Kingfisher Charters

(821 reviews)

4.5 mi

Definitely one of the must do while visiting Chicago!…read more Great boat tour with excellent docents. I ended up with a much great understanding of the Chicago buildings I was walking around or through.

My friends and I boarded the Chicago Architecture Center's River Cruise aboard the First Lady on…read moreThursday, July 23rd. We'd pre-purchased our tickets directly with the operator and paid for priority boarding. It took us a few more minutes to arrive than we'd anticipated, but it was easy to find the location the cruise departed from. Luckily, even though they'd already begun boarding the general admission folks, we were allowed to skip the line and our priority boarding was honored. Our guide's name was Russell and he's a volunteer docent. He was wonderful and his explanations were very interesting. It was a great way to get to know the stories behind the buildings and to see the city from a different angle. Highly recommend!

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Amazing right?

Wendella Tours & Cruises

4.4

(1.6k reviews)

4.4 mi

My family and I had such a wonderful time with Wendella Tours and Cruises! Even though the weather…read morewasn't perfect, it actually made our adventure even more special. The friendly and knowledgeable staff went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable, including cleaning the seats for us. Our tour guide was so well-informed and kept us dry, which was really impressive. They even had $5 rain ponchos for sale. The boat had two floors, and those who preferred a more private space could also buy drinks like free spirits and alcoholic beverages. Since this was my very first trip to Chicago, I definitely want to join the tour again. The price was fair, the staff was warm and welcoming, and the relaxed atmosphere made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Plus, I learned so much! Overall, my family had a fantastic time, and we wholeheartedly recommend it!

First time on the architecture boat tour on the recommendation of a bunch of friends who had…read morealready taken the tour in the past. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised. The words "architecture" and "boat tour" don't immediately spell a fun time in my mind. But this tour is 1) a pleasant way to see the center of Chicago from the water, 2) actually interestingly informational, as the tour guides are extremely on top of their game, 3) much more dense that you expect (these guys are talking non-stop), and 4) surprisingly good views, especially when you get all the way out into the edge of the harbor! Finding the place was a bit roundabout, but once we got there, staff were super friendly, and it was easy to get on the boat and off to our next stop afterwards. Parking suggestions on the site are solid too. I'm not sure whether I'd do it again, but I'd definitely recommend it as a must-do stop on any visit!

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Chicago Crime Tours and Experiences

4.5

(352 reviews)

3.9 mi

The crime tour had a lot of stories about some very interesting people. It was a hot day (91+…read moredegrees and humid), and the A/C was woefully inadequate for a full bus. Our host was a young woman who knew her stuff. She never stopped talking unnecessarily, and was a speaker who kept your interest. At the start, she read off a bunch of rules that made her seem unfriendly. The tour seemed a bit rushed to me. I can also understand how some passengers would, if given more time, delay the tour an extra half hour. I wished we could have spent a little more time at the locations

Great tour! Our…read moreguide, Katie, was funny, friendly, and knew so many cool (and creepy) facts about Chicago's crime history. We hit everything from Al Capone and the Chicago Outfit to the Tylenol Killer and the crazy history of Streeterville. Loved hearing about speakeasies like The Bad Apple, the Rock n' Roll McDonald's drama, and wild stories like Johann Hoch and H.H. Holmes. Highly recommend if you love true crime with a side of Chicago history!

You're going to want to get in the safe. You've made worse decisions before, how bad can this one be?

This is Jamie show us where John Dillinger was killed by the "G-Men."

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Chicago Gangsters and Ghosts Tours

4.7

(466 reviews)

4.5 mi

Baylor walked around town telling us all sorts of spooky and gruesome stories. Now, I've been to…read moreChicago several times, but I learned more about locations I thought I already knew! I recommend this tour with hesitation.

We went with Talia and had a superb time! She blended history and stories and facts with lots of…read morehumor and made it a wonderful 2 hours! It was cool to see Chicago's dark history with a lens of corrective measures and lessons learnt. Truly epic! A good amount of walking, so wear good shoes and carry a water bottle.

