Chicago: Architecture Center Cruise on Chicago's First Lady

Hop onboard the only cruise narrated by Chicago Architecture Center certified volunteer docents who will share their wealth of knowledge about Chicago’s “canyon of architecture” – the Chicago River.

Cruise down all 3 branches of the Chicago River, with unobstructed, open-air, 360-degree views of the city’s wide variety of architectural styles, including Art Deco, neoclassicism, mid-century modernism, and postmodernism. Discover how design shaped history and influenced life.

Enjoy guaranteed seating on the open-air upper decks and purchase items at the full-service cocktail and snack bars in climate-controlled interior salons. Listen as docents share stories of over 50 buildings and 13 bascule bridges along the river, and some of the iconic figures responsible for them. If you're a non-English speaker, get access to a pre-recorded tour narration on your smartphone. Simply scan a QR code, download a mobile app, and connect it to the onboard Wi-Fi network. Narration is automatically triggered based on the location of the vessel on the tour route, so sit back and relax. Choose an option to add the CAC (Chicago Architecture Center) general admission for only $5 compared to the normal $14 admission.