Chicago Fireboat Tours
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Chicago Fireboat Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor
Tours & Attractions , Boat Tours
Chicago fireboat tours.
Located in Loop
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111 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago IL 60601
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- www.fireboattours.com
- (312) 919-3367
Chicago Fireboat Tours is a veteran owned business, conducting historical & architectural tours, sunset & fireworks cruises, and private events on a retired Chicago fireboat. Although there are other excursion boats in Chicago, ours stands out because you’re cruising on an actual piece of Chicago History. Our vessel the Fred A. Busse, was an active Fireboat for the Chicago Fire Department from 1937 until 1981.
Our guided historical & architectural tours take guests from Lake Michigan onto the Chicago River, navigating the same waterways where she once provided emergency assistance to our beautiful city. Our tours also highlight some of Chicago’s world famous architecture and the history that helped shape the city into what it has become today. In addition to our historical tours, we offer evening sunset and firework cruises on Lake Michigan and serve as one of the most unique venues in Chicago for a private charter or special event. Whether it’s a gathering for a special occasion with family or friends or a corporate event, our boat can accommodate up to 127 people and provide your guests with an unforgettable evening in Chicago.
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Chicago Fireboat Tours
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Chicago Fireboat Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
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Chicago Fireboat Tours
111 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60601
Chicago Fireboat Tours LLC. conducts daily guided tours, private cruises, and special events on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Through the use of historical ships, we are able to showcase Chicago at its finest.
Fred A Busse retired Chicago Fireboat Engine 41 was built in 1936 in Bay City, Michigan, customized for the Chicago Fire Department and served our great city from 1937 until 1981. Upon retirement the Busse was converted to a passenger vessel and operated cruises in Chicago, then Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. After touring in Sturgeon Bay until fall of 2018, Chicago Fireboat Tours returned the Fred A. Busse to her original homeport of Chicago in May of 2019 to showcase this historic vessel to the city she once served.
See website for updated details about our various tour dates and times.
- Boat Tours & Cruises
How to find us?
What's happening nearby....
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Take This Unique And Informative Fireboat Tour Along The Chicago River And Lake Michigan In Illinois
Melissa Mahoney
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
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Have you ever dreamed about taking a cruise along the Chicago River and getting a close-up look at the city? How about a cruise along Lake Michigan? Book a voyage with Chicago Fireboat Tours and you will be treated to an informative one-of-a-kind scenic tour on both bodies of water.
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To book your tour with Chicago Fireboat Tours, visit the website and go ahead and like their Facebook page for updates and information. Have you taken a cruise along the Chicago River or Lake Michigan? Please tell us all about your experience!
If you’re in the mood for more of a party boat experience, you can book a floating tiki bar with Island Party Boat in Chicago .
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Cruise on a Piece of Local History with Chicago Fireboat Tours
- August 14, 2019
Our team of Chicago tour guides recently got the chance to take a sunset cruise with our new partners at Chicago Fireboat Tours. We’ll be working with them to arrange private boat tour charters and guides for parties up to 127 people. That’s alongside our other private group boat tour partners, Anita Dee and Knockout Charters . A private Chicago boat tour charter is a great way to take visitors and locals up and down the stunning and historic waterways of Chicago. They also provide a great venue for customized tours if your group wants to explore a particular part of the waterfront.
Motoring up and down the lakefront as the sun dips behind the skyline is always a peerless experience. The Chicago Detours tour guides spent a couple hours geeking out over the architecture, marveling at the sunset, and enjoying some drinks. We also had the chance to wander around the Fred A. Busse, the Chicago Fireboat Tours’ ship. The boat is a fascinating relic from Chicago’s past, making it a great venue for historic architecture boat tours. After checking it out firsthand, I can explain exactly why we are so excited to begin booking private group outings for our guests with Chicago Fireboat Tours.
History of the Chicago Fireboat Fleet
First of all, stepping onto the Chicago Fireboat vessel is like walking into a historic building, which is kind of our thing at Chicago Detours. The Fred A. Busse is just one of a historical fleet of fireboats that helped fight fires in the Second City. Even with changes in zoning and construction materials after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, this was still a highly combustible city. The riverbanks were especially susceptible to fires. Grain silos filled to bursting , lumber yards towered with timber from the great northern forests , trains threw sparks as they trundled into their shed , and the warehouses of the old South Water Street Market overflowed with a cornucopia of flammable materials .
Hence the need for a fleet of fireboats. These industrial craft could pump thousands of gallons of water per minute and launch the spray dozens of stories in the air. The ships proved invaluable on the industrial zones up and down the river, out near the sailboats and cruise ships on Navy Pier, or at the Lake Calumet port. However, time still passed by the fireboats. As deindustrialization ramped up in the ’70s, the Port of Chicago was used less and less with each passing year and the fireboats saw less action. The city decommissioned the Fred A. Busse in 1981.
