Whether by boat, bus, carriage ride or a combination thereof, Chicago`s sightseeing tours provide a vivid overview of the city. Here are some popular lake, river and land cruises and the points of interest they cover. Of course, the sprawl nothwithstanding, you can do them yourself; addresses are provided for all special places.
Boat cruises
Interlude Two, a two-deck yacht, offers air-conditioned, 90-minute river and lake cruises that depart from the southeast corner of the Wabash Bridge at Wacker Drive. May 1 to Nov. 1, a lunch cruise departs at 11:30 a.m.; other sightseeing cruises are at 2 and 7:30 p.m. There`s also a ”happy hour”
cruise at 5 p.m. on Friday. Prices are $18 for the lunch cruise; sightseeing cruises range from $4 to $10; 312-641-1210.
Landmark Cruises, presented by Chicago from the Lake, depart from the foot of the Boat Club at Chicago`s North Pier Terminal (465 E. Illinois St.), and offer 90-minute architectural cruises. Guides from the Chicago Architecture Foundation provide commentary. Daily departures are 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Price is $15. (In May and October the tour begins at noon on Tuesday and Thursday and at noon and 2 p.m. on weekends.) Season runs April 1 to Oct. 1. Call 312-527-1977.
Mercury Cruises offers lakefront and river tours May 1 to Oct. 1. Departing from the southwest corner of the Michigan Avenue bridge, the hour-long tour moves through the Chicago River lock to Lake Michigan and cruises south along Lake Shore Drive to the Adler Planetarium. Summer departures are at 2:30, 5 and 9 p.m.; price is $6 for adults, $3 for children under 12. Longer cruises explore the river or lakefront. Hours for the standard 90-minute tour are 10 and 11:30 a.m., 1:15, 3:15 and 7:30 p.m. Cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children under 12. June 1 to Sept. 2 there`s a two-hour sunset cruise at 7:30 p.m. Price is $10 for adults, $5 for children. Call 312-332-1353.
In mid-July Mercury launches its yacht, Chicago`s First Lady, a boat inspired by the presidential yacht Sequoia. It will provide brunch, lunch and dinner cruises. Three-hour dinner cruises with live entertainment will depart at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays, 90-minute lunch cruises at noon Friday and two-hour brunch cruises at 11 a.m. Sunday. Fee: $16 to $41.50. Call 708-358-1330.
Odyssey is a three-deck yacht that can accommodate 800 people. Offering lake cruises with meals May 1 through Oct. 31, the ship departs from the south side of Navy Pier (Grand Avenue and the lake). Cruises range from two to three hours, with boarding scheduled an hour before departure. Passengers must be 21 or over. Prices and times are $32 for the Sunday brunch (departing at noon), $24 for the lunch cruise (noon, Monday through Saturday), $58 and $63 for the dinner cruise (6 p.m. Sunday; 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday), and $23 for the moonlight cruise (midnight Friday and Saturday). Call 312-321-7620.
Shoreline Marine Sightseeing Boats offer half-hour lake tours of the Chicago skyline departing every day May 1 to Sept. 30 from the Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr. Tours run from 11:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. From 7:15 to 11:15 p.m., half-hour tours depart from Buckingham Fountain (May 1 to Sept. 3). Cost is $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Call 708-673-3399.
The Spirit of Chicago is a 192-foot ship that holds 600 passengers on three decks. A guide narrates the journey; cruises include a Broadway-style revue with singing and dancing provided by the wait staff and two bands. Departing from the south side of Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.), the two-hour lunch cruise, at $24.10, leaves noon Monday through Saturday ($29.35 on Saturday). A daily three-hour evening dinner cruise, at $45.10 and $50.35, leaves at 7 p.m., with 2 1/2-hour moonlight cruises at midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Price is $21.80. There`s also a two-hour brunch cruise at noon Sunday, $29.35. Season runs April 20 to Oct. 31. Call 312-836-7899.
Wendella Sightseeing Boats, a tradition since 1935, depart from the northwest corner of the Michigan Avenue bridge at the foot of the Wrigley Building. Hourlong narrated lake cruises leave daily at 2:15, 4:30 and 9 p.m. Price is $6, $3 for children under 12. Ninety-minute narrated lake and river excursions, at $8 and $4 for children under 12, leave at 10, 11:30 a.m., 1:15 and 3 p.m. daily. Memorial Day to Labor Day, two-hour lake and river sunset cruises depart at 7:30 p.m. Price is $10, $5 for children under 12. Season runs April 29 to Oct. 7. Call 312-337-1446.
Bus sightseeing
American Sightseeing Tours of Chicago offers narrated day and evening tours leaving daily from the Congress Hotel, 530 S. Michigan Ave., year-round. Ranging from two to 5 1/2 hours, tours cover North and South Sides, downtown and Chinatown. Departures are at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. every day the first week of June to the end of October; departures at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; Nov. 1 to May 31 tours are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Prices range from $14 to $31. There`s also a ship-and-shore tour with the Spirit of Chicago and Odyssey; price is $43. Call 312-427-3100.
Chicago Motor Coach Co. provides double-decker, open-air, hourlong bus tours every day year-round from the Sears Tower (233 S. Wacker Drive), the Water Tower (Chicago and Michigan Avenues) and other stops. There are frequent departures from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Price is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for children under 12. Call 312-922-8919.
Gray Line of Chicago has daily, narrated, three-hour tours with pick-ups at major hotels or at the main departure point at the Palmer House, 33 E. Monroe St. Departures are 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Price is $20. A two-hour land and lake tour is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. June through October. Price is $22. The company also has tours with boat cruises and a package with the ”Here`s Chicago!” show. Call 312-346-9506.
London Motor Coach offers one-hour, narrated lakefront and city tours departing from Pearson Street and Michigan Avenue; they can also be picked up at, among other stops, the Sears Tower (Wacker Drive side), the Wrigley Building, Art Institute and Field Museum. Tours begin daily at 10 a.m. and occur two to five times an hour. Price is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and military, $2 for children under 12. Debuting in May is the Safari Bus tour to cultural attractions on the North Side, including the Lincoln Park Zoo. Call 312-226-2870.
Untouchable Tours offers two-hour guided tours to sites of Chicago`s infamous hoodlum era. Tours depart at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday, noon Sunday; they originate at Michigan Avenue and Pearson Street. Price is $19 for adults. Departing from Tommy Gun`s Garage, 1239 S. State St., is a combination tour-dinner outing, leaving at 6 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday. Price is $47. Reservations required. 312-881-1195.
Carriage tours
Antique Coach and Carriages horse-drawn tours explore the Near North Side and the lakefront along inner Lake Shore Drive. Price is $30 per half-hour for up to four passengers, $35 for six. Departures from the southeast corner at Michigan Avenue and Huron Street begin at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and after 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tours are offered until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 312-735-9400.
J.C. Cutters, Ltd. provides horse-drawn tours along the lakefront, down Michigan Avenue and through the Loop. Tours leave year-round from the northwest corner of Superior Street and Michigan Avenue on weekdays 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to midnight. Tours leave from noon until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Price is $30 per half hour for up to four people, $35 for six. Other tours are available, including mystery tours and picnic and dinner rides. Call 312-664-6014.
