chicago tour architecture river

• Architecture River Tour

Windy City wow

World-famous landmarks.

There’s nothing quite like seeing Chicago’s world-famous architecture from all three branches of the Chicago River. From hidden treasures to the city’s most well-known sights, you’ll view over 40 Chicago landmarks on our 75-minute Architecture River Boat Tours. 

Enjoy the spectacular views as you listen to our tour guides tell you how Chicago’s buildings, architecture, and engineering made the city famous.

Casting off

Our Architecture River Tours depart from two docks, one at Michigan Avenue and the other at Navy Pier. No matter which dock you depart from, you’ll see all of the spectacular sights as you tour the Chicago River.

Michigan Avenue

401 N. Michigan Ave

Steps off of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, our Michigan Avenue dock starts your tour in the heart of the Chicago River.

124 N. Streeter Drive

Start your tour down the Chicago River at our Navy Pier dock, which sits at the entrance to the iconic Navy Pier boardwalk. This dock is more accessible to wheelchairs.

Our Architecture River Tour takes you up and down the three branches of the Chicago River, providing breathtaking views of Chicago’s famous skyscrapers and landmarks at every turn.

Adults: $49.95

Children (3-12): $26.95

Children 2 and under: Free

Tour highlights:

• 75-minute, guided boat tour
• Unique views from the water create an entirely new perspective of the city
• 40+ landmarks including the Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, and Marina City
• Hear the stories of Chicago’s architects and engineers while viewing their magnificent buildings

Sightseeing in Chicago?

Chicago CityPASS® tickets save 48% on premier admission  to Chicago’s top 5 attractions, including the Architecture River Tour. Visit the attractions at your own pace, in any order, over a 9-day period. One easy purchase and mobile ticket delivery saves you time and money.

Book an Architecture River Tour

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600 E. Grand Ave

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Now in its 83rd season, Shoreline Sightseeing operates Chicago's largest and most diverse fleet of cruise boats and water taxis with 11 major tour vessels and 7 water taxis.

(312) 222-9328 ext. 1 [email protected]

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Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady

Architecture Adventure Awaits!

Explore Chicago’s iconic architecture aboard TripAdvisor’s #1 rated boat tour of the city. The only Chicago River cruise partnered with the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), Chicago’s First Lady Cruises offers visitors the city’s most engaging 90-minute architectural tour experience.

Highly trained and enthusiastic volunteer CAC docents (guides) provide visitors with a compelling and detailed narrative of Chicago's numerous architectural styles and the stories of the legendary figures who designed and built our city.

Enjoy cruising in comfort and style aboard Chicago’s Finest Fleet, featuring unobstructed sightlines and guaranteed seating on our open-air upper decks and full-service cocktail and snack bars in our climate-controlled interior salons. You’ll see why visitors and locals alike consistently name our tour the best way to see Chicago.

Experience More!

Complete your architecture experience with a visit to the Chicago Architecture Center, just $5 with a General Boarding Ticket and valid for up to 7 days after your cruise.

Or, treat yourself to a Priority Boarding Ticket, which includes exclusive early boarding period, skip-the-queue during general boarding, and CAC admission.

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General Boarding Tickets Start At

Ticket details.

• Priority Boarding tickets start at $69 and include exclusive early boarding period, skip-the-queue during general boarding, and Chicago Architecture Center admission.
• General Boarding tickets start at $54. Include a visit to the Chicago Architecture Center for just $5 more!
• Tickets can be purchased online , in-person at our dock during regular season hours or at the Chicago Architecture Center.
• Avoid the box office by choosing "eTickets" or "Print at Home" as your delivery method.
• Tour departures frequently sell out. Reserve your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
• Select "Will Call" to pick up your tickets at our dockside ticket office; bring your confirmation number.
• Each person must have a ticket including infants and children.
• Prices are subject to change.

Full Schedule

Early Spring March 17 - April 25

• Mon 10:00 am 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 4:00 pm
• Tues 10:00 am 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 4:00 pm
• Wed 10:00 am 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 4:00 pm
• Thu 10:00 am 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 4:00 pm
• Fri 10:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Sun 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm

Late Spring April 26 - May 23

• Mon 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm
• Tues 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Wed 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Thu 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm
• Fri 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:00 pm
• Sun 9:30 am 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 6:00 pm

Summer May 24 - October 14

• Mon 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:30 pm
• Tues 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 7:00 pm
• Wed 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 6:00 pm
• Thu 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:30 pm
• Fri 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 12:30 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 2:30 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 4:30 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm
• Sun 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 12:30 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 2:30 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 4:30 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:30 pm

Early Fall October 15 - November 3

• Mon 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Thu 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Fri 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm
• Sun 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 5:30 pm 6:00 pm

Late Fall November 4 - November 24

• Fri 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Sun 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm

2024 cruising season begins March 17th and extends through November 24th. Tickets on sale now!