Another Street view

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Chicago Food & City Tours

(688 reviews)

4.3 mi

Yes,Chef Chicago Food Tour. Our tour guide Casey was great! He was friendly, knowledgeable and make…read morethe tour fun. We had 29 people on our tour. Had a hard time getting a seat to eat at Mr Beef. Very hot and crowded. PizzaLobo portions very small and hardly any cheese on the pizza. Publican Meats. They put out a charcuterie board that was very skimpy. Cheese and Pate. Did not even have enough pate for everyone. Several people did not even get one. This was due to others taking several. They were very small. No room and very cramped quarters too. We felt we filled up on the strawberry donut on the next stop. For the price we paid, it would have been nice to have bigger portions on the main food and not the sweets.

My wife and I had an amazing time on the Yes, Chef! Chicago: A Bear-Inspired Food Tour. Our guide,…read morePhilip Winston, truly made the experience memorable. Dressed in a white T-shirt and blue apron--just like the chefs from The Bear--he immediately set the tone for the tour. His enthusiasm was contagious, and throughout the experience he shared fascinating facts, behind-the-scenes stories, and local anecdotes that kept everyone engaged from start to finish. At each stop, the food was ready and quickly distributed, so we spent more time enjoying the experience and less time waiting. Every sample was delicious and showcased why Chicago has such an incredible food scene. Whether you're a fan of The Bear, a foodie, or simply looking for a fun way to explore Chicago's culinary culture, I highly recommend this tour. And if you're lucky enough to have Philip Winston as your guide, you're in for an outstanding experience!

Mr. Beef beef sandwich with hot peppers

Pizza Lobo pepperoni pizza

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Our tour guide in a local temple.

Chicago Detours

4.9

(272 reviews)

3.7 mi

During Parents' Weekend at the University of Chicago, the university offered tours of the…read moreneighborhood through Chicago Detours. My wife did this tour a couple years ago and highly recommended it, but I wasn't especially interested because I had also gone to school here and figured I knew enough about Hyde Park already. However, she insisted that it would be worth our while and so I agreed to climb on the bus. And it was the absolutely right decision, because the tour was excellent. In fact, it wasn't just a tour of Hyde Park. It included the surrounding neighborhoods of Washington Park, Kenwood, Jackson Park, and Woodlawn. Since this was a UChicago sponsored event much of the information related to the University's investment and involvement in the area. Our tour guide and founder of Chicago Detours, Amanda, is herself a graduate of UChicago and thus she had some additional insight into the relationship with the community. Though the 75-minute tour felt a little slow-going at times, there was much to learn about the vibrant but sometimes troubled history of the area. Amanda has tremendous knowledge and the excursion was both fascinating and entertaining. I can imagine that Chicago Detours would have equally interesting tours of other neighborhoods in this diverse city.

Virtual tours are such a cool thing to do right now. I attended a Yelp Elite event that was a…read morevirtual food tour of Chicago. It was incredibly informative and a good balance of history and current trends. Looking forward to attending more virtual tours, like the World's Fair and the Cruise From Your Couch Boat Tour. I loved seeing the pictures of the in-person tours and can't wait to attend some of those too.

On an architecture tour, you'll venture into spaces many locals don't know

Enjoy drinks in opulent settings like the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel on the 1893 World's Fair Walking Tour with Bars and Food.

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Historic Walking Tour with Bars- drink, learn, eat, explore.

Chicago Prohibition Tours

(98 reviews)

4.8 mi

My grandmother and I were in Chicago for 3 days, and decided to do the walking prohibition tour on…read moreMonday. We were a bit apprehensive due to the weather - it was supposed to be very rainy with scattered thunderstorms. It ended up raining for only an hour, I'm so glad we did it! John, the tour guide is very knowledgeable in all things prohibition. We ended up being the only people who booked so it became more personable and conversational than a normal tour might go. We had a fabulous time overall! All 3 establishments had wonderful service and spectacular drinks! 100/10 would recommend this tour to anyone! You'll find it interesting regardless if you consider yourself a "history buff" or not.

