Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wendella Sightseeing Boats
Wendella is the granddaddy of
Chicago sightseeing operators. Started in 1935, it's run by the origi-
nal owner's son, Bob Borgstrom, whose own two sons serve as cap-
tains. You won't find a more authoritative source on the Chicago
River than Borgstrom.
Wendella operates a 1-hour tour along the Chicago River and a
1
1
⁄
2
-hour 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 Memorial Day to
Labor Day starting at 7:45pm. Scheduling depends on the season and
the weather, but cruises usually leave every hour during the summer.
Departing from Michigan Ave. and Wacker Dr. (north side of the river, at the Wrigley
Building).
&
312/337-1446.
www.wendellaboats.com. Tickets $22 adults, $20
seniors, $11 children 3-11, free for children 2 and under. Apr-Oct daily.
SPECIAL-INTEREST TOURS
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Chicago's architec-
ture is world famous. Luckily, the Chicago Architecture Foundation
offers first-rate guided tours to help visitors understand what makes
this city's skyline so special.
One of the CAF's most popular tours is the 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 by foot, traveling by water lets you enjoy the buildings
from a unique perspective. The docents generally do a good job of
making the cruise enjoyable for visitors with all levels of architectural
knowledge.
Tours are $26 per person weekdays, $28 on weekends and holidays,
and begin hourly every day June through October from 11am to 3pm
(with more limited schedules in May and Nov). The trips are extremely
popular, so purchase tickets in advance through
Ticketmaster
(
&
312/
902-1500;
www.ticketmaster.com), or avoid the service charge and
buy tickets at one of the foundation's tour centers or from the boat
launch on the southeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive.
If you want to squeeze a lot of sightseeing into a limited time, try
Highlights by Bus,
a 3
1
⁄
2
-hour overview tour that covers the Loop,
Hyde Park—including a visit to the interior of Frank Lloyd Wright's
Robie House—and the Gold Coast, plus several other historic dis-
tricts. Tours start at 9:30am on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday April through November (Sat only Dec-Mar). Tickets are
$38 per person.