We are located at Michigan Ave and Wacker Drive, Chicago IL

Tour Details & Tips

• Tour Duration 90 minutes
• Arrival Time Make sure your entire party arrives 30 minutes prior to departure.
• Priority Boarding Tickets  include exclusive early boarding period, skip-the-queue during general boarding, and Chicago Architecture Center admission.
• General Boarding Tickets begin boarding approximately 15 minutes before departure.
• Seating Open outdoor seating is guaranteed for all guests. The number on your ticket does not represent a seat number.
• Tour Route The tour travels all three branches of the Chicago River. View tour route map.  Route subject to change without notice.
• Cruises depart rain or shine. Tickets may not be refunded or exchanged if you miss your boat - allow extra time.
• What to Bring Your sunglasses, cap or visor, as the sun can interfere with your view of the buildings.
• Parking Discounted parking available at 111 E. Wacker Drive with proper validation from ticket office. Visit our  Location page  for more.
• Did you know? A portion of your ticket fee supports the educational work of the Chicago Architecture Center!
• Food & Drink  A full-service bar and snack bar are available on every vessel
• Outdoor Seating Each vessel features an open-air upper deck which allows guests to safely enjoy the outdoors
• Restrooms  Well-appointed restrooms are available on each vessel
• Free Stroller Storage  Strollers will be folded and stored in the interior salon during the cruise. Children must be removed from strollers before boarding.
• Limited Mobility Services Available  See our Location page for river-level drop-off directions for guests with accessibility needs. Our staff is also available to provide early boarding services for those with limited mobility.

“I learned so much and left with a vastly greater appreciation of Chicago's stunning skyline.” - Jennifer S. TripAdvisor, IL

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• What sets your tours apart from the others?

We are the only tour that partners with the Chicago Architecture Center to offer the official Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady. All of our tours are given by experienced, volunteer docents who receive hundreds of hours of training from the Chicago Architecture Center before guiding the river cruise tour.

• How long is the tour?
• Each tour is 90 minutes.
• Is there food/drink available onboard?

Yes. All boats have a full service bar and small snacks onboard. Outside alcoholic beverages are not permitted.

• Do I need to buy tickets in advance?

Advance reservations are recommended as many tours sell out during the busy summer season and on weekends.

• Is there assigned seating?

All seating is general admission. There is enough seating for all guests to sit on our open air upper decks safely and with proper distancing measures in place. While seat numbers are printed on the tickets, you can ignore these as they are not valid.

• Are tours offered in any languages other than English?

We are happy to offer free foreign language audio guides in Spanish, French, Japanese and Korean. Scan the QR code onboard for instructions. Mobile data for app download required.

• Do I have to print my tickets?
• You do not have to print your tickets. You can show your mobile ticket to our dock attendant with your smartphone, or you can have your tickets printed at the dockside will call window (be sure to bring a photo ID and your confirmation number).
• Does the boat go on the lake?

No, the tour is only on the Chicago River. If you’d like to take a lake tour, please check out our sister cruise line Mercury, Chicago’s Skyline Cruiseline .

• Are there restrooms onboard?

Yes, all the boats have restrooms onboard. There are also wheelchair accessible bathrooms on the Classic Lady, Leading Lady, and Emerald Lady. Please note: the restrooms close 15 minutes before the end of the tour for safety reasons.

• Can I bring luggage onboard?
• Due to security reasons, luggage cannot be brought onboard. There is not an area to store your luggage dockside either. We recommend having your hotel hold your luggage.
• Can I bring a stroller onboard?
• Yes, you can bring a stroller onboard. Children must be removed from strollers before boarding. Strollers will be folded and stored in the salon during the cruise.
• Are there changing tables onboard?

The Classic Lady, Leading Lady, and Emerald Lady have changing tables onboard in the family restroom. The Little Lady, Fair Lady, and First Lady do not have changing tables onboard.

• Are dogs allowed onboard?

Only service dogs are allowed onboard. Our sister company, Mercury , offers the popular Canine Cruise on summer weekends.

• How can I get to your dock without using stairs?

There are two ways to reach our dock along Chicago’s Riverwalk without using stairs: 1. On foot via the ramp located on Wacker Drive at State Street. 2. Vehicle drop-off area on Lower Wacker Drive. Visit our location page for more information.

• Can I trade my tickets for a different date/time?
• No, all tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable.
• Do you cruise rain or shine?
• Yes, we cruise rain or shine. All the boats have two levels – the top deck is open-air, and the lower deck is an enclosed, climate-controlled salon. Each salon is surrounded by large windows so you can stay comfortable while still taking in the magnificent views. Tour commentary is broadcast over speakers on both levels.
• Are the boats wheelchair accessible?

