Chicago River & Lakefront Boat Tours

Very nostalgic boat. Great tour down the river.

Our family of adults and kids ranging from 2 to 12 had a great time on the Fireboat tour. Cliff, the tour guide, was entertaining and full of Chicago history and facts. The rest of the crew likewise were friendly and took time to visit and talk to everyone. Great to have a small bar with beer and drinks on a hot day. Getting to go out on the Lake and through the locks is a plus that most river tours don't do. Most of all, the fireboat is much cooler than an overgrown pontoon boat. Highly recommend!

Capt Ray and his crew were great! Your took us to the perfect firework viewing spot. Great conversation with the Captain after about the history of the boat. Highly recommend!

I have been on multiple Chicago river tours visiting Chicago over the past 10 years and the Chicago Fireboat tour was the best BY FAR that I have ever been on. I’m not one to leave many reviews, but the staff was so friendly and welcoming that they deserve it.Cliff is a national treasure, who might be the most knowledgeable guide I’ve ever spoken to. If you are blessed enough to have him giving your tour that day, thank your lucky stars! He is the man. He is one of the main reasons I would recommend this tour.The entire staff was awesome (shout out Captain Eric who was on board and also is a co-owner of the company). Veteran owned and operated, they were a small “mom & pop” type tour offering a much more personalized experience vs some of the “corporate” type tours i’ve been on in the past. PLUS the boat is a retired Chicago fireboat, so you feel part of the history of the city.You don’t need to keep searching for a better price or a better tour, you have already found it. Pull the trigger and book with Firehouse, you will not regret it!THANK YOU again yall!- Frank & Shelby from Philly (go birds)

Being a retired fireman, I was really looking forward to this tour. They exceeded my expectations. I brought a old coworker and family and friends, and every one of us, I really enjoy their time. All the history that was shared and beautiful sights were amazing.

A 2 hour tour of the Chicago lake front and the Chicago river. Through downtown

Made Me Want To Move Here So interesting and informative. Made Chicago sound like a great place to live. Got to see and hear so much about history and current life here. Highly recommended!!!

A + history tour A++ experience. Our guide, Cliff, was full of stories of the history of the city and its buildings and how the locks between the lake and the river work. The crew was gracious and friendly. 2 hours was just enough time to see it all. The fire boat history is also amazing.

Fabulous! Fabulous! We loved this tour - and we've taken a few other Chicago boat tours before, and this one is outstanding. The Narrator was awesome - quite informative and a great presentation regarding both the boat and the skyline.

Great intro to the windy city This was a great intro to the windy city. Went with some friends and a preschooler, and everyone enjoyed the ride. The tour guide Cliff was excellent - a nice blend of knowledge and humor. My kiddo enjoyed waving at all the other boats and people on the bridges!

10/10 Fantastic tour with friendly and informative guides.

Chicago by boat Great experience Gorgeous guide

Stunning!! Fabulous!! A MUST see experience! We had initially purchased the architect River and lake tour, however, the traffic and full parking lots made it impossible to get to our meeting point. We spoke with the staff and they were very accommodating, and agreed for us to join the evening tour instead!! We had a fantastic cruise, met some vey nice people, who knew the captain. We were introduced, and talked with Captain Lee while we were being brought back into the harbour. Manny, our newest friend and family, gave us a great deal with buying some merch! Thank you!! Seriously, if your considering this your, just do it! Great sights, friendly staff, awesome fireworks, and memorable souvenirs!!! C’mon down and support them, get fabulous pictures as well!!

Problems solved quickly by an exceptional team! I had an issue where I had booked the wrong day and Ray immediately rebooked me with an incredibly positive attitude. Ray was incredibly understanding and supportive of my blunder. My crew and I were looking forward to this event and without the support of Ray and team we wouldn’t have been able to make this happen. Would recommend everyone to book their boat cruise through Fire Boat Tours due to their exceptional service before and during the tour. I cannot say enough positive things about this team and their exceptional service!

Top River sightseeing Trip Was a brilliant trip full of information and history and going through the Lock was a great experience. Being on a boat that was also part of the Lake and River history made the experience even more enjoyable. Really got it all on this tour - history, architecture, and the Chicago Lake waterfront. Highly recommend this trip.

Packed with history in an entertaining way! Enjoyable cruise full of historical information not only about the Fred A Busse, but many different aspects of Chicago’s waterway and architecture from Fort Dearborn, to the Great Chicago Fire, to Al Capone, to present.

Fun experience! Wanted to finally do a Chicago boat tour. There are so many to choose from. After doing much research we narrowed it down to the fireboat and one other. The fireboat is smaller/less people, historical as you are on an actual fireboat that was in service there from late 30s until early 80. They also gave you great info on the architecture, and history during the tour without drawling on about too much. The whole crew were great. Bar tender was a hoot and made a pretty good Bloody Mary. We also got a free picture from them in front of the boat. It was a great experience and so glad we did it and also so glad we picked the fireboat!!

Great Experience! Loved everything about this trip. It is such a great way to learn interesting facts about Chicago architecture/history and see parts of the City. Highly recommended.