Really enjoyed the nice tour. Was about 90 minutes and the tour guides are volunteers. Some of the ticket costs go to support the Chicago Institute of Architecture. Lots of interesting fun facts, even if you aren't an architectural buff. Definitely deepens your appreciation for the city. read more

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What a fun way to see the Chicago River get dyed green for St. Paddy's Day! The package was a little pricey, so it was nice that we got a corned beef sandwich, chips, and two drink tickets/person. Loved starting the trip off w bagpipes, glad when they changed to more fun, danceable music! Would definitely do again. read more

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Great boat trip with an excellent guide. Very well worth the price! Very interesting information about this wonderful city, river, and all of the amazing buildings. Don't miss the opportunity to take this trip. I would recommend this tour/boat company and this was my third time over a period of about six or seven years to take this cruise which never disappoints! read more

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Fabulous boat tour on the river all about Chicago architecture! The ride was smooth and the tour guide was informative, well- and clear-spoken, and a little funny. I learned quite a bit about Chicago history and architecture. Highly recommend! read more

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The pharmacist was such a good tour guide. She was super knowledgeable about the architecture. we had the best time!

Great way to tour the city, hear the history, learn about the building. Very happy we did the tour while visiting Chicago for the first time. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lydia was a great tour guide! This was such a good use of an hour and a half, taking a trip up and down the Chicago river and learning about Chicago architecture along the way. Don't forget about the seating in the front, I was basically alone for half the ride because people didn't know there was space there. They have late tours so great for an after work activity when many other museums close. read more

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Great tour 4 stars instead of 5 because it was pricey No kids discount Nothing included but a pamphlet & a guest architecture docent... very knowledgable btw Would recommend it but be ready to pay 90min tour Love the skyline from the water Makes chicago even more special read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lovely day for a boat cruise. Great docent giving information on the history of the buildings and the city. read more

First Lady - Raised bridge - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Awesome!!! Big shout out to Russell for guiding us through the the "canyon of skyscrapers". This tour met every expectation and more. I wish I had done this tour the last year when I first came. Russell was very informative and enthusiastic regarding the massive buildings that our "rowdy" group were attentive and quiet. Thank you again First Lady and Russell for great experience. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Highly recommend the First Lady for an architectural tour while in Chicago. The meet up point is conveniently location if you're staying on E. Wacker and tickets were easy to get and use. There is a bar on the boat and the tour guide is so knowledgeable on the buildings you're learning about. The tour is 90 minutes but doesn't feel too short or too long. Perfect little activity between coffee and shopping and drinks and dinner! read more

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

We took this boat tour and loved it so much so went to another brands version of it. Nothing compared!! This one was amazing and worth every single penny. Our tour guide was Lance! read more

For my first real visit to Chicago, my friends booked a couple tours, one of them being the city and architecture tour on the First Lady. Signing up for the tour was pretty easy online and we opted for priority seating, which meant we were some of the first people to board the ship. We were on the smallest of the ships in their fleet, but there weren't a lot of people compared with the other vessels, so that worked out. We were able to board and get seats in the bow of the boat, and then went to have some drinks while listening to the tour guide, Olivia, on the upper deck. We could hear Olivia's informative and humor laced stories from the lower deck and were able to get amazing photos and videos of the city from a pretty unique angle. From it's swashbuckling origins to the curated and cultured skyscrapers, Olivia made the journey very memorable. The boatswain and the bartender were also full of humor and made for a fun and exciting journey. This tour, unlike some of the others, heads out into lake Michigan, allowing you to learn more of the history and various areas of interest from the open water. There is a bit of a splash zone, depending on the weather, which may be more than welcome on those warner days. I highly recommend this tour for anyone interested in architecture, history, or just having a fun time in a boat. The staff, information, and views are incredible read more

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Finding the tour location was easy. We pre booked online. We were disappointed how many people were on our boat. Seemed like 200 people on the top deck crammed in there. Our tour guide was very informative, but not too engaging and seemed to talk too much without adding in appropriate pauses or more in jokes/facts. It was like you the company could have just played an audio guide as it didn't pause or take appropriate stops. It was a lot of history, almost information overload in the 90 min time. I am glad we did this tour however I wouldn't recommend it to others for the fact that it was very crowded and not too engaging in delivery for the price. Skip this and do the fun yacht tour instead to see the same sights without the crowd. read more

The perfect thing to do on a beautiful, sunny Chicago day. We knew we wanted to do a boat tour and this one was recommended to us by some friends who lived here. It was great all the way around. Our tour guide Bill was so knowledgeable and interesting and we learned so much. The boat was very comfortable and loved having a bar and bathrooms downstairs. Enjoying a spritz while learning about Chicago's history, just lovely. Would absolutely recommend, and might have to try one if they're walking tours! read more

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This is one of the finest of these tours that I've ever been on. Thorough. Very complete and comprehensive. Well well well executed. Docent delivered the details of the buildings and the history and a cogent, thorough and impassioned way! You could hear her passion and love for the city in every aspect of her five star presentation! read more

Tour was ok, not as insightful or as inspiring as others have stated. We enjoyed the time on the water and enjoyed the docent's passion. Not sure what would have made it better, but it definitely lacked something. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the official architecture cruise of Chicago. We went today and had Brad as our guide and he was simply amazing. I'm from Chicago and I learned things from him I never learned in 12 years of public school! I highly recommend this tour. It can be confusing since all the boat companies now offer "official" architecture tours but this is the one to be on read more

