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Cynthia Bates, 2016
Such a fantastic River Cruise tour with the outstanding Cynthia as our guide. Really excellent experience and outstanding value for money. The tour goes up and down the river, so fabulous views in both directions…such a detailed, interesting and at times hilarious narrative from Cynthia as we spent 90 minutes on the river. Despite a rain shower, the fun continued. I would highly recommend this tour. I’m booking the walking tour of the art deco buildings and hoping to get Cynthia again!! Well done on a great experience. – ARF Dublin, Ireland

Deborah Carey, 1990
It was amazing! Deborah, our River Cruise guide, did a great job and my family and I enjoyed the tour very much! Thank you!

Kathleen Carpenter, 2006
We just returned from Chicago and took this river architectural tour. I HIGHLY recommend it! Kathleen was our wonderful tour guide. She explained every building, its history, design, the history of Chicago, etc. She was so well-versed on everything, she was like the college professor you wish you’d had!I never knew much about architecture but this tour made me want to learn more!  Thank you, Kathleen! – Debbie C

Emily Clott, 2012
Must-See Chicago – French Language: Ce petit mail est en effet destiné à vous remercier très chaleureusement pour le temps que vous nous  avez consacré lors de la visite de Chicago.  Vous nous avez expliqué ,dans un français impeccable, des moments importants de l’Histoire de votre ville . C’était passionnant.  Un moment magique pour nous . Grâce à vous nous avons découvert des lieux magnifiques chargés d’histoires… Mille et mille merci!  Et,sincèrement, félicitations ! Vous êtes un guide exceptionnel…Bonjour Marietta!

Bill Coffin, 2004
Great Art Deco Skyscrapers: The Loop tour! Bill was excited about the Deco style and it shows in the tour presentation. Lots of buildings covered.  – Caleb T

Alice Daniele, 2019
Travel Weekly article features and quotes Alice’s River Cruise tour!  https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Digging-the-deep-dish-and-architecture-on-Chicago-tour?fbclid=IwAR3ajzji30hm8SoO3Ycf4s7eVxlt4ziDbv0q4GmlQg8i1Pw-Jzk–LSNceM.

Rebecca Dixon, 2003
My husband and I were the only two visitors on the Historic Treasures tour this afternoon. We were so lucky. Our docent Rebecca was a tour de force and a fount of knowledge pointing out fascinating details that we would have missed by ourselves. Being able to go inside some of the amazing buildings added a lot to the experience. Time flew by. We can really recommend this tour. Chicago has some amazing architecture and this is a great way to experience some of it.  – Cathie_323  London, UK

Kent Foutty, 2009
What an amazing way to see the city. The River Cruise docent, Kent, was incredible. So knowledgeable about, and appreciative of, the architecture, planning and beauty of the city he’s called home for many decades. The buildings are spectacular, and yet also greatly enhanced knowing their architectural background. They were designed with respect to the river and their neighbors, so it is the only way to fully appreciate them. We could not have had a better afternoon. So glad we chose The CAC Architecture Cruise. We can’t recommend it enough. K A

Deb Frels, 1989
Good day – We’ve just returned from today’s wonderful walking tour of Uptown, led by Deborah Jean.  We wanted to let you know what a terrific job she did.  From the start, she was upbeat and pleasant, a font of fascinating facts about the area and the various buildings we saw.  Deborah Jean was extremely well-prepared, with stories and highlights that brought a depth to our tour.  This was a wonderful way to kick off our summer!  – Jamie Barth CAC Member

Steve Gersten, 2003
We are so glad we took this River Cruise tour! My companions live in Chicago and were blown away at how cool it was. Our docent, Steve, was so informative and educated about each building. He truly was the best part of the tour. – Audra Fort Myers, Florida

Tim Harris, 2019
Tim was an amazing River Cruise guide. He was interesting, super knowledgeable and overall a great time! I learned so much and really enjoyed myself. –  Bee T

Joni Hirsch Blackman, 2013
This River Cruise offers a unique perspective of the city. As you float on the Chicago River in a canyon of skyscrapers, you learn about the history and architecture of Chicago. You learn the history of the buildings, who the architects were, what their styles were, how they envisioned their masterpieces in the context of the city, and how they predicted how the city would evolve. Our tour guide was Joni. She was so knowledgeable, and her narrative was relaxed and easy to follow. At the conclusion of the tour we were ready to give her a well-deserved tip, but we found out that tipping is not allowed. That’s too bad, because we really wanted to show our appreciation.  – gore1111jp Moorpark, California

Mary Jo Hoag, 2007
I cannot thank you enough for this Oak Woods Cemetery tour! Our docent, Mary Jo, was fantastic and we were highly engaged throughout. So much history and context, truly spectacular way to spend the Juneteenth holiday.  THANK YOU.

