Chicago: 1.5-Hour Lake and River Architecture Cruise with Wendella

Wendella's 1.5-hour cruise covers both the Chicago River and the Lake Michigan shoreline, with commentary on the buildings and bridges that define the city. Current pricing and departure times are shown on the live booking page.

What Makes This Route Possible

Chicago's boat tours exist because of one of the strangest engineering feats in American history. In 1900, the city opened the Sanitary and Ship Canal, reversing the Chicago River's flow so that wastewater headed toward the Mississippi basin instead of Lake Michigan, the city's drinking-water source. The project, overseen by the Sanitary District of Chicago established in 1889, dug a 28-mile channel to the Des Plaines River and let gravity do the rest. The lock system that grew out of it still controls water levels between the river and the lake today, keeping the channels navigable for boats like the one you'll ride. On this cruise, Wendella carries you through that engineered river system and out onto the open lake for skyline views from the water. The same lock system also governs when Chicago raises its bridges for sailboats; see our Chicago bridge lift schedule guide if your date might overlap with one.

Questions people ask before booking