MOM'S LITTLE BLACK BOOK | Kayak Chicago

ECO PARKS & ELECTRIC BOATS– GET READY FOR FUN!

Did you know that the first-ever floating eco-park of its scale in the world is right in our hometown of Chicago?! Wild Mile Chicago has just completed Phase 1 and will eventually be a mile-long floating park located on the North Branch Canal of the Chicago River consisting of floating gardens, public walkways, kayak docks, an open-air museum, and a botanical garden.

Wanting to see this for myself, while also enjoying a gorgeous summer day on the water, we visited Kayak Chicago to check out their two-person electric boats and kayaks for the day. The owner, Dave Olson is a west suburban native living in Lisle and bringing adventure to the city! He provided us with step by step instructions how to run, operate, and dock the electric boat at the Eco-Park which was a short 10 minute ride from his launchsite off LeMoyne Street. The northern part of the Chicago River was quiet of large boat traffic and provided a peaceful, unobstructed route to the Eco Park located on the backside of REI Lincoln Park. It was easy to dock the boat and take a quick look around and see the potential of the anticipated transformation of the urban waterways into wildlife sanctuaries.

We then exchanged our electric boat for kayaks and made our 45 minute journey down the river to the heart of the city and the Chicago Riverwalk. The city was alive with boat tours and music and energetic summer vibe as we meandered our way past our friends at Chicago Electric Boat Company, City Winery Chicago, and Chicago Brewhouse. On the way back to Kayak Chicago, we past Goose Island and Big City Pickle Chicago’s largest private outdoor Pickleball venue.

The city was vibrant and Kayak Chicago was the perfect launching pad to enjoy it all!!!!

OVERVIEW

Kayak Chicago is Chicago’s original kayak, paddleboard, and electric boat outfitter, since 1999. They kayak outposts have everything you need for your urban adventure on the Chicago River, family outings at Montrose Beach, or catching some sunshine at North Ave Beach, offering guided tours, which include our Chicago architecture tour, the original fireworks paddle, and a city lights tour after dusk.

Kayak Chicago

1220 W. Le Moyne Street

Chicago, IL 60642

(312) 852-9258

www.kayakchicago.com

Hours:

Check website for class, tour, and rental times

Price $:

Prices vary depending on service requested

ABOUT THE WRITER

Kristen Kucharski’s days are never dull, her kids are never bored! Over the years #MomsLittleBlackBook has explored hundreds of kid friendly things to do in our surrounding community and on the road. As her girls have grown and gone away to college, she continues to enjoy unique activities, excursions, day trips, weekend get-a-aways, and road trips while rediscovering my own passion for adventure with friends, girls nights outs, and date nights. In her words– “Life is a journey–might as well have fun along the way. Go, fly, roam, travel, voyage, explore, discover!”