Chicago's Leading Lady, Chicago’s Classic Lady, and Chicago's Emerald Lady are wheelchair-accessible. These vessels cruise at the 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 5pm departure times. When boarding, guests cross two ramps and enter through a 36-inch-wide opening (doorway). Crew members will assist in guiding the wheelchair across the gangway. Please present yourself to our staff if you prefer to board before general boarding starts. Guests unable to climb stairs to the upper deck may choose to sit in the open-air bow or the enclosed, climate-controlled salon with large windows. For safety reasons, motorized scooters and electric wheelchairs cannot be accommodated. Guests who are able to transfer may use the company's manual wheelchair based on availability. Visit our accessibility page for more information.

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Shoreline Architecture River Tours

Take Shoreline’s award-winning 75-minute Architecture River Tour to discover Chicago’s renowned landmarks as presented by our expert and entertaining guides.

You’ll learn how Chicago rose from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1871 to become the birthplace of the skyscraper and a major influence on the school of modern American architecture.

Shoreline’s Architecture River Tour features commentary on more than 40 of the city’s most famous buildings as well as close-up views and excellent photo opportunities.

Shoreline also offers Spanish Language Architecture River Tours; see website for times and locations.

Tours depart day and evening from both the southwest corner of Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier and the northeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge at the Apple store.

Discover why Shoreline’s Architecture River Tour was the TripAdvisor 2020 Travelers’ Choice #1 of the Top Ten Experiences in Best of the Best Award Winner!

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• Mon 9:30am – 8:00pm
• Tue 9:30am – 8:00pm
• Wed 9:30am – 8:00pm
• Thu 9:30am – 8:00pm
• Fri 9:30am – 10:00pm
• Sat 9:30am – 10:00pm
• Sun 9:30am – 7:00pm

124 N. Streeter Drive, Chicago, IL 60611

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Chicago River Boat Architecture Tours

Chicago River Tours | Fireworks Tours | Jazz/Cocktail Tours

Chicago’s Secret Interior Architectural Walking Tour

Discover the hidden interiors of Chicago on this Exclusive Secret Interior Architectural Tour. See the most iconic buildings on a guided walking architecture tour. Learn about the architectural innovations that make each building unique.

Embark on a journey with seasoned guides to uncover the exquisite domes, shimmering mosaics, and elaborate craftsmanship hidden inside Chicago’s architectural marvels. Meander through the legendary buildings of Chicago’s Loop, and immerse yourself in the narratives of ambition, intrigue, and fame. Witness firsthand the ingenious methods architects and engineers utilized to address the challenges of illumination and structural integrity, all in their quest to leave an indelible mark on the world’s architectural stage. 

Delve deeper into the architectural innovations and styles that make each building unique, from the pioneering skyscrapers that defined a new era of cityscapes to the modernist masterpieces that reflect Chicago’s ongoing architectural evolution. Discover hidden architectural features, the significance of various design elements, and how Chicago’s architecture has influenced global building trends. Join for an unparalleled exploration of Chicago’s architectural splendor, both inside and out. This tour is not just a walk through the city’s physical history, but a step into the stories that shaped Chicago into the architectural icon it is today.

Tours run daily at 11am and 1:00pm for approximately 2 hours.

Adults $29 Seniors $27 Youths $22 Kids under 6 go free!

Tour Itinerary 

• Chicago Loop
• Chicago Union Station
• Rookery Building (closed on Sundays)
• Field Building
• Marquette Building
• Palmer House
• Chicago Athletic Association 
• Chicago Cultural Center
• Marshall Field and Company Building (end location) (Itineraries are subject to change)

Are you ready to learn more about Chicago’s architecture? Be sure to bring your camera – you’re not going to want to miss these shots. Book Chicago’s Secret Interior Architectural Tour today!

BOOK YOUR TOUR NOW

By Phone: (708) 488-6343

Tour departure location.

Union Station, 225 S Canal St, Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Your tour guide will meet you inside Union Station on the main floor closest to the North entrance on Canal St. We look forward to welcoming you!

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7 things that might surprise you about the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour

T here are plenty of ways to take in the sights, sounds (and smells) of Chicago, but you don't necessarily have to be on land to do that.

And you don't have to be a tourist, either.

In fact, one of the most beloved ways — among locals and visitors alike — to experience city is by journeying across the Chicago River and Lake Michigan while a tour guide talks about buildings and regales you on the untold story of Mrs. O'Leary's cow.

In other words: a Chicago Architecture Boat Tour.

"As you're going up and down the Chicago River and on Lake Michigan, you're seeing the city’s evolving architecture, which is changing every year" said Andrew Sargis, director of sales and marketing for Wendella Tours and Cruises .

Wendella, billed as Chicago's "original" architecture tour, in 1935 gave its first architecture tour of the city from a wooden diesel yacht out on Navy Pier, Sargis said. Now, upwards of 20 architecture tours are offered daily, with more on the weekends. On average, Wendella tours see roughly 100,000 passengers each month over the summer, Sargis said.

And though the majority of guests on any given Wendella architecture tour are tourists, Sargis said, locals take them, too.

