We're generally not big on things like sight-seeing and museums, but this was our second visit to Chicago, we love visiting this city and thought a boat tour might be an interesting way to see even more of it and to learn a bit about the buildings, people and architecture. We checked a few different tour companies who's boats depart from the lower end of the Chicago River. One had longer tours than we really wanted and were somewhat expensive, another operator had much shorter tours of only 45 minutes and were reasonably priced but were sold out for another 2 days, and then we found this company, Shoreline Sightseeing, which offered 75 minute tours for $49.95 which was reasonable. The tour was interesting, cruising along 3 different branches of the river, and the narrator/guide gave details and historical information about many of the buildings. The guide on our boat was a lifelong Chicago resident, so knowledgeable, and he took a few breaks and made himself available for questions or if anyone wanted information or details that weren't included in his usual banter during the cruise. They also had a bar downstairs where drinks and snacks could be purchased. In all a good experience and I'd recommend Shoreline for the length of trip vs. price. Also, on the Friday we did our tour, we were able to book our tickets and depart within the next 5 minutes - or we could've waited for later departures which happen every 1/2 hour. read more

The most amazing tour, I learned so much. The buildings are beautiful and very interesting when explained why they look that way and the evolution of the designs. The boat had a great tour guide, she was funny! The bar in the boat was good too, I had a strawberry margarita. We were scheduled for the sunset tour but we could not find the place and it was raining so we gave up the first night. We found it later that night and they allowed us to schedule for the next day. 10/10 read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

i've gone on a lot of tours and a lot of different cities, but this architectural tour on the river was exceptionally good. The Docent (Joel) was excellent. His knowledge was exceptional every now and then you get an expert on one of these tours that not only has the knowledge, has the perfect personality for the job, joel was this guy. read more

On the advice of my cousin we booked a tour at twilight (645) which was perfect. Our tour set out while there was daylight and proceeded into sundown which allowed for the lights of the buildings to sparkle against the clear evening. Under the guidance of our excellent narrator, Vincent (?), it was a great trip. He didn't hold back on what he thought of some of the buildings to come. His openness in sharing his knowledge was wonderful. Highly recommend this time of day and provider for an iconic architectural river tour is a must read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Beautiful! - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went on the architecture tour and it was wonderful! Our guide was great and we learned so much about the city. There are restrooms and a full bar inside. Seating is first come first serve, so would get there 20-30 min early if you want to sit at the front. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We did the 75 minute Chicago River Boat Architecture Tour. We just walked right up, paid and hopped right on the boat. I can't remember the tour guides name but I want to say Charlie. He was 34 years old and from the west side. He gave us a great experience and we learned so much about the architecture of the buildings. He provided fun commentary and kept my interest the whole time. The view from the boat was much prettier than I imagined and more than I saw on the streets. The boat itself was a very smooth ride. read more

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Just getting to the launching area was a lot of walking. And if you didn't know about any elevators to get you to the Riverwalk level, there are lots and lots of stairs. Once on the boat, it was quite noisy and you couldn't avoid the smell of diesel exhaust. In addition the narrator of the cruise was a little out of sync as we approached a building bridge or site. And her voice on the speakers was not clear over the noise of the cruise ship. However still a lovely experience. read more

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We have used this company twice. There are two pickup locations, off Michigan Avenue or Navy Pier. I will make a note that you cannot get on at one location and off board at the other location. So just keep that in mind. There is a water taxi though. I think that the docent, Liam was very good at cracking dad jokes, very history informative and overall enjoyed the vibe. The only issue I do have is the bar area. I do not feel that the bartender on staff during our excursion was as educated in simple drinks. read more

We took the tour with Jim as the guide, and it was amazing, really cool information and entertaining. Highly recommend it read more

Booked this tour because we wanted to see as much of Chicago as possible and being on a boat makes seeing things 75% more awesome. The boat is easy to get to, at the front of Navy Pier, and easy walking distance from downtown hotels. The tour itself was very interesting. Eric was our tour guide and he did an amazing job. He gave us lots of really neat information about the architecture and history of the city. He even sang at one point, which was pretty good. This tour is absolutely worth the time and money spent if you're visiting from out of town and want to learn more about the history of the city. read more

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I was really disappointed with the tour guide. He only pointed out buildings on the right side of the boat. If you're sitting on the left side you only get to see the bottom first floor of buildings because of the roof on the back of the boat. Unless you stand at the back of the boat and stick your head out you're not getting the best experience. Even the fireworks at the end were on the right hand side. If he would have alternated between sides it would have given everyone on the boat the chance to view the buildings as he was talking about them. read more

