Chicago lake cruise advice needed
 

Ok, it's Lake Michigan not Chicago lake lol. We'll be in Chicago for July 4th and am interested in taking a tour/cruise boat to see the fireworks. Any companies you recommend? Things I should know first? We're staying at one of the downtown hotels, probably the Marriott Courtyard on State Street.

Check with Wendella Boats ( at MIchigan Ave Bridge) and Odyssey Cruises(Navy Pier) since they go out into Lake Michgan while many other boats stay on the Chicago River.

There are a couple of lines that offer dinner cruises with fireworks. Check it out at: http://chicagoboatcomparison.com/chi...uly-fourth.cfm
Just make sure you have a hotel within walking distance to Navy Pier because there will be a million + people there for the fireworks, you don't want to be driving.

We used Odyssey Cruises (actually on the Spirit of Chicago boat) and really enjoyed our dinner and fabulous views of Chicago from Lake Michigan.

Fireworks are hugely downplayed from former years. No Venetian night in August, either.

Make sure you know what night. It's been changed from the traditional.

Not just for fireworks, but for any boat /L.Mich. event- do remember that there are boats that go OUT ON THE LAKE (locks and time involved) and boats and tours that GO UP THE CHICAGO RIVER (no locks usage and usually architectural overlay on these). The latter are expertly timed, so you know the length almost exactly. Not on the former.

For huge skyline views- of course- you are going to go OUT on the lake itself.

JJ5 brings up a good point. Chicago usually has their fireworks display July 3rd. Very good to check.

cd, the City of Chicago didn't have any fireworks display at all this year. The ones that occurred on the 4th of July were Navy Pier's.

It's far too early to even know what will happen in 2012. I wouldn't be building my plans around this event until you know exactly what will occur, which might not even be until April or May - or even later. When you pay for these types of junkets, they are non-cancellable and non-refundable, as a rule.

KBoen, if indeed there are any fireworks in the coming year, you will be paying greatly for the privilege to view them from the deck of any boat. Do not expect it to be inexpensive, by any means.

exciled, sorry to hear that. For many years we anchored our boat on the 3rd, spent the day in Chicago and came back to the boat in time for drinks on board as we watched the fireworks. Then woke up to coffee on the deck as Chicago came alive. Fun times, I hope that event comes back for others to enjoy.

Wow, great info!! I had no idea they'd do the fireworks on a night other than the 4th. We won't have a car downtown so we usually stay within walking distance of most things. It's kinda crazy that they won't announce plans until May or later, must drive the tourist agencies nuts!! Thanks a ton everyone, I'll check out the boats you mentioned. I want one that goes out into the lake as we plan to take a kayak tour of the river if they're still offering those.
Kathy

KBoen, Taste of Chicago is also in a mode that is not set in stone. And it usually ends on or close to the 4th. That's another set of dates you might be interested in that does change.

There is no evidence that it will be anything different this coming year. The City of Chicago has to trim a lot of money from the budget and anything which doesn't bring in sufficient dollars, is going to be slated for review - and, IMHO, elimination.

I know that this viewpoint will be unpopular, especially on a travel website with the folks are looking for "freebies", but IMHO, I think it would be a far better thing to have non-residents pay some nominal amount ($5-10+) above the tourist tax - and retain some semblance of the events held in the past, than to elimination them altogether. I say non-residents because the residents are already paying quite high taxes and should get some consideration for that fact.

Kathy, I hope that you mean going on a *GUIDED* tour and not a DIY one. AND I highly, highly recommend that you do some searches about the precautions set forth by the EPA which you need to take before and, especially, after kayaking the Chicago River. I'm sure you'll plenty of information on the internet about this matter.

Just as a clarification, in the first paragraph above, I was referring to Independence Day fireworks.

Today, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced that the Taste of Chicago will move from its traditional starting date at the end of June and be shorter. The festival will now be July 11-15, 2012 in Grant Park. http://tinyurl.com/c9ohd6n

I had suspected that the Taste would be somewhat, if not quite, shorter this year and felt that there definitely wouldn't be fireworks as in the past. Note the comment about the crowds in that article. I think that the major complaint from the vendors this past year was that, although the crowds were larger on the remaining days, they weren't parting with the $$. If that trend continues, I would assume that it will still be shorter next year.

KBoen, if Navy Pier still has fireworks this year and you are planning on going to NP for them, you need to know that once capacity is reached for the Pier (sometimes in the very early evening), they close the gates for admittance. I was at the Pier last year for the 4th (not for the fireworks, as that's only about a 15 minute show) but for the entertainment slated there on that night. Because I was at the far east end of NP, at the beer garden, I really couldn't say the size of the crowds on the 4th - but it took me literally 1 hour to get from Grand and Wacker to Navy Pier on a bus (which was at capacity before 6 p.m.).

You do not want to try and take either the free trolley (if it will still be in existence this coming season) or, definitely, not a cab. Even the water taxis were running to capacity, both going to NP and the return after the fireworks.

I had no difficulty getting in the gates at 7 p.m. because there were plenty of mature people leaving, already complaining about the size of the crowds - especially about the number of children. The biggest crowds are traditionally closer the entrance to about 1/2 mile into the Pier, IMHO. However, please take that with a grain of salt because the crowds jockey for the least congested area with the greatest viewpoint.