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FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS |
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Where do
we meet for the tours?
Is there parking available?
What buildings do we see on the River Cruise?
Does the River Cruise go out on the lake?
Who gives the tours?
What is a docent?
What if it rains?
Is there a children’s price for the River Cruise?
Is there a senior citizen price for the River Cruise?
Is the River Cruise wheelchair accessible?
How long is the tour?
Are there snacks and beverages available on the boat?
Can luggage and strollers be checked at the dock or
ArchiCenter Shop?
Do I need my Chicago Architecture Foundation member
ID number to get my 2- for-1 discount on the River Cruise?
Do I need my Chicago Architecture Foundation member
ID number to get the discounted member price on bus tours? |
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Where do we meet
for the tours? |
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River
Cruise: South-east corner of the Michigan Ave. bridge at
Wacker Drive. Look for the blue awning marking the staircase that
leads down to the river and the dock ticket window. Plan on arriving
15–20 minutes before departure.
Bus tours: ArchiCenter Shop, 224 South
Michigan Avenue. Plan on arriving 15–20 minutes before departure.
Walking tours:
Downtown walking tours: Read tour
description carefully for exact meeting point.
Most regularly-scheduled downtown walking tours depart from the
ArchiCenter Shop, 224 South Michigan Avenue.
Neighborhood walking tours: Read
tour description carefully for exact meeting point. Meet the docent
at the listed location.
Neighborhood walking tours are free for CAF members. Non-members
pay the docent before the tour begins (cash only).
No advance reservations necessary for neighborhood walking tours. |
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Is there parking available?
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River
Cruise: Discounted parking is available at 111 E. Wacker Drive
(just east of Michigan Ave.) Be sure to bring your parking ticket
to the Chicago’s First Lady dock ticket window for validation.
ArchiCenter Shop (walking and bus tours):
The closest public parking is the Grant Park South garage (enter from
Michigan Ave.) The Millennium Park (enter from Columbus Dr.) and Grant
Park North (enter from Michigan Ave.) garages are also nearby. There
is a self-park garage operated by Standard Parking on the southwest
corner of Adams and Wabash Sts. (enter from southbound Wabash or westbound
Adams) one block west of the ArchiCenter. |
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What buildings do we see
on the River Cruise? |
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The tour includes Chicago’s
most famous historic and modern landmarks, including the Sears Tower,
Navy Pier, Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Merchandise Mart, Lyric
Opera, 333 W. Wacker, Marina City and many, many more. Over 50 buildings
are discussed during the tour. |
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Does the River Cruise go
out on the lake? |
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The tour covers all three
branches of the Chicago River (north, south, and main) but does not
go through the locks out onto the lake. The CAF River Cruise focuses
on architecture, and it is hard to see the buildings from far out
on the lake. |
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Who gives the tours? |
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All tours are given by
Chicago Architecture Foundation-certified volunteer docents. All docents
receive hundreds of hours of training about Chicago architecture and
history. |
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What is a docent? |
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A CAF docent is a specially
trained guide, certified to lead architecture tours. CAF docents receive
hundreds of hours of Chicago architecture and history training. All
CAF docents are volunteers. They give tours because they love it.
Docents come from a wide range of backgrounds; teachers, attorneys,
architects, doctors and engineers, for example. |
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What if it rains? |
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All Chicago Architecture
Foundations tours depart rain or shine. There is a covered, climate-controlled
portion of the boat available for tour-takers if it rains or is extremely
hot. Tour tickets are non-exchangeable, non-refundable. Bus and walking
tours also take place rain or shine. |
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Is there a children’s
price for the River Cruise? |
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All passengers on the
River Cruise must purchase a full-price ticket regardless of age,
including children who will not be taking up an extra seat by sitting
on laps, etc. There are not special rates for children, students or
seniors. The bus and walking tours have student and senior pricing. |
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Is there a senior citizen
price for the River Cruise? |
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All passengers on the
River Cruise must purchase a full-price ticket regardless of age.
There are not special rates for children, students or seniors. The
bus and walking tours have student and senior pricing; Seniors are
55 and over. |
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Is the River Cruise wheelchair
accessible? |
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The River Cruise is
not ADA accessible, but accommodations can be made for people with
wheelchairs or mobility disabilities. To avoid the stairs down to
the dock from Wacker Driver, there is a dock-level drop-off-only
area below Lower Wacker Drive, adjacent to the Chicago River. This
area is on the same ground-level as our dock, at the Riverside Gardens
Promenade. Although there is a wheelchair accessible drop-off, there
is no dedicated public parking. The closest parking facility is
located up one level at the Hyatt Regency on Lower Wacker Drive
and Lower Stetson St. Taxicabs do not regularly travel near the
drop off area. If you arrive by taxicab, we recommend that you arrange
for the same driver to pick you up after your cruise.
From Illinois Street or Grand Avenue go southbound
on Lower Michigan Avenue, travel across the Lower Michigan Avenue
Bridge. Go straight through the Lower Wacker Drive traffic light
and when you reach the next traffic light, which is also a dead-end,
turn left (east). You will then come to a 4-way Stop sign. At that
Stop sign, turn left (north) and go straight until you come into
view of the River and an opening in a black wrought iron fence.
Your vehicle may pull up toward the bicycle path to unload your
passengers.
We always offer early boarding for our passengers with limited mobility.
Please identify yourself to any uniformed employee upon arrival,
and let us know how we can assist. Our watertight threshold configuration
and limited turning areas make us unable to accommodate motorized
scooters. We offer a standard wheelchair for use on a complimentary
basis. Although not necessary, we recommend a caregiver accompany
any guest with mobility restrictions to facilitate movement during
the cruise, for the boat may rock unexpectedly, or to assist in
the unlikely case of an emergency. |
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How long is the tour? |
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River
Cruise: 90 minutes (1-1⁄2 hours) Walking
tours: approx. 2 hours – see schedule of individual tours
for exact duration Bus tours: Highlights
by Bus: 3-1⁄2 hours
Frank Lloyd Wright by Bus (Tuesdays): approx. 4 hours
Frank Lloyd Wright Neighborhoods by Bus (Saturdays): approx. 4 hours
Farnsworth House by Bus: approx. 7 hours (lunch included)
Churches by Bus: approx. 6 hours
Bungalow Belt by Bus: approx. 4 hours
Parks & Blvds. by Bus: 5 hours
Devil in the White City: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Emerging Chicago: 4 hours |
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Are there snacks and beverages
available on the boat? |
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There is a full-service
bar on board all River Cruise vessels where beverages and snacks can
be purchased. Guests are allowed to bring their own food and beverages
on board. |
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Can luggage and strollers
be checked at the dock or ArchiCenter Shop? |
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No. Unfortunately there
is not secure storage for luggage or strollers at either location.
Strollers and luggage cannot be brought on board the River Cruise
vessels, but there is storage on the buses used for all CAF tours. |
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Do I need my Chicago Architecture
Foundation member ID number to get my 2- for-1 discount on the River
Cruise? |
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Yes. If you do not have
your member ID number you need to call Member Services at the Chicago
Architecture Foundation:
312.922.3432 x230. |
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Do I need my Chicago Architecture
Foundation member ID number to get the discounted member price on
bus tours? |
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No. Members only need
to give the Member Password to obtain the discounted member price.
Current CAF members can obtain this year’s password by contacting
Member Services: 312.922.3432 x230. |
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