These Are the Best Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Chicago, According to a Local

"Chicago is the only city in the world that dyes its river green for St. Patrick's Day, and the party Chicago throws to mark the holiday is well worth traveling for. The highlight of Chicago's festivities takes place on the Saturday before the holiday, when the local plumber's union pours a vegetable-based dye into the Chicago River, turning it a brilliant shade of green just in time for one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country."

"For a close-up view of the action, consider splurging on a river cruise. City Cruises offers a BYOB river cruise for $119 that gets you as close to the dyeing as possible. Chicago's First Lady Cruises also hosts a two-hour City Cruises with green beer, corned beef sandwiches, and Irish music for $140 per person."

"For a bird's-eye view of the river dyeing, head to LondonHouse Chicago, which throws one of the city's most popular hotel rooftop parties for the occasion. The celebration features live DJs, breakfast bites, and an open bar for $305 per person. If you're traveling with kids, the hotel also hosts a family-friendly Grand Ballroom viewing party for $96 a ticket."

Chicago hosts the world's only St. Patrick's Day river dyeing, where the local plumber's union pours vegetable-based dye into the Chicago River on the Saturday before the holiday, turning it brilliant green. The city's St. Patrick's Day celebration ranks among the best in the United States and surpasses celebrations in Ireland itself. The festivities include one of the country's largest St. Patrick's Day parades and numerous viewing options. Visitors can experience the river dyeing through river cruises starting at $119, rooftop parties at hotels like LondonHouse Chicago for $305, family-friendly viewing parties, or hotel suites overlooking the river. Free viewing is available along Upper Wacker Drive, followed by the downtown parade and the Shamrock & Roll Street Festival.

Read at Travel + Leisure