Chicago · LAKE MICHIGAN CRUISES
21 reviewed
From the lake, the whole skyline lines up at once. These are the best Lake Michigan cruises, from tall-ship sails to sunset boats to speedboat runs off Navy Pier, with sailing times, what is included, and what you pay for the view.
Cruise Chicago’s river and Lake Michigan for live architecture narration, skyline views, and climate-controlled comfort from Wendella. 90 minutes.
“Excellent tour! The tour guide was so good. And we loved learning all about the history of the downtown area. Such a beautiful tour! Highly recommend it!! Shout out to our tour guide John! So entertaining and informative.”
See Chicago’s architecture from both the Chicago River and Lake Michigan on a 90-minute cruise with expert narration, deck or indoor seating, and a cash bar.
“We LOVED our guide Lucas, he was hilarious and very informative. 10/10 recommend!!”
Sunset cruise from the Chicago River to Lake Michigan with skyline views, warm lounge, and a full bar on a 1.5-hour Wendella ride.
“Beautiful boat ride and would highly recommend. Convenient to get to by taxi or walk from where we stayed on Monroe Street. Did get a little bumpy.”
30–45 min Lake Michigan skyline cruise from Navy Pier. Dog-friendly, restroom onboard, pre-recorded audio, and great night photos.
“It’s a beautiful scenic option to see the skyline (I recommend the night time view) you’re able to see the beautiful lighting of the buildings.”
Night views of Chicago River and Lake Michigan, plus Harbor Lock thrills, on a 1.5-hour cruise with live English narration.
“Night time lights up Chicago..left in daylight ended at night perfect”
30-minute Lake Michigan cruise from Navy Pier with skyline photo stops, skip-the-line entry, and English or Spanish audio commentary.
“This was a fun experience. We were in a large group of 24 people and the process was simple when purchasing tickets online. We loved the convenience of the small bar and the tour itself. The only down side was that the instructions on the meeting point were not very helpful. We walked around the pier for about 20 minutes trying to find the correct boarding location until we noticed the small light colored print at the bottom of the email that said it was with Shoreline.”
Take a 90-minute Chicago sunset cruise on Lake Michigan via the Chicago Lock, with skyline views, onboard bar, and guaranteed boarding.
“I’m very happy and satisfied. Guide was speaking bit too fast which was hard too follow the whole speech.”
A 90-minute Chicago cruise that pairs Lake Michigan skyline views with Chicago River architecture stories from the water, for about $45.
“We waited until the 6:15pm tour. It was absolutely the best time to go. Everything was lit up after the sunset, and the weather was perfect. Our host was so knowledgeable and also made it entertaining.”
Small-group Lake Michigan lunch cruise from Navy Pier with a chef-prepared buffet, DJ and games, plus skyline views in about 2 hours.
“My wife and I enjoyed the experience. Food was really good and buffet style. Service was attentive and bar access was good.”
Sunset dinner cruise from Navy Pier with all-you-can-eat buffet, skyline views, and a live DJ for dancing on Lake Michigan.
“The music, site and ride was nice. IWe enjoyed the trip. We almost missed the ship because it was futheaway then we thought.”
A 2.5-hour Chicago skyline dinner cruise with a 3-course meal, DJ music, and optional summer fireworks from Navy Pier.
“Great views of the city at night. Food was average. Service was good. I was disappointed in the actual trip. We turned around several times to see the same area. I thought we'd go father north and south. The DJ was okay. I much preferred the live entertainment offered oRead more”
30-minute Seadog speedboat from Navy Pier with skyline views, jokes, and quick landmark stops. $42.78 per person.
“Could of been faster but overall very fun. The music was great and the narration was informative. The guide was knowledgeable.”
A 1.5-hour narrated cruise on First Lady with Chicago River skyline views and a Harbor Lock passage into Lake Michigan.
“The commentary was VERY GOOD. The trip overall was great, Thankyou.”
A fast, fun Chicago architectural tour that pairs a Chicago River cruise with a speedboat run on Lake Michigan from Navy Pier.
“Ryan and his entire team were fantastic. They provided fun and engaging tour also allowing time for questions. We highly recommend attending this tour. It is suitable for all ages and especially fun for those who are interested in learning about the architecture of the downtown area.”
Cruise Chicago on a restored fireboat with expert narration, lake views, river architecture, and fire-service stories. Two hours from $47.
“it was a pleasant trip and the boat cap was very informative and knowledgeable. Enjoyed the history.”