The Pleasure of a Chicago Boat Tour
The Fire Department’s loss is our gain, because the Fred A. Busse now provides one of the great scenic excursions in the world, a Chicago river and lake boat tour. Everyone knows it , but it bears repeating that the boat tours of Chicago are a stunning experience. The architecture boat tours on the river are always hugely fun for visitors and locals alike. You just cruise through American architectural history amidst the towering canyon walls of steel and glass. I’ve found that locals tend to really love the sunset cruise down the lakefront. Often a bit lighter on the history, these expeditions serenely sail past nautical landmarks, like the harbor lighthouse , and provide eye-popping views of the dramatic skyline. Of course, we can always create customized tour experiences that mix and match vistas and stories.
Though I’ve done many boat tours, taking the cruise with Chicago Fireboat Tours provided a unique experience. When the Fred A. Busse came out of the dry dock in 1937 its purpose was saving lives and property, not sightseeing. You still get a feel for that when you’re on board. The old fire nozzle still points up on the portside near the bow. Old photos of the fires that the Busse’s crew battled adorn the walls. Those little historic details made the experience more memorable while the cruise still provided the breathtaking skyline views you’d expect from a private architecture boat tour.
Book a Customized Private Group Boat Tour
Chicago Detours is always ready to help you have a pleasurable time on the waters of the Windy City. We leave the logistical headache of hourly public cruises to the Wendellas of the world. Instead, our guides and staff can help charter a customized private group boat tour for events like wedding celebrations, corporate outings, family reunions, or any other reason you might have. We will work with the staff of the Chicago Fireboat to create customized tours to fit the needs of your group. Connect with us to book both the boat and the tour guide at once, and we can even work out the details of the bar package for you.
The guides will come courtesy of Chicago Detours, of course. Booking a private boat tour means you’ll likely be learning about the city from either yours truly or Amanda, our Executive Director. Not to toot our own horn, but the two of us are pretty proud of both our vast knowledge of Chicago’s history and architecture and our professional guiding skills.
So give us a ring at 312-350-1131 or email [email protected] if you’d like to set to sea soon.
– Alex Bean, Content Manager and Tour Guide
Chicago Detours is boutique tour company that tells neighborhood and city stories through in-person tours, virtual tours, and custom content for private group events.
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Private Tour Coordinator and Tour Guide
There is no shortage of things to discover in Chicago—I love being an urban explorer and uncovering its hidden places. I have an MA in Public History from Loyola University Chicago, and I have worked as a museum educator and kindergarten teacher. My desire to learn new things fuels my passion for educating others, which I get to experience every day as a Chicago tour guide. I live in the northern neighborhood of Rogers Park.
Whether you are a first-time visitor or a lifelong resident, the vibrant history and modern majesty of Chicago never ceases to amaze. I’m a graduate of Columbia College with an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Art. I’ve worked for many years as an educator at City Colleges of Chicago. As tour guide at Chicago Detours, I integrate my enthusiasm for culture and architecture with my passion as an educator. West Town/Noble Square area is home for me.
With our Chicago neighborhoods, vibrant cultural institutions and nearly two centuries of larger-than-life stories, there’s never a dull moment here! I’m a fifth generation Chicagoan and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to guiding tours, I’m a creative writer and amateur genealogist. I also enjoy the city’s dynamic theater scene. You can also read overlooked stories from 19th-century newspapers on my “Second Glance History” blog. I live in River North.
Chicago is unique as it always evolves into the future while holding on to the past. I’m fascinated by how people latch on to old architecture but happily pave over others. My background is in theater and performance and I’ve been a tour guide here for more than 10 years. Currently I’m finishing my Master’s in Public History at Loyola University because I love to teach the history of this scrappy city. I’m in the Edgewater neighborhood.
Operations Coordinator and Tour Guide
Chicago’s history is so fascinating, you could spend a lifetime uncovering its secrets…I’m willing to give it a try! I have an M.A. in US History from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and then pursued doctoral studies in Urban History at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I love to learn new aspects of Chicago’s rich history and then share my knowledge as a tour guide with Chicago Detours. I live in Ravenswood.
Content Manager and Tour Guide
Chicago has so many neighborhoods, buildings, and by-ways that it’s hard to go long without seeing something new, or something familiar from a new angle. I studied Cinema History for my M.A. from the University of Chicago. I’ve worked as a culture writer for various publications and as an educator of the humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. I’m thrilled to share my love of this city’s busy past and unique architectural spaces with Chicago Detours. I live in the Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park.
Amanda Scotese
Executive director and tour guide, book a chicago event.
