One thing for sure – Captain Pat and the Admiral have gotten their steps in during our Chicago visit. We walk everywhere – to the grocery, restaurants, Target, post office, church, coffee shop – everywhere.

Captain Pat and the Admiral have walked the Chicago Riverwalk 20 times or more. This path is just a few minutes from our boat. It features an underground pedestrian tunnel with murals of Chicago history of Chicago on either side.

Artist Ellen Lanyon’s design for a series of murals won the Chicago Public Art Program’s competition for the tunnel’s interior decoration. Lanyon’s twenty-eight painted-tile panels illustrate the history of the Chicago River, serving as a metaphor for the collective growth and improvement of the city.

The series is divided into sixteen narrative scenes and twelve detail panels. The story begins with Père Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet’s 1673 arrival at the portage of Lake Michigan. Along the top edge of this panel, a bundle of onions alludes to the wild variety (Chicagou) that grew in abundance along the river, from which the city takes its name.

Other noteworthy events include: the building of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable’s cabin, the first house on the river; the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition; and the historic reversal of the river in 1900. Reversing the flow of the Chicago River was an incredible engineering feat. This was to provide suitable drinking water for Chicago citizens. Through the installation of a series of canal locks, the water was directed to empty into the Mississippi River instead of Lake Michigan.

No other feature better illustrates the character of Chicago than the waterway that runs through the city.

Designer Lanyon extended the story of the murals up to the present day. The final panels illustrate the city’s current efforts to restore the river and reinvigorate its edges as a place of leisure and entertainment.

Strolling along the picturesque Riverwalk, it’s hard to imagine that it was once a shipping channel — and a smelly one at that. After a lot of effort and dedication, though, it has become one of Chicago’s star attractions.

Today, this mile-long pedestrian Riverwalk runs along the south bank of the river as it winds through the downtown district. It offers visitors a lush green space where they can stroll and take in the sights of the city. River cruises are available that offer visitors historical insight about the city’s most-celebrated landmarks.

There’s so much more to do at the Chicago Riverwalk than simply stroll along a picturesque river. The Riverwalk is a lifestyle — a uniquely Chicago one, with a little of something for everyone. Eat, drink, play, and explore with stunning outdoor bars and restaurants, museums, pier fishing, boat trips, kayaking, public art, bird-watching, and a harmonious blend of sublime nature and shiny city.

Recreational Experiences on the Riverwalk

When the Riverwalk underwent major expansion and development, it was decided to tax the Riverwalk recreational vendors to pay back state and federal loans. For the next 30 years a percentage of the vendor profits is allocated toward the payment of these loans.

You can read about the history and development of the Chicago Riverfront here:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/chicagoriverwalk/home/site-history.html

The Riverwalk is all about recreational experiences. There are urban kayak tours and rentals. Book an outing with Wendella Sightseeing or take an Architecture Boat Tour. We did the Architecture Tour and found it fascinating to learn about the history of Chicago through its architecture.

Other boat experiences include Chicago Cycle Boats, eco-conscious Chicago Electric Boat Company, Island Party Hut tiki boats, and water taxis.

Visit The Jetty to learn about the river’s system of canals and fascinating feats of engineering. Or head to the fishing pier and cast a line (make sure you get your fishing license first.) Bird watchers should keep an eye out for mallards, ring-billed and herring gulls, rock pigeons, American robins, European starlings, and Peregrine falcons that swoop among the skyscrapers. You can even schedule a bird walk with a tour guide.

Art Shows

Public art is on show throughout the pedestrian trail. Art on the Mart is the Riverwalk’s most famous work. This is the largest video-projection art installation in the world, taking up approximately 2.5 acres of the MART’s river-facing facade. See curated video art Wednesdays through Sundays, from March through December, 7:15 — 9:15 p.m.

One evening we enjoyed gelatos while sitting on this terraced wall, watching the Art on the Mart. It reminded me of the terraced steps we sat on in Rome.

Many times we ventured up the stairs to Michigan Avenue – also known as the “Magnificient Mile.”

Here’s a map of the Chicago Riverwalk:

Here are more photos of our ventures on the Chicago Riverwalk: