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ERIE CANAL SIGHTSEEING CRUISES

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ERIE CANAL SIGHTSEEING CRUISE

Our sight seeing cruises depart daily! Enjoy the scenery of the Mohawk Valley as you cruise the calm waters of the Erie Canal, learning about the history of the area and locks.

Award-winning narration along with spectacular scenery and a ride in a Lock, also known as a “liquid elevator” await you on our daily Erie Canal sightseeing cruises. We cruise through Lock 18 on the Erie Canal, lifting and lowering vessels over 20 feet! Browse our cruise schedule and reserve your tickets online.

Erie Canal Cruises

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Erie Canal Cruises - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Tickets on sale NOW for Mothers Day Weekend! A beverage for Mom included with ticket purchase

SAM PATCH CRUISES IN PITTSFORD, NY

Explore our sam patch erie canal tours.

Traverse the legendary Erie Canal — considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world — on a replica historic packet boat.

Cruises offer a rare perspective on the region’s cultural heritage, offering live narration and a trip through a century-old lock.

Each year, more than 11,000 people — representing all 50 states and more than 30 countries — cruise on the Erie Canal on the Sam Patch, named after a 19th-century mill working who became the first famous American daredevil by jumping off waterfalls, including Rochester’s High Falls.

Drinks, snacks, and bathroom are on board. Cruises depart daily from Schoen Place in Pittsford.

Wondering what the weather will be like on your tour? Check out the upcoming Pittsford forecast below:

Lunch Cruises:

Lunch options are available as an additional cost per ticket.

Please choose your ticket first and then select your lunch option. If you do not want lunch included with your ticket, that’s alright, it is optional! Feel free to come on board and enjoy the cruise with your ticket purchase with or without a lunch purchase.

All lunch orders must be made with your ticket purchase 24 hours prior to your cruise departure.

Please click the link to see our boxed lunch menu options:

CHN BOXED LUNCHES 2024 Season (1)

Know when you'll be visiting Pittsford? Search our Sam Patch calendar:

See all of our sam patch tours below:.

• Users Up to 30 People
• Hour Glass 2 Hours
• User All Ages

Sam Patch - Live Music Sunset Cruise

Join us aboard the Sam Patch as we cruise along the canal taking in the sunset while listening to some live music, enjoying a refreshing drink. Come get your feet tapping with us.

• Hour Glass 1.5 Hours

Sam Patch Arts & Culture Series

Join us for our new Arts & Culture Series! Throughout the operating season, we will have special guests come on board to give in depth presentations and teach art classes.

• Hour Glass 1.25-2 hours

Sam Patch – Erie Canal Lock 32 Cruise

Join us on Sam Patch to experience the historic Eric Canal & lock system

• Users Up to 35 People

July 4th Downtown Fireworks Cruise

Celebrate the 4th of July by watching the fireworks from the best seats in the house!

The Historic Erie Canal awaits you.

Welcome to Knothin’s Easy Yacht Cruises Cruise the Erie Canal & beyond.

Let’s get started planning your cruise. Please turn your smartphone sideways to access our drop-down menu.

Your perfect  Erie Canal cruise may be one of our tours featuring stops in Fairport, Bushnell Basin, or Pittsford.  Enjoy some shopping or a variety of events throughout our beautiful boating season.  Have a light lunch or celebrate a special day at one of the restaurants right on the Erie or within a short walking distance.  Unsure if you should buy the boat you’re looking at?  Dreaming of doing the Great Loop ?  Not sure if you know what’s involved or if you can handle it?  Spend some time with us & we can walk you through what you need to know.  We can customize a private charter to fit your needs. Let us be your private captains for the day, night, or weekend while you take in all the beauty & experiences the Erie Canal offers. Contact us today.

• Erie Canal Cruises
• Powerboat Training

Cruise the Erie Canal on an Electric Boat

"on the canals" free cruises sponsored by nys canal corporation and ny power authority, info & prices for private charter cruises see below.

15 Smiles on the Erie Canal!

Take a cruise on the quiet, clean, comfortable Duffy ELECTRIC boat.  Hourly rates for local cruises. Enjoy a cocktail cruise on your way to a favorite canalside restaurant. Take a tour. Go through a lock. Enjoy fall foliage. Just sit back with your favorite beverage and relax. Up to 6 Passengers  Operating between Macedon and Pittsford, NY.  Call for rates and reservations.

