No trip to Chicago is complete without a cruise on Lake Michigan or the Chicago River. Admire the magnificent Chicago skyline in one of Chicago Line Cruises (465 N. McClurg, 312.527.1977) liners. The Architectural Cruise explores the birth of the skyscraper after the Great Chicago Fire devastated the area. The tour also touches on Grant Park; Merchandise Mart, which holds more office space than any place in the world except for the Pentagon; and the reversal of the flow of the Chicago River. On the Historical Cruise, guests learn about the ambitious people who helped build Chicago despite many challenges. From Jefferson Davis’s explanation of how a channel could cut through a sandbar, making it easier to get freight in the area through the lake; to fur trader, Jean Baptiste DuSable’s impact on the city, Chicago has a rich history.