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Chicago Fireboat Tours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
CHICAGO FIREBOAT TOURS - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
The 30 things everybody should do at least once in Chicago, according to Tripadvisor ratings
Posted: April 28, 2024 | Last updated: April 28, 2024
Highest-rated things to do in Chicago, according to Tripadvisor
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated things to do in Chicago on Tripadvisor . Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews.
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- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (17,717) - Type of activity: Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings - Address: 233 S Wacker Drive entrance on Jackson Blvd (south side of building), Chicago, IL 60606-7147 - Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Absolutely Chicago Segway Tours
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Chicago Fireboat Tours
111 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60601
Chicago Fireboat Tours LLC. conducts daily guided tours, private cruises, and special events on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Through the use of historical ships, we are able to showcase Chicago at its finest.
Fred A Busse retired Chicago Fireboat Engine 41 was built in 1936 in Bay City, Michigan, customized for the Chicago Fire Department and served our great city from 1937 until 1981. Upon retirement the Busse was converted to a passenger vessel and operated cruises in Chicago, then Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. After touring in Sturgeon Bay until fall of 2018, Chicago Fireboat Tours returned the Fred A. Busse to her original homeport of Chicago in May of 2019 to showcase this historic vessel to the city she once served.
See website for updated details about our various tour dates and times.
- Boat Tours & Cruises
How to find us?
What's happening nearby....
!Taíno Vive! Caribbean Indigenous Resistance at The National Puerto Rican Museum Chicago
The National Puerto Rican Museum Chicago • Jan 06 – Jun 16
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture will host “Caribbean Indigenous Resistance / Resistencia indígena del Caribe ¡Taíno Vive!” January 6 – June 16,…
Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show: What's in a Name?
Garfield Park Conservatory • May 02 @ 10AM
The Garfield Park Conservatory’s 2024 Spring Flower Show returns on February 14th!
Sueños Music Festival,
Grant Park • May 25 – May 26
We invite you to Grant Park this May to experience all-new multi-day Latin music festival, Sueños. World-class production and a curated experience that will leave you…
You might also be interested...
Seadog Cruises
Spirit of Chicago Cruises
Kanan Cruises
Share your moments, #enjoyillinois, subscribe to our newsletter.
Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois.
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Things To Do
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- Lincoln Historic Sites
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- Great Rivers Country
- Land of Lincoln
- Trails to Adventure
Plan Your Trip
- Travel Inspiration
- Road Trip Itineraries
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- Getting Here & Getting Around
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Accessibility in Illinois
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- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Check our Pinterest
- Follow us on TikTok
- Follow us on LinkedIn
- Subscribe to our channel on YouTube
Chicago Fireboat Tours
111 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60601
Chicago Fireboat Tours LLC. conducts daily guided tours, private cruises, and special events on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Through the use of historical ships, we are able to showcase Chicago at its finest.
Fred A Busse retired Chicago Fireboat Engine 41 was built in 1936 in Bay City, Michigan, customized for the Chicago Fire Department and served our great city from 1937 until 1981. Upon retirement the Busse was converted to a passenger vessel and operated cruises in Chicago, then Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. After touring in Sturgeon Bay until fall of 2018, Chicago Fireboat Tours returned the Fred A. Busse to her original homeport of Chicago in May of 2019 to showcase this historic vessel to the city she once served.
See website for updated details about our various tour dates and times.
- Boat Tours & Cruises
How to find us?
What's happening nearby....
!Taíno Vive! Caribbean Indigenous Resistance at The National Puerto Rican Museum Chicago
The National Puerto Rican Museum Chicago • Jan 06 – Jun 16
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture will host “Caribbean Indigenous Resistance / Resistencia indígena del Caribe ¡Taíno Vive!” January 6 – June 16,…
Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show: What's in a Name?
Garfield Park Conservatory • May 02 @ 10AM
The Garfield Park Conservatory’s 2024 Spring Flower Show returns on February 14th!
Sueños Music Festival,
Grant Park • May 25 – May 26
We invite you to Grant Park this May to experience all-new multi-day Latin music festival, Sueños. World-class production and a curated experience that will leave you…
You might also be interested...
Seadog Cruises
Spirit of Chicago Cruises
Kanan Cruises
Share your moments, #enjoyillinois, subscribe to our newsletter.
Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois.
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COMMENTS
We're Chicago Fireboat Tours! We offer Chicago boat tours, sunset cruises, and fireworks cruises on an original Chicago Fireboat. Retired Fireboat Engine 41, Fred A. Busse ... Chicago Fireboat Tours 111 N. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60601. Contact [email protected] 312.919.3367. Follow US.
