Chicago River: 90-Minute Architecture Boat Tour

The Chicago River holds 130 years of architecture in one boat ride

You board a narrated boat at the Wrigley Building and spend 90 minutes traveling all three branches of the Chicago River with a trained architectural guide. You see Marina City, the Merchandise Mart, the Magnificent Mile, and a century of design decisions explained as you float past them. Indoor and outdoor seating means you choose your comfort level, and a restroom on board keeps you settled for the full ride.

Step-by-step itinerary

Chicago River 90-Minute Architecture Tour

• Depart from Wendella's docks
• See Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain
• Pass Merchandise Mart building
• View The Magnificent Mile
• Pass Wrigley Building
• See Chicago Riverwalk
• Pass second-largest opera auditorium
• View Marina City apartments

The experience

The fountain at the foot of the Wrigley Building shoots water across the river for five minutes every hour, and that's just the opening act. You board at Wendella's docks right there, at the northwest corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge, and for the next 90 minutes a professionally trained architectural guide walks you through the story of how Chicago's skyline got built, one building at a time. The boat navigates all three branches of the Chicago River, which means you're not just seeing the famous stuff from one angle. You're moving through the actual geography that shaped the city.

Marina City's corn-cob towers pass by on one side: "a city within a city," the guide will tell you, and you'll see why. The Merchandise Mart, the largest commercial building in the world, sits massive and impossible to miss. The Wrigley Building, white terra-cotta and built in 1922 as headquarters for the chewing gum company, gleams like it's still 1922. You pass under the Magnificent Mile, where the Water Tower and the Art Institute anchor a stretch of shopping and culture that most visitors only see from street level. The Chicago Riverwalk opens up as the boat moves through. They call it the city's "Second Lakefront," and from the water it actually feels like one. There's an Art Deco opera auditorium tucked in there too, second-largest in North America, and the guide connects the dots between all of it: why these buildings matter, what they say about the moment they were built, how they still shape the way people move through the city today.

The boat has indoor and outdoor seating, both climate controlled inside, so you can stay comfortable or get air depending on the weather. There's a restroom on board. Arrive 30 minutes before departure to get settled and claim your spot: outdoor seating fills up first, and the view from the water is the whole point. If you need wheelchair or ADA access, contact the operator ahead of time to arrange it. Maps are available in simplified Chinese if you request them at the ticket window.

What’s included

Your 90-minute tour includes narrated commentary from a professionally trained architectural guide, indoor and outdoor seating (climate controlled inside), a restroom on board, and passage through all three branches of the Chicago River. Maps in simplified Chinese are available upon request at the ticket window.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day39 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 21:15

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 300

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Wendella Tours & Cruises

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Chicago's architectural history explained by someone who knows it, without having to navigate the city yourself or piece together why each building matters. The boat does the moving, and the guide does the connecting.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Chicago River architecture tour?

90 minutes on the water, navigating all three branches of the Chicago River.

Where does the boat depart from?

Wendella's docks at the northwest corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge (DuSable Bridge), at the foot of the Wrigley Building.

What buildings and landmarks do you see?

Marina City, the Merchandise Mart, the Wrigley Building, the Magnificent Mile, the Chicago Riverwalk, and an Art Deco opera auditorium, among others spanning 130+ years of Chicago architecture.

Is the guide knowledgeable about architecture?

Yes, the guide is professionally trained in architecture and explains the design, style, and technique behind the buildings you pass.

Can you sit outside on the boat?

Yes, both indoor and outdoor seating are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Indoor seating is climate controlled.

Is there a restroom on the boat?

Yes, there is a restroom on board.

What should I bring or know before boarding?

Arrive 30 minutes before departure. Weapons are prohibited by US Coast Guard, and outside alcohol is not allowed. All bags are subject to search.

Are maps available in other languages?

Maps are available in simplified Chinese upon request at the ticket window.

Is this tour accessible for people with mobility needs?

Contact the tour operator ahead of time to arrange wheelchair and ADA access.

What if I'm not very fit? Can I still do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You're seated on a boat for the entire 90 minutes.