Historical and Architectural Chicago Fireboat River & Lake Cruise
Description
Travel on a piece of history, learning Chicago fire history as well as Architecture! We travel on Lake Michigan and through the Chicago River seeing the sights. Perfect for Fire enthusiasts, families and everyone in between! Our flagship vessel is a retired Chicago fire boat, the Fred A Busse, Engine 41, which served Chicago from 1937 to 1981. Firefighter patches from around the world and memorabilia from Engine 41's time in service, adorn the walls inside the cabin.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Learn about the Chicago river and the history surrounding it.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Important Note: We only serve alcoholic drinks for travelers 21 years old and above. Minor travelers below 21 years old will be served non-alcoholic drinks.
- Harbor Parking at 111 N. Lakeshore Drive. Access to parking in same intersection as harbor.
Reviews(443)
Took a group of out-of-town friends on the noon tour. After easy check in and free group photo, we sat at the very front. The smaller size and history of the boat were very relaxing and intersting. Since the boat is docked on the lake, you first get a great view of the skyline, then enter the lock for a trip up the river to the Kinzie Street bridge. Friendly bar and additional seating in back. Narrator Cliff does a wonderful job combining history, trivia, and humor. The friendly crew make this a great option to the bigger tour boats. Use the nearby DuSable Parking Lot, hidden under the overpass.
Really enjoyed this trip on the river and Lake. Saw all the great sites and had fun too with a very knowlegdeable and funny guide.I highly recommend this tour!
Was one of the highlights of a multi-day leisure trip to Chicago! Our tour guide, Cliff, was extremely informative and engaging. He called out items of note for those seated at the bow and the stern, no one in the crowd felt left out. The cost was comparable to other tours, but with the added historical significance of the tour vehicle and the business being veteran ran and veteran owned, the Chicago Fireboat Tours was an easy first choice.
What a wonderful tour! So much information about architecture and Chicago history. Cliff was a phenomenal tour guide, so knowledgeable and fun! Ten stars for him! Will definitely be booking one of the sunset tours in the future!
Loved this boat tour. Very cool vintage boat. Great crew and the tour guide was very informative. Highly recommend.
Great overall experience. Loved the vintage boat. The guide was very informative with all his enthusiastic description of the various buildings, sites, and Chicago history. Especially loved the experience going through the lock. Highly recommend this tour!
Fantastic tour! Cliff's commentary was interesting and funny. Got a free flyover from the airshow as a bonus! Highly recommended!
We had a great time. The crew was very friendly and the guide was very informative.
This is an amazing experience. Much more personalized and intimate than the huge boats leaving from downtown.
Cliff and his crew were excellent! Beautiful boat, less ‘touristy’ feeling & lots of great history with splashes of humor. 😉 (Ask Cliff about the Dave Matthew’s incident) 🤪 The meet up location was a bit confusing but luckily they reached out to us to see where we were. Very grateful for their customer service. 😁 Thank you! 💌
