Did you know that those Seadog boats docked at Navy Pier can take you on a thrill ride? Neither did we!
We spent the afternoon in Chicago this past week and went on a thrilling speedboat tour through City Cruises. It was even more fun than we thought it would be and one for the summer bucket list.
We were invited to take a ride on the Seadog, but all opinions are my own.
The vibe on the Seadog is great with an upbeat tour guide named Connor and music blasting as we cruise to open water. He pointed out the working lighthouse, which I never noticed before.
Once you pass the no wake zone, the engines start up and are so powerful that it sounds like an airplane getting ready for takeoff. We were very impressed.
You first cruise towards the museum campus towards the south side of the city, darting to the right and left as water sprays up the sides of the boat and you feel like you are flying.
There were kids of all ages on the boat and tons of people had their hands in the air like we were on a rollercoaster ride. We were laughing with enjoyment as the wind blew through our hair.
When you get to the museum campus, the boat stops and the tour guide talks about everything the city has to offer. The thrill ride continued as we made out way past Navy Pier to the north side of the city for a view of 360 CHICAGO and the beaches.
Again, the boat idled and the tour guide told some jokes and talked about the city. He pointed out some highlights as opposed to being a history-heavy tour, which was perfect for us.
The ride was 30 minutes and the whole experience from boarding the boat, meeting the staff, darting around on the water, and interacting with the tour guide was great!
Some tips for your trip:
- It’s chilly on the water, so bring a sweatshirt. It was a high of 73 degrees on the day we went and my son with a bit cold with a t-shirt and shorts on.
- Be prepared to get wet. There were a couple people with ponchos on towards the front of the boat. I wouldn’t say we got that wet, but there was definitely a mist every time we switched directions.
- Bring a brush. The wind really whipped our hair around and we had to put our fingers through our hair several times to get the knots out.
- The music and microphone that the tour guide uses is loud, so please be aware if you have kids with noise sensitivities.
Boat Ride Options
We did the Seadog Lakefront Speedboat Tour, which is the least expensive option at $34 per person and dogs are welcome. If you just want the thrills without stopping between for the tour aspect, you can do the Seadog Extreme Thrill Ride for $45 per person. There are also architectural tours as well as special event rides, such as for the 4th of July fireworks and Air & Water Show.
Head to City Cruises for all the options and pricing. All of them leave from Navy Pier.
Make it a Combo Trip
Flyover Chicago is also at Navy Pier and Illuminarium just opened on June 28, 2024. My kids also enjoy walking around the fountain at Polk Bros Park, right outside the pier and stopping at the gift shops inside.
If you want to venture out from Navy Pier, you’re really not that far from 360 CHICAGO, which is north of Navy Pier, and Maggie Daley Park and Millennium Park, which is a little to the south.
