Sandi

Is this true? Read that this might be a possibility on another Chicago question here. Can anyone fill me in on some details about it?

Thanks!

Sandi

marilyn

Have no personal experience, as in actually braving a gondola ride on the Chicago River, but the debut of the gondola (I think there is only one actual gondola, or maybe two) was extensively covered in our local newspapers and TV. Apparently Mayor Daley thought it would add a certain ambience. However, I personally would not feel comfortable riding in a frail craft like a gondola in the main channel of the Chicago River, where other, considerably larger, boats are likely to be encountered, piloted by a person who may or may not have sufficient expertise! Also, I'm sure this must be strictly seasonal.

Ann

Marilyn, what I found even more frightening were the bicycle type things I saw for rent on the Chicago River. They look like bikes on pontoons, and I wouldn't want to be on one when a larger boat passed by! Does anyone know anything more about these? They were all tied up and no one was on them when I saw them, but there were lots of them and I'm sure they get rented.

Jeanette

I have seen and also have read that all is going great with the gondolas. There have been no tip overs or as many wake problems as they thought there would be. There are two now and there are going to be a bunch more. The gondolier is dressed ethnically and they are professional singers. The article I read was about the competition to pass the auditions. The river at this point is going to be upscaled some more by next summer and jet skis are going to be added. That is the big controversy as they cause too much wake in almost everyone's opinion. The ride lasts 15 minutes or so and is pricey.

Mrs. O'L.

Much better idea: architectural boat tours - more comfortable, longer, you see more, and what they tell you is very interesting (not boring).

Ren

Hi Sandi,
I was just in Chicago this weekend and I took the recommended architecture tour someone mentioned and it was interesting. But I thought you might want to know that on the tour they informed us that the water on the Chicago river has recently been upgraded from toxic to polluted. So when you were curious about the gondola ride I thought I should caution you. Hope this was informative for you.