585-259-9283

PLAN YOUR OWN PRIVATE EVENT ON A WATER LIMO

The experience, your captain.

"Plug In Aweigh" is a Duffy 22 foot, 100% electric powered vessel. No noise. No exhaust. Clean and quiet.

Captain JJ is a 100 Ton USCG licensed captain, with 15 years experience navigating the Erie Canal. 13 years as captain on Sam Patch and Mary Jemison tour boats. Navigated the entire 524 mile NY canal system in his own boat.

Your private charter cruise is like riding in a limo on the water. Up to 6 passengers. You may bring your own food and beverage on board. Narration of history and operation of Erie Canal from the captain.

Itineraries

Standard cruise is 2 hours. Depart from Mid Lakes Marina, Macedon, NY. See historic sites and travel through Lock 30.  

Custom charter itineraries are available. Please contact Captain JJ to plan your cruise.

$25 per passenger, per hour. (Ex: 2 hour - 4 passenger cruise is $200). No smoking. Sorry, no pets. 

Training Tailored to Your Needs

On the water boat handling instruction.

Learning how to operate your boat effectively makes for a better time on the water. Captain JJ  is a certified National Safe Boating Council  on the water powerboat instructor. Take a complete certification course or just brush up on docking skills. All courses are approved USCG and NASBLA content in accordance with the National On The Water Standards.  

NY State Boater Safety Certificate Courses

Contact the captain, toss us a line.

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Canal Boat Rentals

Canal Boat / House Boat Rental

The ultimate Erie Canal Adventure.  Our excursions include piloting a self-chartered Lockmaster Canal Boat for 3, 4, or 7 nights.

Our boats are fully equipped for a comfortable liveaboard adventure.

Use the links below to learn more and book your trip.

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I Explored Upstate New York on a Canal Boat — and It Was the Perfect Way to Slow Down

On a narrow-boat journey down New York’s Erie Canal, one writer finds a waterway steeped in history — one that offers a welcome escape from modern-day worries.

Paul Brady is the news director at Travel + Leisure and the brand's expert on cruise travel. He has been covering the travel industry for more than 15 years for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler , Skift , and The Huffington Post .

"The Erie Canal used to be all about speed, but today it's about slowing down," said Marye Lobb, a singer-songwriter I met one evening in Spencerport, New York. Lobb had been playing in the village's canal-side gazebo while my wife, Jetty-Jane, and I watched from the top deck of our boat, a bottle of Finger Lakes Riesling between us.

"There's just something calming about being by the water," Lobb said. In the 19th century, she explained, this storied waterway was an artery of commerce, but these days it's a place for wildlife spotting and unplugging from whatever worries you left onshore — just what Jetty-Jane and I were looking for in the summer of 2020.

Our vessel was the Seneca, a 42-foot liveaboard that we chartered — with the help of quirky travel website Atlas Obscura — from Erie Canal Adventures , a family-run outfitter with a fleet of canal boats purpose-built for touring the waterways between Syracuse and Buffalo. The plan was to take one of those vessels and spend a few days exploring the canal. Niche? Absolutely. The perfect escape from the strangest year of our lives? Definitely.

Soon enough, we were in a marina-side classroom in Macedon, getting a tutorial on propane heaters, diesel engines, and marine toilets — all the parts that make a liveaboard tick. After a few educational videos, we were aboard the Seneca with Erie Canal Adventures owner Brian Keenan, who had come to give us some hands-on training. He watched as we took our boat — sporting the company's signature red and green color scheme — through the gates of Lock 30, practiced our knots, fiddled with our radio, and spun around with a whoosh of our bow thrusters.

An hour later, Keenan stepped back onto the dock and wished us a good trip. With just my wife and me on board — and the $100,000 insurance policy stashed belowdecks — I had a moment of panic. We'd been socially distancing for months, but suddenly felt very alone.

Before Zoom calls, before jets, even before Model Ts and railroads, travel was all about boats. They were the fastest, easiest, and most comfortable way to get anywhere, which is why the founding fathers spent considerable time — not to mention money — trying to gin up canal systems in America to rival those transforming Europe. As Peter L. Bernstein writes in Wedding of the Waters, a history of the Erie Canal, the waterway would "knit the sinews of the Industrial Revolution, propel globalization…and revolutionize the production and supply of food for the entire world."

