United States
Things to Do in Chicago: Tours, Tickets & Experiences
Chicago is America's architecture classroom, and its best experiences put you on the river or above the skyline looking at it. The architecture river cruise is the single most recommended activity in the city for a reason.
This guide rounds up river and lake cruises, deep-dish and neighborhood food tours, skydeck tickets, and museum admission worth booking ahead.
Top experience categories in Chicago
Architecture River Cruises
Guided cruises on the Chicago River — the city's signature tour.
See optionsGood to know before you book
- Take the architecture cruise early in your trip — it re-frames everything you see afterward.
- River cruises run in most weather; lake cruises are the weather-dependent ones.
- In winter, weight your itinerary toward museums and food tours and keep one flex day.
Browse everything
Viator lists thousands of tours, tickets and activities in Chicago, most with free cancellation windows.