Sightseeing Cruises

90-min Chicago River and Lake Michigan Architecture Cruise

Name: 90-min Chicago River and Lake Michigan Architecture Cruise
Brand: Headout
SKU: 33185
Price: 45 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7 (56 reviews)

Chicago River cruise boat with city skyline, part of 90 Min Chicago River and Lake Michigan Architecture Cruise.

Chicago River with skyline view, featuring modern skyscrapers on a 45min architecture cruise.

Chicago skyline with Willis Tower viewed from the river, featuring a raised railway bridge.

Chicago skyline with boats on the river during architecture cruise.

Duration

1 hr 30 min

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

4.7/5

(56)

Suryanarayana

Oct 2025

Verified booking

I absolutely loved my experience on the Wendella Chicago River Architecture Cruise! The tour was both relaxing and educational, offering an incredible perspective of Chicago’s iconic skyline and its rich architectural history. Cruising through the river gave me a completely different appreciation of the city’s design — from the classic art deco buildings to the stunning modern skyscrapers. What I enjoyed the most was seeing the downtown view open up as we entered Lake Michigan — the panoramic view from the water was breathtaking. The guide was knowledgeable and engaging, making the entire journey both fun and insightful. A truly memorable Chicago experience!

Traci

Oct 2025

Verified booking

The tour guide was exceptional - highly knowledgeable, very engaging, and personable for the entire 90 minutes. I wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did - but he kept the mood light throughout! We did the River/Lake Michigan tour and the additional history and geographical context that was shared was a highlight for me! Highly recommend the 90 minute tour!

Susan

Sep 2025

Verified booking

I highly recommend this cruise for anyone visiting the city. The crew were very professional and our guide was informative and extremely personable. Ken held our attention for the entire cruise.

Elia

Sep 2025

Verified booking

We have taken this cruise many times, we take family and friends when they visit. We always learn something new. Our tour guide Kenny was amazing. Funny, amiable and very informative. Kudos!!

Tyler

Oct 2025

Verified booking

Such a great trip and vantage point of the city. We stood at the back of the boat on the bottom deck and had unobstructed views the entire time!

Amanda

Oct 2025

Verified booking

Highly recommend this experience! Alex was superb learnt so much about this beautiful city in such a short amount of time..

Enjoy a 90-min guided boat tour on the Chicago River and one of the five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, with skip-the-line entry.

Take in the city’s famous skyline and architectural icons from both the river and lake while relaxing indoors or on open-air decks.

Learn how Chicago’s skyline came to life with engaging narration as you cruise past historic buildings and modern skyscrapers.

This extended cruise offers more than standard river tours, covering additional landmarks and panoramic lakefront city views.

Perfect for first-time visitors, architecture buffs, and photography enthusiasts looking to explore Chicago from a different perspective.

90-min architecture cruise

Boat cruise on the Chicago River & Lake Michigan

English-speaking tour guide

Food and beverages (available for purchase onboard)

TOTAL DURATION90 minutes
FREQUENCYOnce per day
1 Boarding point
Wendella's Michigan Avenue Docks
Get direction
Sights covered
Chicago Harbor Lock
Navy Pier
Oak Street Beach
Chicago Lighthouse
Museum Campus
Buckingham Fountain

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

56 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.
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Guests from United Kingdom, Canada, France and over 7 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Tyler
Oct 2025
Verified booking
Such a great trip and vantage point of the city. We stood at the back of the boat on the bottom deck and had unobstructed views the entire time!
Suryanarayana
Oct 2025
Verified booking
I absolutely loved my experience on the Wendella Chicago River Architecture Cruise! The tour was both relaxing and educational, offering an incredible perspective of Chicago’s iconic skyline and its rich architectural history. Cruising through the river gave me a completely different appreciation of the city’s design — from the classic art deco buildings to the stunning modern skyscrapers. What I enjoyed the most was seeing the downtown view open up as we entered Lake Michigan — the panoramic view from the water was breathtaking. The guide was knowledgeable and engaging, making the entire journey both fun and insightful. A truly memorable Chicago experience!
Traci
Oct 2025
Verified booking
The tour guide was exceptional - highly knowledgeable, very engaging, and personable for the entire 90 minutes. I wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did - but he kept the mood light throughout! We did the River/Lake Michigan tour and the additional history and geographical context that was shared was a highlight for me! Highly recommend the 90 minute tour!
Amanda
Oct 2025
Verified booking
Highly recommend this experience! Alex was superb learnt so much about this beautiful city in such a short amount of time..
Michelle
Oct 2025
Verified booking
Excellent guide, wonderful river and lake tour. Even the 12-year olds had a great time! I would do it again.

What's not allowed

Alcohol, weapons of any kind, flammables, and explosives are not allowed on this experience.

Smoking cigarettes (including e-cigarettes) is prohibited on board.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.

Your guide dogs are welcome on board the boat.

Additional information

The Captain may adjust the tour route as needed to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers.

Safety comes first. All bags are subject to inspection.

The crew reserves the right to deny entry to anyone who appears intoxicated, impaired, or may pose a safety risk.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

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

Please arrive at the meeting point 15 mins before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.

Meeting point

Meet your guide at Wendella Tours & Cruises.

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

Landmark: The dock is 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