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Merchandise Mart

Merchandise Mart: Our most recommended tours and activities

Chicago River: 1.5-Hour Guided Architecture Cruise

1. Chicago River: 1.5-Hour Guided Architecture Cruise

Experience more of Chicago by boat than on any other architectural cruise. See architectural highlights and enjoy an open-air deck or climate-controlled interior as you travel the main River and its north and south branches. View all of Chicago's architectural highlights during this comprehensive sightseeing tour. Be entertained by the expert and friendly tour guides as they explain the 130 year-long history behind the skyline, while bartenders and staff keep you comfortable with refreshments.  Choose between the fresh air of the open-air decks or enjoy the comfort of the climate-controlled interiors during your cruise. The tour starts at the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) bridge and goes up the main branch of the Chicago River past Wolf Point. It then cruises along the north and south branches of the river, before heading back past the Chicago Riverwalk towards Lake Michigan. On the way, learn about ornate, historic early skyscrapers like the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower, the imposing art deco Merchandise Mart, mid-century skyscrapers like the Mies Van der Rohe AMA Building. Don't miss the circular Marina City Towers, the majestic Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower and the tallest building in Chicago) the soaring AON Center, and more modernist structures like Aqua, Trump Tower, Nuveen, and the new Vista Tower. During your cruise, have the opportunity to enjoy a full-service cash bar featuring authentic Chicago products, including local beer and spirits, and Garrett’s Popcorn. Don’t forget to take a selfie at the Grand Staircase at the front of the boat or pose for photos at the picturesque stern or bow of this classic vessel.

Chicago: 45-Minute Family-Friendly Architecture River Cruise

2. Chicago: 45-Minute Family-Friendly Architecture River Cruise

Admire Chicago’s impressive architecture from a unique perspective aboard a cruise sailing down the Chicago River, which features an indoor and outdoor deck, along with live commentary tailored to entertain the whole family. Treat yourself to a full-service cash bar at your own expense. Experience the best of the Chicago River from Lakeshore Drive to the Willis Tower, navigating along the South branch of the river, before heading back past the Chicago Riverwalk towards Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan. Be entertained by the fun and experienced tour guides as they explain the history behind Chicago’s buildings along the river and the exceptional architects who created this ever-changing skyline. Enjoy the most relaxing way to sightsee in Chicago, exploring the city free of traffic, noise, and congestion. Make sure to visit the full-service cash bar featuring authentic Chicago products, including local beer and spirits. Explore the open-air decks that allow you to feel the cooling river breeze and see the city from many vantage points that provide perfect photo opportunities.

Chicago River Architecture Cruise: Skip-the-Ticket-Office

3. Chicago River Architecture Cruise: Skip-the-Ticket-Office

Skip the lines at the ticket office and climb aboard a state-of-the-art cruise for a 60- or 75-minute cruise of all 3 branches of the Chicago River, and marvel at the architecture that has made the city so legendary. Get an insight into the buildings and engineering of a city that gave birth to the skyscraper and is the spiritual home of modern American architecture. Your expert guide will lead you down the Chicago River to uncover hidden gems, as well the city’s most renowned landmarks, such as the John Hancock building, Trump Tower, Marina City, Willis Tower, and more. Relax with a glass of something cold from the cash bar, as you cruise the Windy City’s waterway, and learn its status as a modern metropolis and one of the world’s most beautiful cities. End your tour in the same place where you boarded the boat.

Chicago: 1.5-Hour Lake and River Architecture Cruise

4. Chicago: 1.5-Hour Lake and River Architecture Cruise

Experience an architecture cruise along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, a family tradition since 1935. Admire Chicago’s historic and ever-changing skyline with a local expert guide as you cruise through the city. Choose between the open-air decks or the comfort of the climate-controlled interiors during the cruise. Start the cruise at Michigan Avenue (DuSable) bridge and go up the main branch of the Chicago River to Wolf Point before heading back past the Chicago Riverwalk towards Lake Michigan. Learn about historic skyscrapers like the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower, the deco Merchandise Mart, mid-century skyscrapers like the Mies Van der Rohe AMA Building, the circular Marina City Towers, the AON Center, and modernist structures like Aqua, Trump Tower, Nuveen, and the Vista Tower. After passing through the Chicago Lock and cruising past Navy Pier, admire the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan, one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world. Here you can also see the twin super-skyscrapers, the famous Willis (formerly Sears) Tower, and the John Hancock Building. See the majesty of Grant Park with its famous Buckingham Fountain, and iconic Chicago venues such as Soldier’s Field, Adler Planetarium, and the Shedd Aquarium. Enjoy several vantage points for memorable pictures throughout, and finally arrive back at Du Sable Bridge on Michigan Avenue.

