Out through the lock on a lake and river cruise

From the river you look up at Chicago. From Lake Michigan you see the whole skyline at once, with the parks in front of it. One daytime architecture cruise does both, and two other boats reach the lake in their own ways.

What the lake adds

Wendella's listing calls the Lake and River Architecture Cruise from ~$45 Chicago's only architecture cruise on both Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. The first half is a river tour. The boat heads up the main branch past the Riverwalk to Wolf Point, where the three branches meet, then turns back toward the lake. Instead of docking, it passes through the Chicago Harbor Lock and out onto open water. From there the guide talks you along the shore past Navy Pier and down to Grant Park before the boat returns through the lock to the dock by the Wrigley Building, which our dock guide shows you how to find.

It is rated 4.7 out of 5 from 2,234 reviews, with 4.8 for the guides and 4.6 for value. Like our pick, Wendella's 90-minute river tour, it has a cash bar with Garrett's Popcorn and restrooms with changing tables. One recent reviewer summed up the highlight in five words, "I loved the LOCK part."

Through the Chicago Harbor Lock

Lake Michigan stands a few feet higher than the river, so boats cannot sail straight out. The Chicago Harbor Lock, built in the late 1930s at the mouth of the river, solves that with a chamber 600 ft (183 m) long and 80 ft (24 m) wide. The boat motors in and the gates close behind it. Water from the lake then lifts it to the new level, and on the way back the process runs in reverse as the boat is lowered. A passage takes about 10–15 minutes, plus any wait for your turn. It is a slow and oddly gripping part of the trip, with the skyline framed behind the gates.

The lock also exists to limit how much water flows from the lake into the river, which has run away from Lake Michigan since the city reversed it in 1900. In heavy rain the gates can release river water into the lake to ease flooding. In high summer the lock gets busy, and Wendella's listing warns that the cruise can then run longer than its usual 90 minutes. Leave slack afterward if you have a dinner booking or a train to catch.

The skyline from the water

Out on the lake the city lines up in a way you never see from the river, where the towers loom straight overhead. A little way offshore the whole skyline spreads out at once. Guides point out Willis Tower and the John Hancock standing above everything else, with Navy Pier off to the north. Heading south, the boat passes Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain on the way to the Museum Campus. That is home to the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium, with Soldier Field close by.

The Chicago skyline at dusk seen from Lake Michigan with a small lighthouse in the foreground

The lake reverses the usual rhythm of the tour. On the river you study single buildings one after another. On the lake you see how they add up, and how close the green strip of parks sits to the towers. For names on the river half, our branch-by-branch building guide walks you through them.

River first, then the lake

Wendella's Lake and River cruise from ~$45 heads up to Wolf Point before passing through the lock for the skyline view from Lake Michigan.

Check lake cruise times

What you give up on the river

The lake time has to come from somewhere. Wendella's 90-minute river tour covers all three branches, while the lake cruise turns at Wolf Point and skips the trips up the North and South branches. That means no close pass of Willis Tower from the South Branch, nor the Civic Opera House beside it. Lock waits also add some uncertainty to the timing.

If the architecture is the reason for your trip, a river-only cruise gives more of it for the same time. The Architecture Center cruise goes furthest into the buildings with its docents. Our guide to choosing a cruise sets all six side by side.

Wind and waves on Lake Michigan

The lake can be choppy even when the river is calm, and the wind out there is stronger than between the towers. A light jacket earns its place in a bag even on a warm afternoon. On a cool day the open upper deck turns brisk fast once the boat clears the lock. Most Wendella boats have a heated and air-conditioned lower lounge to retreat to, though the views are better from the top. If you get seasick easily, the river-only routes stay in sheltered water the whole way. When to cruise covers the months and the times of day.

Two more ways onto the lake

After dark with First Lady

Chicago's First Lady runs Chicago by Night from ~$50, a 90-minute trip that follows the main branch and passes through the lock onto the lake once the city is lit. Out on the lake the route takes in the Buckingham Fountain light display. It is rated 4.7 from 1,262 reviews. The catch is that the narration is lively rather than a lesson in architecture, so this is not the docent tour. It runs in the warmer months only, roughly April to November. Drinks are on sale but no food is sold, so bring a snack. Children under 4 ride free. Our night cruise guide compares it with the evening river departures.

Fast with the Seadog

The Chicago Seadog speedboat architecture cruise from ~$42 begins at Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave) and passes through the Chicago Harbor Lock to reach the river. The narrated river leg takes in Tribune Tower and Willis Tower. It also passes the Civic Opera House and the Merchandise Mart on the way to Wolf Point and Goose Island, then the boat speeds along the lakefront. The catches are plain. Ratings sit lower, 4.5 overall with 4.4 for value. The boat is built for speed more than architecture, and you can get wet. City Cruises also says some departures leave from the Riverwalk depending on availability, so read the voucher. It suits older kids who want a thrill, which our families guide covers too.

Lake cruise or river only

Through the lock

Questions about the lake leg

Which Chicago architecture cruise goes out on Lake Michigan?

Wendella's Lake and River cruise from ~$45 is the daytime architecture option that covers both. First Lady's night cruise from ~$50 also reaches the lake, as does the Seadog speedboat from ~$42.

How long does the Chicago Harbor Lock take?

A passage takes about 10 to 15 minutes, plus any wait for your turn. The Lake and River cruise can run past its usual 90 minutes in high summer, when the lock gets busy.

Is the lake rougher than the river?

It can be. Lake Michigan is often choppy and windy when the river between the towers is calm. Bring a layer for the upper deck, and pick a river-only cruise if you get seasick easily.

Does the Lake and River cruise go down all three branches?

No. It turns around at Wolf Point after running up the main branch, then heads out through the lock. For the North and South branches, take a river-only tour such as Wendella's 90-minute cruise from ~$45.

Why is there a lock between the river and the lake?

The river sits a few feet below Lake Michigan. The lock limits how much lake water flows into the river and can release river water into the lake in floods. Boats rise on the way out and are lowered on the way back.

Out past the lock

Plan the rest of the trip

Night departures, the season on the water and where each boat ties up.