If you caught the most recent episode of the new HBO series Run, you saw characters portrayed by Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson having a conversation atop the deck of a boat tour on the Chicago River. Due to the Illinois "stay-at-home" order, all of Chicago's boat tours are on hold for the moment, but if that glimpse of the city's gorgeous architecture left you craving a leisurely cruise through a canyon of skyscrapers, a local tour company might be able to help scratch that itch.
On Saturday, May 9, Chicago Detours will offer a “Cruise from Your Couch Virtual Boat Tour,” guiding participants through the architecture lining the Chicago River through a Zoom conference. The 60-minute tour replicates the private river tours that Chicago Detours has offered in the past, with a guide giving background and history of the various buildings that can be spotted from the Chicago River. Visuals will be provided via Google Street View, allowing participants to see all of the towering structures without venturing outside.
You can sign up for the virtual boat tour on the Chicago Detours website (a ticket is just $8) and browse all of the other online tours the local company is offering while folks are staying inside, including a peek inside five classic Chicago bars and a talk covering the legendary nightlife scene that once existed in the area of River North now known at the Viagra Triangle. Sure, it's not quite the same as going on an actual tour of the city, but you can still appreciate this amazing city we call home without leaving your couch.
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