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From late spring to autumn, water taxis ply the river and venture out into Lake Michigan. They operate like buses, the following routes provided that you take the standard tourist stops like the Tower Willis (until recently known as the Sears Tower) at its 103rd-story Skydeck and Navy Pier, where you can attend a show or whirl around a 15-story Ferris wheel. But you can also travel by water taxi to lesser known spots like Chinatown or a new museum of the river and its bridges. And you can stop whenever you want for lunch.Whatever your ultimate goal, it is logical to start at the north end of Bridge Avenue and Michigan and glide for a while to the west, squinting up at the skyscrapers as you check out some renowned architecture of the city. A useful book is Jennifer Marjorie Bosch "View from the River: The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise (Pomegranate Communications). Fairly thin paperback to fit in a backpack, you can identify buildings and swallow bites popcornlike of architectural history.The Chicago Water Taxi's LaSalle / Clark Street stop lets passengers off at Fulton on the River, a steakhouse and seafood, and throughout Clark Restaurant Sprint is a pleasant place for lunch, also at the river . This is also near the theater district: many of the major theaters of Chicago is located two blocks from the river, with the Joffrey Ballet at 10 East Randolph Street. This case is also a good access point to stroll the newly opened Riverwalk to Michigan Avenue and beyond.Closer to downtown, however, the Navy Pier is home not only for carnival stalls and shops selling souvenirs and ice cream cones, but also an indoor garden, a museum of stained glass and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater . "Richard III" opens in September, but the current success is Second City's "Superstar Rod Blagojevich." Mr....

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