Best tour I've ever been on. I recommend it to anyone going to Chicago. We learned so much and had…read morea great time.

Pamphlet

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Weird Chicago Tours

3.9

(193 reviews)

4.1 mi

Recommend. I made reservations online, and just needed your email receipt. We did the three o'clock…read moreSpeakeasy tour on a Saturday. We hopped on the tour bus at McDonalds and took off. Our guide, Eric, was fabulous. Being a high school history teacher was a big plus in his knowledge and exciting presentation. Only ten people are on a tour, so the group is intimate and easy to get through the old buildings. You buy your own drinks at the bars, or don't drink at all. There is no food. We had a good time learning some history of Prohibition. As fun and something touristy to do, this event is a bit cheesy, Hubby wanted me to add. We laughed. It was fun.

We did the 7pm - ghost and gangsters tour. Tour guide was very knowledgeable, great ghost stories…read morearound the city! We were on a bus and got off at stops to take pics, look around. I wish they would have taken us inside a spooky room, inside the Jane hull house or inside theater. It would have given more depth to tour. We try to take our teens somewhere different and this was something they had never done before. I recommend it.

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Chicago Architecture Center

A neat small place to learn about Chicago architecture and it's development, with short…read more timelines on the walls and miniature model of the city and another ofWrigley Field. I bought a perfect, sturdy canvas bag labeled Chicago Architecture Center.

The museum has great models of Wrigley field and downtown. There is a video that discusses the…read moreevolution of the city. There are interactive displays that describe prominent buildings, architects , and architectural styles in Chicago. A good place to learn about Chicago architecture!

The Chicago City Model Experience is the star attraction in the Chicago Gallery, featuring more than 4,000 buildings & interactive elements.

The stunning Drake Family Skyscraper Gallery on the 2nd floor of the CAC.

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The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady Cruises is consistently voted the #1 tour in Chicago.

Shoreline Sightseeing

4.7

(1.9k reviews)

4.5 mi

Eric was a very good speaker and staff war very nice, the entire thing was very informative thank…read moreyou guys so much!

This tour was on the top 10 list of our things to do in Chicago. I researched all the boat…read morecompanies that offered the Chicago architecture boat cruises and Shoreline Sightseeing came out hands down #1 for us in tour length, type of cruises, accessibility and in price for what you got. Best deal. Our tour guide was happy, energetic, and very knowledgeable about Chicago because he was born and raised there. We chose the 75 minute, 4pm Chicago River tour and it covered a lot! We never lost interest and learned about Chicago's history. It is well worth it! Our Architecture River Tour boat departed from the dock at Navy Pier. We learned that their boats are the most accessible at this location. Their boats can accommodate wheelchairs up to 30-inches wide. Your wheelchair must be able to navigate a ramp with a 2-inch step at one end. I needed one that was kind to my knees. Best to call them for more details. They were very helpful whenever we called them. Their boats are both double-decker and single-level boats, and there is generally no protection from the sun, rain, or wind. There is a small bar on the main level. Restrooms are located on the lower deck, which is accessible only via stairs from the upper deck. Enjoy! It's amazing!

The Chicago Architecture Tour boat cruise was amazing!

Top deck - guide Joe

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Merchandise mart

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve

4.5

(162 reviews)

23.3 mi

Well maintained. Not too crowded…read more Challenging enough on a bike for me. Beautiful and well maintained trails that are well marked. Love it. If you're out of shape this place can whip you back into shape if you let it.

Waterfall Glen is a beautiful display of nature. Trails offer a robust adventure. Two parking lots,…read moreone off of Cass Avenue and the other off of Lemont Road.