Everyone I know who loves Chicago told me that this Architecture tour was a MUST and they were correct. Lindy, a docent from The Chicago Architecture Center, was my guide and she did a great job of bouncing between her talking points and quirky tangents. The tour took almost exactly 90 minutes and I was in awe of Chicago the whole time. If you're ever in Chicago, I highly recommend getting tickets for this tour. read more

The cruise was super informative and a terrific way to learn about the rich history along the Chicago river. The docent (Amy) was full of interesting information/facts. There is a full bar with cocktails/beer/wine, and they also sell chips and ponchos (in case of inclement weather), and there is a nice, clean restroom. This is a wonderful 90 minute activity, and I highly recommend them!! read more

Great tour. Docent Kathy was so interesting and easy to listen to. The Chicago history and architecture info was really great to hear. Highly recommend this tour and speaker. read more

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Shoutout fellow DePaul alum, Jacob, for being a wonderful tour guide! Jacob was very welcoming to everyone on board, greeting everyone as we boarded. He was obviously very passionate and knowledgeable, with great commentary on the history of Chicago and its unique architecture. Seeing the skyline from Lake Michigan and being guided through the past and present of the city was wonderful. We had the opportunity for a great photo-op with the skyline, despite the rain and clouds. I learned a lot about Chicago and was able to appreciate the rich history, with awesome views from the lake and river. This tour is definitely worth its price! read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Mark L gave a fun and informative tour of the architecture of Chicago. Highly recommend!

This is a great way to tour the Chicago River. This 90 minute tour shows the highlights of Chicago architecture. The docent was very nice and knowledgeable. A not to be missed activity. read more

Amazing boat tours. I went for the firework show and everything was awesome. The announcer was well informed on the history of the city and was incredibly entertaining. An excellent experience, would highly recommend! read more

Absolutely fabulous architectural river cruise!!! MaryJo was our tour guide and she was awesome and fun. The tour is 90 minutes long but felt like maybe 30 minutes..so fun we did not realize so much time had passed when they headed back. Nice crew and clean boat!! Also note...not for profit! All proceeds go to the ACC! The only river tour you need to book...book now!! You will not be disappointed!! read more

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So cool! We took the sunset cruise and learned a ton about the city. Great bartender and stunning views! A must do!

I was dying to do a boat tour when I came to Chicago recently and was very happy with this tour. We bought tickets in advance, but you can also buy them right at the dock. You line up to get on the boat, if you're anxious about getting a spot you might want to arrive early, but there was plenty of space on board. Drinks and snacks are available for purchase on board, they have a full bar. I did not get anything, but I saw plenty of people partaking on our tour. The tour guide was excellent, he talked for the entire 90 minute tour and I definitely learned a lot about Chicago and its history. The boat was clean and well maintained. The chairs are those metal mesh like seats, so if you're wearing shorts or skirt, bring something to sit on so you don't end up with an impression on your thighs like I did read more

Great tour! So fun and informative. Bill was an amazing tour guide, very entertaining and educated!

I've been to Chicago at least half a dozen times, and the architectural tour is always a favorite. Most recently, I went on Chicago's First Lady, as it was the closest ticket booth and it didn't disappoint. The guides are volunteers, but seem very passionate and knowledgeable. Worth the time and money every time! read more

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Hope you get Phil. He was incredibly informative and funny. Amazing architectural boat tour. Such a unique way to see one of the greatest cities! read more

The tour was good but one thing really bothered me. They don't pay their docent's. It's nice that they volunteer but seriously, these tours are a hefty $57 per person. They literally can't function without this vital role. No docent, no tour. So why aren't they paying them? Seems lame. read more

excellent time at a friends party on a really nice chicago evening. The staff were polite, the views to die for and the open bar was flowing. Will certainly host or attend another event with them! read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This tour is ABSOLUTELY worth taking. Ronnie-Jo was our tour guide this passed weekend and she was so incredibly knowledgeable and a wonderful story teller. She made my friends and I fall in love with Chicago on only our second day in the city. Thank you to Captain Jordan and the rest of the First Lady crew for a great tour! read more

Came to celebrate our boss's birthday on Wednesday and we had a good time. We could t have asked for a more glorious day to do so. With 13 of us there, we all sat together on the top floor of the boat and cruised down the Chicago river. Tom out docent was great! Very knowledgeable on all Chicago buildings and skyscrapers. And how photogenic is our city!! It didn't disappoint either the sun hitting all the right marks. read more

First Lady - St Regis hotel - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Second time on this tour 9 years since the first time and honestly I could take this tour annually I love it so much. The docents are so incredibly knowledgeable and you learn so much about the major architectural styles and history of Chicago while enjoying a perfect 90 minute cruise! read more

Genuinely one of the worst experiences in my year and a half of living in chicago. Took the ghost tour and not a single person would stop talking, the crew didn't try and do anything to get anyone to stop. The bartender was letting people buy 4 drinks at a time. The speaker system was horrible and you couldn't hear anything unless you were on the top floor of the boat but it was pouring rain so you couldn't stay up there long. Do not recommend, swimming in the chicago river would be more pleasant. Take a tour with Windella instead. read more

The architecture tour was great! The boat was nice, and the guide very clearly knew what she was doing. I took more pictures then I can count! Highly recommend! read more

Bill gave a great tour, drinks were good, had a very fun time overall. Would suggest more morning time tours. read more

First Lady - Boating Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A Great 90 Minutes! Highly recommend this tour. Bathroom and Bar on board help the experience.