Chicago Night Cruise Season and Sunset Times, Month by Month

Chicago's night cruise season runs from spring to late autumn, and inside it the sunset moves by four hours. That decides whether your cruise is in daylight, at sunset or in the dark. The chicago night boat tours sail the same routes all season; what changes is the light. This guide lays out the month-by-month sunset against the season, so you can pick the evening you want.

When does the night cruise season run?

First Lady sails its 2026 season from 15 March to 22 November. Its By Night cruise runs from April to November, and its storytelling cruise from March to November.

Wendella prints no season dates. Look at the dates offered when you book, rather than assuming its boats run to the same calendar.

What time is sunset each month?

Here is sunset and full dark on the 15th of each month in 2026, with the average evening low at Chicago Midway and whether First Lady is sailing.

The earliest sunset of the year is 4:19pm on 7 December, and the latest is 8:30pm on 27 June. Our read on when it gets dark has more dates.

Which months give you a cruise in full dark?

October and November, at almost any time. By 15 October it is fully dark at 6:37pm, and by 15 November at 5:00pm. Any evening sailing is then a night cruise.

In June and July it is not dark until after 9pm. A 7pm sailing is broad daylight, so book the latest one if the lights are the point. First Lady's By Night cruise is the one built for the dark.

Which months give you the sunset from the lake?

All of them in the season, because the sunset cruise follows the sun. Wendella's sunset cruise goes through the Chicago Harbor Lock and out onto the lake as the sun goes down, wherever that falls.

That means its departure time changes every few weeks. Check the time for your date when you book, and arrive at 400 N Michigan Ave 30 minutes early.

What is a cruise like in each season?

Spring. First Lady starts sailing on 15 March, when sunset is 6:57pm and the evening low is 32°F. By mid-May sunset is 8:04pm, and you want a coat on the lake every night.

Summer. Sunset is after 8pm from May to August, and it is not fully dark until after 9pm in June and July. Evening lows sit around 68°F, so you can stay on the open deck.

Autumn. The light goes fast: 7:00pm on 15 September, 6:09pm on 15 October and 4:30pm on 15 November. You get full dark on almost any evening sailing, and you will want a warm layer by October.

Is the 7:30pm crime bus in the dark?

Not in summer. On 15 June and 15 July the sun sets after 8:20pm, so you spend the first hour of the tour in daylight. By 15 August sunset is 7:50pm, and dusk falls during the tour.

From September the bus leaves at or after sunset, and from October it runs in the dark from the start. If the night matters to you, book it from September on.

How long between sunset and full dark?

About half an hour, all year. On 15 June you have 35 minutes between sunset and full dark; on 15 September, 28; on 15 December, 32. The gap is longest in midsummer and shortest around the equinoxes.

That half hour is when the towers light up against a blue sky, and it is the moment the sunset cruise is built around. If you want that light, be on the water at sunset, not after it.

What does the clock change do?

It moves sunset by an hour overnight. In 2026 the clocks went forward on 8 March, and they go back on 1 November. On 31 October the sun sets at 5:46pm; on 1 November, at 4:45pm.

So a cruise you booked for early evening can switch from dusk to full dark in one weekend. First Lady's last three weeks of the season are all after the change.

When are the Navy Pier fireworks?

In summer 2026 they ran on Wednesdays at 9pm and Saturdays at 10pm, from 23 May to 5 September, and they were free. Navy Pier also lists a show at 11:59pm on New Year's Eve.

The dates for summer 2027 have not been announced. When they are, a lake cruise out at the right time is one way to see them from the water.

How do the projections on the Mart change through the year?

Art on theMART plays from Thursday to Sunday, for half an hour a night, and its start time follows the dark. In 2026 it ran at 8:30pm from 9 April, at 9pm from 4 June, and at 7:30pm from 10 September to 27 December.

So in autumn it fits before a late cruise, and in summer after an early one. Our read on the projections covers where to stand.

When is the fountain on?

Buckingham Fountain's light, music and water show runs from dusk to 11pm, from spring through the end of fall. As the sunset moves earlier, the show starts earlier with it.

The city gives no exact dates, so check before you go in early spring or late autumn. It stands in Grant Park, south of the river, and no river cruise passes it, so plan it as a walk after your cruise.

What changes in the last weeks of the season?

November is dark early and cold. The clocks go back on 1 November, sunset is 4:30pm by the 15th, and the average evening low is 35°F. First Lady's last sailing of 2026 is on 22 November.

You get the city fully lit on any sailing, and quieter boats. You also get the wind off the lake, so dress as you would for winter. If you are coming for Thanksgiving, check that your cruise date falls before the season ends.

What runs after the boats stop in November?

The river walk stays open to 11pm all year, and the projections run until 27 December. The deck at 875 N Michigan opens daily to 11pm. The Night Crimes bus runs on select weekdays; look at the dates offered.

Fly Heli sells sunset and evening flights too, and in December the sun sets by 4:20pm. Our guide to what is open late has every hour.

Is October too cold on the lake?

Not if you dress for it. The average evening low at Chicago Midway is 46°F in October and 35°F in November, and the wind picks up once the boat leaves the river.

Bring a warm jacket and a hat. Every boat has an enclosed lounge below the open deck, and our guide to what to wear goes month by month.

When should you book?

As soon as your dates are fixed. Everything here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, so booking early costs you nothing if the weather turns. Summer evenings and the weeks before the season ends are when seats go first.

In summer the top deck fills first, so arrive 30 minutes early whatever you book. On First Lady's cruises, priority boarding gets you on five minutes ahead of general boarding.

Which month is best?

September or early October, for most people. It is dark by 7:28pm in mid-September and 6:37pm in mid-October, so an evening cruise is a night cruise. The boats are still sailing, and the evening lows are 59°F and 46°F.

June is best for the sunset and warm nights, and the fireworks in the years they run. Our dark times by month and the what to expect on the night fill in the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Tours for the darker months

Chicago by Night River and Lake Cruise

Ninety minutes with a live guide from the stairs at Michigan and Wacker: the river, then through the lock onto the lake after dark. Bring your own snacks; the bar sells drinks.

From $50 per person

Check Availability

Lake Michigan Sunset Cruise in Chicago

Ninety minutes from 400 N Michigan, timed to the sunset: the river first, then the lake as the lights come on. Light narration from the crew, not a guide; the bar takes cards only.

From $45 per person

Check Availability

Chicago Night Crimes Tour by Bus

Two to two and a half hours by bus from 163 E. Pearson St at 7:30pm, with a live guide and five stops off the bus. No restroom breaks; recommended for ages 10 and up.

From $55 per person

Check Availability