Great route. The upper deck makes a big difference.The Wendella 90-minute river cruise is Chicago's most-reviewed architecture cruise on GetYourGuide. Most of the lower-rated reviews come back to one thing: where you sit.
The Chicago River gives you one of the best views of downtown architecture. The Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower face each other across Michigan Avenue, Marina City's two round towers sit right on the water, and the Merchandise Mart fills the north bank just before the river splits. Wendella has been running river tours from beside the Wrigley Building since 1935, and its 90-minute Chicago River architecture cruise has more than 9,500 reviews on GetYourGuide.
You don't need a boat to see a lot of this. The Riverwalk is free, and from the south bank of the Main Branch you can stand under many of the same buildings. What you can't do on foot is cover the North and South Branches in one go, see the skyline from the middle of the river, or have someone explain what you're looking at.
Most reviews are very positive, but the lower-rated ones tend to mention the same issue: seating. The experience is noticeably better from the open upper deck, where you can see both sides of the river and hear the guide more clearly.
For this review, we checked recent traveler reports, paying particular attention to complaints about seating, sound and weather. There are four things worth knowing before you book:
Most of this is explained in the booking notes, but it's easy to miss. Seating matters more on this cruise than you might expect. If you arrive early enough to get a good upper-deck seat, it's an excellent way to see Chicago's architecture. From the lower deck, the experience can feel noticeably less complete, even though the ticket costs the same.
Daytime departures are the ones to check first if the buildings are your priority. The listing currently allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which gives you some flexibility if the forecast changes.
The cruise itself is 90 minutes. With the 30-minute check-in, set aside two hours at the dock.
You meet at 400 N Michigan Avenue, beside the Wrigley Building on the northwest side of the bridge. Several operators run boats from this stretch of river, so look for Wendella's signs and ask a dock employee, who will send you to the right boarding area. Construction nearby can make the dock harder to find.
The route starts at the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) bridge and heads west up the Main Branch to Wolf Point, where the river splits. The boat runs up the North Branch, then down the South Branch, then turns back east past the Riverwalk toward Lake Michigan and returns to the dock. The itinerary is "for reference only," and on some departures the South Branch leg runs further south than others.
The boat has an open upper deck and a climate-controlled interior with restrooms and a cash bar selling local beer, spirits and Garrett's Popcorn. Commentary is live and in English only. Gratuities aren't included.
The listing mentions "a choice of outside deck-top or indoor climate-controlled seating." In practice, where you sit depends mostly on when you board.
The interior has a lot going for it: it's comfortable, heated in the colder months, close to the bar and the restrooms, and on a wet day it's the better place to be.
Most seating complaints come from people who ended up below because the upper deck was full. On busy departures, latecomers are seated inside or along the sides, and some people stand near the bow. From the lower deck the sound can be faint or crackly, and engine noise can make the guide harder to follow. Seats along one side also give you a better view of that bank than the other. Seating is the most common complaint in lower-rated reviews of this cruise.
If you can, head for the upper deck. If you board late, it's still worth going up and standing at the rail if there's room.
This is the busiest stretch of the route, and it starts as soon as the boat leaves the dock. The Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower are the early skyscrapers, followed by the Mies van der Rohe AMA building, Trump Tower and Bertrand Goldberg's Marina City. The art deco Merchandise Mart comes last, just before Wolf Point, where the three branches meet.
Guides do most of their talking here. Guides praised by name in recent reviews include David and Justine. Try to be on the upper deck for this part. The towers are close and tall, and from the interior windows you mostly see their lower floors.
The South Branch leg brings the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) into view, along with the Chicago Board of Trade Building at the end of LaSalle Street. Some departures run far enough south to reach Chinatown.
Some people find this part of the tour slow. The outer ends of the branches are quieter, with fewer landmark towers, and a few travelers say 90 minutes felt long. If you're traveling with young kids or short on time, Wendella also runs a 45-minute version. Our 45-minute vs 90-minute comparison sets the two side by side.
The last leg runs back past the Riverwalk and east toward the lake, passing the tall white Aon Center, the NBC Tower, Jeanne Gang's rippled Aqua tower and, where the river meets Lake Michigan, Lake Point Tower.
The boat turns back at the river mouth. It doesn't go through the lock onto Lake Michigan, and the listing only includes the three river branches, so it isn't the right choice if you want time on the lake. If the lake is what you want, our river vs lake cruise guide covers the cruises that go out onto it.
If the river cruise is one stop in a longer Chicago trip, it pairs well with the rest of the waterfront. Many visitors add a Wendella sunset cruise on Lake Michigan, the Chicago by Night river-and-lake cruise, a summer fireworks cruise timed to the Navy Pier shows, or a City Cruises dinner cruise for a special evening. The options below update automatically with live availability for these Chicago tours and experiences.
Yes, with one condition. For $45 a person you get all three branches of the river, 90 minutes on the water and a live guide, which is a fair price. Value for money is its weakest score at 4.6, and seating is the main complaint in the lowest ratings, so plan to arrive early.
Book this tour if it's your first time in Chicago, you want the whole three-branch route in one trip, you can be at the dock 30 to 45 minutes early, and you like a guide who mixes history, humor and buildings.
Book something else if you want the architecture explained in depth (take the CAC First Lady cruise), you're traveling with young kids or only have an hour (the 45-minute version), you want to see the skyline from Lake Michigan, or your only free slot is after dark.
Arriving early, heading straight upstairs and choosing a daytime departure will help you avoid the most common complaints in recent reviews. The weather and which guide you get are out of your hands, but on most departures the Wendella cruise is a good first look at Chicago's architecture.
The cruise lasts 90 minutes. Staff ask you to check in 30 minutes before departure, so allow about two hours in total.
From 400 N Michigan Avenue, next to the Wrigley Building on the northwest side of the Michigan Avenue (DuSable) bridge. A dock employee will direct you to the right boarding area.
The upper deck, for both the views and the sound. Seats are first come, first served, and from the lower deck the guide can be harder to hear and you see less of the river.
No. It covers the Main, North and South Branches of the Chicago River and turns back near the river mouth without going through the lock onto the lake.
The cruise goes out in the rain. You can cancel free up to 24 hours before departure on GetYourGuide. After that, the booking is generally non-refundable, so check the forecast before the cutoff.
For most first-time visitors, yes, at $45 a person, especially if you arrive early enough to sit on the upper deck. If you want deeper architectural commentary, the Chicago Architecture Center cruise on Chicago's First Lady is the better fit.
This review is based on recent traveler reports for this cruise, including the lower ratings, together with Wendella's published listing on GetYourGuide. It is not written from a trip of our own. We checked the price ($45 per person), rating (4.8) and review count on 23 September 2026; both change with the season. We also searched GetYourGuide for smaller and private boats on the same route and didn't link any without a solid review record. This page contains affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Book a daytime departure, check the forecast before the 24-hour free-cancellation cutoff, and be at 400 N Michigan Avenue 30 to 45 minutes early.
