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    Shoreline Sightseeing

    4.6 (158 reviews)
    Open • 9:30 am - 9:15 pm

    Shoreline Sightseeing Photos

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    Cocktails on board
    Connie C.

    I always go to this tour when I'm in Chicago! It's the best way to understand the history of the city from the water. Pro tip: take the one at sunset so you can have the day and night views. Watching the city light up is amazing! I love going under the bridges and hearing the history is great!

    Reid, Murdoch & Co. Building
    Mel J.

    Excellent boat tour to learn about different Chicago's architecture and a bit of history. We sat on the top deck during winter (December) and luckily it wasn't raining. However, it was freezing, so dress accordingly. They have small cafe on the lower deck with hot cocoa (can also add Bailey's) that hit the spot against the cold weather. The tour was about an hour but it felt so fast.

    Kathleen D.

    Absolutely book this tour!! I booked it as part of the CityPass. I selected the 75-minute cruise at 6:15 pm thinking it'd be the sunset cruise. In theory, it was. In reality, the sky turned overcast throughout the day. Regardless, our tour guide, Stephanie, kept things interesting! The views were still outrageously cool. I was also glad I brought a cardigan, as even though it was LDW, it got rather chilly on the river. My favorite lore was the St. Regis Hotel by Jeanne Gang and the drift through floors. Anyone who visits Chicago should do an architectural tour - it's very worth it! And the views at night after the sun went down were glorious.

    James K.

    This is a must do if you are in Chicago. Took a 75 min architectural river cruise. Our guide Elliot was amazing. Very knowledgeable and entertaining. Great way to learn about the history, see amazing architecture and see the city. Will do this every time I am in Chicago

    siri g.

    I booked this architecture tour through CityPASS, and it ended up being one of my favorite things I did in Chicago. The tour started right on time, and the entire crew was friendly, organized, and professional. Our guide was knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting facts about Chicago's history, architecture, and the city's iconic buildings. It was the perfect balance of information without feeling overwhelming. If you're visiting in the summer, I'd highly recommend the 7:30 p.m. tour (I went in June). During the 75-minute cruise, you get to experience the city in daylight, during golden hour, and as the skyline begins to light up after sunset. It made for some incredible views and photos. It's a fantastic experience that's enjoyable for all ages and one I'd definitely recommend if you're visiting Chicago.

    rainy day makes people go away
    Chris W.

    As someone who had never been to Chicago I was told that this was one of the "must do" things to get the full experience. Originally I was annoyed that it was going to rain the day that I did it, but that ended up being for the best because it scared a lot of people away. From the look of all the empty chairs they can pack a LOT of people on these boats. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed myself if it was so packed. It was nice that they had restrooms available because this is a lengthy ride. I learned a good deal and got to see some interesting sights. I thought it was worth the time we spent on it.

    Benedict C.

    I got a ticket for Shoreline Sightseeing River Architecture tour via Chicago CityPass. It was easy to book a timeslot through the CityPass app but I'm sure it's not too difficult to secure tickets in other ways. The instructions state to show up at least 15 minutes prior to the time on your ticket and I took that pretty literally. My tour was booked for 5:00PM and showed up at 4:45PM. By the time I got there the line was SUPER long. There's enough seating for everyone but if you want your pick of what seat to sit in you should definitely show up earlier. I ended up sitting on a bench on the side of the boat but I didn't mind at all, it made for good views. Eric, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and he presented the information in a fun and entertaining way. I went towards the end of May and it was a bit chilly so definitely keep an eye on the weather and pack a jacket if it's appropriate. I guess they don't call it "The Windy City" for nothing. There is a bar on the lower deck that serves alcohol and sells some snacks but my girlfriend and I didn't partake. Nice to know it's there as an option though. I'd definitely suggest you go on the tour if you're visiting Chicago. Maybe it'd be fun even for locals that have never done it before. Very enjoyable experience!

    Chicago skyline
    Amy F.

    Such a great Chicago experience! The ride last 75 mins it's and the guide was so informative - sharing trails about the Chicago skyline. Highly recommend!

    Contextualism
    Anmol L.

    We had a blast at the architecture tour. As someone with limited knowledge about architecture, it was great hearing and learning so much about Chicago's history and the intention behind the buildings and city planning. It was so inspiring hearing the story and life's work of Daniel Burnham! He came up with a plan on how to effectly build a city for and set an example with Chicago. It's amazing to see how they implemented his ideas and how beneficial they have been comparing it to other major cities. We learned about the resilience of the people bouncing back from the fire and the meaning behind Chicago flag. It was great hearing from someone that was knowledgeable and passionate about the topic. It is worth spending you time here as a tourist early on your trip so you can witness your lessons while you tour around!

