Cynthia Bates, 2016
I’ve taken other boat cruises but I would recommend this one because our docent Cynthia gave the passengers a wonderful history of Chicago architecture and a detailed description of all of the major buildings within view of the river, keeping us engaged for the whole 1.5 hour tour. Many times with a tour of a city by bus, boat or on foot, the tour guide gives so much dry information that you start to tune out after the first half hour, but not this one. You can always learn something new: for example, I didn’t know that several river front buildings have green glass and curved lines to match the Chicago River. – Ted L .
Barbara Butz, 2006
Our trip on the Chicago River (and South Branch) was amazing. Our host Barbara was extremely knowledgeable and well informed on the history of not only the buildings but on what happened in the city in bygone years. The city’s architecture is eclectic, so important to travel with someone who knows what they are talking about. Not to be missed. – Mike and Fiona, Auckland, NZ.
Debra Campbell, 2011
I went on a River Cruise this weekend and it was fantastic!! Our tour guide, Debra, was great! She was very knowledgeable and fun and it was very cool to learn about the evolution of architecture and how the facades of the skyscrapers also reflect the evolution of the city itself. I learned a lot about the beautiful architecture in Chicago and the boat ride was quite relaxing with some beautiful vistas (and I got some great photos!). Highly recommend this tour if you’re doing some sightseeing in Chicago! – glitterbmbb
Kathleen Carpenter, 2006
We had such a great time two years ago that two years later we took the River Cruise again! It was equally as wonderful as the first time and fortunately we had Kathleen again as our docent. She was wonderful and gives you her top ten things you should know. I recommend sitting on the top deck right up front to get the best pictures! We brought our son and DIL this time who reported they will take this tour every time they are in Chicago and so will we! – Melanie O. Islamorada, FL
Leslie Clark Lewis, 2009
With the assistance of Anthony our concierge at the LondonHouse Hotel, we chose the Chicago First Lady Cruise. The boat sailed at 11 am on October 20, Joe was our captain and Leslie was our narrator. Leslie was amazing and we were held captive with her incredible knowledge of the architecture of Chicago. A must do for everyone! – KathieH_13
Emily Clott, 2012
Beautiful evening and very nice River Cruise tour. We live in the city but wanted to learn more about local architecture and Chicago history. Very smooth ride. Emily was a fantastic guide. She packed in a lot of information and kept things interesting. I highly recommend this boat tour for locals and for tourists. – Richard S. Park Ridge, IL
Bryant Danisch. 2015
Really thankful to The Chicago Architecture Foundation and our guide Bryan for a lovely tour of Chicago’s Art Deco buildings. Absolute unique experience and insight. All of my friends are raving about the photos from the spots we’ve visited. Chicago has so many hidden treasures that are hard to see unless you know where to look! Highly recommend the tour to those interested in the development of the city, art and just beauty around us. – Ksenia E
Rebecca Dixon, 2003
My husband and I took the noon River Cruise on Chicago’s First Lady. We are from Columbia, Tennessee where I practiced Interior Design for over twenty five years. During those years I had taken a river cruise tour several times. This cruise was the BEST EVER, many thanks to Rebecca Dixon our guide. She was most impressive and delightful. Her presentation extraordinary! Many thanks. – Bob and Terry Jones
Carol Sue Garner, 2016
Fantastic River Cruise tour given by volunteer docent Carol. A Chicago lifer, She clearly knows her stuff and impressed everyone with her knowledge of the city and it’s architectural styles.- IndyGuy10 Culver, Indiana
Steve Gersten, 2003
Hubby and I spent 90 minutes cruising on the river on Chicago’s First Lady with the amazing docent Steve G. His encyclopedic knowledge of the buildings visible from the river is astounding and will educate you on how the city developed. But more importantly, as a lifelong Chicagoan, Steve’s enthusiasm and passion for Chicago and its architecture is infectious. And, he has a pretty good sense of humor, too! We highly recommend that if you find yourself in Chicago for even a single day, or if you’ve lived here your entire life, like me, you treat yourself to this boat tour. You might be really lucky and have Steve G. as your guide. – Deborah K. Chicago, IL
Lynne Hensel, 2010
This morning we did the River Cruise boat tour. Lynn Hensel was our docent. She did an outstanding job. Despite fog, drizzle punctuated by rain and chilly temps, we all enjoyed it very much.
