Despite the rainy weather, guests lined up to board their cruise at the Gateway Clipper docks, hoping to learn more about our city’s most iconic feature: its bridges. And what better place to learn about the bridges above and the history surrounding the Ohio River than cruising the waterway itself?

The boat set off towards the Ohio River around 11:30, and expert tour guides Todd Wilson and Justin Greenwalt braved the rain on the top deck of the ship. Wilson, a transportation engineer and bridge aficionado shared information on the bridges that span the incredibly wide river while Greenwalt, an architecture historian, shared not only the history of surrounding riverside buildings but of the land itself before industry overtook it.

The cruise, hosted by the non-profit Doors Open Pittsburgh, went down the Ohio River just past the McKees Rocks Bridge before turning around and returning to the city.

“We encourage the public to check out at least one of our upcoming boat tours. We will be presenting a unique look at how our bridges and architecture have intertwined along our rivers throughout history,” says organization Founder Bonnie Baxter in a press release ahead of the tour. Future cruises are planned for the other three rivers, and include a tour of the Allegheny on Saturday, June 24th at 1:00 pm, and the “Mighty Monongahela” on Saturday, August 12th at 1:00 pm. Two tours are scheduled that show off the best of all three on July 15th and September 16th at 1:00 pm.

Tickets for all tours are now available and can be purchased online at www.doorsopenpgh.org/boat-tours