When I have out-of-town visitors, I have a favorite activity to do with them: a lake or river cruise. Visitors love seeing the Chicago skyline, and you really can’t go wrong by taking them on the water. Many vendors offer cruises; this time I went with Shoreline Sightseeing from Navy Pier.
I chose the shorter option, a 45-minute lake cruise with skyline views. Another favorite is the river and lake architecture cruise, but that option takes about 90 minutes, sometimes longer, in my experience.
One downside of embarking on a cruise from Navy Pier is the parking cost. It’s $25 for about three hours (using SpotHero). It could be more if you decide to spend more time on the pier. The nearest parking that isn’t on Navy Pier was about $13 but was a .5 mile walk and we were on a time crunch. If I hadn’t been with my mom and daughters I would have gone that route.
This particular cruise features a pre-recorded tour guide narrator vs. a live tour guide. I didn’t mind because I’ve done cruises before and already have heard about the architecture. If you want more in-depth information and the ability to ask questions, go for a cruise with a guide.
Our cruise was on a late Friday morning, and the boat was nearly empty. It was nice to have our pick of seats. We were able to switch spots throughout the cruise.
Snacks and drinks were available to purchase and we had a lovely time on the water. The weather was absolutely perfect.
We paid about $100 for four people, two adults and two children, and in my view that was not a bad deal. I used code Web10 to get a 10 percent discount when I purchased the tickets online. Tickets normally start at $34.95.
The skyline views never get old. I highly recommend spending time on Lake Michigan during the summer.
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.