There are a lot of ways to get around the city but the Chicago Water Taxi is probably the one of the most overlooked modes of transportation. It’s not the fastest way to get across town, but it definitely is the most fun. For this guide, you’ll be taking the Chicago Water Taxi from downtown to all the way to Chinatown.
Here’s a quick primer to help you get on your way.
– There are a total of five docks along the Chicago River
– The Ogilvie/Union Station dock is the main Chicago Water Taxi hub.
– That dock is located below the Madison St. bridge on the west side of the Loop.
– One way weekend ticket – $5
– All-day weekend ticket – $10 (might as well get that one if you plan on taking multiple trips).
If you start at the Ogilvie/Union Station dock, you are only one stop away from Chinatown. The ride time is about twenty minutes, but it goes so fast because there’s just a whole lot to see. 
You finally end up at Ping Tom Park where the boat will drop you off. It’s a bit of a nature oasis in the middle of the city with an Asian inspired design that makes you immediately realize you’ve made it to Chinatown. 
Once you get off the boat, you’ll have to walk a few blocks to Chinatown where we’re going to get a traditional dim sum lunch at Triple Crown. There are actually two parts of Chinatown — a new Chinatown and an old Chinatown. Triple Crown is located in old Chinatown which is one long street starting at the corner of Cermak Rd and Wentworth Ave.
Now for our favorite part of this guide — DIM SUM. There are tons of dim sum restaurants around Chinatown, but Triple Crown is one that always stands out. You can’t really go wrong with a lot of the places in Chinatown, but what sets Triple Crown apart is that it has a real authentic old school feel. The restaurant itself is on the second floor and it overlooks the main avenue and the huge Chinatown entrance gate.
As far as the food service goes, in pre-COVID times, Triple Crown would normally have waiters push carts of food around the dining room for you to pick and choose as soon as you sit down. That’s paused for now due to COVID restrictions so you’ll order off a menu instead. It takes away from the experience a bit, but once you have that siu mai dumpling on your plate, all is better. Here’s to hoping we get back to normal soon. 
There’s an assortment of different types of dumplings, buns, rice porridge, and steamed veggies with each dish being $4 – $5 each (give or take). In the end, you’ll probably end up spending around $30-$40 between two people. 
After you fill up on dim sum, we go back to Ping Tom Park where the Chicago Water Taxi first dropped you off. The park runs right along the river and it has a playground, tons of hilly open space, and a few different trails that wind through huge patches of wild flowers and other fauna.
Because the park is tucked behind a small neighborhood in Chinatown and not accessible from any major street, it’s often overlooked and never really crowded. That just means more park for you to wander around to get that “me” time in.
After you’re done exploring, hop back on the water taxi and make your way back.