Today, the canal is almost exclusively used for recreation, but it's no exaggeration to say that the 363-mile-long link between the Atlantic and the Great Lakes cemented the country's economic primacy and crowned New York City its financial capital. (That many of these gains were extracted, directly or indirectly, from land stolen or swindled from Indigenous peoples, particularly those of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, often goes unmentioned.)

Yet for all its economic benefit, the canal provided something far more valuable: it gave rise to a network for ideas. Among the freethinkers living and working along the canal was Joseph Smith, who published the Book of Mormon in 1830 in Palmyra. In 1848, Frederick Douglass moved to Rochester, where he founded his abolitionist newspaper. That same year, Elizabeth Cady Stanton helped organize the Women's Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, now home to the Women's Rights National Historical Park.

All of which is to say that a trip on the canal takes you through not only western New York but also hundreds of years of American history. Not that you're thinking about any of that when you're waking up in Pittsford in the middle of a chilly thunderstorm. Canal trivia takes a back seat when everything's wet, a cold wind is blowing, and the only person around to untie the lines is you. Whose idea was this anyway?

We chugged west toward Rochester, where we tied up at Corn Hill Landing, in the heart of the city. Despite the heavy rain, we made the short walk to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, which lives up to the hype with pit-smoked wings and decadent mac and cheese. We walked through Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park, painted with messages of protest against police violence in Rochester and across the United States. By late afternoon, the sun had returned, and we celebrated with pilsners and onion rings at Roc Brewing Co. before heading back to the boat and pressing on toward Spencerport to catch Lobb's gazebo concert, one of several such experiences Atlas Obscura had arranged along our route.

After a couple of days aboard, we were getting the hang of the Seneca . The hardest part was passing through the locks, which involved gingerly maneuvering our 30,000-pound boat into a narrow space and grabbing onto fixed cables or ropes covered in gunk. We started to feel a tiny bit like boat people. Could we live on the Seneca ? I wondered aloud one morning. Not likely, my wife deadpanned.

On our third morning, we turned back east to Fairport, a quintessential canal town we'd skipped on our way out. We grabbed a sunny spot on the patio of Lulu Taqueria & Bar for a Pacifico and a margarita as kayakers paddled past. We rummaged through gift shops like Main Street Mercantile and marveled at the imported pastas, olives, meats, and cheeses at Lombardi's Gourmet Imports & Specialties. After months of not doing much at all, we relished the simple pleasure of walking down some new streets and seeing some new things.

That evening, we approached another red-and-green boat docked at a bend in the channel called Bushnell's Basin. We were tying our lines when a stranger bounded over and, through her mask, started telling us about the great hard cider selection in the dockside store.

Diane Baker and her husband, Mark, had, like us, been on the canal for a few days, she said. They, too, figured the trip would be the perfect antidote to months cooped up at home in New York City. For them, it was less about boating than about exploring a stretch of the state they'd never considered vacation-worthy.

A few days later, back on land, we bumped into Diane and Mark at the Cascadilla Gorge trailhead in Ithaca. Though we'd met only briefly, it felt like a reunion with old friends. Amazing what can happen when you take a moment and just slow down.

How to Plan a Canal Trip

Erie Canal Adventures (trips from $1,950) offers three-, four-, and seven-day charters out of Macedon. Boats come fully fueled and equipped with linens, kitchen gear, and water. There's a learning curve for piloting the vessels, but even landlubbers can quickly get the hang of it.

Book through Atlas Obscura for more perks, plus a concierge who can make restaurant reservations and provide hyper-specific sightseeing tips. Charters start around noon and end early on the final day, so it's best to bookend a cruise with hotel stays.

About 30 minutes from Macedon, the new Lake House on Canandaigua (doubles from $265) is a resort-style property with soothing, nautically inspired interiors by Studio Tack. An hour away, the Inns of Aurora (doubles from $440) is a collection of historic buildings, all beautifully restored and filled with quirky yet tasteful décor. A new 15,000-square-foot spa opened in June.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2021 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline At Your Own Pace . Atlas Obscura and Erie Canal Adventures provided support for the reporting of this story.

Erie Canal Boat Cruise With Lunch

Duration:  3-4 Hours Tour Times:   Upon Request Availability:   April – November   

Take a cruise down the historic Erie Canal and through the Lockport Locks. Be mesmorized as you elevate 49ft to the top of the Niagara Escarpment with a Coast Guard Licensed captain. After your cruise, enjoy a tasty buffet canal side that included a variety of foods from roast beef and turkey to salads and pasta.

