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Dedicated volunteers learn the details of more than a hundred buildings. They have to learn these buildings so well that when they’re leading a tour offered by the center, whether it’s a bicycle, walking, or boat tour, they can do so without sounding like they’re following a script. The CAC River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady departs from the Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive on Chicago's Riverwalk just three blocks north of Millennium Park. Daily tours of the CAC River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady are now available. Tickets start at $53.85 and can be purchased online or in-person at the ticket booth located on the Riverwalk. Passengers can take advantage of visiting the award-winning Chicago Architecture Center for an additional $5 and have seven days to visit the Center after their cruise date.
Ticket Details
Our sister company, Mercury, offers the popular Canine Cruise on summer weekends. All boats have a full service bar and small snacks onboard. Nonprofit organization with tours, exhibitions,programs and events for all ages. Is the city really that windy, and did Mrs. O’Leary’s cow burn the town?
Directions to Chicago’s First Lady boat dock
You can find out more information by visiting cruisechicago.com/private-events. Wacker Drive into your GPS.Located at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive, a black awning marks the boat dock entrance stairs that lead down to the river. If you have limited mobility, see these directions for an alternative way to reach the dock. Learn about the great architectural landmarks of Michigan Avenue and State Street. The 40 years between 1890 and 1930 saw the creation of some of Chicago’s the most memorable buildings, many of which are featured on this tour. Get the latest on CAC tours, programs, products and events delivered right to your inbox.
Things to do in Chicago: Architecture river cruise tour season returns - WLS-TV
Things to do in Chicago: Architecture river cruise tour season returns.
Posted: Thu, 30 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The docent was very knowledgeable and engaging.
5 MIN READ – This year marks the 30th anniversary of the tour, operated in partnership by Chicago's First Lady Cruises and the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC). Led by the Chicago Architecture Center's knowledgeable and expertly trained docent volunteers abroad the city's most luxurious fleet, the cruise reveals fascinating stories behind Chicago's majestic buildings in a way no other tour can. For more than 25 years, the CAC's expertly trained docent volunteers have led the CAC River Cruise, sharing fascinating stories behind more than 50 buildings along the Chicago River. Hear how Chicago grew from a small settlement into one of the world's largest cities in less than 100 years. In just 90 minutes, you'll get the best overview of Chicago’s architecture and its history. Today, the view from the river reveals a skyscraper canyon full of historic and contemporary milestones.
Best tour in the city!
Priority boarding tickets are also available and include an exclusive early boarding period, the option to skip the queue during general boarding, and CAC admission. Highly trained and enthusiastic volunteer CAC docents (guides) provide visitors with a compelling and detailed narrative of Chicago's numerous architectural styles and the stories of the legendary figures who designed and built our city. In 1993, to respond to rapidly growing demand for more tours, CAC found the perfect boat partner in Chicago’s First Lady Cruises. This family-owned business already had more than 50 years of experience on the river and was led by Holly and Bob Agra. Chicago’s First Lady Cruises had a reputation for Chicago’s finest fleet of cruising vessels which are docked at the southeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. CAC and its world-renowned docents in partnership with Chicago First Lady Cruises created what’s known today as the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady.
Chicago’s First Lady Cruises
To further enhance accessibility for guests, the CAC River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady will provide complimentary language translation services for the first time-making it the only Chicago architecture River Cruise to offer this service. Guests will have the opportunity to listen to a prerecorded tour narration on their smartphone in four different languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese and Korean. The translation service is accessible by downloading a free app that connects directly to a special wi-fi network onboard. The narration is triggered based on the location of the vessel at that time in the tour's route, which will help ensure those who use the technology have the same experience as others listening to live narration. To further enhance accessibility for guests, the CAC River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady will provide complimentary language translation services for the first time—making it the only Chicago architecture River Cruise to offer this service.
North Riverside
Chicago Architecture Center’s tours have long received global recognition for their original content and passionate, knowledgeable docents. As CAC marks its 50th year in 2016, we share the story of how our most popular tour came to be. Taking a boat tour with the Chicago Architecture Foundation is an excellent way to learn about Chicago’s past.
A history of the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady
Before the cruise I had an opportunity to ask Joan, our docent, a few questions and I asked her for her favorite story. Without hesitation, she said the reversal of the river. During the tour she described how the offal went into the river which went into the lake which went into the city’s plumbing, essentially creating one giant circular sewer. This classic tour aboard the city's most luxurious fleet, is a must for out-of-town visitors and Chicagoans alike. Over the course of 90 minutes, explore some of the newest buildings around the Chicago Architecture Center, focusing on construction elements and their impact on the city’s built environment.
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady
Being onboard is sure to be an experience you’ll never forget. A boat tour with the Chicago Architecture Foundation is anything but boring. Not only are the docents well versed in their subject matter, they also are very entertaining. You’ll even find out if Mrs. O’Leary’s cow really did start that fire back in 1871.
Choose from seven perfectly sized ships for your private event. If you’d like to take a lake tour, please check out our sister cruise line Mercury, Chicago’s Skyline Cruiseline. Advance reservations are recommended as many tours sell out during the busy summer season and on weekends. Seating charts reflect the general layout for the venue at this time. For some events, the layout and specific seat locations may vary without notice. Wacker Dr., right next to the Chicago Architecture Center.
Crew members will assist in guiding the wheelchair across the gangway. Please present yourself to our staff if you prefer to board before general boarding starts. Guests unable to climb stairs to the upper deck may choose to sit in the open-air bow or the enclosed, climate-controlled salon with large windows. For safety reasons, motorized scooters and electric wheelchairs cannot be accommodated.
Enjoy cruising in comfort and style aboard Chicago’s Finest Fleet, featuring unobstructed sightlines and guaranteed seating on our open-air upper decks and full-service cocktail and snack bars in our climate-controlled interior salons. You’ll see why visitors and locals alike consistently name our tour the best way to see Chicago. Architectural river cruise tickets start at $48.18 per person. If you’re a Chicago Architecture Center member you can get 2-for-1 tickets one time throughout the year. Your docent will talk about several of the individual buildings you’ll pass during your Chicago River cruise.
Fasten your seat belts, because you’re going to be blown away by how much you’ll discover. You’ll learn about the movable bridges and why they’re another innovation bred from necessity. Recalling the handsome elegance of 20th century luxury yachts, our vessels are sure to make an impression.
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