Our Reviews

Good Narrator, lovely ride through a gorgeous city.Well worth the price

Fun experience Great tour, informative and quirky. Family friendly, although snacks for purchase were limited. Great way to see the city.

This fireboat tour was spectacular! My friend and I both had a wonderful time and can't recommend it highly enough. The length of 2 hours was perfect so we didn't feel rushed. We motored around near Navy Pier and on the river. While I'm generally not into architecture, the buildings were beautiful and interesting to learn about. I expected that the tour would include a recording of the information about all the sights, but the person narrating the tour did so live. He came up and chatted with all the passengers a couple of times. We felt very well cared-for. Word to the wise though, it can get a bit chilly so wear layers if possible. Highest recommendation!

Awesome! Great tour! I learned so much about the waterfront and also got great city history and architecture information. The fireboat is beautiful. Our guide was engaging and funny.

Great tour, and loved the small and unique boat. We've done other architectural boat tours, and it was so nice to be with just ~50 people instead of hundreds. Staff was great, and highly recommend!

River and lake tour Thoroughly enjoyed the tour! Our group was small and it all felt very personal. Our guide was so knowledgeable and we had a wonderful time!

You won’t be disappointed! I’m so glad we chose the Fireboat tour! The ship is historical and has a great history, the crew was very friendly, and our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and shared a lot of information about Chicago architecture and history.

Great tour and crew! Very interesting history and architecture talk.

Take the tour! Overall great tour! We were lucky in that our tour started after the rain cleared out for the day. Cliff, our tour guide was fantastic! Would highly recommend!

Great time!! Great time! Would highly recommend and would do it again!

Magnifiques expérience avec des commentaires très intéressants et hilaires, un guide très attentif et attachant ! Vraiment un top!Thank you Cliff and all the crew!

This s tour is FIRE!!!! Educational, entertaining, and all around enjoyable. Great way to see the city without all the crowds! Would do again in a heartbeat!!!! Thank you Cliff and all the Captains aboard the Busse.

Magnifique expérience Magnifiques expérience avec des commentaires très intéressants et hilaires, un guide très attentif et attachant ! Vraiment un top!

Great Tour! Shoutout to our tour guide - Cliff - who was engaging and informative for the entire 2 hr cruise. Amazing views of Chicago from both the river and the lake, as well as all sorts of interesting architecture and history insights that I never knew. Plus the boat itself is an interesting part of Chicago history

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.

A little more than an average architecture tour So much fun. The tour guide was funny, clear and knowledgeable. It is an easy boat for all ages. The tour guide talked about why the flag has 4 stars to secrets of some of the buildings we passed to how the lock worked and the work the boat did in the fires. Not just architecture. The crew were very nice. Plenty of shade and seating. And air conditioning! Worth the $$. I had my first tour canceled due to the weather. The woman I spoke to was awesome and made sure I got on another tour that worked for me. Hubby was a little sad I didn’t schedule a traditional architecture tour but right away he was happy I did.

Highly recommended!! Loved this trip!! The guide was super knowledgeable and we loved the music, too!! Thank you!

Best historical tour of Lake and Chicago River You must take this unique lake and river tour on the Fireboat! Plenty of seating and open area for viewing. This is a boat with quite a history. And our guide, Cliff was so full of knowledge about the Fire boats, Chicago and architectural history and design. Definitely our favorite day of touring, and fun to watch going through the locks connecting the lake to the river itself. Absolutely recommend!

Great time had by all! My adult children and I enjoyed a fun and informative afternoon tour on this beautiful boat for our Mother’s Day celebration. The staff were friendly, funny and very informative.

I am an architect and Cliff knew his stuff The smaller boat was much preferred to the larger boats we saw on the river. The best part of the tour was Cliff the Guide. He was energetic, informative, knowledgeable and delivered at just the right pace. Loved all of his insider stories.

Unique historical experience! This was a one of kind experience in a historic fireboat. Much better than the crowded, larger tours, and the tour guide had a great sense of humor. My coworkers and I were impressed and want to come back for the sunset tour. Definitely recommend!

