CHICAGO · ARCHITECTURE TOURS
The ones worth booking.
The 15 chicago architecture tours that earn their place, the ones that leave travellers looking up long after. What each one shows you, who leads it, and what it costs.
Pet-friendly Chicago River architecture cruise with live guide commentary, skyline views, and big-building stories for $39.
Most Popular“It was a wonderful experience !! Punctual start, Great guide, lots of information and amazing views!”
A 90-minute Chicago River cruise with indoor and outdoor seating, trained narration, and up-close views of famous landmarks.
“Great experience. Very educational but beware to bundle up. Riding on the upper level was nice but we had to go inside on the lower level a couple times to warm up.”
90-minute Chicago River architecture cruise with expert guides, indoor comfort or open deck, and local drinks plus Garrett’s Popcorn.
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard First Lady: 90-minute docent-led tour of river landmarks like Willis Tower, Navy Pier, Marina City.
“Lots of interesting Chicago architectural history presented on a clean, efficient boat. Family friendly experience.”
Chicago architecture river cruise with skip-the-ticket line access, live docent narration of 40 landmarks, and cash bar drinks.
45-minute Chicago River architecture cruise with live guide, iconic landmarks, and indoor seating near Michigan Ave. $28.
“Lots of information. You can stay inside downstairs or be up on the deck to look up at the buildings. Just the right length of tour. Very convenient.”
Ride Wendella’s Chicago River and Lake Michigan cruise for live architecture storytelling, skyline photos, and landmark spotting in 90 minutes.
“This was a great tour if you are wanting to many of the buildings and the skyline from the lake. The guide was knowledgeable with the history and construction of the buildings”
A 45-minute, family-friendly Chicago River architecture cruise with live narration, indoor/outdoor decks, and an onboard cash bar.
“We loved our tour guide, he was so so funny and did a great job giving so much information but making it fun and keeping attention the entire time. Definitely worth it”
90-minute Chicago river and Lake Michigan architecture cruise with expert guide, Chicago Lock pass, deck or indoor seating, and cash bar.
“Our tour guide Jay was amazing. She knew her sightseeing facts and explained everything in an amazing way. She kept everyone’s attention.”
A 90-minute Chicago River architecture cruise with live narration, three river branches, and comfy indoor seating plus open-deck views.
“We literally did this tour on this first snow of the season BUT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT. The 90 minute 3:00 pm tour turned out be the sunset tour due to it being november so we got amazing pictures! Heath was entertaining and informative!”
Two-hour Loop walking tour of art deco lobbies and public interiors, led by local guides, with the Board of Trade ticket included.
“It was a wonderful experience. I gave the experience to my girlfriend as a birthday gift and activity. She loves walking tours. Andrew was funny informative and charismatic. I just hope in the future that your guides will start having microphones, as it was hard to listen with loud city distractions and other tour groups…”
A 4.5-hour small-group walk through Chicago’s best food and architecture, with stops at the Pedway, Riverfront, and Millennium Park’s Bean.
“Informative; our guide Dave was passionate and knowledgeable. It was great to try Chicago’s iconic foods too!”
Chicago River architecture by boat with a small-boat upgrade option. See the skyline, Navy Pier, and Cloud Gate with expert guides.
“We had a party of 8. One of us in a wheelchair. The crew was very accommodating and nice. The tour was interesting and informative. Great job.”
90-minute Chicago River architectural cruise with docent stories, 50+ landmarks, Neoclassical to Art Deco views, and free coffee and lemonade.
“Our tour guide was great! He was a local Chicagoan, and you can tell how much he really loves his city. I was engaged the entire time!”
A small-group minibus tour that strings together Chicago’s top skyline moments, Frank Lloyd Wright stops, and an optional 75-minute architecture river cruise.
“Great experience. Really good guide. Was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Very funny too. I recommend.”
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