Captain Wheeler,Deckhand Yosef made my birthday awesome! Helped my family with our super large wagon stroller . WAITED patiently for us to transport our gear down the stairs. VERY friendly and social ,they come highly recommended. read more

Their "booze cruises" are a scam. $50 to get on the boat and $18 drinks. The boat is gross and there's not enough seating for everyone. You're better off chartering a boat for your friends where you can bring your own food and alcohol. read more

My friend and I booked the lake skyline tour at 7:15pm specifically to catch the sunset at 7:26pm. We planned to arrive by 7pm per the directions and completely missed the confirmed time because as you see in the pictures, the address provided and hyperlinked is in a completely different location than the actual check in and departure area (a solid 10 min walking distance and we were basically jogging). Because of this, the next available time was 8pm, when it was already dark. The 1-star is because this seems like a simple fix in the confirmation email to provide hyperlinked coordinates instead that is accurate to the actual location and matches the picture in the confirmation email to avoid any confusion. The boat ride itself was perfectly fine. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - The address linked in the confirmation email is NOWHERE close to the actual check in area. - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had an amazing experience on the Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Tour! Our tour guide, Sam, was absolutely fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable, shared so much fascinating history about Chicago's architecture, and made the entire tour engaging and fun with his great sense of humor. The perfect mix of education and entertainment! We learned so much while enjoying the beautiful views. If you're visiting Chicago, this tour is a must, and if you get Sam as your guide, you're in for a real treat. Highly recommend! read more

Great architectural tour of the city from the river. Our guide was funny and very knowledgeable of everything. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Shoreline Sightseeing provides wonderful Chicago architecture tours! I have enjoyed their tours many times over the years. Their docents are a wealth of Chicago knowledge, and are very good presenters and teachers. The scenic courses the Shoreline Sightseeing boat tours take through the city are remarkable and beautiful. Thank you to Shoreline Sightseeing for being a wonderful part of Chicago and of Illinois. God bless. read more

What a great way to see and hear history of Chicago. Tour guide Jamie was excellent. Would have enjoyed some moving air with a fan as it was extremely hot on our tour day and time. Shade under bridges was welcome. read more

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Great tour! I believe the guides name was Andrew. Very knowledgeable on the buildings we saw. Highly recommend doing this tour. Great time. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Chicago Rver. Boarding area for tour. - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

20/10. The vibes were nice, the weather; great and the tour guide; very knowledgeable and funny. Booked on Viator and arrived early, did some sightseeing around the area then went on board. Daytime is nice but during sunset? Chefs Kiss read more

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When I was researching things to do on our trip to Chicago mid-September, everyone said THE thing to do was go on the architecture tour, especially when the weather calls for it. This was without a doubt our favorite activity in Chicago. I had already purchased a Chicago city pass, and we chose the Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour. Of the options that you get to choose from, this is also the most expensive choice, which means it is DEFINITELY worth it if you have the city pass. I picked a time that was a little closer to sunset when reserving the tickets, and the sight was fantastic. The tour lasted around an hour and a half. Our tour guide was Ricky. He was very confident, clear, and humorous. On the tour, you learn a lot about the buildings, and you may think, well that's boring, how much can they really tell you? Well...they tell you a LOT. It was so fun to learn about the architectural history of Chicago and how building designs got to where they are today. It was very informative, and the view is simply amazing. This is something that you can't miss. Even if this is for tourists, it's not one of those overpriced tourist traps. It's so worth it! The nice thing too is that even if you've been before, the tour will have a lot more information later on as more buildings get constructed. You best believe I'll be going back in the future. If you have the chance, go for a walk around Navy Pier before or after the tour as well. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Chicago Skyline - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Everything went well! I booked an evening tour to get both daylight and night views. It was perfectly timed and worked out. As much as I liked the ride, I did start getting antsy and was ready to get off. But it was a long day of sightseeing so keep that in mind if you book a late tour. The guide was a very entertaining fellow and full of Chicago history. Having a financial background, I enjoyed being close to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. I was about to hop off that boat and try to find me a job lol. There were other exciting buildings to view as well. Tip: buy the Chicago city pass, it's included. read more

Architecture Tour at Navy Pier I could write a short story of how phenomenal and exciting this was. All these skyscrapers on or near the river. Our tour guide was so knowledgable with just the right amount of humor. He named the various European architects that designed the various skyscrapers. He pointed out 3 buildings with a short one in between, called Danny Devito between two models. Took a zillion pictures that could be suitable for framing. I felt like a child going to Disneyland the first time. My pics say it all. CITY PASS You can upgrade to the water taxi service for $12 that is good for 24 hours from the time u upgrade. You see the same skyscrapers just without the tour guide. You miss so many sights taking Uber, this is the way to travel and u save money. The staff is so friendly and help you navigate to other stops you might have to transfer to as well as the schedule. Michigan Ave stop drops you off at the Magnificent Mile, so much to see and do on foot. Shout out to Captain who contacted our transfer water taxi to wait for us at the transfer dock. If in Chicago it would be a shame not to do this tour. I would rate them a 10 if I could. read more