Brown-eyed Susan

Creeping bellflower

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East Bank Club

4.0

(354 reviews)

4.3 mi

Gorgeous health club!! My friend belongs here and I joined her for dinner at the restaurant/grill…read more The food was tasty and excellent service. I was given a 90 minute pass for dinner and they seem strict on the time. My friend also gave me a tour. It's an impressive space!! About 450,000 square feet, spanning across 2 full city blocks and 5 levels. They have everything you can think of: pools (4 pools!), saunas, restaurants, tennis, golf, basketball, boxing, group glasses, weights, machines, pickleball, spa, hair and nail salon, indoor running track, co-working space, and so much more. Beautiful artwork, pristine locker rooms and restrooms. Wow! High ceilings and so much space overall. Nothing felt crowded. Beautiful design and layout. I was in awe and very impressed.

(Kari's Rating 7.5/10)…read more TLDR -Up-to-Date equipment -Work from home spaces -Convenient Healthy Market Came with a friend to hang out on a Wednesday around 5:30pm to see what East Bank Club is all about. After seeing all the crazy amenities which were super cool with a ton of variety, I think the thing that surprised me the most is how up-to-date all of the equipment was and the variety of activities they had for people to enjoy. If you're looking for an all encompassing workout/work space, this is it! They have everything from full-size tennis courts, to a golf simulator-like set up,except you get to hit into an inflatable pillow! They also had plenty of Pickleball courts, and they offer so many different workout group classes.both a wet and dry, sauna, and tons of treadmills and free weights. I was also really impressed that they also had a physical training area. So think something that was my personal favorite and the best thing for Chicago Summers is a beautiful rooftop pool and lounge area. Not only did they have two outdoor pools (one for adults and one for kids) but they also have an indoor pool as well for winter as well as an indoor hot tub! They also had a common area workspace where people can come to take meetings and do their work from home gigs. You could practically move in here haha! As of right now, it is a $750 new membership fee as well as $295 a month, which is a pretty hefty chunk of change if you ask me considering most of the high rises around, have some kind of rooftop pool and workout area. It is cheaper if you join with a domestic partner or if you're between the ages of 16 and 29-see pic for current pricing. They also sometimes host social events which is super fun to meet everyone else in the club, but at the same time I think it is more of an investment in your future and your future health if you can afford it! I will not be joining at the moment, but hey-that could change anytime if I decide I should be on a health kick.

The Sundeck in season on the East Bank rooftop

Showtime Cycle Studio

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The North Outdoor Pool

Meadowlark Golf Course

3.8

(24 reviews)

16.2 mi

Course was in good shape and staff are friendly. It's unremarkable to play but generally wide open…read moreand easy to walk. Pace was slow. Plenty of carts available. There's a grill setup on hole 4 with all the usuals you'd expect and the porta-potty is accessible from a couple different holes. The clubhouse bathrooms are gross. Price is good.

9-hole course. The staff is very accommodating and nice. No external alcohol allowed, but they do…read moresell snacks and drinks on site. Golf carts available for reservation. The brush around the course is pretty thick because it's located in a forest preserve, making your chances of losing balls higher.

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UIC Student Recreation Facility

4.0

(28 reviews)

5.5 mi

Great facility open year around BUT CLOSED FOR SCHOOL…read moreHOLIDAYS! Spa and sauna are super nice. The rec app says there is a Pilates reformer but no classes to sign up. Testing to find out if true.

**UIC Swim Classes: A Budget-Friendly Option for Kids**…read more We enrolled in UIC Swim Classes for our 1.5-year-old and found it to be a solid, budget-friendly option. At $22 per session, the classes offer structured swim lessons at a more affordable rate compared to other local options. There is a chill vibe that works great for a 1st learner, but the level of rigor is lower than Goldfish so we switched there once we got off their wait list. Classes are sold in 5 week packages, and reschedules are not typically allowed. The class structure follows a set sequence of exercises. Instructors are friendly, but engagement is inconsistent. While they guide kids through various activities, the level of encouragement and feedback varies, with some instructors mentally checking out after providing initial directions. The UIC facility itself is quite nice - The water is comfortably warm and there are changing areas. Parking is available but paid for a few dollars. Note that your access is restricted to within 15 minutes of class time, so don't go too early. Though there are fewer opportunities for underwater practice and confidence-building dips, the parent/tot classes are primary about getting your kid comfortable in water. Overall, UIC Swim Classes deliver decent value for the price, though parents seeking a more intensive training that will get kids swimming faster may want to explore Goldfish.