MORE: Even Chicagoans can't get enough of this tourist attraction: ‘It's about the only touristy thing I do'

"I was surprised when I first started, we get a lot of repeat locals," Bobby Scheffle, a Wendella tour guide told NBC Chicago. "And always there's a lot of local people that come on when they have guests visiting them in town. They like to show off the city this way."

But there's something else about the experience that makes it so very Chicago.

"I think it is really unique to experience the city from a boat on a river, because we think about other big cities in the United States -- there aren't many that have a river that go right through downtown," Scheffle said. "You feel like you're in the city, you hear the noise, and you see the buildings and all that."

Whether you're taking the ride for the first time or the 50th, bringing out-of-town guests out for a memorable activity or just itching to be a tourist in your own city, here are seven things to know about the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour.

Will weather stop a tour from running?

Wendella's architecture tours run year-round, Sargis said, although "weather is a factor."

Weather events like ice on the river or significant snowfall can impact operations, Sargis said, but they typically don't, since the Chicago River -- a federal waterway -- must remain navigable year-round.

While Wendella's boats do have climate-controlled indoor lounges, tours during the winter may run at limited times. But rain, snow, extreme heat or wind, unflappable Chicagoans still show up.

"We went on drizzly day a few years ago," Kathy Rambo wrote on NBC Chicago's Facebook page. "There were only about 10 of us on the boat!

And most often, the tour will run — rain or shine — so don't hesitate to bring a raincoat.

"I have certainly [given tours] under thunderstorms and downpours, and I've gotten drenched sometimes," Scheffle said. "I've never had a tour get canceled because no one bought a ticket. There's always someone wanting to come out here in the rain or the cold."

What's the best time of year (or day) to go?

It depends on when exactly your favorite time of the year is, and what you're hoping to see.

For Sargis, it's late summer. "There's this point of time in September when the weather is beautiful, but there's not that summer rush."

There are other times that Chicagoans may want to consider, too.

"St. Patrick's Day Celebration when they dye the river, and any Wednesday or Saturday night [over the summer], watching the fireworks over Lake Michigan , especially if you're local" Sargis said.

During the summer months, Wendella's tours run start as early as 9 a.m., with the day's final tour not ending until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., Scheffle said, "so if you want to come for a ride to see the city lights, you can come late, and it's also beautiful, just a little more difficult to see the colors on the buildings if that's what you want to see."

Laura Pubins, who lives in a suburb outside of Chicago, agrees.

"My favorite one was when we were on a boat at sunset," Pubins wrote to NBC Chicago on Facebook. "It was an awesome new view of the city."

What's the most photogenic spot on the tour?

For Sargis, it's "anything out on Lake Michigan," with the skyline in the background.

On the river though, there's one moment that captures the city best, Scheffle said, no matter what time of day you're taking the trip.

"The best place to take a photo on the 90-minute river tour is when we come up the south branch from Chinatown," Scheffle said. "That's the best place because you get the whole skyline from the south. It's really beautiful."

For locals though, it may not be what you're looking at, so much as how you're looking at it.

"You're looking at [the city] from underneath," said Chicago resident Nick Pappas, 55, who recently found himself on a 90-minute river tour. "It's just a different perspective on the river that you don't get on the street level. As amazing as that sounds, you're only, like, 20 feet down, but it gives you a whole different perspective."

What does the training for a tour guide look like?

According to Sargis, all Wendella tour guides are trained in-house -- and the spots are competitive.

"There's high demand," Sargis said, of the position. "There are more people that want to be tour guides than space available. It's certainly a popular job, and people want to do it." While the tour guide of any given architecture tour isn't made public, many people do request certain ones for private events, Sargis said.

For the tours, there's a general script, with highlights that must be mentioned, Sargis said. But improvisation, along with sharing personal history is encouraged, too.

"All of the tour guides have their own experience in the city, and will add parts of their history in it," Sargis said. "We have a tour guide that is a retired police officer, and he will interject anecdotes form his career. We have a tour guide that's a Vietnam War Veteran, and when we go by the Vietnam War Memorial, he will always discuss the importance of it to him."

For Scheffle, the training included joining multiple tours a week for two weeks and flashcards.

"For a while, I, just drove Uber and Lyft," Scheffle said. "And then, I remembered that I really liked Chicago. I like learning fun facts about it. And there are people in the city that have that as a job -- to tell people fun facts about Chicago and I started looking into tourism jobs in the city."

What's the most common question tour guides get?

Believe it or not, it's not always about The Great Chicago Fire , or Mrs. O'Leary and her cow, at least on Scheffle's tours.

"My favorite thing on the tour that happens is probably when little kids ask questions," Scheffle said. "The common question that a kid will ask, because I talk about the tallest building, second tallest building, third tallest building, a lot of times a kid will ask what's the shortest building in Chicago? Which I don't have a good answer for."

Are you supposed to tip your guide?

"It's up to the discretion of the client," Sargis said. "I would say a lot of our passengers do tip our tour guides."

What's the absolute best part of the tour?

