Sightseeing Cruises

45-min Chicago River Architecture Cruise by Wendella

4.8/5(1,992)

Cornelia H

Group

Verified booking

Last week

We love this architecture cruise! This is the second time my husband and I have gone on this tour. We brought his mother from London! She loved it. It's really educational without being overwhelming. And it's beautiful. It's such a unique way to see the city. It's the #1 thing I recommend to those visiting the city. (Our tour guide was great. But he went on and on about how you HAVE to leave downtown and how being downtown was horrible and touristy. As a Chicagoan, I agree. But it was a little over the top and aggressive the way he kept saying it. He also didn't recommend other neighborhoods to go to. If you're going to make a big deal of it, you better recommend neighborhoods and places to go not downtown.)

Joseph D

Solo

Verified booking

Last week

There were so many things I enjoyed about the forty-five minute architectural tour. It was an superb value, the length was just right for all the other things we wanted to do that day, super-easy to get to by public transit, and Kaye, our guide, was informative, fun, and humorous. We wanted to adopt her! I would definitely take this tour again with other vistimg guests!

Ann R

Group

Verified booking

3 days ago

Way better than I was expecting! The narrated architectural tour gives a superb view of riverfront Chicago that is missed compared to walking. The guide was very knowledgeable as well as candid and likable 👍. Highly recommend this tour!

Amanda P

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

The architectural boat cruise was a great way to see the city and learn about the buildings while enjoying a break from walking. The tour guide was very informative. It was nice to be able to walk around the boat and get different views too!

Joseph M

Group

Verified booking

Today

Was not expecting much, but our cruise was very enjoyable! Our guide was very informative and knowledgeable and funny! The boat goes slow so it's an easy ride and the views were amazing. I would do this tour again and highly recommend!

Collyn H

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

All the staff was great. The guide was very funny and informative which made this cruise enjoyable. I highly recommend this cruise to anyone. Tip, look up a time that finishes right around sundown if it isnt cloudy out.

45-min Chicago River architecture cruise (as per option selected)

90-min Chicago River architecture cruise (as per option selected)

Expert tour guide

Food and beverages (available for purchase onboard)

TOTAL DURATION45 minutes
1 Boarding point
Wendella's Michigan Avenue Docks
Get direction
Sights covered
London Guarantee Building
Carbide and Carbon Building
Crain Communications Building
35 East Wacker
Leo Burnett Building
77 West Wacker
Chicago Riverwalk
LaSalle/Wacker Building
333 West Wacker
Civic Opera Building
CME Center
Willis Tower
2 North Riverside Plaza
100 N Riverside Plaza
150 N Riverside Plaza
River Point
Merchandise Mart
Reid-Murdoch Center
Marina City
AMA Plaza
Trump International Hotel & Tower
Wrigley Building
Tribune Tower
NBC Tower
Centennial Fountain
Lake Point Tower
TOTAL DURATION1 hour 30 minutes
1 Boarding point
Wendella's Michigan Avenue Docks
Get direction
Sights covered
Lake Point Tower
Centennial Fountain
NBC Tower
Tribune Tower
Wrigley Building
Trump International Hotel & Tower
AMA Plaza
Marina City
Merchandise Mart
Reid-Murdoch Center
Residences at River Bend
Kinzie Park
River Point
150 N Riverside Plaza
100 N Riverside Plaza
2 North Riverside Plaza
Old Post Office
Union Station Power House
Canal Street Railroad Bridge
River City
The Southbank
311 South Wacker
Willis Tower
Chicago Board of Trade
CME Center
Civic Opera Building
333 West Wacker
LaSalle/Wacker Building
Chicago Riverwalk
77 West Wacker
Leo Burnett Building
35 East Wacker
Carbide and Carbon Building
London Guarantee Building
Aon Center
Aqua Tower
Vista Tower
Crain Communications Building
Chicago Marine Safety Station
Goose Island
The Domain

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

1,992 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
1.7K
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Guests from Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico and over 50 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Cornelia H
Group
Verified booking
Last week
We love this architecture cruise! This is the second time my husband and I have gone on this tour. We brought his mother from London! She loved it. It's really educational without being overwhelming. And it's beautiful. It's such a unique way to see the city. It's the #1 thing I recommend to those visiting the city. (Our tour guide was great. But he went on and on about how you HAVE to leave downtown and how being downtown was horrible and touristy. As a Chicagoan, I agree. But it was a little over the top and aggressive the way he kept saying it. He also didn't recommend other neighborhoods to go to. If you're going to make a big deal of it, you better recommend neighborhoods and places to go not downtown.)
Joseph D
Solo
Verified booking
Last week
There were so many things I enjoyed about the forty-five minute architectural tour. It was an superb value, the length was just right for all the other things we wanted to do that day, super-easy to get to by public transit, and Kaye, our guide, was informative, fun, and humorous. We wanted to adopt her! I would definitely take this tour again with other vistimg guests!
Giovanni B
Solo
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
The 90 minute Architectural Cruise was surprisingly relaxing. The announcer was wonderful, with his extensive knowledge of Chicago's architecture visible from the barge. I especially loved his lighthearted delivery style. The view of the buildings was great, unobstructed from any part of the barge.
Wendy M
Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
John our tour guide was very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about the architectural history of Chicago, records made & broken, myths about the Great Chicago Fire. We learned how Chicago got its name, where "The Windy City" nickname came from and the importance of Chicago winning the World's Fair.
Justa T
Group
Verified booking
Sep 2026
It was my first time visiting Chicago. It was a wonderful time, but this was by far the best experience I had. The tour guide was so knowledgeable (and funny). I learned so much and the sights were just beautiful. When I return (and I definitely will) this will be a must do.

What to bring

If you wish to purchase refreshments at the snack bar, bring your credit card along, as cash transactions are unavailable.

What's not allowed

Keep in mind that alcohol, weapons, flammables, and explosives are not allowed on this experience.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please arrive at the meeting point 30 mins before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Meet your guide at Wendella Tours & Cruises.

Address: 400 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States.

Landmark: The cruise departs and returns to Wendella's Michigan Avenue Docks, located at the northwest corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge (now called the DuSable Bridge), at the base of the Wrigley Building on the Chicago River.

Get directions to the meeting point