Tour Prices

Special Group Pricing for Groups of 10 or more!

Duration:  3 – 4 Hours Tour Times:   Upon Request Availability:     April –  November

Tour Itinerary

• Take a cruise down the historic Erie Canal and through the Lockport Locks and Experience a unique 2-hour cruise which includes “locking through” and being raised the 49 ft. elevation of the Niagara Escarpment (the same one that creates Niagara Falls) in the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal. You will pass under bridges that raise straight up, see water cascade over Lockport’s famous “Flight of Five” 1840’s locks, and travel through the solid walls of the “rock cut” as your Coast Guard licensed captain describes the architecture, sights, and folklore along the way.
• Enjoy a delicious Buffet Luncheon Canal side after your boat cruise. Includes: Salad, mashed potatoes, Pasta Station, Roast Beef, Turkey, Corn Beef, gravy, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, hot buttered bread sticks, tea, coffee and dessert.
• Transportation to and from Niagara Falls to Lockport
• Erie Canal Cruise with Luncheon All Inclusive of taxes and gratuity
• All Tolls/Bridge Tolls/Parking Fees

Why Book With Us?

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Lowest Pricing

Our competitive pricing ensures you get the best rate all the time.

24 Hour Free Cancellation

Can't make your tour? Cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled tour time for a full refund. 

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For pricing & reservations, Contact our Group Sales Manager.

Call: 1-716-283-8900

Toll free: 1-877-783-8900

Contact us 8:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m Eastern Time, or message us 24/7 using the Contact Form .

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2024 Erie Canal Themed & Event Cruises

Full-service bar on-board – cash & credit cards accepted.

Sunset Lock Tours with LIVE Music Fridays 6:30-9:30pm (Boarding: 6:15pm. *6-9pm for some fall dates) • Cruise w/ live music: Adults $48, Children 10 & under $38 • Cruise w/ live music & served Dinner Package: Adults $71, Children 10/under $61 Package includes: 3hr cruise, meal, live music, tax & service charge. Chicken Parmigiana, Pasta Marinara w/ homemade meatball & sauce, Salad, Bread & Butter & a cookie Catered by Fairport B-side

CLICK HERE to see the fabulous musicians we have on-board

Book Online Now

Murder Mystery Dinner Cruises Tuesdays 6:30-9:00pm: June 11th, July 9th, Aug. 13th, Sept. 10th, Oct. 8th (Boarding: 6:15pm)

$83 per person

Package Includes: 2.5-hour cruise, served chicken/pulled pork dinner with sides, salad & a cookie, live interactive entertainment, tax, and service charge. Catered by Spinelli's Catering and Events

Fairport Canal Days Festival June 1st & 2nd

40-45 Minute Boat Rides On the hour 12:00-3:00pm , $13 per person, Ages 3 & under FREE.

The Thigh Masters Music & Lock Cruise Saturday, June 22nd 7:00-10:00pm (Boarding 6:45pm)

Cruise Only: Adults $52, Children 10 & under $42

Package Includes: 3hr cruise w/ lock passage, pizza, live music, tax & service charge.

Fee Brothers Dinner & Cocktail Pairing Cruise Wednesday, June 26th, 6:30-9:00pm  (Boarding: 6:15pm)  Adults 21+ only  $117 per person 

Please bring a valid photo ID

Package Includes:  2.5hr cruise, 3-course dinner with a cocktail including Fee Brothers Bitters with each course, plus a live presentation by Jon Spacher 5th Generation Owner of Fee Brothers, tax, and service charge.

Beatles Lock Tour with LIVE Music by “Da Vines” (Fred & Alex Vine) Thursday, June 27th 6:30-9:30pm (Boarding: 6:15pm)

Cruise with served DiBella's SUBMARINE Dinner box: $74 Package Includes: 3hr cruise w/ lock passage, dinner box, live music, tax & service charge.

JunkYard FieldTrip Band Music Cruise Saturdays, June 29th & Aug. 10th - 7:00-9:00pm (Boarding 6:45pm)

Adults: $64 per person

Package Includes: 2hr cruise, pizza, live music, service charge & tax

Margarita-Belle Sunset Cruise With LIVE themed Music by "Da Vines," Fred & Alex Vine

Wednesday, July 10th 7:00-9:00pm (Boarding 6:45pm) $52 per person

Package Includes: 2-hour cruise, pizza, live music, tax, and service charge.

