Chicago Boat Company — Local services in Chicago

Visiting Chicago one of the first things I noticed was the river system throughout the city. Walking in the river walk we saw a sign about renting boats and driving them yourself. We walked up to the booth with a gentleman there ready to help us. He answered every question we had and was very nice to us.

We booked our rental and the next day arrived at 11 w riverwalk. We booked the mini electric boat. It looked old but for the most part maintained.

First thing I noticed was the driver seat did not swivel like the passenger seat and was actually a little crooked. The crooked seat made the ride a little uncomfortable but we were able to get over it. Both seats had a few loose screws.

As far as the ride goes it was awesome. We drove for two hours up and back down the river system no problems. Thanks to our host who explained how to use and where to drive the boat. The boat only goes about 3 mph so don’t expect to be speeding anywhere and make sure you keep track of the time since they have a late fee.

The host gave us a Bluetooth speaker and we brought an Italian beef sandwich and some drinks. We had such a fun time and everything was seamless from start to finish. Booking the boat was super easy and we watched the safety video online.

Overall great experience and I would book again. The only difference would be which mini boat we choose. Next time we will choose the James Bond looking boat cause the seating was bucket seats instead of stools which seem more...

One of the standout aspects of this trip was our deck hand, Elizabeth. She was absolutely fantastic and went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable experience. Her friendly demeanor and willingness to assist us with any request made the adventure even more enjoyable.

However, not all aspects of the trip were equally impressive. Our skipper, unfortunately, left much to be desired as Corey was stoned. It was clear that he was not in the best condition when giving us the initial briefing, which was given wide eyed and without a blink. His attitude was passively aggressive, which created an uncomfortable atmosphere for our group. Additionally, his constant distraction by his phone (probably watching his Insta DM and lack of attention to navigation led to a zigzagging route that detracted from what could have been a rather smoother experience.

Despite these hiccups, the grand finale of floating off Navy Pier at dusk was truly breathtaking and a must-see moment. The view of the city's skyline as the sun set was nothing short of incredible and made the trip worthwhile.

In conclusion, the cycle pedal boat trip through Chicago on September 12, 2023, was a remarkable adventure, thanks in large part to the beautiful scenery and the excellent deck hand, Elizabeth. However, I strongly advise future bookings to request a skipper who is fully focused and not under the influence to ensure a smoother and more enjoyable &...

I booked a hot tub cruise as a surprise for my wife’s birthday, and unfortunately it was more stressful than enjoyable. The boat they put us in (Splish) literally had a wooden stick and wooden blocks to steer which seemed pretty outdated & dysfunctional. It barely worked, and the boat kept rotating even when the power was off and the blocks were holding the stick in place. I had to constantly fight to keep it on course for the entire 90-minute cruise, which made it impossible to relax and enjoy the experience.

What made it worse was that I saw multiple other boats (Tubby & Bubbles) docked that had modern steering columns, yet for some reason, we were given the old, cheap, and poorly functioning boat instead—despite the fact that no one was using the others when we left and got back from our cruise. For the price we paid, I expected a much smoother and more enjoyable ride. Instead, it turned into a frustrating and exhausting ordeal.

If you're considering this experience, make sure you confirm which boat you'll be getting (Splish & Splash - Bad: Tubby & Bubbles - Good). Otherwise, you might end up spending your cruise stressed out and struggling to keep the boat from running into walls or other boats. Definitely not the relaxing experience I was hoping for.

Please see pics below from my experience and what the...