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Chicago River Ghost Tour: Great Fire & Eastland Disaster

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (6 reviews)

Free cancellationLikely to sell out

1/6

Duration2h

GroupUp to 18

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two Disasters, One River: Chicago's Darkest Stories Told from the Water

You board at the Chicago Riverwalk and spend two hours on the water hearing about the Great Chicago Fire, the Eastland Disaster, and the curses locals still talk about. The guide answers every question, the group stays small, and you can bring your own drinks and snacks to make the afternoon comfortable. Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in, and you're done by early evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Arrive early at Chicago Riverwalk
Board the boat for ghost tour
Pass by Chicago Riverwalk and learn history
See Ft Dearborn settlement site south side
View Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable's cottage north side
Spot John Hancock building by Chicago Locks
Learn about Great Chicago Fire site
See Eastland Disaster site on river
Hear about building curse stories
Enjoy bring-your-own snacks and beverages

The Experience

The guide mentions the curse before you even leave the dock, and you're not sure if he's joking. Turns out, the land beneath the John Hancock building—875 N Michigan Ave, the fifth-tallest in Chicago—carries a weight most visitors never think about. Over the next two hours on the Chicago River, you'll learn why locals still call it by its old name, and what happened on these banks that shaped the city's character in ways the tourist brochures skip over. The boat holds up to 18 people, small enough that you can actually ask questions without shouting, and the guide seems to genuinely want you to.

The tour starts at the Chicago Riverwalk and moves south first, past the site where Fort Dearborn once stood—the first American settlement here. Then north to where Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable's cottage sat, before the river itself became the story. You'll pass the exact spot where the Great Chicago Fire started in 1871, and then the guide takes you to the site of the Eastland Disaster, where over 800 people died in what's considered the largest maritime disaster on the Great Lakes. It's not the kind of history that feels distant or academic when you're standing on the water where it happened. The guide doesn't sensationalize it; he just tells you what occurred and lets the weight of the numbers do the work.

What makes this Chicago River ghost tour different is the setup itself. You can bring your own drinks and snacks—no glass—and there's a u-shaped bar with coolers on board, so you're not just listening to dark history, you're doing it while actually comfortable. Fifteen minutes of early arrival gets you checked in and ready to depart on time, which matters if you've got other plans that day. The whole thing runs 120 minutes, which is long enough to cover the major events without feeling rushed, but short enough that you're not stuck on a boat for half the day.

What’s included

A 120-minute guided tour on the Chicago River with a local knowledgeable guide.
coolers and ice provided on board.
permission to bring your own beverages and food (no glass).
small group setting with up to 18 passengers.
coverage of Chicago's haunted history including the Great Chicago Fire, Eastland Disaster, and local curses.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Chicago Boat Company

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want Chicago's darker history told by someone who knows the city, without having to arrange a separate boat or figure out which stories matter—the small group size means you can ask the guide anything that comes up, and bringing your own drinks makes a two-hour tour feel less like an obligation and more like time on the water.