There are a lot of people who feel like cities are concrete jungles that do not cater to those who appreciate nature and the sense of adventure one feels in its presence. To those people I say, did you know you can rent a kayak in downtown Chicago? Two outstanding kayak rental companies are located just down the street from Best Western River North. Urban Kayaks Urban Kayaks has a launch site at Chicago's Riverwalk—a short walk from Best Western River North—and features several tour options. The Historic Tour is a 1.5-hour tour of downtown with a guide that will regale paddlers with interesting anecdotes and unique facts about the city's architecture. Other popular options include the Sunset Tour, Fireworks Paddle, and the Riverwalk Intro Paddle. For those with experience, you may also rent a kayak and take off on your adventure. Urban Kayaks will open another location on June 15th at Monroe Harbor—just five minutes away from their Riverwalk location—that will feature kayak tours and rentals, stand up paddleboard tours and rentals, and classes for all skill levels. Check out their 5.0 rating on Tripadvisor here. Wateriders Wateriders is another phenomenal kayak rental company operating out of 500 N. Kingsbury St., right next to downtown's Merchandise Mart and near the Kinzie Bridge. They offer narrated tours including the Architecture and History Tour, and the Ghosts and Gangsters Tour. They provide an option for solo kayak rentals, as well as group paddles based on three themes: Sunset Paddle, Moonlight Paddle, and Navy Pier Fireworks Paddle. Wateriders is also highly rated on Tripadvisor, and I would suggest checking out some reviews here. Chicago is one of the few major cities in the country with a river winding through the heart of its downtown. What better way to take in its majesty than from the seat of a kayak?