Watch the barges as they come in and out and connect to others. The water is raised and lowered in the canal. A special bonus is to see the Eagles on the adjacent island in the winter. More

This was a very nice & informative ride on a replica of a late 1800s canal boat. It was pulled by just one mule (which was fascinating in itself). The crew dressed in period costumes and our hostess (Mary Todd Lincoln) was a wealth of information about the canal and how a typical ride from LaSalle to Chicago would have... More

Having done the boat ride a year or so ago, we keep returning now with friends or family to enjoy a very good light breakfast or lunch outing. Have tried several of the sandwiches and never one that was not good. During this hot weather, the speciality teas hit just the right chord for refreshing drinks. Recommend this high on... More

The "visitor center" is really just a cafe and gift shop with a few brochures. I must have looked bewildered because the woman behind the cash register asked if I was looking for something. I said "I thought this was supposed to be a visitor center?" She said, "we have some brochures over there." Hmmm...I imagined there would be displays,... More

I rode the canal boat on a Sat morning in Oct with my mom and my aunt. We called ahead to make reservations and prebuy the tickets. We got the combo that included the boat ride and tours of two area homes. We had to stop by the visitors center to pick up the tickets and then drove down to... More

What an interesting trip back to a slower time (1846). the canal boat pulled by a mule and the boat crew dressed in period costume along with the narrator (Mary Todd Lincoln) really made the whole trip come alive! A great way to spend an afternoon. The actual visitor center 2 blocks away was really a trip in itself. Most... More