Chicago By Night River and Lake Cruise
First Lady's river and lake cruise: a live guide, an open deck and an enclosed salon below it, and the skyline from the water once the light has gone.
From $50 per person
Check AvailabilityChicago Night Tours Map
Chicago night tours start from five places, and the two docks confuse people most. They sit a block apart on opposite banks of the river, at the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Find the start printed on your Chicago Night tickets booking here, with the way down to each.
The five start points at a glance
Check the operator on your booking first. First Lady and Wendella use different docks, and walking from one to the other means crossing the bridge.
| Start point | Address | Where it is | Who starts here |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Lady dock | 112 E. Wacker Dr (for GPS) | South bank, on the Riverwalk, two levels below Michigan & Wacker | The night cruise and the Creepy Cruise |
| Wendella dock | 400 N Michigan Ave | North bank, by the Wrigley Building | The sunset cruise and the 45-minute tour |
| Crime bus kerb | 163 E. Pearson St | Southeast corner of Michigan and Pearson | The Night Crimes bus, 7:30pm |
| The heliport | 1339 S. Wood St | Lower West Side, south-west of the Loop | The helicopter flight |
| The museum | 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr | Hyde Park, on the South Side | The daytime museum ticket |
First Lady's dock: down the stairs at Michigan & Wacker
First Lady's night cruise and its Creepy Cruise both board here. Set your GPS to 112 E. Wacker Dr, then take the stairs down two levels at the northeast corner of Michigan & Wacker. You come out on the Chicago Riverwalk. Look for the black awning.
There is no lift down to the Riverwalk here. The step-free route starts at the ramp at State St and Wacker Dr, by the Vietnam Memorial Park. Go down to the Riverwalk and walk east, under the Michigan Avenue Bridge, to the dock. A car can drop you on Lower Wacker instead.
Wendella's dock: 400 N Michigan, on the north bank
Wendella's sunset cruise and its 45-minute tour board here, by the Wrigley Building at the northwest corner of the bridge. When you arrive at street level, a Wendella team member leads you down to the dock. At river level there are ramps to the boat.
Wendella gives three ways to arrive without a car. From Millennium Park station, walk north on Michigan Avenue to the river, about 10 minutes. From LaSalle Street station, walk north on LaSalle to Wacker, then east. From Union Station or Ogilvie, the water taxi from the Madison Street Bridge stops at Michigan Avenue in about 15 minutes.
Know which dock you need?
See the top night cruises with the dock each one leaves from, and book the one on your side of the river.
The Chicago Riverwalk between the docks
The Chicago Riverwalk runs 1.25 miles along the south bank of the main branch. It is free and open from 6am to 11pm, in four districts: the Confluence, the Arcade, the Civic and the Esplanade. First Lady's dock is on it, and the State St ramp is its step-free way down.
From the Riverwalk, you can watch Art on theMART across the water from Thursday to Sunday. After a cruise you can walk west along the river rather than climbing straight back to the street.
The crime bus kerb on Pearson St
The Night Crimes bus meets outside 163 E. Pearson St, at the southeast corner of Michigan and Pearson, north of the river on the Magnificent Mile. Check in 15 minutes early; the bus leaves at 7:30pm and does not wait. If you have not checked in 10 minutes before, call the operator on 312-888-6224.
The tour ends back at Pearson St after 2 to 2.5 hours. On the way it stops at the Biograph Theater, on the North Side, where you step off the bus for about 10 minutes.
Vertiport Chicago, a ride from the Loop
The helicopter flies from Vertiport Chicago at 1339 S. Wood St, in the Lower West Side, about two miles south-west of the Loop. It is not within walking distance of the river. Take a cab or a ride-share, and check in 10 to 15 minutes before your booked time.
The 10-mile flight goes out over Chinatown, Soldier Field and the Museum Campus, with the skyline beyond. You land back at the heliport.
The museum in Hyde Park
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry stands at 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr, in Hyde Park, on the South Side. It is a daytime visit, open from 9:30am to 4pm. Go there in the day, then come back north to the river for an evening cruise.
Map of the river and the docks
The Chicago River at Michigan Avenue
The
docks on both banks, the Riverwalk and the lakefront
The map loads from Google only when you press the button. The Michigan Avenue Bridge sits at its centre, with the Wrigley Building on the north bank and the Riverwalk below the south bank.
Questions about getting there
Where do Chicago night cruises leave from?
From two docks a block apart, on opposite banks of the river at Michigan Avenue. First Lady boards on the Riverwalk, down the stairs at the northeast corner of Michigan & Wacker; Wendella boards at 400 N Michigan Ave, by the Wrigley Building. Check which one your ticket names before you set out.
Is there step-free access to the docks?
First Lady's dock is two levels down by stairs from Michigan & Wacker; the step-free way is the ramp at State St and Wacker Dr, then east along the Riverwalk under the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Wendella boards wheelchair users from its West Dock, and asks you to call 312-337-1446 ahead.
Is there parking near the docks?
Only in public garages. First Lady points drivers to the garage at 111 E. Wacker Dr, with validation at its ticket office, and Wendella has no parking of its own.
Where does the Chicago Night Crimes bus leave from?
Outside 163 E. Pearson St, at the southeast corner of Michigan and Pearson. Check in 15 minutes early, because the bus leaves at 7:30pm and cannot wait.
Where do helicopter flights leave from?
From the heliport at 1339 S. Wood St, about two miles south-west of the Loop. Take a cab or a ride-share, and check in 10 to 15 minutes before your booked time.
Where these facts come from
Every start point comes from the tour's own listing, captured on 27 September 2026. The routes down to the docks, the transit options and the check-in times are the operators' own, checked 27 September 2026. The Riverwalk's hours and districts are the city's.
- Finding the dock and the step-free route (First Lady Cruises)
- Boarding, access and getting there (Wendella FAQ)
- Check-in, steps and ages (Chicago Crime Tours FAQ)
- Downtown flights, sunset slots and the weight limit (Fly Heli)
- The heliport on South Wood Street (Choose Chicago)
- Hours of the science museum in Hyde Park
- The city's river walk: hours and districts
- The 2026 projection calendar on the Merchandise Mart
Tours that start near the Magnificent Mile
Chicago River 45-Minute Architecture Tour from Magnificent Mile
Forty-five minutes of river architecture with a live guide, on an open deck or in the lounge. Its slots run by day, and the last of them reach dusk in summer.
From $28 per person
Check Availability
Chicago Night Crimes Tour by Bus
A seat on a bus from 163 E. Pearson St at 7:30pm, a live guide, and short stops on foot where the crimes happened. Two to two and a half hours; no restroom breaks.
From $55 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: read what to expect on the night, check the dark times and weather, or compare every tour on Chicago Night Tours.