45-min Chicago River Architecture Cruise by Wendella

We had an absolutely wonderful experience on the 45-minute architecture boat tour in Chicago. It was one of the highlights of our visit to the city. The tour offered a fantastic and unique perspective of Chicago’s incredible skyline and allowed us to appreciate the architecture from a completely different angle. The guide was excellent, very knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging. We learned so many interesting facts about the history of the buildings, the architects who designed them, and how Chicago’s skyline has evolved over the years. The explanations were clear and entertaining, making the entire experience enjoyable from beginning to end. The boat was comfortable, the views were spectacular, and the 45 minutes passed incredibly quickly. Seeing the magnificent buildings from the river was truly unforgettable, and we took some amazing photos along the way. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Chicago. It is a great way to discover the city, learn about its remarkable architecture, and enjoy a relaxing and memorable experience on the river. Definitely worth it!

Taking the 90-minute Wendella architecture tour was easily one of the highlights of my time downtown. Gliding through the river canyon gives you an entirely different appreciation for the scale of the skyline—craning your neck up at the Willis Tower, Marina City, and the canyon of glass and steel from water level never gets old. The guide managed to strike the right balance between architectural history and fun storytelling without feeling rehearsed. Transitioning out through the locks into the open lake offered incredible, breezy panoramic views back toward Navy Pier and the skyline, which made for amazing photos. The boat was comfortable, the staff kept boarding running like clockwork, and having a full bar on deck was a welcome touch on a warm, clear afternoon. If it’s your first time in the city or you just want to play tourist for an afternoon, this is well worth every penny.

The cruise itself is top notch! Great tour guide...informative, funny, personable. Beautiful views! You learn a lot! The logistics of getting where you have to be can be confusing and chaotic. Michigan Avenue ticket stand informed us (already purchased tickets) to go down and right and left. We ended up in line for the water taxi instead of the line to get on the boat. Once we got to the right place they still weren't very clear on where we should get in line. There are too many people in too many lines and not enough instruction on where they want you to be. Bottom line...leave early to arrive early because you will really end up getting there just in time.

We had a fabulous time! We were celebrating my 70th birthday - WOW! Kenny was very knowledgable, entertaining, and just, absoultely made the cruise fun! I learned that the Chicago River is 22ft deep and the name Chicago means "smelly onion" - LOL, LOL It is true, Chicago has incredible architecture! We would definitely recommend this cruise and we will be repeat customers next summer! The photo is of my son-in-law, daughter and son (left to right). Thank you :) patty

I would hardly recommend the Wendella River Archetectural Tour, our guide was amazing -- full of both great history and design of the buildings, but also provided very interesting info on the archetects, land, and river as well as some local lore. It was worth every penny. Also, be sure to book it direcdtly with Wendella....the 90 minute tour is $45 for adults-- so if you are paying more than that --you are on another booking web site.

I absolutely loved this cruise! The views of Chicago were beautiful, and seeing the city’s amazing architecture from the river made the experience even better. The tour was informative, relaxing, and the perfect length. Our guide was entertaining and knowledgeable, and I would definitely recommend this cruise to anyone visiting Chicago!