River trips · THE USA
A city break has one free evening too few. These 15 usa river cruises earn it, priced and timed so you can choose in minutes and get back to the river.
Cruise the Chicago River for about an hour with a live architecture guide. You’ll pass the Wrigley Building, Willis Tower, John Hancock Center, Marina City, and more while learning how the Great Fire and balloon-frame construction shaped Chicago. Departures leave from Navy Pier or Michigan Avenue, and dogs are welcome.
“Guide was very knowledgeable. Easily understood. Boat was clean. Bar was well stocked. Captain very good.”
See Boston by road and water in about 80 minutes aboard a restored World War II amphibious vehicle. Your ConDUCKtor points out Boston Common, the State House, Quincy Market, TD Garden, Newbury Street, Bunker Hill Bridge, and more before a 20-minute Charles River cruise. Choose departures near the Museum of Science, New England Aquarium, or Prudential Center.
“Long enough to keep you attention. Well narated. Fun, comfortable and you can bring your coffee. The helpers are really knowegable.”
Board Chicago’s First Lady from the Riverwalk for a 90-minute cruise led by Chicago Architecture Center docents. Hear how bridges, industry, skyscrapers, and urban planning shaped the city while viewing Marina City, Willis Tower, Navy Pier, and 150 North Riverside. Choose an open-air deck or climate-controlled salon, with a full bar onboard.
“Truly the place you should start your Chicago trip. Learning a bit of history and explanation of why, how, when, etc helped get us excited to explore.”
Board a Shoreline Sightseeing boat for a live, English or Spanish narrated cruise through all three Chicago River branches. You’ll see Willis Tower, Trump Tower, Marina City, the John Hancock Building, and about 40 landmark buildings. Guides such as Chicago Bob, Juan, Jeremy, and Kevin add history and humor. A cash bar is available on most boats.
“It was awesome! Tons of history and architecture! Our guide Victor was amazing and non stop full of information, a little humor and just a ton of knowledge. I could listen to him for hours!”
Board at 9 East River Street for a 90-minute narrated cruise along Savannah’s working riverfront. Choose climate-controlled observation seating, open-air decks, or upper-deck benches. You’ll pass Old Fort Jackson, watch port traffic, hear stories from the captain, and return to the same dock. Lunch is not included.
“The riverboat cruise along the Savannah River is beautiful. It is a great tour with lots of history shared. The riverboat is amazing!”
Cruise the Chicago River from Lake Shore Drive toward Willis Tower and back with a live English-speaking guide. You’ll hear lively stories about Chicago’s buildings, choose indoor or open-air seating, and buy local beer, spirits, snacks, or hot chocolate onboard. A sunset departure adds colorful city views, while the climate-controlled cabin helps on cold days.
“Zach, our guide, was smart, funny, engaging and so informative on Chicago architecture! My family thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would do it again! When we got off the boat we enjoyed the building facts and fun we learned on the tour as we walked near the buildings.”
Cruise from DuSable Bridge up the Chicago River, pass the city’s landmark towers, then pass through the Chicago Lock onto Lake Michigan. An English-speaking guide such as Lucas, Kenny, Sarah, or Jack brings the architecture to life with sharp facts and humor. Choose outdoor seating or a climate-controlled cabin, and buy local snacks or drinks onboard.
“You may be waiting in line for half an hour. It may be a particularly warm day, with very little shade and no where to sit while waiting. You may be sitting in the hot sun at the dock without a breeze. NONE IF THAT MATTERS! You will have an excellent tour, with a very knowledgeable guide (and if you are lucky he will be very punny, too.). Well worth it.”
Spend about 2.5 hours aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, with narration on New Orleans, the Lemoyne brothers, Hurricane Katrina, and the Mississippi River. You will also visit Chalmette Battlefield, where a guide or park ranger explains the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. Food and drinks are available for purchase onboard.
“The food was excellent, especially the whiskey glazed bread pudding. The narrator, Charles was mesmerizing!! The Battlefield Tour was good. Everything was perfect, even the weather!”
Spend about five hours seeing Savannah by land and water. A 90-minute trolley ride covers the Historic and Victorian districts, Forsyth Park, City Market, and River Street. Guides such as Chris, Joyce, Stephanie, and Steve bring local stories to life, followed by a narrated cruise toward Old Fort Jackson.
“I wish I could separate the rating into the two components because our opinion of the two were vastly different. The trolly tour was EXCELLENT (5 stars)! Really interesting, beautiful, and overall enjoyable. I highly recommend this narrated trolly tour. However, I do not think the riverboat tour was worth our time and money. Our 1 PM riverboat tour was loading right after our 11 PM trolly tour, so we needed to eat lunch on the boat. Despite getting on line for the boat around 12:20 and getting on line for the food as soon as we boarded, we were told the top deck was standing room only so we…”
Spend 90 minutes cruising Fort Lauderdale’s New River with guides such as Mason, Monica, Steve, or Nick. Expect funny local stories, grand waterfront homes, mega yachts, calm canals, and views toward the harbor and Port Everglades. Snacks, soft drinks, and alcohol are sold onboard, and the boat returns to the same pier.
“Nice slow cruise within the channels and harbors of Fort Lauderdale. Interesting comments provided on select yacht and home ownerships.”
Cruise Chicago’s historic river for 90 minutes with live narration from guides such as David, Hillary, Heath, and Colleen. You’ll pass the Wrigley Building, Willis Tower, Aqua Tower, Merchandise Mart, Chinatown, and Navy Pier. Choose open-air seating or an enclosed, air-conditioned cabin, with a bar and restroom on board.
“Learned a lot, the weather was prefect, and our guide provided great info about the city. The sunset with views was 🤩.Definitely would take this tour again.”
Begin with a cowboy-style Dutch oven dinner beside the Colorado River, then board a flat-bottomed boat for a slow evening cruise. Guides such as Izzy and Rory add local stories and humor before a 40,000-watt light show projects canyon history onto the rock walls. Bring a jacket and expect firm seating, steps, and an English-only presentation.
“Phenomenal ending to the day. Dinner was much better than expected- so good! The staff was very friendly and eager to make it a great night for everyone. You can tell they care about their customers. Relaxing, interesting, and beautiful cruise. Highly recommend!”
Spend about six hours touring Washington DC by air-conditioned coach, with stops at the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, White House, MLK Memorial, and more. Guides such as Tyrone, Chris, Jerome, and Dwayne lead the walking portions. In warmer months, a narrated Potomac cruise replaces some winter stops. Upgrades add museum, monument, or Capitol entry.
“Tyrone shared an impressive array of information, showcasing his deep understanding of our national monuments and interesting facts about Washington, D.C. His knowledge truly stood out and left a lasting impression.”
Spend 90 minutes on a Savannah Riverboat Cruises harbor cruise with live English narration, views of the historic riverfront, working port, container ships, and Old Fort Jackson. Choose indoor air-conditioned seating or outdoor decks. Food and drinks are sold on board, but the lunch buffet is not included.
“My spouse and I truly enjoyed the harbor cruise, great outing.”
Cruise Kings Bay Wildlife Refuge from a stable, Coast Guard-certified boat while your captain points out wild manatees, turtles, birds, and the occasional dolphin. The 90-minute outing leaves from Pete’s Pier after a short shuttle from Explorida’s shop. Captains such as GQ, Gavin, Chris, and Devon are known for clear explanations and good humor.
“Friendly captain and first mate. Very knowledgeable and we saw loads of manatees! December is a good time of year for a visit.”
Pick a river, a city or a kind of boat.