    View from the boat at the beginning
    Aimee A.

    This is the second time I have done an architecture cruise in Chicago. Different company, but just as great. Took family this time. Our tour guide, Joe, was outstanding. Covered a lot of history and explained the relevance of the architecture. Would go again with this company. Took the 10:45am tour - great views and good weather. Utilized the tickets through the C3 pass.

    Eddie R.

    Very impressive and unexpected. We were at a ball game when someone told us about this tour. This was our first time in Chicago and they highly recommended this tour. I looked it up immediately and found this one. I booked it for the next day. The confirmation was easy to follow and find the meeting point. We took the 1030 tour. It was full but not packed. We had Sadie for our guide. She is a local and was super knowledgeable. Her description of every building on the river was super impressive and very informative. She gave us historical information. She gave us information on building codes from past and present, fun facts, and she made it fun. We learned more about Chicago in 1 1/2 hours than i could have learned from a book or a class. Like what the locals did for me, I will tell you, this is a must. This was worth the cost and time we had during our trip. Make the time and take the tour. You will not be disappointed.

    Chicago skyline

    Eric was our tour guide and he did an amazing job. Very fun, very professional and very knowledgeable.

    Brian H.

    Excellent tour of Chicago on the river. Good narrator and plenty places to take beautiful photos and videos. There is a bar downstairs in case you want to grab a ginger ale or brewski. 5 stars!

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    4 months ago

    Great $$, Plenty of room on the boat and wonderful commentator! I would definitely recommend

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    3 months ago

    Sam S. Was great today!!! Very knowledgeable and good humor as well. A+++++++ would love to do this tour again soon.

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    5 months ago

    It was wonderful. Liam (spelling??) was our guide and was HILARIOUS!! The view of the buildings from the river was like no other.

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    5 months ago

    This was one of the cheaper tour options, so my expectations were low - but Josh did an outstanding job! Very informative and entertaining.

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    Shoreline Sightseeing Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Shoreline Sightseeing

    How long does the journey between Navy Pier to Willis Tower usually take?

    The water taxi trip takes about 15-20 minutes.

    Will the water taxi take me from the Navy Pier to Grant Park to the Taste festival on Sunday ??? What much time will this taxi and how off does it run??? how much?

    Thank you for your question. Our water taxi's operate from Navy Pier to Museum Campus(Shedd Aquarium). We will not be operating to Grant Park that weekend due to our tour schedule.

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    Review Highlights - Shoreline Sightseeing

    “The architecture tour with Sarah was very entertaining and relaxing after a long day of traveling and walking.”

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Family Secrets Tour - Frank Jr

    Family Secrets Tour

    5.0(66 reviews)
    0.5 mi•Near North Side

    This was probably one of the best tours I've been on, and my fiancé (who has very high standards…read moreabout these things) agrees. We booked a tour for Saturday at 2 pm. There were some technical difficulties and the TV system on the bus ended up not working. Mr. Frank Calabrese Jr was very professional and good-humored about the situation. He offered everyone on the bus the opportunity to come back free of charge so that we may have the full experience with the photos he had been intending to show us. He proceeded to do the tour without the presentation, which honestly was great in itself. He is a very good story-teller, and had a great narrative. He had notes with him but only referenced them a few times to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. Everything was super authentic and off the cuff. I loved that we went around Chicago and we were able to get glimpses of how the city was like in the 60s-90s. What made this tour so great was that these stories were first-hand. It didn't come from someone who spent hours studying the history; this was his real life. He was very genuine about his experiences, and his anecdote about his kids at the very end of the tour made me tear up a bit. He even invited us to stay for happy hour at the Chop House to have a drink with him to talk. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone, regardless of whether you know the mob history or not. I personally didn't know too much, and still was captivated by his stories. He does have a book (which I definitely intend to read) and a movie in the works!