This is the best architecture boat tour in Chicago. The guide Cliff is very knowledgeable, easily understood, and very personable. One gets a unique perspective of the Chicago skyline from the lakefront and then then from the Chicago river after passing through the logs. The boat is intimate, the bar is well stocked and the atmosphere is quite friendly

This is an excellent tour .Very friendly , fun , & professional crew.The Captain of the vessel is a well seasoned & smooth operator.They are proud of what they do & it shows.Very warm , welcoming & knowledgeable.Roughly 2hrs from check in to disembarking.I am not a touristy guy but this is The Sweet Spot of local flavor without being overbearing.It's also one of the Lesser crowded of things to do.I write this hoping it doesn't change but they deserve the acknowledgement & i hope it grows .Thank you for an informative & fun experience.......They do have a nice selection both non and alcoholic beverages on board for everyone to enjoy.

Best tour in the city. Best tour taken! So much history! Our crew was exceptional. Cliff & Mike were the best guide's. Would highly recommend this tour.

Look for the big red boat! The entire crew was helpful and accommodating. Our tour guide Cliff was excellent — knowledgeable and friendly. Taking a historical tour on a historic Chicago fireboat was really special. We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the water.

Cliff was an amazing guide and extremely knowledgeable. Highly recommend!!!

Outing Fun, interesting. A good presentation

Absolutely thrilled we ended up booking this tour. Did some research and decided this one sounded the best and oh was it!!! Loved everything about this tour. The boat was fantastic and came with so much history of its own and character. The captains and staff on the boat were brilliant. So informative and knowledgeable. But delivered in a way that you wanted to know more and also with incredible humour and fun. Cliff was our tour guide and I’m so glad. I’m not sure you can get any better. I thought I’d like this tour but I absolutely loved it. The information was so interesting and I left knowing so much more than I imagined I would.The tour itself is fantastic. What an incredibly beautiful city Chicago is and you wouldn’t know it just from the streets. You must see it from the water. This tour included the lake as well as the river which was rare and great.Went by so quickly as it was so great. And enjoyable. It’s not jam packed like other boats are and we’re. This was so much more personal and intimate and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way. Cliff you were fantastic and we were so privileged meeting you and learning from you today. And it’s owned and operated by veterans too which we thought was great. Thank you for a brilliant day out on the water. - John and Eleni.

Was a fantastic tour, very fun and educational- highly recommend!!

Chicago fireboat river tour This was a fantastic experience and having the history of the fireboat added even more to it. It felt like a personal tour, being more intimate than the larger boats. There’s a bar onboard too. The skipper and crew were terrific and Captain Cliff was extremely knowledgeable and quite the entertainer. The city from the river is awesome. We highly recommend it. Thanks again. John and Eleni

Excellent! This was a fabulous experience! My mom and I took the tour in the afternoon on a beautiful Sunday. It was interesting, fun, and very informative. We could not originally find the location of where the boat took off, so we missed it by about five minutes. I called the number provided and they rebooked us from the noon tour to the three pm tour, no questions asked. I can’t wait for more friends and family to visit, so I can take them on the tour again!

Best value in the city We chose the lake/river tour. The crew was friendly and informative. Being from the west coast, we learned about Chicago’s history not only by building development but also from a firefighters point of view. We went through a lock system for the first time and did get to go out on the lake itself. It was a smaller, more intimate group which I feel gives it a more private excursion vibe. I would definitely do this cruise again.

A must do tour of the Chicago riverfront! We learned so much history of the city and its skyline. Wonderful tour guide!

What an incredible experience! This lake, locks, and river boat tour with Chicago Fireboat Tours exceeded all expectations. From the moment we boarded, the crew was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history and beauty of the area.The journey through the locks was fascinating and gave us a unique perspective on how the waterways connect. Cruising from the lake into the river provided stunning views of the skyline, waterfront, and surrounding scenery that simply can't be appreciated from land. Cliffs narration was informative, engaging, and filled with interesting facts and very fun stories about the city's history, architecture, and maritime heritage.The boat was comfortable, well-maintained, and offered excellent viewing opportunities from every seat. We especially enjoyed learning about the engineering behind the locks and watching the water levels change as we passed through.Whether you're a visitor or a local, this tour is an unforgettable way to experience the beauty, history, and character of Chicago architecture. The combination of scenic views, fascinating stories, and the unique lock experience makes this one of the best boat tours we've ever taken. Highly, Highly recommend Chicago Fireboat Tours!