Brent Hoffmann, 2005
Brent was a great Chicago Modern guide, very knowledgeable and personable. Great experience and nice way to see the city. Well worth the time. Tom B

Dan Johnson, 2016
I lived in Chicago for more than twenty years and always heard great things about the CAC River Cruise tour but never took advantage of it. Yesterday, another twenty years later when visiting friends in Chi-town, my husband and I finally made the trip. It was fantastic! We took the 10 am tour with Dan as our volunteer docent and learned so much. I would highly recommend this activity to anybody.  – Sarah S

Judith Kaufman, 2010
Every River Cruise presented by the CAC is educational and efficiently managed. The tour on the river is fun and you really see the city from a new perspective. Judith was our tour guide, and she did a great job.-  readinJC San Diego, California

Brian Kelly, 2019
On May 24, 2022, My husband and I had an amazing experience on the 3:15 pm Historic Treasures of Chicago’s Golden Age tour led by Brian…one of the most experienced and knowledgeable guides we have ever walked with (and we have traveled all over the world!) . Brian himself is a treasure, an enthusiastic volunteer who delivers a jam- packed, jaw dropping tour of the marvels of early architecture in Chicago. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious as he describes in detail historical events in context of the buildings you are touring. Highlights included The Wrigley Building, the newly restored Library, now The Chicago Cultural Center, many Louis Sullivan buildings, and a super treat in the Macy’s store on Michigan Avenue, when Brian invited us to look up at the four-story ceiling over the cosmetic department, and view with amazement the beautiful Tiffany blue glass ceiling! Brian has so much information to share and clearly has done in-depth research on the various sites he showed us. And, he Loves what he does. We offer our own enthusiastic thanks to Brian for spending those unforgettable two hours with us. We grew up in the Chicago area, and that day learned so much more about our old home town!

Quentin Kossnar, 2019
Our Elevated Architecture: Downtown L Train docent Quentin gave an outstanding tour and presentation of many types of architecture. He pointed out details that I never would have noticed. This tour is good because you can see things from the L platforms that you can’t see from the streets. Quentin’s knowledge of Chicago history was remarkable. Highly recommend this, and thank you Quentin!  – Marcia M

Amanda Lewis, 2019
The Elevated Architecture- Downtown L Train is a  very interesting and informative tour where you learn about train history and the buildings nearby. If you love History and architecture, you will enjoy this so much and have a wonderful Chicago experience. A unique experience not to be missed. Our guide Amanda was absolutely terrific and you will be lucky if she is your docent guide! Hannah K

Greg Lowe, 2019
Excellent, informative Uptown walking tour with docent Greg on Sunday, June 19! Thank you for a wonderful experience! The wealth of Greg‘s knowledge was remarkable! His passion for the history and future of the Uptown neighborhood was inspiring! We also appreciated his advice on where we might eat lunch!  – Linda P Naperville, Illinois

Doris Lucas, 2016
Fabulous Walk Through Time tour with Doris! So informational and fun! I loved learning about the buildings downtown that I’ve seen for years. Julie B

Michael Mader, 2006
My friend and I were in Chicago for a conference, and only had a short amount of time to see the city we decided this specific architectural River Cruise was a good way to see as much as possible since it went up two prongs of the river. We had Mike the Mapmaker as a tour guide.It was honestly great. Highly recommend.  Yasemin G London, United Kingdom

Kelly Manteck , 2020
We took the Must-See Chicago his tour in the afternoon, after taking the CAC’s River Cruise in the morning. The walking tour took us through other parts of downtown that you can’t see from the river. Our guide, Kelly, knew the best vantage points for photos. She was friendly and very informative and even pointed out some extra sites after the tour was over as she helped us navigate back to the Architecture Center. This tour is a must-do when in Chicago!  – Kristen S Philadelphia, PA

