Enter To Win Weddings At Wrigley: An Enchanted Evening On October 1
Calling all engaged couples! The Magnificent Mile Association©, in partnership with The Wrigley Building® is bringing back a not-to-be-missed celebration of love, offering 40 couples an exclusive opportunity to win a micro wedding or civil union during Weddings at Wrigley: An Enchanted Evening held Saturday, October 1.Read more
How Much Does The Chicago Architecture Boat Tour Cost
Since the tours are seasonal, you can sit outside on the boats upper deck, or in the enclosed areas on cold or rainy days. Regardless of the weather, its important to buy tickets in advance. This is a popular tour that sells out quickly. Tickets are $47 for daytime cruises, and $51 for the 7:30 p.m. twilight cruises. Add $5 more to buy the combination ticket that includes admission to the Chicago Architecture Center, which showcases the history and future of the citys architecture.
A post shared by Cindy Richards on Oct 13, 2018 at 4:48pm PDT
The Main Benefits Of This Chicago River Boat Tour
- Discover all three branches of the Chicago River with a guide well-versed in the city’s legendary architecture
- Enjoy admiring the city’s majestic city skyline and architecture from a unique angle – on the water.
- See more than 40 iconic Chicago buildings and skyscrapers
- Discover the major historical events that shape the architectural history of Chicago
- This ultra-flexible cruise runs over 20 times daily from Navy Pier and Michigan Avenue
You May Like: Around The World Cruises 2024
Illinois Department Of Natural Resources
Are you an angler looking for a downtown spot to cast a line? Fishing is allowed on the Chicago Riverwalk and licensed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Please be sure to visit their website to get your license and view current information on fishing rules and regulations in the 2016 Illinois Fishing Information guide. Please make sure your gear and equipment do not obstruct the Riverwalk path for other users.
Frank Lloyd Wright In Oak Park
Oak Park is home to the worlds largest collection of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. View the exteriors of nearly a dozen of Wrights structures.
- Duration
- Free for Deco Members and above
- Meet
- The Frank Lloyd Wright memorial stone at the northeast entrance to Austin Gardens, 199 Forest Ave., Oak Park, IL 60301
This one-hour walking tour covers nearly a dozen homes on Chicago and Forest avenues and on Elizabeth Court.
Special thanks to the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust for their valuable partnership over the years. Visit www.flwright.org to view interior tours offered by the Trust to complement your CAC Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park tour.
Notes:
- Advance reservations required.
- Your safety is our priority. The itinerary of this tour may be altered in accordance with health and safety policies and considerations.
- Ticket price includes entrance to the Chicago Architecture Center within 7 days of your tour. View the CAC’s hours.
Read Also: What To Do In Juneau Cruise Port
Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise Aboard Chicagos First Lady
#1 boat tour in Chicago according to TripAdvisor user reviews!
For more than 25 years, the Chicago Architecture Centers expertly trained docent volunteers have led the river cruise, sharing fascinating stories behind more than 50 buildings along the Chicago River. Hear how Chicago grew from a small settlement into one of the worlds largest cities in less than 100 years. In just 90 minutes, youll get the best overview of Chicagos architecture and its history.
Chicagos First Lady is committed to taking the proper precautions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its river cruise guests and team, including ensuring that boats are cleaned and sanitized throughout the day and their service. Chicagos First Lady offers restrooms on board each vessel with running water and plenty of soap. Chicagos First Lady continues to follow the recommendations of public health officials and is monitoring the evolving situation.
Tickets start at $48.18 for daytime river cruise Tickets start at $52.91 for evening cruise
You May Like: Chicago Electric Table Saw Parts
Chicago Architecture Foundation Bus Tour
In addition to their boat tour, CAF also provides an extensive architecture bus tour.
Clocking in at over 3 hours in length, you can rest assured that you will learn a lot about Chicago while on this adventure.
Over the course of this excursion, youll cover more than 30 miles of architectural history in the windy city.