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I took a 75 minute cruise and loved every second! I wish i had booked a longer one! Josh, our guide, was excellent! He was knowledgeable and funny. The cruise covered interesting facts about the history of Chicago along with insight into the history of the ever changing architecture. it was comfortable and clean and on time!! read more

Great experience. We did the architecture river tour. Make sure to come a bit early before your reservation time or else you may get a bad spot on the boat under the canopy if it fills up which makes it hard to take good pictures or view buildings on the other side of the boat. The tour guide was very warm and uplifting. He did a great job. The people working the ticket booth were very helpful as well. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - View from the boat - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We took the Architecture Tour on the Chicago River. Kevin was our tour guide. He was full of interesting information and lots of energy! He made the trip so fun! You could tell he truly loved his job. He made jokes and had us laughing and having a good time. At the end of the tour, he played some Chicago Blues on his harmonica! He gave us all a great experience! read more

I haven't done an architectural boat tour in over a decade and this was my favorite Chicago architectural boat tour experience I've been on! I was also very lucky to enjoy this tour on a rare warm 80F day in late October. The boat was easy to locate and instructions were clear. Our tour guide/narrator gave a phenomenal performance and tour. He even sang a song that he wrote himself to help us better remember some architectural history. Views of our lovely city on the cruise were also breathtaking! If you haven't been downtown in a while or seen the newly erected buildings over the pandemic, doing a boat cruise with Shoreline is a fun way to do it! read more

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

This was a great way to see the city and get some perspective on the history of the area. Our tour guide kept us interested and informed. read more

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This tour was a lot of fun and it is one of a kind. The meet up point was across the street from our previous tour but it was not hard to find. We approached one of the employees and he told us where to go to get in line. We had arrived about 20 mins before the tour time so we stood in line along with everyone else. (right in front of the Apple store along the wall) Check in was easy. Right before we boarded, we took a group picture and headed right on. It was a super hot and sunny day so we head right down to the bottom floor for some much needed shade. We sat on a bench so we were able to hang out on one of the sides of the boat and look out. The tour started shortly after boarding and we had a very friendly narrator giving us the 411 about the buildings and their history. The tour was a long one and we even took a little nap... The sun defeated us. The ride was very relaxing, smooth, and calm. We saw a lot of buildings we had yet not seen yet and we learned a lot of interesting facts. It was totally worth the visit and I would definitely do it again. We ended up purchasing our group photo because it was very cute! read more

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Military discount! Cha Ching! Ran into the booth across from the Wrigley building and it was organized and timely. Great area to wait where there's Apple Store, Chicago tribune etc. there's lower level where we stayed for shade and upper level. The guide tour was very knowledgeable and seeing the sites while sitting and not braving the heat was a plus! Highly recommended! read more

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There's a reason I'm making student loan payments to Suntan U and the Fighting Owls, and put up with late nights when we didn't have gourmet coffee on campus. I love my profession, and seeing something come from a piece of paper or computer screen to reality. Add in boats and I'm definitely there! In addition to the waking tour, I also took an architectural boat tour down the Chicago River with Shoreline Sightseeing. Sam, my tour guide, was educational and funny in going over buildings old and new that grace the Chi, and giving a different perspective on some of the same buildings I saw on the walking tour. The boat itself is similar to the one we have here in Bayside for our tours and salsa cruises, and I was fortunate enough to get a seat on the upper deck. The fact that it felt about 50 degrees with the breeze? No problem as they have hot cider and light blankets for sale! My tour departed from the Michigan Avenue pier, proceeded to Wolf Point (where the River branches off into the North and South branches) and then back to the lock with Lake Michigan where I saw the Navy Pier and a Chicago FD fire boat. Sam gave us a refresher on architectural history and accurate summary of some of the styles: art deco (vertical pinstripes), contextualism (lining up view lines with adjacent buildings) and modern architecture (can be placed anywhere). Sam also pointed out cool trivia such as which buildings were featured in movies. Some of the more notable buildings I saw included a closer view of the Marina City "Corn Cobs", the Tribune building, Harry Weese's River Cottages, the Art-Deco style Civic Opera Building, a cool abandoned coal plant and the woman-designed (Jeanne Gang) Wave Tower. read more

