Chicago skyline reveals the many high-rise buildings on the waterfront © John Suddath

Chicago is like Disney World on steroids. Instead of mid-size replicas of different styles of architecture, you find the real thing --- only super size. While most American cities would consider a 50-story building probably one of the tallest in the city, that’s just mid-range in Chicago. They’ve already got a couple around 100 stories and new ones under construction heading for 150 stories.

The city that some call the home of the skyscraper lives up to its name with buildings of dizzying heights on nearly every corner inside the Loop. Some of the early buildings of 8 – 12 stories from a hundred years ago are still around and are interesting for their architectural features as well as their historical value.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers tours by boat, bus, or by walking. They offer four walking tours with an audio guide, and four with a guide in person. The four bus tours focus on different neighborhoods. I chose the 90-minute river cruise that circles the Chicago River and the Loop. I lucked out with a beautiful, windless, sunny afternoon to catch the glint of the windows of the towering buildings that reflected a multitude of colors that bounced against each other. The guide was incredible in his knowledge and the clarity of his diction so that I could actually understand what he was saying.