Unspecified/General

A pedestrian promenade tracing the south bank of the Chicago River through the heart of downtown, the Chicago Riverwalk has transformed the city's waterfront into one of its most enjoyable public spaces. Running for more than a mile from the lakefront into the Loop, the landscaped walkway links a series of distinct waterside rooms lined with restaurants, bars, kayak launches and gathering spots beneath the city's celebrated bridges and towers. The riverwalk was developed in phases over many years, reclaiming an industrial waterfront that had long turned its back on the river. A major expansion in the 2010s extended and reimagined the path as a continuous promenade, designed as a sequence of themed segments, each with its own character, from a marina and a cove for paddlers to a stepped water feature and a riverside garden. The setting is spectacular. The walkway threads beneath the bascule bridges that lift for passing boats and offers some of the best vantage points for admiring the city's renowned architecture, which rises in glass and stone on both banks. River cruises and water taxis depart from its docks, and in warmer months its cafes, wine bars and food vendors spill out along the water, drawing crowds into the evening. Its connection to the lakefront and the surrounding downtown makes it a natural artery for exploring the city centre. For visitors the riverwalk is free and open, ideal for a stroll, a meal by the water or boarding an architecture cruise, and at its liveliest in the warmer months. It runs along the river through the Loop, easily reached on foot from the surrounding streets and transit, and offers an unrivalled close-up of the architecture that made the city famous. Designed as a sequence of distinct waterside rooms, the promenade threads beneath the city's lifting bridges and offers some of the finest vantage points for admiring the celebrated architecture rising on both banks. River cruises and water taxis depart from its docks, and in the warmer months its cafes, wine bars and food vendors spill out along the water, drawing crowds into the evening and giving downtown a vibrant new front on the river.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: 98 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, United States