If youre looking for a more educational experience, this is probably your best bet.
Tickets
- $37 CAF members
Tour Length: 3 ½ hours
Availability: This tour is typically available at least once a week. Check their tour calendar for more information.
Recommended Reading: Hip Hop Dance Classes Chicago
You May Like: Cruise And Tour Travel Agency
Give The Gift Of Chicago Line Tours
GIFT TICKETS
To give a special someone, friend or client the best tour in Chicago, simply ask at our ticket office or contact us.
This is my 8th time on a Chicago architectural river cruise and this was by far the most informative and biggest bang for your buck.Operagolf / LaHabra
The best guide on our whole USA trip. We took the Architecture tour where the boat meandered in between all of the incredible buildings of the city with the guide knowing EVERYTHING about each building its style, age, height, architect, cost, purpose, owner .. Quite brilliant!DrCumbrian / TripAdvisor
I’ve done several of the architecture cruises since my family moved to Chicago, and this is the best one yet! Allie K / TripAdvisor
If you only have time for one sight-seeing event while in Chicago, do this. We really have no great interest in architecture, but this tour came highly recommended and we did not regret it. Allice I / Oklahoma
My wife and I very much enjoyed the Chicago Line Cruise jazz cruise… My spouse said this was one of the favorite things she has done in Chicago since moving here in the past year, and I agree. I am a jazz snob, and … I was very pleased with the music offered by the Geordie Kelly group. He’s a fine jazz guitarist, and his band was great. / Yelp
Discover The Windy City From The Water
Set Sail on a Premier Charter Cruise
Architecture boat tours are one of the best ways to delve into Chicagos history. Youll see the different art styles on the buildings that line the Chicago Rivers shores while expert guides explain how the city was rebuilt after the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. We offer that cover all three branches of the Chicago River, or you can book a for your event that covers Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Check out our cruises below to learn more.
Chicagos Best 90-Minute Architecture Boat Tour
Read Also: Cruise Around The World Price
Newhouse Architecture + Design Competition
Exhibit Information
The Newhouse Architecture + Design Competition showcases Chicagoland high school students who present design solutions to real-world problems. Named after late Illinois Senator Richard Newhouse , the annual competition celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2022.
This years competition asked students to envision a more youth-friendly Chicago, spotlighting the communities identified in Mayor Lori Lightfoots INVEST South/West initiative. The winning submissions, which are highlighted in this special exhibition, address five elements of youth-friendly cities: safe play spaces, multifunctional landscapes, intergenerational activity, cultural heritage spaces and accessible play areas.
INVEST South/West is Mayor Lightfoots $1.4 billion community development initiative to reverse decades of disinvestment on Chicagos South and West Sides. The initiative focuses on neighborhood projects along commercial corridors that support amenities, local businesses, public spaces and housing.
NEWHOUSE 2022 WINNERS BY CHALLENGE
Safe Place Spaces
Youll Hear Lots Of Names Of Famous People And Businesses
Donald Trump, Groupon, Apple, William Wrigley Jr., Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Oprah Winfrey, IBM, and Betrand Goldberg are just a few of the recognizable names youll hear during the tour.
For more ideas on things to do in downtown Chicago, check out my SheBuysTravel stories on whats new at Navy Pier, and my favorite kid-friendly restaurants.
Recommended Reading: Are There River Cruises In Italy
Chicagos Architecture Is Stunning
Gothic, contemporary, Art Deco, mid-century modern thats only a short list of the different architecture styles youll see and learn about on this river tour. Youll see more than 50 Chicago buildings, including these iconic landmarks:
- , the circular riverfront corn cobs
- River City, the rounded residential units with rounded windows on the South Branch of the Chicago River.
