Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Aquarium. One-way tickets for the water taxi are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and
$3 for children under 12; all-day passes cost $12 for adults and $6 for children.
Departing from Navy Pier, Shedd Aquarium, and Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park.
&
312/222-9328.
www.shorelinesightseeing.com. Tickets $10 adults, $9 seniors, $5 children under 12; architectural tours
$20-$22 adults, $17-$18 seniors, $7-$8 children under 12. Daily May 1-Sept 30.
The Spirit of Chicago
This luxury yacht offers a variety of wining-and-din-
ing harbor cruises, from a lunch buffet to the “Moonlight Dance Party.” This
can be a fairly pricey night out if you go for the whole dinner package; the late-
night moonlight cruises are a more affordable option for insomniacs.
Departing from Navy Pier.
&
866/211-3804.
www.spiritcruises.com. Lunch cruise $35-45, dinner cruise
(seated) $75-$95, sunset and midnight cruises $32. Ask about children's rates. Daily year-round.
Wendella Sightseeing Boats
Wendella is the granddaddy of all sightseeing
operators in Chicago. Started in 1935, it's run by the original owner's son, Bob
Borgstrom, whose own two sons serve as captains. You won't find a more author-
itative source on the Chicago River than Borgstrom.
Wendella operates a 1-hour tour along the Chicago River, and a 1
1
⁄
2
-tour along
the river and out onto Lake Michigan. (One of the most dramatic events during
the boat tours is passing through the locks that separate the river from the lake.)
Boats run from late April to early October. The 2-hour sunset tour runs Memo-
rial Day to Labor Day starting at 7:45pm. Scheduling for cruises depends on the
season and the weather, but cruises usually leave every hour during the summer.
Departing from Michigan Ave. and Wacker Dr. (on the north side of the river at the Wrigley Building).
&
312/
337-1446.
www.wendellaboats.com. Tickets $18 adults, $16 seniors, $9 children under 12. Daily Apr-Oct.
Windy
One of the more breathtaking scenes on the lake is watching this tall
ship approach the docks at Navy Pier. The 148-foot-long, four-masted schooner
(and its new sister ship, the
Windy II
) sets sail for 90-minute cruises two to five
times a day, both day and evening. Of course, the boats are at the whims of the
wind, so every cruise charts a different course. Passengers are welcome to help raise
and trim the sails and occasionally take turns at the ship's helm (with the captain
standing close by). The boats are not accessible for people with disabilities.
Departing from Navy Pier.
&
312/595-5555.
Tickets $25 adults, $15 seniors and children under 12. Tickets
go on sale 1 hr. before the 1st sail of the day at the boat's ticket office, on the dock at Navy Pier. Reserva-
tions (except for groups) are not accepted. Call for sailing times.
SPECIAL-INTEREST TOURS
ARCHITECTURE TOURS
Chicago is the first city of architecture, and the
Chicago Architecture Founda-
tion (CAF),
224 S. Michigan Ave. (
&
312/922-3432,
or 312/922-TOUR for
recorded information; www.architecture.org), offers first-rate guided programs,
led by nearly 400 trained and enthusiastic docents. The foundation offers walking,
bike, boat, and bus tours to more than 60 architectural sites and environments in
and around Chicago. The foundation also has another tour center in the John
Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Ave. Below is a sampling of their offerings.
BY BOAT
Perhaps the CAF's most popular tour is its 1
1
⁄
2
-hour
Architecture
River Cruise,
which glides along both the north and the south branches of the
Chicago River. Although you can see the same 50 or so buildings that the cruise
covers on your own by foot, traveling by water lets you enjoy the buildings from
a unique perspective. The excellent docents also provide interesting historical
details, as well as some fun facts (David Letterman once called the busts of the
nation's retailing legends that face the Merchandise Mart the “Pez Hall of
