildings. His wealth of knowledge, combined with his great sense of humor made it an extremely fun time, and I could honestly listen to him all night. Few suggestions, add another bar tender on the busy nights! Waiting in line for 15 minutes makes you miss most of the River Tour. read more

Great tour with a wonderful and positive tour-guide!

I was super hungover and it started raining 10 minutes in so we moved below deck. People down there were talking so much that it was hard to hear the tour guide at some points which was annoying. The staff, the great trivia facts and the awesome views of the city made it worth it. Don't get a Bloody Mary; they aren't good. read more

We had a great time on our tour! The guide had so much information to share. Loved seeing all the buildings up close. Was a really great way to see the city. Loved it. I would highly recommend this tour! read more

1.5 hours going back and forth on the Y-fork of the Chicago river, with a volunteer talking about every single building your eye can see. An architecturally enlightening boat ride, and a great photo op for tourists such as ourselves. Too bad it was painfully hot today.. I felt like death after one hour and had to go down into the shade to get a glass of ice cold water from their cute bartender. Naice. read more

Fantastic tour. Incredibly knowledgeable guide, non-stop views, good bar, comfortable open air seats and all in all 90 mins and $45 very very well spent. Fascinating experience and made us love this great city even more. read more

The tour was great! We had Georgia and she gave an amazing presentation. Very insightful tour and the boat ride was good. Accommodated a lot of people but did not feel crowded. Would highly recommend this tour group if you want to learn about the architecture and see some amazing buildings a views! read more

updating the review: I was disappointed once I realized the Skyline Princess river and lake cruise involved a 90% covered boat, unlike the First Lady. My mistake for not checking before we purchased the ticket. The guide was excellent, and the ride was fun, but it didn't compare to other boat cruises I've been on with a more traditional open-air upper deck viewing experience. This maybe be a better option for families with toddlers and very little kids. When I posted my more "unhappy" review, I was promptly contacted by a very professional manager, and she smoothed everything over in a most satisfactory manner. Great company, but make sure you know what boat is doing which cruise as they are different. read more

the tour itself was great, but unfortunately the company that runs the boat is horrible. They overcharged me $96 on a $32 ticket, and it's been 24 hours and I still have not been refunded. The people I've spoken to on the phone (particularly a woman named Jericha, whom I mention by name simply because she was so condescending and rude to me that she deserves to be publicly recognized for this) were extremely incompetent and unhelpful. What should have been a relatively simple task (refunding a mistakenly overcharged credit card) has turned into a major fiasco thats eaten up almost an entire day of my vacation. My advice: be very careful when ordering tickets, especially if you choose to order them at the dock. It might be preferable to just pay the ticket master premium just to be sure you don't get screwed over like me. Again: still haven't gotten a refund, though they assured me that they were putting it through immediately. What a poorly run company. Its a shame too, as the tour itself was quite nice. read more

I did this tour because my mother was visiting and it was something to do with her. What a great way to spend an hour and a half. Sitting in the sun, on the river, looking at the cool buildings. The guide did a great job. It was actually fun to learn about the building I see every day. Go figure. I would definitely say this isn't just for tourists. read more

Great tour. Our docent Linda really knew her stuff and was funny too. Perfect way to spend the morning on the river. We will definitely do it again. read more

It's the difference between day & night. Last night, my company held it's annual party on Chicago's First Lady. It was a relatively small group - less than 60 people - aboard the vessel that left out along the Chicago River and beyond after 6:30 p.m. I've been out on the River before. As a host to folks visiting the city, I'd let my curiousity have its way and took the Architectural Boat Tour of the city. Can't remember the year, but it was a brisk day in which my jacket was no match for the wind currents that whipped off the waters. The key to that experience was the "day" part. Sunlight allowed me to see the gray and beige buildings in detail. It's amazing the wonders that the night can do. Rather than seeing a stoic building in a familiar place, the night transformed the Sears (Willis) Tower into a brightly antennaed skyscraper that redefined the term 'vertical.' Tourists coming to our beautiful city get encouraged to look out from within the tower or the John Hancock Builiding to see the electric ant grid below, but let me say I have a new appreciations for these giants of the skyline looking up below sidewalk level. And maybe the dark helps cover the oddly off-green color of the River altered by the elements, St. Patrick's Day tinted food dye and waste from the Dave Matthews Band tour bus. With co-workers around and a cold beverage in hand, we headed south on the River toward South Loop. A few people talked about the architectural history of nearby buildings in a conversational way which I appreciated and liked. It didn't feel like a Cliff Clayven directed tour, but info you could tune in or out. Nice. The crew laid out their ground - I mean, water rules at the start in way that was helpful and didn't feel demeaning or threatening. Though we brought our own food aboard, there was a cash bar. Prices weren't outrageous, about $7.50 to $8 for a mixed drink, though I was work would've covered the tab. But that was no reflection on the bartending staff that was warm and accomodating. The best part by far was breaking the comfort of the Lake Michigan's coast and heading to the end of Navy Pier to see a dimly moonlit horizon. It was a first-class view from this First Lady. read more

This is the boat cruise to take if you are choosing among different options as it has the trained guides who will give you a great deal of information. We take family members on the First Lady when they come to town and it's always a great time. You can buy tickets online and then go to the dock about 30 minutes ahead of the booked time to get on the boat. Don't be late or else your seat won't be as good. I would go during the warmer months so you can sit on top of the boat. read more

This tour was great! Our host was super friendly and didn't miss a beat! The boat was super clean, spacious and everyone working the boat were beyond nice. Every seat is great and whether your taking a bathroom or bar break, you will still hear everything! I'm happy a friend recommended the tour because there is no way I would see and know as much otherwise. The tour made connections between different types of building and the history of Chicago. If you chose to walk it #1 you wouldn't know the history of the buildings and lake, and #2 you would finish a lovely 1.5 hours tour walking. read more