Chicago Land and Lake Tour: City Sightseeing & Yacht Cruise

Make your way to the designated meeting point. 

This two-part scenic tour shows you Chicago first from the land and then from the lake.

Land Tour:
The land tour takes approximately 2 hours. Setting out with your English-speaking guide, you will drive through South Shore, a neighborhood bordering Lake Michigan. Michelle Obama, wife of President Barack Obama, grew up in South Shore.

Some highlights of your land tour include:

• The Loop: The historical center of downtown Chicago, so-called because it lies within the loop created by the route of the elevated train system.

• Grant Park: A large park often referred to as the ‘city's front yard’. It is the site of Soldier Field Stadium, home of the Chicago Bears football team.

• Adler Planetarium: Easily recognized by the dome of its historic Sky Theater. Opened in 1930, this was the first planetarium in the western hemisphere.

• Joseph Petrillo: Outdoor band-shell where Chicagoans listen to fine music on summer nights.

• Art Institute of Chicago: Renowned for its Impressionist and American art and for its old masters.

• Orchestra Hall: Home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), one of the ‘Big Five’ American orchestras.

• Shedd Aquarium: One of the world’s largest aquariums.

• Field Museum of Natural History: Famous for the size and scope of its collections.

• South Commons: A new ‘close-in’ residential community.

• Jackson Park: Designed by the duo that created New York’s Central Park – Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

• University of Chicago: Founded by the oil magnate John D. Rockefeller. The layout is modeled on the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

• Museum of Science and Industry: Housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the World's Columbian Exposition.

• Lake Point Tower: One of the world’s highest apartment buildings.

Disembark from the coach after your sightseeing tour.

Lake Tour:
You will then board a streamlined motor yacht for your cruise on Lake Michigan.

During your 90- minute cruise on the world’s longest lake you can enjoy the thrilling sight of Chicago’s fine waterfront. Interesting sights you will see include:

• Navy Pier: A major entertainment center full of attractions, including a Ferris wheel. It’s also an embarkation point for tour boats.

• Chicago River: A river that flows backwards. In the 19th century, the flow was reversed to stop pollution of Lake Michigan.

• Chicago Harbor Locks: Gateway to one of the nation's busiest commercial and recreational waterways. Over 50,000 vessels, 900,000 passengers, and 200,000 tons of cargo pass through its gates annually.

• Coastguard Station: Provides Search and Rescue service to the Great Lakes.

The cruise ends at the boat dock adjacent to Michigan Avenue and its exclusive stores.

At the end of your enjoyable excursion, tour ends at the Palmer House.