Free water taxi rides on Thursday

Wendella Chicago Water Taxi will offer free rides all day Thursday in celebration of the service’s 50th anniversary.

The company will also donate $3 for every rider to The Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

The water taxis run every day from 6:45 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. with stops along the Chicago River at the Wrigley Building, Reid-Murdoch Center and Ogilvie Transportation Center. On weekends, water taxis also stop at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown.

The taxi service has transported millions of commuters between Michigan Avenue and the Union and Ogilvie train stations since its launch in 1962. It’s owned by the Wendella Sightseeing Company, a fourth-generation family business that has operated boat tours since 1935.