When my husband and I spent the weekend with our son in Chicago a couple of weeks ago we asked him to show us the sights, and he suggested the Architecture River Cruise offered by the Chicago Architecture Foundation on The First Lady.  The weather was great so a river cruise sounded like a wonderful idea. 

The cruise departs from a dock down a steep staircase from the corner of Wacker and Michigan.   Seats are on the top deck and you can choose your own.  It seemed to me that all the seats had an equally good view, though I suppose there could be an advantage to sitting on the end of row at the edge of the boat.   A certified Architecture Foundation volunteer provides information about the buildings, the architects and the city during this 90-minute tour.

Before I go further, let me say that I’m not an expert on architecture.  I probably could recognize a building with Frank Lloyd Wright influences or an art deco look, but that’s about as far as my “expertise” goes.  It is important to note that this tour is enjoyable whether you have any knowledge about architects or not.  The tour provides you with history and a good view of a vibrant, modern city.   Here are a few highlights.

Buildings of many architectural styles border the Chicago River.  There are the minimalist, glass and steel structures of Mies van der Rohe, buildings with Art Deco influences, Frank Lloyd Wright influences and huge warehouses that have been converted to homes.  Chicago keeps reinventing itself and integrating new architecture in with the old.   One of my favorite complexes is the Marina Towers.  I don’t know if it’s because of its location next to the river, the unusual round design or because when I lived in Chicago in the 80’s the movie “Hunter” with Steve McQueen was filmed there.  Fans of that movie will remember the chase scene through the parking garage with the bad guy driving off into the river. 

I thought the new Trump Towers were pretty impressive.  I didn’t notice, but thanks to the volunteer’s narrative, I found out the various roof lines of this building match the height of the rooflines of neighboring buildings.   The Old Merchandise Mart was impressive because it is so huge.  You can’t help but love the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) for its sheer size.

Perhaps the best part of the tour is seeing how well the river is integrated into the design of the city.   Chicago has committed itself to riverfront revival.  Apartment/condo locations are required to provide public space along the river.

Onboard, restrooms and a lounge (cash bar) are available. On sunny days, a hat and sunblock are recommended.  See their website for information on handicapped access.

After we finished we walked up the river walk a few steps to Pat O’Brien’s Riverwalk Café to enjoy a cool drink and a snack.  While sitting there we saw pleasure boats out for the afternoon, kayakers fighting the current and various river tour boats.

Note:  We went to the Architecture Foundation offices at 224 South Michigan to sign up for the cruise, but it can be booked online.  It’s a good idea to sign up early.  We showed up mid-day on a Saturday and all cruises were sold out, so we arranged for one on Sunday.  At $32 each ($28 weekdays), it‘s a little pricey, but I thought it was worth the money. The Foundation also has a gift shop with a nice selection of books, gift items and sundries. While we were there we saw the new scale model of Chicago in the “Chicago: You Are Here” exhibition.  With this scale model you can get a pretty good idea of the layout of the city, and, as they say, where you are.   While I was there I saw people standing in awe of the scope of the city and one man using this as an opportunity to play Godzilla.

What do you like to do when you visit Chicago?  I’m sure I’ll be back next year.  What is too good to miss?