Blog

Ron Campbell, 2005
Just wanted you to know that I brought some visitors to another River Cruise, and again it was spectacular. I believe our docent was Mr. Campbell, gentleman perhaps in his sixties? He was nothing less than fabulous, and we wanted you to know. His depth of knowledge was incredible…thanks so much… Roy Towlen

Kathleen Carpenter 2006
Really nice and interesting River Cruise tour. We learned a lot about the city and all the buildings surrounding the river. Great way to get to know the city. We did Kathleen’s top 10. – Dana H.

Emily Clott 2012
I was on the River Cruise a week and a half ago and it was fantastic. The guide (Emily) gave a fantastic overview of the architecture along the Chicago River. I learned a ton about architecture, the history of the city and the nature of Chicagoans too!

Kent Foutty, 2009
My wife and I took the First Lady River Cruise on Friday 24th August and we wanted to say how excellent Kent our dcent was! I work on tall buildings in London and both my wife and I have a passion for great architecture. We both felt like we got a really good understanding of the various buildings and eras in the river front development. Kent was a very good guide, informed but engaging and personal. Thanks again. – Jon

Lance Friedmann 2015
We took the River Cruise 8-10 years ago and it was even better the second time around! Our guide Lance was fantastic, extremely informative and he had lots of fun facts to give us. We were surprised at how many new buildings he pointed out, which made the tour seem completely new since the last time we took it. – NI Kieser

Georgia Goldberg 2012
The Chicago’s First Lady’s 90-minute architectural River Cruise tour is the best in Chicago! Georgia was a wonderful tour guide. She is a native Chicagoan and a member of the Chicago Architectural Society so she offered many fun and interesting facts about the history of the city.

Harry Hirsch 1998
What a great experience! Our River Cruise guide Harry was perfect. Has a wealth of knowledge about the buildings all along the Chicago River and history. The boat was whistle clean and the entire trip was wonderful. I highly, highly recommend!!

Wayne Johnson, 2016
I’ve taken the Chicago Architectural Foundation’s Architectural River Cruise multiple times before over the years. Yesterday we had Wayne as our docent and it was the best tour I have had. Wayne kept the entire boat engaged, informed and entertained!

Peg Leonard, 2005
We were on the 10:00 River Cruise this morning, and have to say, it was one of the best tours we have ever taken. We were especially impressed by our docent, Peg Leonard. She was encyclopedic in her information, and her professionalism and poise resonated throughout her presentation. We saw things in buildings we never would have noticed otherwise. As one who has been to Chicago several times, I wish I had taken this tour many years ago to appreciate the special wonders of Chicago. This feeling can be attributed to Peg Leonard. I’m glad she is part of your team. Thank you.

Adrienne Lieberman 2010
Awesome! We loved the River Cruise, our Docent, Adrienne was amazing! Very knowledgeable, entertaining and was able to answer questions and keep on track with the tour. Would take the tour again. – Chris S.

Mike McMains 2005
Our Elevated Architecture: Downtown docent, Mike, was a great guide as he led us around the Loop on the elevated trains. He pointed out architectural features that are only visible from the higher level and provided a wide range of historical details.

Constance Rajala 2008
This River Cruise was EXCELLENT. Our guide (Constance) was fantastic. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants some of Chicago’s history told through the architecture.

David Smith 2006
It is well worth going on the Architecture Foundation’s Frank Lloyd Wright by Bus tour for a very informative tour of the house and studio (conducted by staff of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust) and a tour of the Unity Temple (conducted by the staff there). This has to be one of the highlights of any visit to Chicago.

Lisa Tallman 2015
The River Cruise – What a great way to see Chicago! The river is stunning and Lisa T delivers on great facts about the buildings. Good pace, easy cruise! Love it!

Lindy Trigg 2003
Our River Cruise was a totally enjoyable educational experience. It was pouring but the docent, Lindy, made everything so interesting that no one cared. – Kevin, Houston, TX

Mary Willer, 2009
I took my mom on your architectural River Cruise and was very impressed with our volunteer guide! She was incredibly knowledgeable and my mother had a lovely day. She had so many interesting stories and the ride itself was lovely. I really enjoyed learning about all the buildings in Chicago and the history behind them. Oh, and her name is Mary Willer. Please tell her how much we enjoyed ourselves. My mom was so happy!! Thank you – Patti Brock