Marcia Matavulj,  2008
When I visit Chicago, I always take a CAC walking tour — and this one on Art Deco design in the Loop was a delight. We loved our guide, Marsha: knowledgeable, passionate about sharing these spectacular buildings’ histories, facades and interiors. She gave us the opportunity to view up-close the opulent, breath-taking lobbies and public spaces of these gems. She took good care of our safety as we crossed the busy downtown streets, and kept us enthralled with amazing stories.  – Joanne B Narberth, Pennsylvania

Burt Michaels, 2019
Great Walk Through Time tour! I learned so much from our guide, Burt. The Motor Club was really great, and we got to see inside the building!  – Madison D

Pris Mims, 2000
Tiffany Treasures guide Priscilla was knowledgeable and had photos and examples to show the group. The mosaics, glass domes, and building decorations were stunning. It was an unseasonably hot day, & she took us on an underground pedestrian walkway, which was cooler, where she could show us even more stained glass. I recommend this tour.  – SAVisitor Mount Airy, MD

Jonelle Niffenegger, 2003
Jonelle was an amazing Art Deco Skyscrapers in the Loop  guide! She gave a great educational tour of the pivotal Chicago Art Deco skyscrapers and I’m so glad we went. Highly recommended! Fantastic. – Therese_N

Mark Purdome, 2019
A lot of really interesting information on our River Cruise. .My husband is an architect and really felt that Mark the docent knew his stuff! – Judy S Cleveland, Ohio

Susan Robertson, 2009
The Art Deco Skyscrapers Riverfront tour was well paced and informative. Susan was a fountain of information. We enjoyed walking through the buildings. – ewps

Mitch Rosenfeld, 2016
Great Walk Through Time tour for intro to Chicago architecture. Mitch did an excellent job and kept a good pace, but not too fast. Really puts city in perspective and explains the why of architecture. Very informative and perfect amount of info. – yuko k

Ronnie Jo Sokol, 2006
An enjoyable River Cruise seeing all the amazing buildings ong the river, with an extremely knowledgeable guide Ronnie Jo, highly recommended.  – Lynn W

Bob Sutter, 2019
Bob the River Cruise docent was great! He knew a lot about the city and its architecture and made us have fun while learning about Chicago. I know why this River Cruise is the number one!! –  Jaime L

Rebecca Trumbull, 2011
Just finished our River Cruise with Chicago’s First Lady. We had such a wonderful time. All the staff were incredible but must give a special shout out to Becky, our tour guide. Becky was so knowledge and passionate about Chicago and the incredible architecture. She was entertaining and engaging and really made the whole trip spectacular. Would recommend to anyone coming to Chicago!  – Alana S

Barbara Weiner, 2011
This is just to thank you again for a super-wonderful Walk Through Time tour – it always makes one appreciate anew our fair city and its many wonderful buildings, etc. I ALWAYS learn so much!  I assume many of us will also be telling the CAC folk of your wonderful info-sharing as we hiked around. I think we all ESPECIALLY appreciated those wonderful interior visits – the Lapham, London House etc. (I’d NEVER been inside either of those – what a special treat!). Anyway, loved the whole tour! Many thanks

Gary Wenzel, 2016
The CAC River Cruise  was an incredible experience and Gary was an amazing tour guide! Will for sure be back when we have more visitors!  – Assata G

Jessica Williams, 2017
Memorial Day 2022 – fantastic weather for the River Cruise.  Great experience – Jessica was fantastic tour guide!  – Ray F.  Schaumburg, IL

Brendan Wilson, 2019
Can’t recommend this River Cruise experience enough. A relaxing cruise with fantastic commentary from our docent Brendan. Very detailed and interesting facts about Chicago architecture and history of the city.  A must do for all visitors. John A Brisbane, Australia

Claudia Winkler, 2007
Even though I was in Chicago for my graduation, I had never really been to the city before so I carved a free day into the weekend to do touristy things. Someone in my party suggested we do the River Cruise tour which highlighted the rich architecture of the buildings that sat along the Chicago River. The tour lasted 90 minutes; our guide, Claudia, was excellent. She was friendly, knowledgeable about the history of all the buildings we saw and provided a plethora of information that really enhanced the feast for our eyes. It’s amazing not only the number of buildings that sit on the river, but the history and variety of styles that have resulted in an eclectic mix of structures. Overall, I thought the CAC put on an excellent tour. I can’t recommended it enough – the comfortable surroundings, the knowledgeable staff, and all the eye candy make it an essential event for local Chicagoans and tourists alike.  – Jason M Bronx, NY”

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