Chicago Night Boat Tours
Hours, prices and access verified by the Chicago Night Tours team — last checked 2026-09-27.
Chicago Night boat tours leave from two docks a block apart at the Michigan Avenue Bridge and cost $28 to $50 a person. Some stay on the river; the longer ones pass through the lock onto Lake Michigan for the whole skyline.
Night cruises from the Michigan Avenue docks
★★★★★ 4.7 (1,240 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
River, then the lakeAfter-dark sailingA live guideMichigan & Wacker dock
Ninety minutes after dark from the stairs at Michigan and Wacker: the river first, then through the lock onto the lake with a live guide. Pick general or priority boarding, and bring your own snacks if you like.
From $50 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Best seller
★★★★★ 4.7 (3,624 reviews · 45 minutes)
River onlyDay and evening slotsA live guide400 N Michigan dock
The short one: 45 minutes on the river with a live guide, from 400 N Michigan. It runs through the day, so choose one of the last departures if the lit towers are what you came for.
From $28 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★☆ 4.1 (224 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
River onlyAfter-dark sailingA live storytellerMichigan & Wacker dock
Ghost stories and dark history from a live storyteller for 90 minutes, from the dock at Michigan and Wacker. It runs on Fridays, Saturdays and some Thursdays and Sundays, and it stays on the river the whole way.
From $46 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★☆ 4.5 (1,702 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
River, then the lakeSails for sunsetLight narration, no guide400 N Michigan dock
Ninety minutes from 400 N Michigan, timed to the sunset: up the river, then out through the lock to watch the skyline light up from the lake. Light narration from the crew, not a guide; the bar takes cards only.
From $45 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★☆ 4.5 (441 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
River, then the lakeAfter-dark sailingA live guideMichigan & Wacker dock
First Lady's river and lake cruise after dark, sold under its second title: a live guide, the same dock at Michigan and Wacker, and up to 250 aboard, with an enclosed salon below the open deck.
From $50 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★☆ 4.3 (168 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
River onlyAfter-dark sailingA live storytellerMichigan & Wacker dock
First Lady's storytelling cruise under its gangster and twilight title: 90 minutes on the river after dark from Michigan and Wacker. A bar on board, and general or priority boarding to choose from.
From $46 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
After dark, through the lock and onto the lake
First Lady's By Night cruise: 90 minutes with a live guide for $50 a person, from the stairs at Michigan and Wacker. Bring your own snacks; the bar sells drinks.
See this tour
What a night boat tour of Chicago is
It is a seat on a sightseeing boat for 45 or 90 minutes in the evening. You board on the
river in the middle of the city and sail between the towers as their lights come on. On the
longer cruises you then pass through a lock onto Lake Michigan and look back at the whole
skyline.
Every night cruise leaves from one of two docks at the Michigan Avenue Bridge. First Lady
boards on the south bank, down the stairs at Michigan and Wacker. Wendella boards on the north
bank at 400 N Michigan Ave. The docks are a block apart, but they are on opposite sides of the
water, so it is easy to go to the wrong one.
What you choose between is where the boat goes, who talks and when it sails. The price
barely moves: $28 to $50 a person.
Why choose a night boat tour
The skyline view only exists from the water
From the lake you see the towers as one long wall of light, which you cannot see from any
street. From the river you sail through the canyon of buildings rather than past it. A bus or a
deck gives you one angle; a boat gives you the whole evening moving past.
The lock between the river and the lake
The By Night cruise and the sunset cruise go through the Chicago Harbor Lock. The gates close
behind you, the water is brought level, and the far gates open onto the lake. The cycle takes
12 to 15 minutes, and on a busy evening your boat can wait its turn.
A bar, a restroom and a place out of the wind
Every boat has a restroom and a bar selling beer, wine and soft drinks. Both operators' boats
have an enclosed, climate-controlled lounge below the open deck, so you can warm up when the wind picks up on the
lake.
Room to move
These are big boats of 100 to 300 passengers, on two decks. You can stand at the rail for the
bridges and sit down for the stories, and nobody is fixed to one window.
Night boat tours vs the bus and the helicopter
There are two other ways to see Chicago lit up with someone else doing the driving: the
Night Crimes bus and a short helicopter flight. Here is how they compare with a cruise.
| Night boat tour | Night Crimes bus | Helicopter flight |
|---|
| You see it from | The river, and the lake on some | The streets, with stops on foot | The air |
| Length | 45 or 90 minutes | 2 to 2.5 hours | About 7 minutes |
| Who talks | A live guide, a storyteller, or light narration | A live guide | Your pilot |
| When | Evening sailings; some timed to the sunset | 7:30pm on select weekdays | Sunset and evening slots sold |
| Bar and restroom | Both on board | Neither | Neither |
| Fare | $28 to $50 a person | $55 a person | $129.99 a seat |
Check availability from $50
If you want the skyline and a drink in your hand, take a boat. If you want the city's crime
stories told where they happened, the bus is better, and it is one of our gangster and ghost tours. The
flight is a few minutes of view for more than twice the fare of the dearest cruise.