The front desk area with a climbing wall. Pretty solid and clean!

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Pool

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Rob M.

11 years ago

I recently took a group of four colleagues on a fishing charter using Kingfisher Charters. Captain Pat and First Mate Marcus were excellent. They were extremely flexible and helpful throughout the entire trip. Our journey started with a forty minute ride out to 100 feet of water, shortly after Pat and Marcus dropped the lines we began to catch Lake Trout. In under two hours we hit our limit of 12 Trout, all weighing 15-18 lbs. We then headed back towards shore to fish for the now spawning Salmon and Brown Trout. Unfortunately we only caught one Brown Trout after our hot streak. Fortunately we had Pat and Marcus to keep everyone entertained and upbeat. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and I will definitely be back. I recommend Kingfisher Charters to anyone looking for a convenient charter out of Chicago or looking to entertain clients/customers. read more

Charles C.

7 years ago

Chicago may not be the first place you think of when planning a fishing trip but maybe it should especially if you only have a day to do a quick excursion. They took us 15 miles out into the lake, and we caught more fish than we knew what to do with. My brother and his two sons came to Chicago to see a concert and had an extra day, so we chartered a boat captained by Kevin and Marcus. We couldn't have had a better time. Although my brother and I grew up fishing, we've only been out on a chartered boat like this one other time and that was years ago so having guides like Kevin and Marcus was great. They were very knowledgeable and great guys to boot. We lost our first three fish, but with some good instruction from Kevin and Marcus, we ended up reeling in 17 fish: lake trout, silver and king salmon. read more

Danielle F.

8 years ago

Captain Ian took four of us out for a full day of sunshine and fishing this past Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. We had such a blast!! Ian is incredibly dedicated, knowledgeable, and committed to the group not only catching fish, but having a good time. From our perspective, other charter boats view Ian with respect and he was able to direct them to the fish we were catching. We caught well over 100 pounds of fish, to include lake trout, coho, and rainbow trout. Will definitely book again with Ian, and I couldn't recommend him enough. Wonderful experience for all of us. read more

DennisAnn G.

8 years ago

We decided to charter Kingfisher Charters for me and my three sons and am I glad we did! Capt.Jeff Ewing and First Mate Sherrie Lynn were fun and did they know their business!! Fish started hitting 20 minutes in and didn't stop! Between the four of us, we caught fifteen fish and had a total of four of the five species we were fishing for! I am so impressed with Kingfisher, I wouldn't go out on the lake with anyone else! Thank you Kingfisher Charters and thank you Capt. Jeff Ewing and First Mate Sherrie Lynn for the best day of my life! Sincerely, Dennis R. Gries read more

Austin B.

111

9 years ago

We fished with them yesterday from 12:00-6:00. Ian was a awesome captain and Paul was a great mate. We caught our limit of salmon! We also caught a 6 lb brown trout and a 5.8 lb Lake Trout. I've been fishing on a lot of chartered trips all over and these guys are top notch! They exceeded our expectations for sure! It's awesome that you can go on this type of trip in the heart of one of the biggest cities in America! We will definitely be back! It was our favorite thing we did in Chicago! read more

Alan S.

358

10 years ago

Kingfisher was recommended to me by another charter as I was looking for a last minute fishing trip while in town for work. I definitely lucked out as their Saturday am trip had cancelled last minute. Ian was an amazing captain and great to fish with, not to mention the fact that we limited out and threw back at least 10 and lost another 5. Enough to make my arm sore in 3 hours. I would highly recommend these guys. But don't wait til last minute like I did, they book up pretty far out. read more

Colman M.

10 years ago

I have fished with Capt Ian and Capt Kevin twice now and they are the best! We caught a ton of fish, almost our limit, and the Captains are laid back and fun to hang with on the boat. Their knowledge and experience are clear and they are happy to answer questions and help you learn how to reel 'em in. I set up a bachelor party for a 6 hr trip and we had a blast. If you are looking for a true Chicago and fishing experience, these are your guys. read more

Christy T.

