The most beguiling way to appreciate the city’s skyscraper-driven topography is from below — as in, below street level. Cue the Chicago Water Taxi, making its post-COVID return to daily service this summer with $10 one-way rides ($20 for an all-day pass). Gently motor west from Michigan Avenue on the marigold boat, gazing up into an urban Grand Canyon. From this river-skimming perspective, iconic structures like the Carbide & Carbon Building and Marina City loom bolder and brighter. Stay seated when the taxi docks at Ogilvie, because the second half of the 30-minute chug to Chinatown provides the contrast that turns this into an adventure. High-rises and bridges ebb, replaced by a riverbank mix of nature and industry: small trees, duck families, the Amtrak yard. When you spot the St. Charles Air Line, a 105-year-old bascule bridge stuck in the “up” position, your ride is almost done: You’ll soon disembark at the pagoda of scenic Ping Tom Memorial Park — and you didn’t have to fight traffic to get there. chicagowatertaxi.com