What you get, and what you don't
- Always: the cruise, a restroom on board, an enclosed lounge below the open
deck, and all taxes and fees.
- Who talks: a live guide on the By Night cruise and the 45-minute tour, a
live storyteller on the Creepy Cruise, and light narration from the crew on the sunset
cruise, which is not a guided tour.
- Out on the lake: only the By Night and sunset cruises. The Creepy Cruise
and the 45-minute tour stay on the river.
- Not included: drinks and snacks, which are sold on board, and tips.
Wendella's bar takes cards only.
- Not allowed: your own alcohol, and luggage on First Lady boats. Neither
dock stores bags.
Watch the sun go down from the lake
Wendella's sunset cruise: 90 minutes for $45 a person from 400 N Michigan, timed to the sunset, with light narration from the crew and no guide.
See this tour
Planning a night boat tour
- Budget: $28 a person for 45 minutes, $45 for the sunset
cruise, and $46 to $50 a person after dark. Drinks and tips are on top.
- Arrive: 30 minutes before. Boarding starts about 15 minutes ahead, and
seats are first come, first served.
- Find your dock: both are on the Chicago Riverwalk at Michigan Avenue, on
opposite banks. Our meeting-points map shows the stairs and the step-free way down.
- Pick your month: sunset is 8:27pm on 15 June and 7:00pm
on 15 September, so the same sailing is dusk in one month and dark in the next. The
dark times by month has every month.
- Season: First Lady sails its 2026 season from 15 March to 22 November.
Wendella prints no season dates, so check the dates offered when you book.
- Cancel: every cruise here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, and a
sailing called off for bad weather gets you a new date or your money back.
Boarding, the lock and the wind are covered in what to expect on the night, and our season and sunset guide sets the
sunset against the sailings month by month.
Who should choose something else
- If you want gangsters, not skyline. The crime bus stops where the stories
happened. Start with the gangster and ghost tours.
- If you use a wheelchair. The listings do not promise access. First Lady
has a ramp at State St and Wacker, and Wendella boards from its West Dock; call the operator
before you book.
- If you want full dark in June. Sunset is after 8pm, so an early sailing
is daylight. Choose the latest sailing, or come in autumn.
- If you want the view from above. A helicopter flight or an observation
deck shows you the grid of lights, which a boat cannot. Our comparison of every way to see the city after dark sets them side by
side.
Frequently asked questions
Which night boat tour should I book first?
For a first evening, First Lady's By Night cruise: $50 a person, 90 minutes, a live guide, and the lake as well as the river. If you want the sunset itself, book Wendella's sunset cruise instead.
Which cruises go out onto Lake Michigan?
The By Night cruise and the sunset cruise pass through the Chicago Harbor Lock onto the lake. The Creepy Cruise and the 45-minute architecture tour stay on the river. On a busy evening the boat can wait its turn at the lock, which eats into your time on the lake.
Which dock does my cruise leave from?
First Lady cruises leave from the stairs at the northeast corner of Michigan and Wacker, on the south bank. Wendella cruises leave from 400 N Michigan Ave, on the north bank by the Wrigley Building. Check the name on your booking before you set out.
Is it cold on a night cruise?
On the lake, often, even in summer. Travellers who sailed in May, August and September all say to bring a jacket, because the wind picks up once the boat leaves the river. Every boat has an enclosed lounge below if you need to warm up.
Are drinks included on the cruises?
No. Each boat has a bar selling beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks, and Wendella's bar takes cards only. You may not bring your own alcohol on board.
Is priority boarding worth it on a night cruise?
Priority boarding on First Lady's cruises starts 20 minutes before departure, five minutes ahead of general boarding. It gives you first pick of the top deck, which fills first. First Lady says every seat has a view, so it matters most on a crowded summer night.
Is the sunset cruise guided?
No. Wendella describes its sunset cruise as light narration from the crew, not a guided tour, and the time on the lake is for the view. If you want a live guide after dark, the First Lady By Night cruise has one.
Do the cruises run in the rain?
Yes, rain or shine, with an enclosed lounge below the open deck. Severe weather cancels a sailing, and you are then offered a new date or a full refund.
Would a bus or a flight suit your evening better? Every way to see the city is compared on Chicago Night Tours.