Sure the tour is photogenic, and the city's history is fascinating. And though some may go on the tour to find out what buildings are new, others prefer to think about the old.

"My favorite building to talk about is probably the Board of Trade building," Scheffle said. "Just because I remember walking by it much younger and always, I remember, really being impressed by it, thinking was such a cool big city building."

For a local on the tour, the memories are nice. But a day out on the water in Chicago is just hard to beat.

"It's great. I don't have to work," said Pappas, who has lived in the city for 55 years. "Every time, it's a little treat to go down the river."

Video editors Ivonne Ramirez and DS Shin produced and created the video for this story.

SCHEDULE & TICKETS

Looking for a specific tour or cruise.

• Lake & River Architecture Tour
• 90 Minute Chicago River Architecture Tour
• 45 Minute Chicago River Architecture Tour

• Chicago Sunset Cruise
• Chicago Fireworks Cruise
• Beer & BBQ Cruise
• Wine & Cheese Cruise
• St. Patrick’s Day Cruise (21+)
• St. Patrick’s Day Kids Cruise
• Holiday Fireworks Cruise

Frequently Asked Questions

Wendella has three docking locations. The location of your tour or cruise, is clearly marked on your ticket. Your ticket will say: “Michigan Avenue,” “West Dock, or “Riverwalk,” under the tour title. Locations below;

Michigan Avenue;  Located at 400 N Michigan Avenue Chicago, Il 60611. Descend the stairs adjacent to the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) Bridge.

West Dock ; Located at 400 N Michigan Avenue Chicago, Il 60611 in between the Wrigley Building and Trump International Hotel & Tower.

The routes of the Architecture Tours can be found here; 8×11 Map_2023

Ticket prices vary. Please select a specific tour or cruise from the above list to view pricing and more information.

Food is not served, but snacks are available for purchase at the vessel bar.

Our tours are currently in English only. Printed tour guides are available in Simplified Chinese.

Boarding begins 15-30 minutes prior to scheduled departure time.

Tours and cruises depart rain or shine. Wendella vessels include sheltered areas and climate controlled lounges. Ponchos are available for purchase on all vessels. However, in cases of severe weather, if the Captain deems it unsafe and cancels the tour, all guests will be refunded.

Seating is first come, first served. We recommend groups arrive 30 minutes prior to the tour time for a better chance of getting seats together.

A full-service bar is available on board. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as an assortment of snacks, are available for purchase. Bar sales are credit card only. No cash purchases.

There is no storage area on our dock, but guests may bring their luggage aboard keeping in mind it is subject to inspection.

Our tours do often sell out and we always recommend customers buy their tickets online and in advance.

The following discounts apply; 50% off on Tuesdays for College Students with a valid Student ID from an accredited College or University. 50% off Monday-Thursday for active-duty U.S. Military personnel and their spouses with a valid ID. $10 off Monday-Thursday for U.S. Veterans and Reservists with a valid ID. All discounted tickets must be purchased at the ticket office to receive the discount. Discounts are not valid on holidays. Discounts are not valid for the Wine & Cheese Cruise or Beer & BBQ Cruise.

Parking is available at nearby parking garages or through SpotHero, the nations leading parking reservation app ;

AMA Plaza Parking Garage may be accessed off Wabash Avenue, opposite Trump Tower or on State Street near the Hertz sign. Wendella guests can receive a $5.00 off parking chaser coupon from our ticket office. Parking may be reserved in advance by visiting StateWabashParking.com ($5.00 off parking chaser coupon cannot be applied to parking reservations made in advance).

Trump Tower Parking Garage is located at 401 N Wabash Avenue. Wendella guests may park for up to 6 hours at a discounted rate of $18.00 with a parking chaser coupon from our ticket office. This coupon is for self-park only and is not valid for valet parking. Parking is subject to availability.

Yes. Restrooms are located on the lower deck of each vessel; changing tables are also available in each restroom.

If the weather isn’t ideal for outdoor seating, most Wendella vessels feature an enclosed climate-controlled lounge on the bottom deck with speakers to hear the tour guide’s narration. We suggest that if you have a concern about whether your vessel has a climate-controlled lounge, to please call ahead: 312-337-1446.

Chicago, through the eyes of three art experts: 20 tips so that you don’t miss a thing

Claudia segura, theaster gates and benedicta badía share their tips for a creative tour of the city: from its most avant-garde art galleries to a hotel-museum, the scandinavian neighborhood of andersonville, and even a bank that has been turned into a library.

“It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago — she outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them. She is always a novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time,” Mark Twain wrote in 1883. With all due respect to the father of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, EL PAÍS consulted three art world experts for their recommendations on discovering Chicago’s artistic side beyond its primary creative hub, the Chicago Art Institute. Benedicta Badía, a consultant at museums like New York’s Guggenheim; Theaster Gates, who is number seven on the annual Power 100 of most influential figures in the world of contemporary art, and Claudia Segura, curator of exhibitions and collections at Barcelona’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA), kindly agreed to take us on tours.

