Welcome to Chicago! There's no city like it and the Chicago River is one of many places that…read moreshowcases its exquisiteness and allure. Vast architecture can be found along the path here; Encompassing complete beauty and incredible historic views. Chicago is tenacious, a city that can never be sidelined. Growing up here was the absolute best, and it will always be home.

A charity swim this morning to benefit ALS on the Chicago River. Safety teams in kayaks paddled…read morealongside the swimmers, who were chosen for their open-water swimming experience, while lifeguards lined the Riverwalk to help swimmers who could not complete the course. Only 3 of the 263 swimmers didn't finish. It took some an hour to go a mile through the downtown loop with orange floats gliding across the river. It was funny to see them walking through downtown Chicago in robes with medals around their neck, what an accomplishment! The last time that Chicago sanctioned a group swim in the river was 1927, a tradition thwarted by the loads of industrial and human waste that were routinely dumped in the water. It has taken decades of cooperation between environmental groups and elected officials , including at least four mayors, to clean up the river. I understand there are now dozens of species of fish, eagles overhead & otters playing along the banks now.

I was terrified of boats, so I was very scared to try the Sea Dog Speed Boat. Instantly, I was…read moregreeted with a friendly smile from Avery! She was so sweet and gave us a ton of facts! When she was talking, she was smiling and dancing to the music! 10/10, I will have to go again!!!

Great team and an amazing boat ride cannot complain one bit. The architecture tour is definitely…read moreworth the money.

We went on 8/3/26. Very smooth check in process. Prices for kayak rentals were $30/ hr if you pay…read moreat the counter but there are Groupons for discounts so check online before heading out! We went around 6pm so there were A LOT of architecture tour boats going through the river with us. There's waves created by those boats make the kayak session very rocky and that made me a bit motion sick actually. That was on top of us paddling west during sunset, so the sun was shining very bright into our eyes. I was wearing sunglasses but I think a hat would've helped as well. It isn't strenuous but I just didn't prepare well enough. Still a great experience and would come back more prepared.

Urban Kayaks ended up being one of the highlights of our quick weekend trip and was such a fun…read morelast-minute decision. Their location right on the Riverwalk is incredibly convenient and surrounded by gorgeous architecture, bars, and restaurants, making it easy to turn into a full evening downtown. The check-in process and safety/education class were simple, informative, and very beginner friendly. Our tour guide, Drew, was absolutely phenomenal. He was kind, funny, incredibly knowledgeable, and did a fantastic job making sure everyone felt comfortable and had a great time. He kept the group moving at a pace that worked well for everyone, which made the experience feel relaxed and enjoyable. We chose the sunset tour and highly recommend it. Seeing the golden glow reflect off the Chicago buildings from the water was stunning and such a unique way to experience downtown Chicago. The tour lasted about two hours and covered roughly two miles, making it the perfect light workout before heading out for late-night sushi afterward. You should definitely expect to get a little wet from paddle splashes, but that's part of the fun. Overall, it doesn't require a ton of physical effort, just a willingness to laugh, paddle, and enjoy yourself!

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!

Great first time kayaking! The views were breathtaking and the staff member was very informative…read moreand kind to us. I will be doing this regularly. It's a great way to explore downtown Chicago and connect with yourself.

First, it says when booking that it will be two hours. The start time is 8:15. So I told my…read morebabysitter an end time based off of that. The day of the tour we get a text saying it will be three hours. That meant we had to scramble to see if our babysitter could stay at least an hour longer. Second, they put a green light on each kayak on each so it can be seen at night on the river (we did the fireworks tour). I am not exaggerating when I say half of the kayaks on the tour lights were out on the way to the fireworks. That made me feel unsafe and anxious. It also made it more difficult to figure out who our tour guides were because at least two tour guides' lights went out as well. Third, they directed us to "park" (not sure how else to put it) for the fireworks in a spot that the other kayak tour groups seemed to very clearly know was to be avoided because a giant boat was going to dock there. This resulted in our group being yelled at by another kayaking group that we should leave for our own safety because a boat was going to dock there. Then the boat was descending upon us and we had to play kayak-frogger across the river in a mad dash at the last minute while the giant boat honked and played sirens because we were in its way. Again, felt very unsafe. For a person looking for a a casual, fun kayaking experience, this whole thing was too stressful. Would not recommend. Other kayaking places we saw on the water seemed more organized and safety-conscious.

I have mixed feelings about this kayak tour company. I signed up because although I'm a very…read morecapable and seasoned kayaker, I didn't know this river and I like learning about the ecosystems and local wildlife. For this reason I like having tour guides. Going up the river was fine. Coming back went a bit sour. I went as slow as I was capable of paddling or not paddling, but apparently it was too fast for the preference of our tour guide. I was barely touching the water with my paddle. I have no idea how I could have gone any slower. It wasn't humanly possible. After shouting at me several times, he took to chasing me down and ramming my kayak so it'd spin in circles. Would I rent a kayak here and kayak the river alone? Yes. Would I personally use a tour guide here? No I wouldn't. Would I recommend? If you're a family with little kids or a drunk sorority house, absolutely. If you know what you're doing, just go it alone. You'll probably enjoy it more. Edit: If the tour guide had concerns for group safety, he could have said so. Although ramming my kayak with his seems to be a bit of a conflict as far as my safety goes. It was an unprofessional approach when he could have simply explained why he needed me to slow down

It almost seemed like a dream. From the very start, cruising through a large patch of lotus plants,…read moreit felt otherworldly. Very peaceful, going at our own pace. Enjoyed the cliff walls of Buffalo Rock and the shallow waters of some side passages. We paddled for 5 hours, covering 8 miles total. After we were done we headed to charming, historic downtown Utica for drinks and dinner at Skoog's Pub & Grill in North Utica, IL. I was impressed with the logistics and operation of the kayaking experience, from the guide* to the equipment and online booking process. *Full disclosure, the guide was my twin sister, but I am being objective...seriously.