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Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum
It's difficult to overstate how underappreciated the River Walk is compared to it's wonderfullness. It's only my third time on it, but last weekend my fiancee and I got a couple drinks at City Winery and sat by the water. The city looked great and really appeared to engage with water in a way that's not obvious at street level. I felt like I was in Key West or some other aquatic-themed locale. The walk is already long enough that it feels eventful to be on it. Adding three more blocks is going to make it a proper minor-excursion. I saw at least four or five tour groups down there. And there seems to be many more watercraft on the river than there were in the past, but that could be some sort of misperception on my part.
I can't think of another space quite like it. There are many cities that have piers and canals, but those are usually well above the water level. San Antonio is the obvious example, and that beats Chicago's walk in many ways, but that river is really a "canal". The width and activity on the river makes ours seem Venice-like in some ways.
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There are a number of cities that are activating their waterfronts. Indianapolis, surprisingly, has dedicated a lot of effort to developing its canal. It's more than a mile and has a lot of park space right up along the water. There are now private developments, including restaurants, that are opening up along the canal. It's more of a creek than the Chicago River, but it is still quite nice and a respite from the city. I was also recently in New Orleans, and the riverwalk area near the French Quarter is similar and even has an aquarium and zoo. Detroit is another city with a developing riverwalk area that's good for a walk or jog. That's just off the top of my head.
What I think separates Chicago is the different levels of the city along the river. There's the growing rooftop bar scene, the street level, and then the Riverwalk level. All of this allows visitors to experience a canyon of skyscrapers unlike any other place in the country. It's really great, but certainly not the only city with an active waterfront.