Chicago: Vice, Crime and Gangsters Self-Guided Audio Tour

5. Chicago: Vice, Crime and Gangsters Self-Guided Audio Tour

You may think you know Al Capone and Eliot Ness, but you don’t know the Chicagoans who came before and educated them. On this walking tour, you’ll go back in time to the city’s earliest days and hear about the first crime bosses, sex workers, card sharks, con men, saloon keepers, corrupt police officers, opium addicts, and crooked politicians. This circular walk takes you through the River North and northern Loop neighborhoods with views of some of Chicago’s best-known public sculptures and structures. Get up close and personal with Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, Merchandise Mart and the city’s other top tourist attractions, as well as lesser-known ones, including: • Brothels and bagnios • Gambling resorts • Cheap saloons • Squatter settlements • Fleabag boarding houses There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars along the way for a quick or lengthy stop, including the enigmatic Billy Goat Tavern. Why was nineteenth-century Chicago known as the “Wickedest City in the World?” Take this tour and find out!

Chicago: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

6. Chicago: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Once downloaded, your tour through Millennium Park will begin at the park’s north end. From there, you’ll walk toward the famous Pritzker Pavilion, the park’s centerpiece. Once at the pavilion, you’ll learn about the biggest performances held here, the high-tech design, and the man behind it all: Jay Pritzker. Next you’ll see the park’s “Secret Garden,” a beautiful green space featuring a peaceful boardwalk and fantastic skyline views. After that, you’ll spot the Art Institute of Chicago and continue on to the incredible Crown Fountain, known for its intricately detailed “face towers.” At last, you’ll arrive at Cloud Gate, known by the locals as “The Bean” (but don’t tell the artist)! Get to know the wacky artist behind it, find out how he created such a huge, smooth surface, and don’t forget to snap some pictures of your reflection! The Millennium Park tour concludes here. Your Riverwalk tour begins by the historic DuSable Bridge. Here, you’ll learn not only about this picture-perfect bridge, but also about the iconic Wrigley Building. From there, you’ll stroll west along the riverside, past what was once voted America’s Most Beautiful Bridge. After that, you’ll stop at the Chicago Vietnam Veterans Memorial for a moment of somber reflection. The next stop is hard to miss: It’s the Marina Towers, looming 600 feet over the river. Find out why people say these towers are a “city within a city,” then keep walking to the Dearborn Street Bridge. Hear the full story of why an angry mob once descended on this bridge with axes, then continue your stroll. As you walk, your audio guide will also recount the tale of one of the deadliest shipwrecks in American history… which took place right on the Chicago River! Up next is the humbly-named (but not so humbly designed) Merchandise Mart. This gorgeous example of the art deco style is sure to pique the interest of any budding architects! Next, you’ll reach Wolf Point, where, nearly 200 years ago, Chicago’s very first hotel once stood. Then you’ll get a good look at the Tribune Tower, home to the famous Chicago Tribune. This skyscraper also contains pieces of historic buildings from across the world, including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Berlin Wall! After that, you’ll come face to face with NBC’s Chicago headquarters, which look suspiciously like the iconic 30 Rockefeller Center in the Big Apple… because it was modeled after that iconic skyscraper! Finally, you’ll stop by the last bridge separating the Chicago River from the great lake beyond. It’s a great place to admire the scenery, and an even better one to snap some photos for your Insta. The Riverwalk tour concludes here. This bundle is the easiest, most flexible way to see the Windy City. So what are you waiting for?

Other Sightseeing Options in Merchandise Mart

Want to discover all there is to do in Merchandise Mart? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Merchandise Mart

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 6,899 reviews

One of the best things we did was take this boat tour while visiting Chicago for the first time. You will learn so much interesting facts about Chicago and it’s amazing to see the city in a different view. I highly recommend dressing for the weather. It can get windy and cold so bring a jacket and sunglasses if it’s sunny.

awesome, interesting & beautiful! make sure you know where you’re going & arrive 15 min early. our friends uber dropped them in the wrong spot so we barely made it & had to stand during the tour which honestly wasn’t bad, but the earlier you arrive you’ll get your choice of seats.

Loved the tour, so beautiful, a very special point of view of the city. We were afraid it was going to be cold but it wasn’t and the bar with hot chocolate and tea that was opened on the boat helped :)

Loved the guide, Kevin, very knowledgeable and entertaining... Thanks to all the staff as well for what they did to make us enjoy our trip...

Easy access good narrative and good sense of humour