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Our tours do often sell out and we always recommend customers buy their tickets online and in advance. Complete your architecture experience with a visit to the Chicago Architecture Center, just $5 with a General Boarding Ticket and valid for up to 7 days after your cruise. Explore the new Old Post Office Building, whose early 20th-century design has been adaptively reused into a beautiful, modern Class A Office building. Chicago's downtown is home to a number of striking and architecturally significant houses of worship. Visit several of these sites, including "the tallest church in the world"—a skyscraper with offices, designed for worship and work. Tour the world’s tallest commercial building with load-bearing masonry walls and learn how the transition from masonry to steel frame skyscrapers transformed the workplace.
Historic Treasures of Chicago’s Golden Age
An architecture cruise around Chicago is definitely a highlight for visitors (and some locals) to enjoy when in the region, and as mentioned on TimeOut, there are also plenty of attractions you can add to your itinerary. For baseball fans, it’s most likely historic Wrigley Field, and for outdoor enthusiasts, it’s Navy Pier or popular walking spots such as the Chicago Riverwalk and the Lakefront Trail. By the time the Roaring Twenties rolled in, Chicago was ready to embrace the opulent Art Deco, a style that married luxury with geometry. Structures like the Chicago Board of Trade Building became symbols of this era, adorned with intricate motifs and crowned with classical statues.
Hyde Park
On this 75-minute narrated experience, guests cruise the Chicago River and get up-close views of the city’s iconic skyline, featuring all of its signature architecture and celebrated landmarks. In fact, US News and World Report lists the Seadog as a top Chicago River experience. Travel from the lakefront, through the Chicago Harbor Lock, and all along the Chicago River straight to the illustrious Willis Tower from either the boat’s climate-controlled interior or the open-air outdoor deck. The excursion also includes a short speedboat ride on Lake Michigan afterward, to provide guests with the opportunity to experience the best of both worlds, providing fun memorable times for family and friends. Dress is casual, and BYOB is permitted, just avoid the use of glass containers.
N. Michigan Ave (John Hancock Center)

Discover this treasure trove on Michigan Avenue and learn how it went from a carriage showroom to a high-profile artists’ colony that housed tenants like Frank Lloyd Wright, Lorado Taft and Harriet Monroe. See beautifully preserved examples of domestic architecture of the early 1900s in this delightful walk along three blocks of Dearborn Street in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast. Oak Park is home to the world’s largest collection of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. View the exteriors of nearly a dozen of Wright’s structures. Explore Chicago’s green spaces and learn why well-designed parks and outdoor recreational areas are essential to the city.
Reliance Building
The aftermath of World War II saw a global tilt towards Modernism. Prioritizing function and simplicity, this movement produced stark, minimalist landmarks in Chicago, with Mies van der Rohe’s 860–880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments standing as a testament. The late 20th century, however, yearned for a return to ornamentation and color.
Transitioning into the 20th century, the Prairie School emerged, drawing inspiration from the Midwestern landscape. This style, championed by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright, embraced horizontal lines and indigenous materials, with the Robie House as its crown jewel. Led by the Chicago Architecture Center's expertly trained docent volunteers, this 90-minute cruise reveals fascinating stories behind Chicago's majestic buildings in a way no other tour can. We’re proud to partner with Chicago’s First Lady Cruises, operator of Chicago’s finest fleet of cruising vessels. Its boats hold up to 250 passengers and feature open-air upper decks, full-service bars, climate-controlled lower cabins and upscale marble and granite restrooms. Being onboard is sure to be an experience you'll never forget.
Departs from northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive, at 112 E. Marvel at the original marble, mahogany doors and decorative wrought iron found throughout the two lobbies and uppermost floors of this 1895 building, designed by John Wellborn Root and Charles Atwood. Experience the glamour, intrigue and excitement of the bygone "Grand Hotel" era at the Palmer House.
Skyscrapers
90-Minute Lake & River Architecture Tour 02/24/2024 - Choose Chicago
90-Minute Lake & River Architecture Tour 02/24/2024.
Posted: Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You can pre-order these online or purchase on the day of your cruise. City Cruises offer the finest architecture brunch cruise providing magnificent views of Chicago. Our climate-controlled vessel is furnished with glass enclosures, providing a delightful brunch and bottomless mimosas throughout the year. Experience why the CAC's boat cruise is rated the best year after year. We are the only tour that partners with the Chicago Architecture Center to offer the official Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady.
Chicago River Architecture Tour (90 minutes)
90-Minute Lake & River Architecture Tour 03/23/2024 - Choose Chicago
90-Minute Lake & River Architecture Tour 03/23/2024.
Posted: Sat, 23 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Our Architecture River Tour takes you up and down the three branches of the Chicago River, providing breathtaking views of Chicago’s famous skyscrapers and landmarks at every turn. Tickets range from $51, for a daytime river cruise to $55 for an evening cruise. Are there any photography tips for capturing Chicago’s architecture from the cruise? Yes, to capture the best shots of Chicago’s architecture from the cruise, consider using a polarizing filter to reduce reflections on the water and enhance the sky’s blue. Aim for the golden hours (shortly after sunrise or before sunset) for softer lighting. Additionally, a wide-angle lens can help capture the full height and breadth of the skyscrapers from the unique vantage point of the river.
Want a quick introduction to Chicago’s magnificent architecture? This 90-minute tour takes a comprehensive look at the city’s architectural history by viewing buildings in chronological order, from early skyscrapers to new supertall high rises. We’re proud to present you with an in-depth, expert architectural-based river boat tour that delves into one of the most remarkable American cities today. Known for unique, daring, and historical architectural pursuits, it’s hard to cover all of the design and building treasures that make up the Windy City today. Whether you choose to explore our fabled downtown or one of the city’s many distinct and charming neighborhoods, our expert docents will guide you by boat, bus, train or on foot and share the stories behind the buildings. Visit iconic skyscrapers, elegant hotels or the legendary houses of Frank Lloyd Wright.
With our Chicago architectural tours, that’s exactly what we strive to provide, basing each tour from the perspective of an expert with the real-life example in the background. Chicago is known around the world for its architectural feats, both inside and outside of the buildings. From the 100-year-old Art Deco, Neo-Classical, and Gothic Towers, to some of the tallest modern-day skyscrapers, Chicago is where old meets futuristic architectural endeavors. It has something for everyone in a way that no other city replicates today. Experience the Lake Forest Cemetery's park-like setting overlooking Lake Michigan in one of Chicago's most beautiful premier suburbs. Hear stories of Lake Forest's founding and those who made their mark from Civil War to modern times.
Crew members will assist in guiding the wheelchair across the gangway. Please present yourself to our staff if you prefer to board before general boarding starts. Guests unable to climb stairs to the upper deck may choose to sit in the open-air bow or the enclosed, climate-controlled salon with large windows.
Parking facilities are available at Navy Pier or its vicinity. Your cruise will be departing from Navy Pier, located at 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL. Trump Tower Parking Garage is located at 401 N Wabash Avenue. Wendella guests may park for up to 6 hours at a discounted rate of $18.00 with a parking chaser coupon from our ticket office. This coupon is for self-park only and is not valid for valet parking. AMA Plaza Parking Garage may be accessed off Wabash Avenue, opposite Trump Tower or on State Street near the Hertz sign.
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