7 years ago

Captain Jeff and 1st mate Sherrie are the best! This was a one of the best fishing excursions we've had. Jeff was amazing with his passion and knowledge of fishing. Sherrie made sure we had everything we needed and wanted. From the food, the fishing and site seeing these two are the best!!! I will definitely be booking another trip with them. Thank you so much Jeff & Sherrie for going above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be :) read more

Kandace Y.

211

8 years ago

We have been on a few charter fishing trips before and this one was the best that we've been on. Kevin and Jeff were awesome! They made sure we had a great time and knew exactly what they were doing and had intel on the hot spots. We caught 5 lake trout and 17 coho salmon in a 6 hour period. We would definitely come again and would recommend this to anyone! read more

Dan W.

8 years ago

Captain Ian Stewart and his first mate Marcus were the best! They made the trip fun and they knew what they were doing. We caught King Salmon, Coho , lake trout and steelhead. We boated 26 and kept 19. And lost a few at the boat. The took extra effort to get me a lake trout . If you want to catch fish and have a great time, Book these guys!!! read more

Peter D.

11 years ago

Had an excellent morning out with Captain Patrick. We caught the maximum amount of trout for 6 people, have my freezer stocked for the next few months. Patrick was great, particularly since he was working solo, and aside from a couple of us suffering effects from the choppy waters, we had a lot of fun and look forward to heading back out in the spring read more

Bobbi W.

5 years ago

This was an Awesome day for our family! Captain Kevin and Marcus were the best, they found the fish and we filled the boat with our limit, with time to spare. They are Amazing at what they do and clearly love to help others have a good time. I highly recommend them! read more

Jerry S.

5 years ago

We had a wonderful time on the lake today, the weather was perfect and the fish were biting. Captain Kevin had us on the fish right from the start. He obviously knows his job and the lake area well. Our party of five just about maxed out on lake trout and salmon. read more

Ron B.

8 years ago

Kingfisher Capt Kevin and 1st Mate Marcus Are on their game. They put us on the meat .Great guys and even better fisherman. I would highly recommend this charter . They go above and beyond . Thank you guys Ron Beyers read more

Richard V.

10 years ago

what a successful day of fishing on the lake. thanks to Kevin for putting us on the fish all day. read more

Kingfisher Charters - tours - Updated August 2026

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I want to both thank and commend Captain Gintas of Angler Charters ( Angler-Charters.com ) for a…read morewonderful fishing / camaraderie experience last Tuesday morning. We all caught our limit of LARGE coho Salmon during our trip....and had an absolute blast doing so. At one point four of us had fish on simultaneously! Landed 'em all. How cool is that? I'm not new to fishing, and I asked Captain why we were using some different lures than last year. It all has to do with water conditions, depth of fish etc. He then rattles off the different lures on 5-6 of the rods we were using without even thinking about it.....he knows his stuff! You don't become a repeat customer unless you enjoy your first experience. Right? We had a great time last year...so we decided to book with Captain Gintas again. Glad we did and we'll be back! Rich M

Another great fishing trip with Captain Gintas! We were invited to fish with a documentary film…read morecrew on his boat. The crew was looking to film charter fishing on Lake Michigan and chose Captain Gintas over all the other charter services. He definitely did not disappoint. They got the footage they needed, and we took home more than enough salmon and trout. Win Win for all.

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They know what they are doing ! Fishing in Chicago was a…read morehuge success. Brian and Jeff were the perfect charter for some "catching". We limited out on Lake Trout ! They are experts at their trade. Storm Warning is worth the time !!!

