Urban Kayaks
Urban Kayaks
5
Boat ToursWater SportsBoat HireStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Full view
About
Enjoy kayaking on the Chicago River with a kayak rental at our two locations: Chicago Riverwalk and Lakefront at Monroe Harbor. Advance online reservations for all kayak rentals are required. Book online!
Chicago, United States
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
644 reviews
Excellent
537
Very good
86
Average
8
Poor
6
Terrible
7
John S
2 contributions
Jun 2021
I took one of the architecture boat tours, saw the kayakers on the river and said to myself, "I have to do that!" I hadn't kayaked in about 20 years, so I got the "intro paddle" package. Just an extra $5 for a few quick minutes of instruction before heading out. The instructor, the fabulous Laura, went out with our small group of beginners as well, which was good because there was a lot of big-boat traffic to navigate, and she has a walkie-talkie to communicate with the big boats. Laura was just so friendly, cool and relatable, clearly a creative, outdoor-loving soul. She gave us encouragement and threw out little bits of info about the river and buildings without making things overly structured. It was so organic and relaxing. Such great bang for your buck. The best possible way to see the loop if you ask me. Unless you're a seasoned pro, I recommend taking the intro paddle and requesting Laura. Next time I'm in town I will go out solo for a different experience.
Written 8 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donald Clark
5 contributions
Aug 2021
We spent a Friday afternoon with Urban Kayaks on the Chicago River. We had friends in from Michigan and used three tandem kayaks. The instructors were great in getting us oriented and our tour guide did an entertaining and knowledgeable job of leading us safely down the river and sharing stories of Chicago history. One of the visiting families had a 4 year old and the Urban team was very helpful getting the preschooler safely settled in the middle between the mom and dad.
It is an experience suitable for many ages...I am 70 and the oldest in this group of 30, 40, and 50 something year-olds :-). If you follow the guides directions, it is absolutely a safe adventure...but it can be a little wet (so plan on it)!
This is a great activity to share our City of Chicago with visitors and the team from Urban Kayaks are outstanding City Ambassadors!
It is an experience suitable for many ages...I am 70 and the oldest in this group of 30, 40, and 50 something year-olds :-). If you follow the guides directions, it is absolutely a safe adventure...but it can be a little wet (so plan on it)!
This is a great activity to share our City of Chicago with visitors and the team from Urban Kayaks are outstanding City Ambassadors!
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tracy M
Neenah, WI65 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
This has been on my Chicago bucket list for several years and so glad I finally did it. Scott was our tour guide and he was great, took safety on a busy Labor Day weekend very seriously and made sure everyone in the group tour stayed safe. He was fun and funny and knowledgeable about the buildings and architecture along the Chicago river as well as Chicago history. Having done the tour, I would feel more comfortable renting kayaks on my own, but highly recommend starting with a tour as the water taxis/boat tours/private boats and yachts make it a very busy waterway. My only criticism was that the group was quite large and we spent a lot of time waiting on stragglers both before the tour and during. Arrive early so you are ready to go for your tour time!
Written 4 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen C
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Family
We signed up for the intro to kayak tour. Our instructor, Brian, said he’d hang back with those who were having trouble. Instead he left us in the back as we obviously struggled. He then came came back and said we were a safety hazard and took my sister’s paddle away. He kept barking instructions at us so I asked if we could leave early. He got very defensive at this point and told his coworker I “refused” to listen to him as we were guided back to the dock.
This place should not offer BEGINNER lessons if their instructors don’t have the patience to teach. A woman who was also on the tour was more concerned and offered more guidance to us than our “instructor”, what a joke. For $40 per person you’re better off finding a different activity around the city.
This place should not offer BEGINNER lessons if their instructors don’t have the patience to teach. A woman who was also on the tour was more concerned and offered more guidance to us than our “instructor”, what a joke. For $40 per person you’re better off finding a different activity around the city.
Written 31 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SummerHC
6 contributions
Sept 2021
Google had a mixed review for the "Lakeside kayaking" where I was a bit concerned about bringing 3 families to what I insisted on doing. But, the staffs were very kind and helpful, clear directions, and not very strict with time. Great weather made it even more perfect to see the great skyline of Chicago.
Written 7 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AT
Indianapolis, IN57 contributions
Jun 2020
The kayaking experience was enjoyable and a great way to check out a new view of Chicago. You can pay by the hour and choose whether to kayak individually or in tandem. There is a helpful instruction video prior to let you know the etiquette of sharing the river with the rest of the water vehicles. Really enjoyed my time kayaking!
Written 20 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paula T
26 contributions
Jun 2021
At twilight, the city looks magical from the water! We kayaked through Monroe Harbor with Aaron, our terrific guide, and his two colleagues. The city lights reflected in the waves. The Museum Campus looked especially beautiful - we could see the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium, all lit against the evening sky. Boats passed slowly by, many with festive lights, music, and friendly passengers waving and wishing us a good time. A personal flotation device and our pre-tour lesson made me feel safe, prepared and confident.
Written 5 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alyson
New York City, NY39 contributions
Aug 2020
Urban Kayaks was professional and managed to get my boyfriend and I out on our kayaks and paddling even during a busy time. It was super fun to be independent out on the river (we just rented singles for 1 hour). Everything was very smooth and it was a fun covid-safe activity to see the city.
Written 23 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erin B
New York City, NY130 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
My husband and I loved this tour! We did it our first night in Chicago and we learned so much. This is more than a kayaking tour, but also a history tour that provided an excellent base for our later exploration of the city. We took the sunset tour and seeing the skyscrapers lit up against the twilight sky was incredible. There was a downpour at the start of our tour. The guides were wonderful in waiting the rain out and offering a refund to anyone who wanted to cancel or reschedule. They continued to be excellent on the water, keeping the group together and safe from passing boats all the while giving us the most comprehensive history lesson of our time in Chicago, plus interesting facts about the buildings around us. I am so glad we did this and would do the tour again in a heartbeat!
Written 22 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean H
Toronto, Canada46 contributions
Aug 2020
Did a tandem kayak architectural history tour with Jacob as our guide. The tour itself was very informative and interesting, with about 90 minutes on the water covering ~5 stops, however all considered the price paid felt over valued for what you get. Would still recommend if you can afford it!
Written 3 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Urban Kayaks offers a wide variety of products and services with costs ranging from $25-$100 per person depending on consumer choice. Visit our website to see all of our products and pricing.
Written 8 April 2015
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