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Shoreline Sightseeing
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Shoreline Sightseeing

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See all things to do
Shoreline Sightseeing
5
#3 of 112 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Chicago
Boat Tours
10:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:45 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:45 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:45 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:45 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
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About
TripAdvisor ranked Shoreline Sightseeing as the #1 Most Booked Tour in America! Shoreline Sightseeing is Chicago's leader in river and lake cruises! Featuring state-of-the-art tour boats and expert guides, Shoreline presents the Chicago skyline as you've never seen it before. With so many options among our lake and river cruises, we're sure to offer a tour your whole group will love. Our famous Architecture River Tours are led by knowledgeable and entertaining guides showcasing the city's rich architectural heritage. We also offer skyline lake tours, romantic sunset tours, and exciting fireworks cruises from which to see dazzling displays throughout the summer. Themed offerings include wine tasting cruises, brew cruises, 4th of July options, and St. Patrick's Day cruises. So set sail with Shoreline today, where every day is a celebration of Chicago!
Chicago, Illinois
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Tours and Tickets by Shoreline Sightseeing
Travelers talk about

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions
5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles9,225 reviews
Excellent
7,997
Very good
925
Average
158
Poor
68
Terrible
83
Paige Davies
Cambridge, Canada2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Exactly what I expected - quite good!
Aug 2019
We were able to find a time slot on the long weekend in August when the city was super busy, which is accredited to Shoreline's variety of time slots offered. Our tour guide was alright, gave us the necessary information but not too memorable, which is okay because we were more so on the boat ride just to see the city on a tight time budget. Price was fair for what you get, recommend!
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rwell
York, UK63 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Very informative!
Mar 2020 • Friends
We took the “architecture” cruise from the Navy Pier up the river and back (approx $40 per adult) but well worth it.
We struck lucky with the weather considering it’s March, but this guided tour is very informative and entertaining. Highly recommend this if you are visiting Chicago.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JenP
Brookfield, IL4 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Shoreline Water Taxi - Fun!
Jun 2021
Shoreline Water Taxi is fun, easy to use, and offers beautiful views of the city. The ticketing staff and boat staff were friendly, helpful and accommodating. Our group of 15 included three people using wheelchairs and the crew were not phased. They helped the chair users safely up and down the boarding ramps. Very kind and I especially wanted to mention Christian who helped make out day extra special. Thank you!!
Written June 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonathan M
Chicago, IL3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Adam Sachs Was Incredible
Aug 2021 • Friends
Went on a tour from Navy Pier this past Saturday and expected to be blown away by the river and city. Instead, I was incredibly impressed by the kind young man who led the tour named Adam Sachs. He knew everything and more about each building, he connected with all on the boat, and he made funny jokes to keep us engaged and eager to learn. If Adam leads the tour, the trip is sure to be excellent. Thanks again, Adam! 👏🏻👏🏻
Written August 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judy S Reeves
Murfreesboro, TN145 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Chicago River cruise a must!!
Sep 2020 • Couples
I have always loved visiting Chicago having grown up just 50 miles south of the city. Visiting now 50 years later, I finally took a river sightseeing tour. A beautiful day on the river and a wonderful guide, Jim. We received a fantastic discount through Trip Advisor which sweetened the deal! If you’re working on a must do, must see list for Chicago, you have to put Shoreline Sightseeing cruise on your list. And by the way, move it to the top of the list
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mmorales702
109 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Solid information and entertaining
May 2021 • Friends
Very informative. We had Jim as the tour guide. He was knowledgeable of many aspects of the city’s history, and buildings, including more technical “nerd alert” aspects of engineering, with a sense of humor. The day was great for a top deck tour, would definitely recommend.
Written May 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna P
29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Its a must!
Oct 2022 • Friends
If in Chicago don't miss to take a boat tour.
Gives you the opportunity to observe the city from a totally different point of view.
Our tour guide was Victor, a whole lotta information but he kept his audience captive for one hour straight. Great sense of humor, didn't allow you to fell bored even for a second.
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom P
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Avoid at all costs
Jul 2023 • Couples
Do not trust Shoreline Sightseeing tours. They do not care about your safety. On Wednesday, July 12, my wife and I had tickets for the 8:20 fireworks tour. That evening there were TORNADO WARNINGS in effect -- not a tornado watch but warnings. Seven tornadoes touched down that night. About 7:30, when it would've been time to leave our hotel, it was pouring rain, lightening, thunder and wind. People on the street were running for cover. I called the tour company to cancel our ride and they said no refunds. I told them it isn't safe to leave our hotel much less take a boat out on Lake Michigan, and they said too bad, no refunds. I called the Coast Guard and left a message urging them to keep an eye on the tour boats. Bottom line, if this is how they treat and care for their customers, I wouldn't take a Shoreline Sightseeing tour on a sunny summer day.
Written July 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nch
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Amazing location/taxi staff
Jun 2022 • Family
I usually don’t write reviews but I had such an awesome experience with the amazing staff at the water taxi location Shedd. The staff was so friendly and funny. I don’t remember her name but she had a different color shirt than the rest but she was just a breath of fresh air. She volunteered to take pictures of my family before getting on the taxi. She was amazing with her staff and constantly applauding them on the radios for things they were doing. I was very impressed. The taxi crew gave my little ones hats and were so friendly and reassuring. The boats were rocking a little too much for my liking but the deckhands were great at easing my fears. It was also great to see the amazing views from the lake. It is a must do. My go to transportation! Kuddos Shoreline!!!
Written June 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
53patti02
Dallas, Texas8 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Well worth the time and fee
May 2019
If you want to sit and enjoy the City of Chicago and listen to interesting information - this is the way to go. I've take the Architectural tour (the River Tour) and the Lake Michigan Tour. Both just so enjoyable and well worth the fee.
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Shoreline Sightseeing - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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