About. Chicago Fireboat Tours is a Veteran owned business, conducting River & Lake cruises plus private events on a retired Fireboat. Our vessel served the Fire Department from 1937 to 1981, so you'll be riding on a piece of Chicago history! Our guided afternoon tour focuses on this history, plus Chicago architecture, while evening cruises stay ...
Chicago, IL 60601. Chicago Fireboat Tours is located on the pier separating DuSable and Monroe Harbors. We're docked right behind the MV Abegweit which is the large retired ferry boat that houses the Columbia Yacht Club. ... Just use 111 N. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60601 as your destination address. Look for the big red Fireboat! 2022 ...
About. Chicago Fireboat Tours is a Veteran owned business, conducting tours and cruises on an actual piece of Chicago history; the Fred A Busse, Engine 41 (retired) which served Chicago from 1937 until 1981. Hop onboard and step back in time, featuring a miniature museum inside with photos of the Busse in action during it's time in service, as ...
Experience the history and architecture of Chicago on a retired fireboat that was an active fireboat for the city from 1937 to 1981. Chicago Fireboat Tours offers guided tours, sunset and firework cruises, and private events on Lake Michigan with up to 127 guests.
About. Chicago Fireboat Tours is a Veteran owned business, conducting tours and cruises on an actual piece of Chicago history; the Fred A Busse, Engine 41 (retired) which served Chicago from 1937 until 1981. Hop onboard and step back in time, featuring a miniature museum inside with photos of the Busse in action during it's time in service, as ...
Specialties: Navy Veteran Owned and Operated, Chicago Fire Boat Tours is the premiere tour boat company traveling through the downtown Chicago river and lake front. We conduct historical tours and private events on the historic Fred A. Busse, a real retired Chicago fireboat from 1937. Come join us and our crew, we treat you like one of our own! Established in 2019. Although there are other ...
111 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60601. Boating. Chicago Fireboat Tours LLC. conducts daily guided tours, private cruises, and special events on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Through the use of historical ships, we are able to showcase Chicago at its finest. Fred A Busse retired Chicago Fireboat Engine 41 was built in 1936 in Bay City ...
Experience the history and beauty of Chicago's fireboat Fred A. Busse Engine #41, the largest diesel-powered fireboat in the world, on a historical, sunset or fireworks cruise. Learn about the vessel's history, routes and features, and book your tickets online for this unique tour.
Book a voyage with Chicago Fireboat Tours and you will be treated to an informative one-of-a-kind scenic tour on both bodies of water. The Fred A. Busse, also known as Engine 41, is a retired fireboat that served the Chicago area from the years 1937 until 1981. It was once the largest diesel-powered fireboat in the world and played its part in ...
DuSable Harbor is at 111 N Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60601. The Fred A. Busse is docked just East of the iconic MV Abegweit which houses the Columbia Yacht Club. ... Top 10% of Worldwide Attractions! location Chicago Fireboat Tours 111 N. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60601. Contact [email protected] 312.919.3367. Follow US. SERVICES ...
Not to toot our own horn, but the two of us are pretty proud of both our vast knowledge of Chicago's history and architecture and our professional guiding skills. So give us a ring at 312-350-1131 or email [email protected] if you'd like to set to sea soon. - Alex Bean, Content Manager and Tour Guide.
About. Chicago Fireboat Tours is a Veteran owned business, conducting tours and cruises on an actual piece of Chicago history; the Fred A Busse, Engine 41 (retired) which served Chicago from 1937 until 1981. Hop onboard and step back in time, featuring a miniature museum inside with photos of the Busse in action during it's time in service, as ...
Chicago Fireboat Tours, Chicago, Illinois. 2,409 likes · 55 talking about this · 2,130 were here. Tour Boat Agency
- Address: 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603-6110 - Read more on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor #29. Millennium Park ... Chicago Fireboat Tours - Rating: 5.0 / 5 (103) - Type of activity: Boat Tours
Fred A Busse retired Chicago Fireboat Engine 41 was built in 1936 in Bay City, Michigan, customized for the Chicago Fire Department and served our great city from 1937 until 1981. Upon retirement the Busse was converted to a passenger vessel and operated cruises in Chicago, then Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Fred A Busse retired Chicago Fireboat Engine 41 was built in 1936 in Bay City, Michigan, customized for the Chicago Fire Department and served our great city from 1937 until 1981. Upon retirement the Busse was converted to a passenger vessel and operated cruises in Chicago, then Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Chicago Fireboat Tours is a top merchant due to its average rating of 4.5 stars or higher based on a minimum of 400 ratings. Chicago Fireboat Tours 111 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Sail into Chicago's Heart: Embark on a Timeless Adventure. 4.9. 791 Groupon Ratings. 4.9. Average of 791 ratings ...