- Willis Tower, the 110-story skyscaper is one of the tallest buildings in the world
- The glass-walled Apple store, with a flat silver roof designed to look like a MacBook Air
- The Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue, with its famous white clock tower
- The Tribune Tower, another Michigan Avenue icon, that was once home to the venerable Chicago Tribune
- The Merchandise Mart, this Art Deco wonder is so big that it once had its own Zip code.
Youll also see an ordinary Wacker Drive office building with a 400-foot-tall street map on the side, a curved glass skyscraper on Wacker Drive with reflective views of the skyline and river, and skyscrapers built over trains and highways, including the massive former Chicago Post Office.
While I dont know much about architecture or design, I still found the tour really interesting because the docent explained everything in a way that regular people would understand.
A post shared by Cindy Richards on Aug 3, 2017 at 1:00pm PDT
The Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise: Options Prices And Schedules
Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise
This years first cruise embarked on April 1st and will run until Indigenous Peoples Day in September or Veterans Day in November, weather permitting. Two-to-three cruises leave every hour starting at 9:00 AM with the final departure at 8:00 PM every night.
Tickets for the regular daytime cruise start at $51.96, while evening cruises start at $55.74 for adults or children aged four and above. Infants three years and under cruise for $23.62 at all times. Golden hour cruises are worth the extra bucks for stunning visuals of the river and its reflective surroundings in the soft, waning light.
A special 9:00 AM Saturday departure is catered to the needs of photographers for the usual daytime price. This cruise allows a freer movement of passengers and stops three times for added photo opportunities.
Visitors with accessibility needs can choose from specific times on vessels with wheelchair accessibility on the open-air bow deck, salon, and restrooms.
For an extra $5, you can add an entry to the Chicago Architecture Center right across the street, regularly priced at $14 for adults. It houses a striking 3D model of the city featuring more than 4,200 buildings with interactive audio-visual elements, among other changing exhibits.
Also Check: Does Disney Cruise Offer Drink Packages
Learn About Our Group Discounts And More
Located Downtown for Your Convenience
Looking for a fun way to go sightseeing with your group? We offer discounts on groups of six or more adults , as well as 40% plus discounts for students, seniors, first responders, military & military families, veterans, COVID-19 heroes, and school groups. Did we mention kids aged 3 and under are also free? Our marina is located in the south loop and is right off the expressway with easy parking options making it easy for you to bring your out-of-town visitors out on the water. Additionally, we are the closest dock to McCormick Place, the main convention center in Chicago, making it easy for business travelers to experience Chicagos famous architecture boat cruise. With the best prices in town and one of the longest architecture tours around, you cant go wrong with Tours & Boats!
Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise Aboard Chicago’s First Lady
- Tickets start at $51.96 for daytime river cruiseTickets start at $55.74 for evening cruiseVISIT THE CAC FOR JUST $5 EXTRA!Please note, prices are subject to change.
- Meet
- Northeast corner of Michigan Ave. and E. Wacker Dr. Look for the blue awning marking the stairway entrance, 112 E. Wacker Dr.
Chicagos First Lady is committed to taking the proper precautions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its river cruise guests and team, including ensuring that boats are cleaned and sanitized throughout the day and their service. Chicagos First Lady offers restrooms on board each vessel with running water and plenty of soap. Chicagos First Lady continues to follow the recommendations of public health officials and is monitoring the evolving situation.
#1 boat tour in North America according to USA Today Readers’ Choice 2021 Awards! Looking for the ultimate Chicago architecture experience? Buy a combo ticket for the river cruise AND visit the Chicago Architecture Centeryou’ll save $9!
For more than 25 years, the CAC’s expertly trained docent volunteers have led the river cruise, sharing fascinating stories behind more than 50 buildings along the Chicago River. Hear how Chicago grew from a small settlement into one of the world’s largest cities in less than 100 years. In just 90 minutes, you’ll get the best overview of Chicagos architecture and its history.
Learn what’s new on the River Cruise.
Recommended Reading: What Cruise Ships Go To Key West
Top Chicago Architecture Bus Tours
One of the best ways to see Chicago is to take a bus tour. There are several services that will drive you around the most architecturally significant areas of the city.