Smoke on the Water

Dinner & Music Cruise with live music by the Tommy Brunett Band

Thursday, July 11th 7-10pm (Boarding 6:45pm)

$89 per person

Package Includes: 3-hour lock cruise w/ lock passage, live music, Iron Smoke Whiskey Tastings, Dinner, tax and service charge. Dinner: Sticky Lips BBQ Ribs & Chicken Dinner with 2 sides, salad, corn bread & a cookie.

Lyin’ Eyes (Eagles Cover Band) Music & Dinner Cruise Wednesday, July 17th 6:30-9:00pm (Boarding: 6:15pm)

2.5hr Cruise with lock passage and live music: $59 2.5hr Cruise with lock passage, served Dinner & live music package: $82

Dinner: served chicken/pulled pork dinner with sides, salad & a cookie Catered by Spinelli's Catering and Events

Cool Club and the Lipker Sisters LIVE Music Evening Cocktail Cruise

Thursday, July 18th 7:00-9:00pm (boarding at 6:45pm) $59 per person

Package Includes: 2hr cruise w/ live music & service charge. Drink specials available at the bar.

Adult PROM" CRUISES (ages 21+) Reminisce and make NEW fun memories! Dress to impress!

7:00-9:30pm (boarding at 6:45pm) $59 per person

July 20th with DJ Rob Linton OR August 3rd with DJ Mikey V

Package Includes: 2hr cruise w/ live DJ entertainment, dancing, charcuterie, tax & service charge.

Me and the BOYZ" LIVE Music Cruise

Sunday, July 21st 7:30-9:30pm (boarding at 7:15pm)

$64 per person

Package Includes: 2hr cruise w/ live music, pizza, tax & service charge.

The Skycoasters (Full Band) Music Cruise

Monday, July 22nd 7:00-9:00pm  (Boarding 6:45pm)

$59 per person

Package Includes:  2hr cruise, live music & service charge. Drink specials available at the bar.

Caribbean Sunset Dinner & Music Cruise LIVE music by Panloco Steel Drum Trio Tuesday, July 23rd 7:00-9:00pm (boarding at 6:45pm)

$79 per person

Package Includes: 2-hour cruise, Caribbean style dinner, live steel drum music, tax, and service charge.

Dinner: Jerk Chicken, rice, roasted plantains, salad & a cookie catered by Fairport B-Side

Blues, Booze & BBQ July 24th & August 22nd, 6:30-9:30pm (Boarding: 6:15pm)

$84 per person

July 24th - "Steve Grills and the Roadmasters" OR August 22nd - "Da Vines" Fred & Alex Vine

Package includes: 3hr cruise w/ lock passage, dinner, live Blues Music, tax & service charge. Dinner: Sticky Lips BBQ - Ribs & Chicken Dinner w/ 2 sides, salad, Cornbread & a cookie

Christmas in July Thursday, July 25th, 6:30-8:30pm (Boarding: 6:15pm)

Adults $62, Children 10 & under $52, Children 3 & under FREE

Package Includes: 2hr cruise, Holiday buffet dinner, Christmas cookies, cruising with "SANTA," Carol Singing & activities with Spotlight Performing Arts "Elves," tax, and service charge.

Family Pirate Lock Tour Saturdays: July 27th 2:30–5:30pm (Boarding: 2:15pm)

Wear your Pirate Attire! Entertainment provided by The Happy Pirates

Adults: $47, Children 10 & under: $37, Children 3 & under FREE

Annie in the Water (Full Band) Acoustic Music Cruise – American Indie Rock Sunday, July 28th 7:00-9:00pm (Boarding 6:45pm)

Package Includes: 2hr cruise, pizza, live music, service charge & tax.

Miller and the Other Sinners Trio Music & Lock Cruise Friday, Tuesday July 30th 7:00–10:00pm (boarding 6:45pm) Sponsored by Three Chord Bourbon with Tastings & Drink Specials aboard.

3hr Cruise with lock passage and live music: $59

3hr Cruise with lock passage, served Dinner & live music package: $82

The Brian Lindsay Band" LIVE Music Cruise Wednesday, July 31st 7:00-9:00pm (boarding: 6:45pm)

$47 per person

Package Includes : 2hr cruise, pizza, live music, tax and service charge.

