Urban Kayaks – Rental Review | Condé Nast Traveler

"Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here? Kayaking on the Chicago River or lake front is one way to shake up your perspective while visiting. Urban Kayaks offers tours along either, including historic tours, and has options for sunset and night time trips. Move through the pulsing heart of the city on the river or travel Lake Michigan and circle Museum Campus (featuring the Field Museum , Adler Planetarium , Shedd Aquarium and Soldier Field) for beautiful views before returning to the harbor. Not sure of your skill level? There are classes and excursions for all experience and fitness levels. Any standout features or must-sees? A night tour on the river boasts views of the glowing Merchandise Mart, which is showered in rotating, digital art displays projected onto the building. A one and a half hour skyline paddle in Lake Michigan gives you all the tourist sites without the foot traffic and crowds, showing you Grant Park and Navy Pier on a route few tourists trek. Was it easy to get around? Once you're on the water, you're on the water. Tours are about an hour, so make sure you'll be able to keep a moving pace for at least that long. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for? Kayaking in the city is definitely for the more adventurous visitor, but is also not what you'd necessarily expect in the Midwest. Single kayaks start at $40, which is comparable to what a single ticket would be for some boat rides at Navy Pier. It all depends on how much you want to dig in. Be your own captain." - Jessi Roti