As you travel around Chi-town by bus, a tour guide will point out historically important buildings and tell you the story of their construction.
These architecture tours may be better for anyone visiting during the winter because they wont require you to be outside for very long, if at all.
Due to the fact that great and interesting architecture is everywhere, just about every bus tour in the city is at least partially an architecture tour.
If youre going on a trip with your family, it may be a better idea to consider one of these general excursions over an experience devoted to learning about how this city was built.
Below are some of the more notable.
Be sure to read our post which compares the best Chicago bus tours.
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise Aboard Chicago’s First Lady
- Add to wishlist
- The Loop, Chicago, United States
The Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady has long been the gold standard among all Chicago tour experiences, and is the only Chicago architecture boat tour led by highly trained expert docents. On this 90-minute cruise, you will enjoy an overview of historic and modern architectural styles including stories about the people who designed and built Chicago. No visit to Chicago is complete without experiencing this award winning tour, so accept no substitutes.
Read Also: Hawaii And French Polynesia Cruise 2021
Architecture Foundation Center Cruise
The architecture Foundation river cruise was fantastic. An amazing volunteer tour guide who was passionate and so knowledgeable. The stories and details about the stunning buildings made the whole experience meaningful and enjoyable.
2122171,978
In general, the river is a pleasant place to walk and sit . However, there are lotss of places to sit and watch. There are places to eat and drink or just to admire the skyline. The river itself is an interesting colour which make for exceellent photos!
The river has a walkway, kayak rentals, ferry boats and some really great places to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer out in the sun. Good restaurants along the river walk too!
This is a must to do go on the Chicago Riverwalk to explore downtown Chicago Skylines and bridges and restaurant.
We really enjoyed this tour, it was a lovely sunny afternoon with perfect weather. Our guide kept us entertained, gave us lots of history lessons and how many of the sites on the tour are tied into the citys heritage. Chicago is very beautiful and it was a great way to learn about the city. Highly recommend doing this tour led by a great crew.
You May Like: Multi Unit For Sale Chicago
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise
Tickets for Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise in Chicago Ticket for one Each ticket includes:
- Live commentary on board from a local guide
General Info Dates and times: Various dates and times Duration: 90 minutes Location: Chicago Architecture Center Age requirement: All ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Not recommended for children younger than 12 years Accessibility: This activity is wheelchair accessible Please note: Boarding is on a first come, first serve basis. Drinks and light snacks will be avaialble for purchase For this event, all sales are final and tickets cant be refunded, changed or modified. For more information, please refer to our T& Cs
DescriptionThe Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady has long been the gold standard among all Chicago tour experiences, and is the only Chicago architecture boat tour led by highly trained expert docents. On this 90-minute cruise, you will enjoy an overview of historic and modern architectural styles including stories about the people who designed and built Chicago. No visit to Chicago is complete without experiencing this award winning tour! Get your tickets for Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise in Chicago!
Also Check: Where To Stay When Cruising Out Of Port Canaveral
Reserve Now & Pay Later
Find your experience
Make a reservation
Choose when to pay
Enjoy your experience
Your payment will be processed one day before the end of the free cancellation period specified in the product’s cancellation policy, based on Pacific time. For example, if you book an experience in Paris with free cancellation up to 1 day before, scheduled to start at 1pm on Saturday October 5, your payment will be processed on Thursday October 3 at 1pm Pacific Time if your experience in New York City has the same cancellation policy and is scheduled to start at 3pm on Saturday October 5, your payment will be processed on Thursday October 3 at 3pm Pacific Time .
If there is no start time set on the experience, payment will be processed at midnight Pacific time. For example, if you book an experience in Paris with free cancellation up to 1 day before, for Saturday October 5, your payment will be processed around 9am Paris time on Thursday October 3.
*Up to 9 days depending on the booking/product