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Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise

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Chicago, United States
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Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise
Museum campus
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From $76.95

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Free Cancellation
up to 24 hours in advance
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icon4 hours  (Approx.)
iconOffered in: English
Keeping you safe during COVID-19
What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
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Safety precautions are provided by the tour operator and are not checked by Viator for accuracy
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(888) 651-9785

Overview

See Chicago from a new perspective during this 4-hour combined bus and boat excursion covering some of the city's most iconic sights. First discover Windy City landmarks such as the skyscrapers of the Loop, Grant Park, Shedd Aquarium, Soldier Field and the former stomping grounds of President Obama during a narrated coach tour. Then take a Chicago cruise aboard your state-of-the-art yacht, enjoying a cruise of the Chicago River that provides a unique look at the city's architecture from the water. This half-day Chicago exploration also includes hotel pickup.
  • 4-hour tour of Chicago by land and water
  • Take a narrated coach tour of the South Side
  • See Grant Park, the Lake Point Towers, Navy Pier and more
  • Enjoy a shoreline yacht cruise on the Chicago River
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From $76.95

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Narrated trolley or coach tour
Shoreline yacht cruise on the Chicago River
Local taxes
Gratuities
Food and drinks
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Transportation to boat tour
30 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, USA

Return Details

Returns to original departure point
Get a taste of Chicago's most iconic landmarks and famous neighborhoods during this combined 4-hour excursion with both a coach bus and yacht tour. You're sure to get more for your money during this combo trip, which offers a chance to see the top landmarks of this iconic Illinois city from both the water and the land.

Start your trip with pickup from a centrally located Chicago hotel around 11:30am. Then begin your first half of the day's excursion by bus. During your narrated coach tour, you'll first travel past Grant Park, a world-famous outdoor area that has played host to everything from rock concerts to food festivals. Just nearby you'll admire Soldier Field, home turf of the Chicago Bears, and the Art Institute of Chicago, which boasts a world-class collection of impressionist art. 

Then stop by Chicago's "museum campus," including the Field Museum of Natural History, Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium, a favorite area for both locals and visitors alike. Continue past other landmarks including the 80-story Amoco Building and head to the South Side's University of Chicago area, where you'll explore the former neighborhood and home of President Obama. See below for a more detailed itinerary of sights included on the tour.

Finish the second half of your day by boarding a state-of-the-art Streamliner yacht for a cruise, along the Chicago River, offering photo-worthy views of Chicago's towering downtown buildings from below. Your excursion finishes back at the boat dock adjacent to Michigan Avenue.
Itinerary
Stop At:  
Grant Park
Explore the Windy City by land and water on this half-day tour of Chicago. On the first half of your tour, explore the city by bus to discover the history and culture of Chicago. Travel through Grant Park, known as the ‘front lawn of the city.'
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Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Pass By:  
Soldier Field
Grant Park is the site of Soldier Field.
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Pass By:  
Adler Planetarium
Admire the sky dome at the Adler Planetarium.
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Pass By:  
The Art Institute of Chicago
Pass by the Art Institute of Chicago, featuring one of the largest collections of impressionistic art in the world.
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Pass By:  
Symphony Center - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
See Chicago’s Orchestra Hall.
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Pass By:  
Shedd Aquarium
Pass by Shedd Aquarium, one of the world's largest aquariums.
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Pass By:  
Field Museum
You'll also see the Field Museum of Natural History, the 80-story Amoco Building, and pass by President Obama's former neighborhood and house!
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Pass By:  
Museum of Science and Industry
See the Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere! Housed in the only remaining building from the 1893 World’s Fair.
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Pass By:  
Navy Pier
Home to dining, shopping, and the Centennial Wheel Ferris Wheel.
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Pass By:  
The Loop
Drive through this downtown section of Chicago defined by the loop of elevated train that encircles it.
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Pass By:  
University of Chicago
Founded trough a gift from John D Rockefeller, the campus is filled with beautiful neo-Gothic to contemporary architecture, as well as lush botanic gardens.
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Stop At:  
Chicago River
After your bus tour, board a state-of-the-art yacht to get a unique view of the city from the water as you cruise along the Chicago River!
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Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is a 35-acre zoo in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest zoos in North America. It is also one of a few free admission zoos in the United States.
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Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Lincoln Park Conservatory
step into beauty and tranquility. Feel the clean, oxygen-rich air. Smell the fragrant tropical flowers.
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Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Pass By:  
Wrigley Field
Home of the 2016 World Series Champions! Chicago Cubs home field.
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  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Grayline Chicago

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise?
A:
The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise?
A:
The policy on sanitization is:

  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise?
A:
The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise.
Q:
What is the maximum group size during Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise?
A:
This activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers.