Tall Ship Windy

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One of the best things I did while visiting Chicago! I booked the 8:30 p.m. Tall Ship Windy sail,…read moreand it was worth every penny. We left around 8:30 to 8:45, and by the time the 9:00 p.m. fireworks started, we had a front row view from the water. It was absolutely incredible. The captain and crew were friendly, welcoming, and did an amazing job. The ship wasn't overcrowded, so there was plenty of room to walk around and take in the views. Watching the fireworks with the Chicago skyline in the background was unforgettable. After the fireworks, we sailed under the night sky with the sails up and great music playing. It honestly felt like I was in the Caribbean, except with an amazing city skyline all around us. I'm from New York and was in Chicago for work, and I have to say this was even more impressive than seeing the New York skyline from the water. I also own a sailboat, so I really appreciated how well the crew handled the ship. One of my favorite parts was that guests could even help hoist the sails. There was a full bar with a really good rum punch, and so many great spots to take pictures of the sunset and the skyline. The crew was also happy to take photos for people. If you're going, get to Navy Pier early and enjoy the restaurants and drinks before your sail. This is great for families, couples, or even if you're traveling by yourself like I was. It's a unique experience that you won't get on one of the regular tour boats. I would absolutely do this again the next time I'm in Chicago.

Staff was so amazing and kind, relaxing way to see the city on a calm and quiet sailboat so much funread more

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(9 reviews)

I've only been on a fishing boat once before this trip and after this trip I am now spoiled. I…read morebooked this trip to take out some clients of mine from the Chicago area so that we could have an afternoon of fishing and hanging out without having to talk business. The day ended up being one of the best days I've had with a client in recent memory. Every one of us caught a fish or a few and had a blast doing it! Captain John and his mate Patrick were incredibly knowledgable and got us involved from the moment we met them in the harbor. Captain Johns passion about being on the water and knowledge about the fish in Lake Michigan was extensive to say the least. Captain John was also very helpful leading up to the trip with prompt email replies and messages. A little about the boat; the boat was in great shape. Extremely clean inside and out. With a nice bathroom, AC, cable TV (not that we watched any), nice kitchen and seating area you cannot go wrong with choosing this company. If you are looking for an exceptional day on Lake Michigan fishing with family, friends or clients this is definitely the charter you want to book!

I just went out with Captain John for my third time and he is 3 for 3! We went out at 2pm on Friday…read moreand the weather was phenomenal. The boat is in perfect shape and as clean as can be. We stored food and beverages in the kitchen and hung out on the front of the boat till we hit the fishing spot. John and Patrick set up all of the lines and bait and had the rods in the water in just a few minutes. We caught 8 fish, 2 even after we took our picture! The ride back to city during the sunset was beautiful. Patrick filleted the fish on our way back and had our salmon and trout cleaned and ready to go by the time we got off the boat. We cooked our fish that night and it was delicious. It was one of the best days of summer without a doubt! I highly recommend!

Playin' Hooky Charters

(1 review)

Fishing with captain John changed my life, i'm an experienced bass angler and this was my first…read moretime fishing Lake Michigan we hit our limit and drank some beers. Overall this was the best fishing charter I've ever delt with and will definitely be back for more.

SS Charters Chicago

(6 reviews)

Included everything to make sure everything was perfect and easy going. All the girls from the…read morebachelorette party wish to go back! Thank you for making everything enjoyable for everyone!

Booked Captain Tom's Penalty Box for my boyfriend's Birthday! Sent out information on Tom's website…read moreand Tom got back at me the next day. Whenever I have questions I'll just text Tom and he usually replies pretty quick. We scheduled the cruise at 3 but we didn't get to the harbor until almost 4 due to traffic. Tom is very understanding. We brought some food and drinks and Tom has a cooler with ice ready on the boat. Started off with a Chicago river cruise. My boyfriend got a bit sea sick when we were cruising on the lake... what can I say, freaking Chicago wind, but the river cruise is calm and nice. Caption Tom is patient to explain all the functions of the boat (wow two engines) and other interesting facts about Michigan Lake and Chicago river. We got caught in the rain for a bit but lucky the boat has a roof and we brought cards. When we got back on the lake the sun came out again so we stayed a while for a little lake front swim party... kinda funny since my boyfriend can't swim. Tom eventually find a rope to tie to his life vest so he had fun. Finished off the cruise at around 8 as we planed. Great day! Highly recommended!

The Salty Dog Sailing Co.