The Chicago Riverwalk is a mile-long promenade along the south bank of the Chicago River that transformed what was essentially a service road for delivery trucks into one of the best urban waterfronts in America. Completed in stages between 2001 and 2016, the walkway runs from Lake Shore Drive to Lake Street, dropping below street level to put you at water height with the river, the bridges, and the architecture rising above.
The walkway is divided into six 'rooms' — named The Marina, The Cove, The River Theater, The Swimming Hole, The Jetty, and The Boardwalk — each designed with a different relationship to the water. Some have steps leading down to the river surface. Others have floating gardens or kayak launches. Restaurants and wine bars line several sections, and the evening scene on a warm summer night — hundreds of people eating, drinking, and watching tour boats glide past — is Chicago at its most convivial.
The architecture views from river level are extraordinary. Looking up from the Riverwalk puts you directly beneath some of the most important buildings in American architecture — the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Marina City, the Merchandise Mart, Mies van der Rohe's AMA Building. The Chicago Architecture Center's boat tours depart from here, and they're consistently rated among the best tours in any American city. Even without the tour, walking the Riverwalk with your eyes up is a self-guided lesson in a century of skyscraper design.
Verified Facts
The Riverwalk was completed in stages between 2001 and 2016
It runs for approximately 1.25 miles along the south bank of the Chicago River
The walkway is divided into six distinct sections or 'rooms'
The Chicago Architecture Foundation boat tours depart from the Riverwalk
Get walking directions
Chicago, United States