See all safety measures taken by Chicago City Tour and Chicago River Cruise.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

  • "I would not recommend the City Tour, but the River Cruise is a must for any Chicago visit." See review
  • "You either have to take a cab or shared ride to get to the river cruise which made it not as convenient and seamless as it shoudl be." See review

Reviews

3.5
star-3.5
90 Reviews
5 stars
39
4 stars
20
3 stars
11
2 stars
9
1 star
11
Reviews by Viator travelers
Showing 1-10 of 90 reviews
star-3
CHICAGO SOUTH CITY TOUR AND RIVER CRUISE
sivasailam2018
, Aug 2019
Over all the tour was average because , in the city tour the best part was the drive thro the Michigan Lake and across the bridge .The city tour itself was from the Bus with out getting down except to see the House where Obama's lived earlier.. , so to that extent it was a limited experience I would say .. However the Boat cruise in the after non gave us a closer glimpse of the Architectural marvel of the Chicago 's sky scraper and other buildings ..,which we enjoyed . THe Guide at both places were good and knowledgeable and pumped in a lot of information for us to digest
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star-1
Hassle!
hiend2016
, Sep 2018
We purchased the bus tour and boat tour. We showed up at the time as indicated on the voucher, and were told the boat tour was sold out, and we'd need to call the operator to schedule for the next day, when we will not be in town anymore.We ended up only being able to do the bus tour, but the boat tour was supposed to be the highlight of the trip, and we couldn't get on.We also ended up being passed around on the phone from Grayline to Shoreline, back to Viator for over an hour, but still couldn't get on the boat tour.Will not use this again!
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star-3
City Tour, a bust
celsorezaba
, Sep 2018
What saved the City Tour was the driver, he was alright. The bus was a real disappointment, a bit rundown Gray Line bus with no AC. But the River Cruise was amazing. And our tour guide was fantastic; she really knew Chicago. I would not recommend the City Tour, but the River Cruise is a must for any Chicago visit.
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star-1
Do not use Grayline Chicago!
Oksana G
, Aug 2018
The whole tour did not happen and was eventually refunded, it took a lot of nerve and time - would not recommend it to anyone. The pick up listed on the voucher was wrong, we did not see a bus, then the boat did not happen either. I ended up buying the bus and the boat separately, from direct tour providers. This is my third failed attempt to use Viator - they have issues as a third party. Go directly to the tour operator website.
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star-4
Tours in Chicago
melj670
, Aug 2018
The city tour was awesome, great driver very knowledgeable and nice person. The bus was perfect also, very much enjoyed it. The river cruise I was not happy with because it’s a small boat compared to the competition and very few seats are available which have shade. It was 97 degrees and very sunny. The guide was very knowledgeable.
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star-4
Great Tour but ..........
LTG516
, Jul 2018
The actual tour and tour guides were great but a better job has to be done in communcaiting where the meeting place(s) arre. The voucher indicated a meeting place address for the city tour that was not where the bus stopped to pick upi passengers. We were n front of the hotel that our voucher told us to go but the bus went to the next block. We would have missed it if we were not paying attentions. It was confusing especially when teh bus showed up a few minutes late. We thought we missed it even when we were there 20 minutes early. Afte the city tour, the meeting place for the Chicago river cruise was not conveniently located where the bus tour ended. You either have to take a cab or shared ride to get to the river cruise which made it not as convenient and seamless as it shoudl be.
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star-1
I wish I could give this tour a Zero.
getsmart86
, Jun 2018
We were supposed to go on the 4 hour Bus and Boat tour of Chicago, 1st thing is when we got there we were told we would be on our own to get to the boat. Nowhere in the explanation itinerary of this tour does it say we were responsible for transportation for the boat section of the tour. It was explained to us it would take about a half hour to get to where the boat was and most likely we would miss the 2 o’clock boat which means we would have to take the 3:00 boat. We did not have this in our schedule at all we planned on a 4 hour tour which would have ended about 3:30 and why should be pay an extra expense to transportation to the boat. We had other plans later that day and couldn’t take the chance on going to the boat and being behind in our schedule missing what he had planned later that day which was the main reason we came to Chicago. 2nd thing. The bus tour was awful. We could not hear the tour guide at all it was an open bus and the speakers were well above our heads. All we heard was a muffled voice even when we were not in traffic we couldn’t hear him. We learned absolutely nothing from this tour. We could have drove around the city ourselves and would have learned more than what we did. Do Not Take This Tour! You will regret it!
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star-2
We got to the meeting point hotel at...
Jason L
, Sep 2017
We got to the meeting point hotel at 11:00... 30 minutes early... We waited and waited and waited... 11:35 comes around still no bus. I call the number on the confirmation paper and it says they are closed... I ask one of the valet guys about the bus and he tell me He takes us to the bus and all is fine... But who runs a business like that?? The most important info is all incorrect!! The bus tour was fine... Nothing to write home about. After the bus tour we had to switch buses that would take us to the boat. Just because you book this tour doesn't mean that you are guaranteed a seat on the boat as soon as the bus tour ends. We just happened to get to the boat as it was boarding. We got our tickets and went on it. There could have been a chance that it could have been full before we got there... and would have had to wait 2 hours for the next one. Very disappointed in the flow of this tour... we barely got it to work out... Would not recommend to a friend.
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star-5
We had a great time! We did the...
kimmyb101
, Sep 2017
We had a great time! We did the south side of Chicago bus tour and the tour guide was very knowledgable. He was also quite humorous! It was nice sitting in an air conditioned bus, as we learned all about what we were seeing. The boat tour was awesome! The guide on that tour gave us so much history of Chicago, it was incredible. The boat tour company also included a book of old photos of the sites we were seeing, which made the history even more interesting. A great tour!
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star-5
A must take tour, excellent value...
hullumum
, Aug 2017
A must take tour, excellent value. for what you get. City tour very interesting and the river cruise was the topping on the cake.
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