Segura had carte blanche when it came to the curation of the In situ section at her first recommendation: Expo Chicago, the annual contemporary art fair that returns to Navy Pier, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, April 11-14. The building will be filled with intriguing, large-scale sculptures, video installations and site-specific works. “It’s a sustainable fair, where you can buy and sell. But there is also a curatorial exchange program and a meeting of museum directors , so it’s very thought-focused,” Segura says. This year, the event was acquired by Frieze, a global giant among contemporary art fairs. “The city is super-vibrant, with an art scene that has a lot of potential, and a focus on Latino art . In fact, it’s one of the few cities in the United States where billboard ads for exhibitions are often written in Spanish. Based on the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies Van der Rohe, and located around the edges of a lake that is nearly an ocean, the city is home to fascinating museums, some of them owned by universities,” she describes.

Of these, Segura mentions DePaul Art Museum, which is operated by the school by the same name, and has a permanent collection composed of more than 3,500 pieces of modern and contemporary art, many of them by Chicago artists, but also individuals from the African and Latin American diasporas, and other groups who are traditionally underrepresented in the art world, such as women and the LGBTQ community . “With a relatively small team, they are able to carry out very powerful exhibitions that nurture the relationship between curators and academics,” Segura says.

The curator also highlights the offerings of galleries that showcase the work of Black figurative artists, including the West Town location of Mariane Ibrahim, a French Somali gallerist who represents artists like Ferrari Sheppard, Zohra Opoku and Lina Iris Viktor. The latter was in the headlines after reaching a settlement with Kendrick Lamar when the rapper used works from her Constellations series in his music video for All The Stars , which appeared on the Black Panther movie soundtrack. “There’s also a lot of interest in the Latin American diaspora at the MCA, a contemporary art museum that shows the work of Chicago artists, but that has a Latin American director, and also a curator, Carla Acevedo, who has reinforced that link.” The museum has hosted exhibitions by Frida Kahlo and Jeff Koons, and its collection includes work from luminaries such as Cindy Sherman and Jasper Johns.

Also among Segura’s suggestions are two projects that offer a certain allure of exclusivity and privilege. The first is The Arts Club, a private club founded in 1916 that exhibits well-curated international contemporary art. It hosted Pablo Picasso ’s first show in the United States, back in 1951. Unfortunately, none of the building’s Mies van der Rohe original interiors remain, save for the central stairwell. Her next recommendation is nearby at the 21c Museum Hotel, which is open 24 hours a day at its downtown location, for those who’d like to see the private collection of Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, an art-collecting couple who invite guests and visitors to enjoy their works by 21st-century artists. “From the lobby to the hallways of the hotel, everything is full of pieces from their collection. It’s quite different from the norms of how art tends to be consumed and distributed,” says Segura of the hotel, which has locations in 10 other U.S. municipalities, from Nashville to Kansas City.

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With a storied musical legacy, Chicago is also home to surprises like Corbett vs. Dempsey, a gallery that since its opening in 2004 has represented a host of artists who studied at the Chicago Art Institute , like Karl Wirsum and Omar Velásquez. “The space is incredible and its owners are the source of a powerful amount of knowledge. But above all, if you visit, you can’t miss its spectacular library that is dedicated to jazz,” says Segural, who recommends going from there to Document, “a small, honest gallery” that also has a location in Lisbon.

The city’s underground scene is also a can’t-miss aspect of Chicago. The Floating Museum is another one of Segura’s recommendations, which makes a lot of sense, given that just like the curator herself, the museum puts a premium on non-hegemonic discourse. “It’s a hangar in which social practice and civil community come together,” Segura explains. The collective has mounted exhibitions about a river, and inside a subway car. Speaking of rivers, another necessary stop for any art lover is an exploration of local architecture aboard the only Chicago River tour boat associated with the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC). First Lady Cruises offers a 90-minute tour with volunteer guides, who unpack the city’s buildings and the legendary architects who designed them.

A Scandinavian neighborhood

Argentina’s Benedicta Badía is one of the most important art collectors in the world, and her recommendations are closely connected to her critical approach to vanguard work. Her Chicago list challenges the status quo of the city’s artistic community when it comes to non-Western stereotypes and dominant narratives. As such, it’s no surprise that she included LVL3 Gallery, a space founded and run by artists. “They are the ones who really know art,” says Badía. The gallery “fosters the communal, with collaborations between sectors who might not otherwise meet, and international artists from communities that are under-represented in the art market circuit.” If you are interested in the work of emerging and mid-career artists, the is the place for you.

Work by artists who have avoided traditional paths is also the focus at Intuit, an independent museum that was founded in 1991 to highlight artists “who have confronted marginalization and overcome personal obstacles in order to do their work.” Last fall, the organization began a dramatic renovation of its 150-year-old historic building and is slated to reopen this summer.

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From there, a long walk in the direction of Lake Michigan brings one to the doors of Wrightwood 659, a light-filled concrete building designed by the Pritzker Award-winning architect, Tadao Ando . The space, located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, is designed for exhibitions of architecture and socially-conscious art. “It is a unique site of reflection on art as a political and social practice. Its engagement with the narratives of international artists is priceless. While major institutions do show international art, Wrightwood 659 has the agility of an independent center that brings a fresh and revolutionary gaze to Chicago,” says Badía. Her next recommendation is The Renaissance Society, an independent contemporary art museum founded in 1915, dedicated to the commissioning and production of new works by international artists. Here, one can enjoy free concerts, readings and lectures. “The Ren, as it’s called, is not to be missed. It is run by the University of Chicago, one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, yet its programming questions the established with the help of pedagogical narratives that interrogate hegemony,” she says.

To conclude, she also recommends a walk through the historically Swedish Andersonville neighborhood. “If you look at a map of how Chicago was formed, you’ll see that Andersonville is where the Swedes settled. To enter the area is to get into the Scandinavian spirit. Here, you can find everything from one of the city’s best feminist bookstores to stores specializing in antique furniture, delicious artisanal bakeries and a small community museum. Homemade goods, design, and urban community are all present in these streets,” says Badía, who hosts one of the hottest parties of Expo Chicago in her art deco penthouse.

A walk through Black Chicago

“No one builds beautiful buildings for Black people in this neighborhood. Why would white people build in Black neighborhoods if they weren’t promised anything in return?” asks Theaster Gates, an artist who was born in East Garfield Park, on Chicago’s West Side. Gates is both a specialist in social art and professor in the department of visual arts at the University of Chicago. He’s also a real force in the art world, according to ArtReview , which ranked him number seven on its latest list of the 100 most influential people in the art world.

We asked Gates to take us on a tour of the neighborhoods where the artistic agitator who is the founder and director of the Rebuild Foundation, a non-profit organization started in 2010 to promote artistic and cultural projects in abandoned spaces largely located in Black and low-income neighborhoods, spends his time. He’s also been part of a project to renovate two abandoned apartments into a refuge for LGBTQ minors who have been kicked out of their family homes.

A tour of Gates’s projects includes a visit to Stony Island Arts Bank, a bank location that was built in 1923 and abandoned in 1979. Gates bought in 2012 so that neighbors would be able to access the works of John H. Johnson, founder and editor of the magazines Ebony (1945) and Jet (1951). The first Black person to appear on the Forbes 400 list in 1982, Johnson’s personal library is now available to anyone who visits the old bank. Here, you can also find the record collection of Frankie Knuckles, the father of house music, alongside art from the University of Chicago and the Chicago Arts Institute.

The Rebuild Foundation is also behind Gates’s next three recommendations for visitors: The Listening House, The Archive House and The Black Cinema House. The latter is a theater located in an abandoned building near South Dorchester Avenue on the city’s South Side. It has screened movies made and starring people from the African diaspora since 2012. A visit to The Archive House, another one of the buildings that have been recovered by the foundation, allows one to take in the impressive, 14,000-book archive that came from a defunct specialized bookstore. The Listening House preserves 8,000 albums from the shelves of Dr. Wax Records.

“I began rebuilding simply because I didn’t have enough money to build what I wanted. Nowadays, there are those who think that our interventions will wind up gentrifying these areas. But at the moment, these neighborhoods are still abandoned and neighbors can still buy a house in them. Our goal is to create an artistic community that is open to the entire world, in these neighborhoods,” says the Chicagoan Gates about his city, which should be visited by any art lover, at least once in their life.

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You Can Tour The Restored Home Of Pullman Leader Who Saved The Neighborhood From Demolition

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PULLMAN — The Pullman House Project is expanding its repertoire of historic homes, inviting neighbors to tour the home of a former Pullman company employee who helped save the neighborhood from a demolition campaign in the ’60s.

The home of Americo L. Lisciotto, a Pullman resident from Italy who became the first elected president of the Pullman Civic Organization, is the latest former residence to get a period-accurate renovation from the Pullman House Project.

Neighbors and history buffs can tour the home at 11124 S. Champlain Ave. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; tours are free with registration .

The new exhibition, “The Neighborhood That Saved Itself,” details how Lisciotto and other residents pushed back on efforts from nearby businesses to bulldoze the neighborhood and expand the nearby industrial district in service of the newly opened port at Lake Calumet, according to a press release.

“We’re kind of thinking of [the home] as ‘the room where it happened,’” said Pat Shymanski, president of the Bielenberg Historic Pullman House Foundation, which runs the Pullman House Project and Pullman Club Coffee Shop. “It’s a tiny little house and we’re having fun with it. It’s been modernized over the years, and we still have some work to do on it, but we’re gonna open it up for preview for National Park Week.”

How Pullman Neighbors Protected Their Home

Lisciotto’s home is the fourth to join the Pullman House Project, which gives tours of renovated historic Pullman workers’ homes and shares the stories of those that lived there.