Hands down the Best Cruise in Chicagoland So we have lived in Chicago for a very long time and gone on many boat tours: architecture, river, lake, fireworks, Windy, etc. This was our favorite by a long shot. First it covered the river and the lake. We went through the lock at Chicago. We were given a history of the city and the fire service. The boat is like a mini museum with lots of photos. And the architecture part of the cruise was very informative. You cover all the important buildings in Chicago with lots of added color. Plus, as an added bonus, they take your picture when you get on the boat and email you it for free. There's a bar with snacks and drinks and two toilets. And the people who work are the boat are so lovely. You can tell the really care. From now on when people visit, this is the tour I will book for them.

What an incredible experience! What an incredible experience! This lake, locks, and river boat tour with Chicago Fireboat Tours exceeded all expectations. From the moment we boarded, the crew was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history and beauty of the area. The journey through the locks was fascinating and gave us a unique perspective on how the waterways connect. Cruising from the lake into the river provided stunning views of the skyline, waterfront, and surrounding scenery that simply can't be appreciated from land. Cliffs narration was informative, engaging, and filled with interesting facts and very fun stories about the city's history, architecture, and maritime heritage. The boat was comfortable, well-maintained, and offered excellent viewing opportunities from every seat. We especially enjoyed learning about the engineering behind the locks and watching the water levels change as we passed through. Whether you're a visitor or a local, this tour is an unforgettable way to experience the beauty, history, and character of Chicago architecture. The combination of scenic views, fascinating stories, and the unique lock experience makes this one of the best boat tours we've ever taken. Highly, Highly recommend Chicago Fireboat Tours!

Best first day activity in the city Amazing fun experience. Guide was very knowledgeable and super personable. Great way to get an introduction to the city while at the same time goingdeeper into history. Loved portion in addition to the river. Being able to see the lighthouse in the skyline makes this river cruise stand apart from the rest. Really cool experience to be on the fire. Much more intimate experience with the tour after seeing some of the bigger tour boats going by Hundred percent recommend!

Fred Busse Chicago Fire Boat Tour MUST do when in Chicago! Cliff was an AMAZING host and very knowledge. The day was perfect and the view was great! I'd recommend getting there early as parking was crazy and if you want to be in the front to see everything, it fills up fast. I do think it was over booked because they had to add chairs and it was not easy to move about the boat. Overall it was FANTASTIC!

Fanatics Chicago river tour 10/10 - loved it! Smaller boat made it feel more personal. Hosts were informative and accommodating - and very friendly! Highly recommend!

Great Day on Lake Michigan and Chicago River Great experience / tour. Fireboat added to interesting (and beautiful) journey of Chicago and its Architecture. Appreciated the bonus of the lake, which don't believe all tours include. Excellent job by Cliff, telling the history of Chicago, and the buildings. The entire Fireboat team did a great job. Great weather did not hurt!

Chicago lake and river tour. This tour is a must do! We learned so much about the buildings and history the Chicago River area. The tour guide was excellent and spoke to us personally before and after the tour. Excellent experience.

What a pleasant way to experience Chicago’s skyline, Navy Pier and architecture. The Fireboat crew is very knowledgeable What a wonderful way to experience Chicago’s skyline, Navy Pier and architecture.

Highly recommended river tour This tour was one of the highlights of our day! Our guide, Cliff, shared fascinating details about Chicago's history, architecture, and development, while still keeping the tour entertaining and engaging from start to finish. His storytelling brought the buildings and history to life. The perfect mix of education and humor made the time fly by. What made the experience even more special for me was that the tour was conducted on a retired firefighting boat. Knowing the vessel's history added a unique charm to the trip, and its smaller size created a cozy, intimate atmosphere that made the experience feel much more personal than a large sightseeing cruise. Even though I'm originally from the city of Chicago, I learned so many fun and surprising facts about the city. Whether you're a visitor or a local, this tour offers a whole new appreciation for the city's architecture and culture. Highly recommended!