    I'm a huge fan of true crime and Chicago history, so I'm surprised to say that this was my first…read morecrime tour ever. But everything happens for a reason, and it seems that reason was that I was meant to wait until the perfect one came along -- that, my friends, happened to be the Family Secrets Tour. I met Mr. Calabrese Jr. weeks ago when he presented some of his intriguing life stories at an event at Chicago Chop House, and I knew that evening that I had to book and experience the real deal, aka his bus tours. My friend and I booked a tour for a Friday afternoon recently that started at 2pm, and though there was a bit of a delay because our bus's TV monitors weren't working, Mr. Calabrese Jr. smoothly filled the time with some behind-the-scenes stories he said he usually doesn't share on the tour. I was hooked immediately. To be honest, before this tour, I had no idea the stories his family was involved in were so high-profile (I even talked to my family afterward, and they ALL knew every detail and were mad I didn't invite them! Sorry family!). But even while he showed us news clips, a lot of photos, and told all of his stories, he remained modest, which made the entire experience endearing. Mr. Calabrese Jr. is super charismatic and a great storyteller, and you can tell he genuinely loves telling his story and showing everyone around the neighborhoods where he grew up, and where big moments happened in history to people who were in "the life." I truly enjoyed this tour and I recommend it for anyone who wants an real, honest, non-theatrical recap of Chicago's mob history. The Family Secrets Tour is engaging and delightful. Thank you so much for captivating us, Frank! Can't wait to bring my family along some time!

    Photos
    Family Secrets Tour - Aftermath of the car bomb attached to the underside of Michael Cagnoni's silver 1979 Mercedes-Benz.

    Aftermath of the car bomb attached to the underside of Michael Cagnoni's silver 1979 Mercedes-Benz.

    Family Secrets Tour - Assistant State's Attorney William H. McSwiggin a.k.a. "Hangman Prosecuter"

    Assistant State's Attorney William H. McSwiggin a.k.a. "Hangman Prosecuter"

    Family Secrets Tour - Tina Cruz and Liz Cote with Frank!!

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    Tina Cruz and Liz Cote with Frank!!

    Shoreline Sightseeing - Chicago Fire Department near Navy Pier

    Shoreline Sightseeing

    4.7(1.9k reviews)
    0.6 mi•Near North Side

    A river tour is a must when visiting Chicago! We decided to do Shoreline Sightseeing, and it was…read moresuch a great experience. We were nervous because my mom gets motion sickness easily, and we weren't sure she'd be able to enjoy the tour. Thankfully, the water was calm enough, and she absolutely loved it! The views were beautiful, and we learned so many fun facts about the city along the way. Definitely recommend adding this to your Chicago itinerary!

    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!

    Photos
    Shoreline Sightseeing - The Chicago Architecture Tour boat cruise was amazing!

    The Chicago Architecture Tour boat cruise was amazing!

    Shoreline Sightseeing - Top deck - guide Joe

    Top deck - guide Joe

    Shoreline Sightseeing - View of (former) Sears Tower  See the Chicago's architectural landmarks on this relaxing river tour

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    View of (former) Sears Tower See the Chicago's architectural landmarks on this relaxing river tour

    Charnley-Persky House

    Charnley-Persky House

    3.3(6 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Gold Coast, Near North Side

    One of the many Frank Lloyd Wright houses on our list, we bought tickets while in town…read more I will say apart from the house being somewhat contradictory to many attributes that make up a Wright design, the house was very nice. The tour however was probably one of the weakest I have been to. Our guide was forgetful and really didn't go over the basics with the house as we are accustomed to with Wright tours: commission of the home, Wright himself, change of hands with home, and while walking thru it- design aspects chosen inside the home. There's three levels - you only get to see two, and the second floor is currently an office so it is hard to get a real feel for the place. Easily the weakest tour we have been on

    I love the work of Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, so touring this house made perfect since…read moreas both were involved in its design. The mansion is located in a gorgeous corner of the Gold Coast and represents an important part of the city's architectural story. That being said, it's not the most impressive historic house I've ever been in. In fact, it wasn't the most impressive one I went in on that day. For me, the things that made this tour worth doing were the small details like the windows, doors, wood screen in the hallway, and the fireplace surround. There aren't many rooms and the furnishings are not original. The textured walls seem odd and the lighting has been altered in several places (like he sconces). The tour guide was very knowledgeable, but they don't know much about the original owners due to their private nature. The building is now used as offices, so the upstairs bedrooms contain desks and bookshelves rather than being set as they were intended. It takes some imagination when you walk though them. The house is only open two days a week - Wed and Sat. I bought tickets I advance, but you can probably get them in person most times. I'm glad I went, it the friend who accompanied me thought it wasn't as impressive as the other houses we toured that afternoon.

    Photos
    Charnley-Persky House
    Charnley-Persky House
    Charnley-Persky House

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    Shoreline Sightseeing - architecturaltours - Updated September 2026

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