Organizers recreated Lisciotto’s home over the past several months, adding decor and other fixtures that would likely be found in a working-class Italian family home of that time. This includes a vintage 3D wall light box depicting Venice’s Grand Canal, several items owned by the family that reflect their Catholic heritage and more.

The previous owner was a man from Mexico who bought it from remaining members of the Lisciotto family, Shymanski said. The previous owner attempted to modernize many of the home’s historic fixtures, ones the Pullman House Project is returning to their architectural roots, Shymanski said. 

Offering tours of the Lisciotto home is a way for people to learn about a part of Pullman’s history that’s not very well known, Shymanski said.

With the federal government’s Urban Renewal Program putting a spotlight on deteriorating communities that were seen as blighted slums, attention turned to Pullman in the ’60s, which by then was part of the city of Chicago and operated as a regular neighborhood, Shymanski said. 

Because Pullman’s nearly 100-year-old buildings were built before modern building codes were developed, some suffered from heavy usage and weathering and lacked general upkeep, Pullman House Project leaders said.

Groups like the South End Chamber of Commerce, Roseland Area Planning Association, and others cited these issues and safety concerns to argue against the continued use of residential buildings in the area, thinking the neighborhood would be better served as land for a proposed expansion of the Lake Calumet Port, Pullman House Project leaders said.

City leaders thought so, too. They envisioned that shifting the city’s manufacturing and heavy industry from the Chicago River to Lake Calumet would facilitate international trade between the United States and Canada via the St. Lawrence Seaway in Ontario, according to a 1959 land use and transportation plan.

“A report came out that said housing [in Pullman] is over 80 years old, the bathrooms need to be upgraded, the kitchens are old, they don’t have the modern facilities, and it would be just easier to tear it down and expand the industrial park into this area to service the growth that they were hoping was going to happen, attributed to the establishment of the Port Authority, just down the road a piece,” Shymanski said. 

“People said, ‘Well, wait a minute. These are our houses, we live here, and we have roots here. So they kind of ganged together and said, ‘Okay, what can we do to stop this?’”

To save their homes, Pullman neighbors organized letter-writing campaigns to urge officials, stakeholders and other locals to commit to protecting Pullman’s historic legacy. Lisciotto came to lead the revived Pullman Civic Organization, which organized similar letter-writing campaigns during World War II when it was originally established, Shymanski said. 

During his two years as president of the organization, Lisciotto helped form committees and coordinated other efforts to save the Pullman neighborhood and preserve the neighborhood’s historic architecture, according to the Pullman House Project.

Others like John Ertstman, who worked for the R.R. Donnelly publishing company and lived in Pullman’s Arcade Row, talked to city officials and representatives of the Federal Housing Authority to argue Pullman’s historic past made it important to save. He even proposed the National Park Service step in to protect the area, organizers said.

Many Pullman residents thought, “‘If we need to spend money on our houses, how can we spend money wisely and get the most bang for our buck?’” Shymanski said. “They’d been redlined because they had been defined as one of the slum and blighted areas, and so they couldn’t get loans and mortgages. People started reaching into their pockets and saying, ‘Okay, we’ll figure it out how to do it.’ And they did.”

These efforts — along with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which created a federal historic preservation program and the means to protect historic locations across the country — helped save Pullman from destruction.

Pullman became a Illinois Historic District in 1969 and a National Historic Landmark in 1970, while Chicago designated the area south of the neighborhood’s factory building one of its first landmark districts in 1972, according to the Historic Pullman Foundation . In 1993, the city established the North Pullman Historic District , further cementing the neighborhood’s significance.

The effort to recreate the Lisciotto family home and other buildings as part of the Pullman House Project is partly inspired by the New York City’s Tenement Museum, which gives tours of tenement buildings immigrants once lived in, Shymanski said. She believes the Tenement Museum’s commitment to preserving the lives of New York immigrant families makes it the “golden standard” of historical interpretation in the country, she said.

“We have a little bit different set of stories to tell, but in the same vein, it’s still part of the American experience,” Shymanski said. “That gives us the ability to interpret Pullman houses in a similar kind of storytelling platform, using the place to tell the stories.”

The Pullman House Project is still working to connect with remaining members of the Lisciotto family and hopes to acquire photographs and other artifacts from when they lived in the home, Shymanski said.

Work will also continue on other parts of the home, including renovation on a kitchen addition and part of the roof that’s been damaged by rain, Shymanski said. An upstairs bathroom, which the previous owner modernized by adding a contemporary stand-up shower, will be changed to better fit the rest of the home’s aesthetic, she said.

Shymanski hopes those who see the Lisciotto home will reflect on the importance of community, she said.

“Sometimes we forget that in the sort of nihilism that we live in, community is an important aspect of life for a lot of folks — the ability to find a common cause, not just in the big picture, but in the local picture, and this was one of those places that people [found] that common cause,” she said.

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