Gloria Hinrichs-Nelson, 2016
Learned so much about Chicago architecture, yes, but also history, development, and politics during our River Cruise. And an unmatched skyline view from the lake’s edge. Docent Gloria was terrific! – JRSTravel, Columbus, Ohio
Jim Javorcic, 1999
It is indeed a beautiful City! The River Cruise was educational it was not boring at all. The architecture is fascinating and our tour guide Jim was awesome! Thank you so much for the great experience. – Reinna E. Godfrey, IL
Wayne Johnson, 2016
We recently had a private Rover Cruise and had the docent, Wayne. He was absolutely amazing! He had a great sense of humor and was very entertaining, but still very informative throughout the ride. Thank you Wayne for the wonderful job! – Emily L. Chicago IL
Judith Kaufman, 2010
We went on the River Cruise and had an awesome time and experience. Our tour guide Judith did a spectacular job and was so knowledgeable about all of the buildings in Chicago. She made the tour very enjoyable! – cjjoseph Dallas, Texas
Peg Leonard, 2005
My husband and I and our son and his partner took the River Cruise architecture tour. It was the highlight of our trip to Chicago, our son’s new home. I wanted to write and credit docent Peg Leonard for expertly and warmly leading the tour. We loved learning from her.
Alan Lessack, 1996
Wow- the River Cruise was great! Our tour leader Alan Lessack was just wonderful. He had so many rich stories, spoke well and knew when to stop when we went under the bridges so he would not be drowned out. Can’t believe he and your other tour leaders are all volunteers. They are – and he was GREAT ! We had a great time . Thank you for giving us a wonderful lesson about Chicago. You live in a great town.
Betsy Mahon, 2016
The nonprofit Chicago Architecture Center runs these “First Lady” River Cruises, and they’re outstanding. Volunteer docents who clearly love their work pour their souls into their descriptions of the city and its buildings as you make your way slowly (not too fast) through the canyons amid Chicago’s skyscrapers. Our guide, Betsy, had a perfect knack for keeping visitors gazing in the right direction to see the big picture and the smallest details she pointed out during our 90-minute cruise. Although architecture might seem esoteric, it’s beautiful when presented this way, with myriad examples parading before you on either side of the boats. – Projournalist Delaware
Dan Persky, 2007
First of all we had a great docent (Dan) on our Walk Through Time tour. He was incredibly knowledgeable. Visited early skyscrapers (post 1871 fire) on up to post-modernist. Learned about the evolution of building methods and architectural styles and leading architects. Easy walk. Will never look at Chicago skyscrapers the same way again! – jayw434 Mattapoisett, Massachusetts
Bobbi Pinkert, 1999
This River Cruise offered by the city’s architecture society is not to be missed. Our guide, Bobbi, was not only well- versed in the history and architectural styles of Chicago, but had observations and anecdotes to go with each building. The variety, beauty and overarching plan of Chicago’s waterfront buildings is impressive and this tour brings you “up close and personal.” – Mel S Oneonta, New York
Russ Seward, 2005
Very informative River Cruise tour. No bad seats on upper deck. Russ was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. Highly recommend. – F840WPjohnd Ottawa, Canada
Claudia Winkler, 2007
An Eye-Opening & Chin-Raising Experience: Claudia was our River Cruise interpreter; she lives in Chicago and is quite knowledgeable about the area, its architectural history, and its skyscrapers. She has a good rapport with her audience and welcomes input when appropriate. I would love to hire her for a day or so to tell me about all the buildings in the city – not just the ones you can see on the river. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour! – C-02 Sharpsburg, GA