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We had a great architecture tour with shoreline. Our reservation wasn't too crowded at 12:15pm on a Saturday. Tickets were easy to snag online the night before, and boarding was easy - we arrived about 10 minutes before departure, which was perfect. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and sprinkled in architecture tidbits with fun stories about the history of Chicago. The hour length of the tour felt like the perfect amount. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Chicago. read more

Jim was excellent on the Architecture Tour. We travelled from Sheffield, England, and this was our favourite activity of the week. Jim was passionate, funny, and knowledgeable. The route was stunning, a great way to see the city. Great value for money. He also let us know about the $7 tickets for the lake cruise that we wouldn't have done otherwise. read more

This experience was fun. Cruising through the river while learning about Chicago's architecture was amazing. The boat was clean. So were the bathrooms. The view from the boat was stunning. Not to mention Jim, our tour guide. He was super nice. If you're reading this Jim, keep it up. read more

The architecture cruise is a must-do Chicago tourist activity -- though lots of locals do it too! (It's also quite a good bargain at less than $50.) I took the one departing from the Michigan Ave. dock. (Note that you will have to navigate several sets of stairs to get on board.) The seating on my vessel was rows of plastic chairs in the middle of the deck, plus rows of polished wooden benches along the sides of the boat. The top deck seating is fully open, so bring those hats and that sunscreen! There is a limited amount of covered seating below the top deck, but the views from there would be somewhat obscured. There's a full bar, so you can get a nice highball or serving of wine to accompany the tour; lots of people take advantage of this amenity, which will add to the price of your experience but can add to the fun as well. The cruise (75 minutes) leaves the dock going west, then you take the north branch of the Chicago River for a short segment, then turn around and go a considerable distance down the south branch. Then you come back to the main branch out to Navy Pier before turning back to the dock at the starting point. The narration along the way is designed to be informative as well as entertaining with plenty of humor and good stories about the landmarks along the way. There's some opportunity for audience participation, but if you're uptight about that sort of thing, it's not compulsory. This is one of those quintessential Chicago experiences that lives up to the hype. read more

Enjoyed the 75 minute architecture tour at 10AM on a Wednesday morning with Keegan as our guide. I really think that the guide can make or break the experience, so if you're able to request someone, I highly recommended going on a tour led by Keegan. The interspersed humor made for a fun and enjoyable trip. This was my first time going on an architecture type tour, but I loved how they provided historical context on the types of architecture & key figures involved. Definitely a rather touristy excursion, but as a first time visitor to Chicago, I'm really glad I decided to try it! Highly recommend if you're looking for a fun outing. read more

Shoreline Sightseeing - Architectural Tours Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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taking a boat ride along the chicago river is a must when visiting the windy city! the architectural boat tour takes from old navy pier into the chicago river, and back out towards lake michigan. the boat moves very slow so you really have time to take it all in, take pics, take selfies, or just sit and admire all of the unique, historical building that chicago boasts. our docent was amazing, full of knowledge, with a story to share about each of the buildings that we saw, including the chicago tribune, water tower, wrigley building, willets tower (aka sears tower) and more. the ride is approximately 75 minutes (honestly, closer to 90 on my watch, from the time i sat down til the time i disembarked), and cost $42.46 per person. normally it's $50 per person but i got a 15% discount courtesy of the chicago marathon! they have departures roughly every 30 minutes for the entire day, and you can book online and have an e-ticket (qr code) or purchase a ticket on the spot - beware if you wait til the last minute, you risk your desired tour time being sold out! i highly recommend wearing/bringing an extra jacket/windbreaker to stay warm since you will be sitting up top, outside, exposed to the elements. i brought my own water, but they do have a small bar on the lower deck where you can buy a beer and other beverages. there are separate men's & women's restrooms on the lower deck as well. although i've now done this tour twice, i will definitely be joining again the next time i visit the windy city! read more

So just hear me out, ok? This is a safe space and there will be no judgmental 'tudes (at least until I finish my schpiel). While an "architecture tour" may lack the juice to lure some travelers while in Chicago, that just means that they'll be departing this great city after experiencing an incomplete visit. I don't claim to possess much knowledge about the field of architecture, but the great thing about this experience is that you don't need to in order to enjoy it. Listening to the tour guide share some of the history of Chicago (with plenty of family friendly comedy infused throughout), you'd be surprised how quickly your 75 minute tour has concluded and you're slipping him or her a tip on the way off the boat (don't forget that part, k?). We last visited Chicago in 2019 and this was amongst a handful of things that we knew we'd be doing again during this visit. A Chicago Architecture Tour--not just for nerds, but they're welcome here (along with everyone else ). And that's...Henry's Take. #chicagobucketlist read more

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Jim was the best!! Extremely knowledgeable and great tour guide!!! 10/10 recommend taking this for an interesting sightseeing experience!