Inside Out ('60s Cover Band) Music Cruise Thursday, August 1st- 6:30-9:00pm (Boarding: 6:15pm)

Package Includes: 2.5hr cruise, pizza, live '60s music, tax and service charge.

'90s Music Cruise with live music by Stephens & Sparkles of Dial Up Tuesday, August 6th 7-9pm (Boarding: 6:45pm)

$54 per person

Package Includes: 2hr cruise, pizza, live '90s music, LOTS OF FUN, tax and service charge. '90s Drink Specials available at the bar

Mud Creek Grateful Dead Cover Band Music Cruise

Wednesday, August 7th 6:30-9:30pm (Boarding: 6:15pm) • 3hr Cruise with lock passage and live GD music: $49 • 3hr Cruise with lock passage, served Dinner & live GD music package: $69

Claudia Hoyser with Ryan Hurley LIVE Music Cruise

Wednesday, August 14th 7:00-9:00pm (boarding at 6:45pm) • 2hr Cruise with live country music: $59 • 2hr Cruise, served Dinner & live country music package: $82

Chicken Parmigiana, Pasta Marinara w/ homemade meatball & sauce, Salad, Bread & Butter & a cookie Catered by Fairport B-side

David M. Miller's Bourbon Birthday Bash Music Cruise w/ live music by Miller & the Other Sinners

Saturday, August 17th 7-9pm (Boarding 6:45pm)

Adults: $65 per person

Package Includes : 2hr cruise, pizza, Birthday Cake, live music, service charge & tax. Sponsored by Three Chord Bourbon with Tastings & Drink Specials aboard.

Fornieri Brothers Band Music Cruise Tuesday, August 20th 7-10pm (Boarding: 6:45pm)

• 3hr Cruise with lock passage & live music: $63 • 3hr Cruise with lock passage, served Dinner & live music package: $86

Dinner: Chicken Parmigiana, Pasta Marinara w/ homemade meatball & sauce, Salad, Bread & Butter & a cookie Catered by Fairport B-side

Sunset JAZZ Music Dinner Cruise with LIVE music performed by Nyerges, Smith & Lake Jazz Trio + Bill Tiberio

Tuesday, August 29th, 6:30-9:00pm (Boarding: 6:15pm)

$72 per person

Package Includes: 2.5-hour cruise, dinner, live entertainment tax and service charge

Dinner: Chicken Parmigiana, Pasta Marinara w/ homemade meatball & sauce, Salad, Bread & Butter & a cookie

Pittsford Fireworks Cruise

Saturday, September 14th 7:45-10:15pm (Boarding at 7:30pm)

Cruise from Fairport, watch the fireworks over the canal in Pittsford by boat & then return to Fairport.

Adults $39, Children 10/Under $29, Ages 3/under FREE

Fairport Oktoberfest & Fairport Scarecrow Fest Leaf Peeping Cruise Saturday, September 28th 11:15am-12:00pm (Boarding: 11:15am)

Adults: $15, Children 10/under $13, Children 3/under FREE

Fall Foliage Cruises to Downtown Rochester Sun, Oct 6th AND Sun, Oct 13th 12:30-4:30pm (Boarding: 12:15pm) Departing and returning to Schoen Place Pittsford.

$121 per person

Package Includes: Served Seasonal meal with sides & soup, 4-hour cruise on the Erie Canal & Genesee River w/ passage through 2 locks, LIVE music by 'Da Vines," tax & service charge.

Dinner: Corn chowder, apple stuffed chicken w/ lemon sauce, squash, rice, cornbread & apple crisp by Spinelli's Catering & Events

Halloween Family Brunch Cruise Sunday, October 27th 11:30am-1:30pm (boarding at 11:15am)

$66 Adults, $56 ages 10/under, FREE 3/under

Package Includes: 2hr Cruise with Brunch & activities lead by "characters" from Spotlight Performing Arts.

Wear your Halloween Costume!

Brunch: Boneless Breast of Chicken Bruschetta, Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese on the side, French Toast Served with pure maple syrup, Breakfast Potato, Fresh Fruit Salad, Chef Made Muffins + a Coffee & Hot Tea Station Catered by Spinelli's Catering & Events

NIAGARA RIVER CRUISES

Cruises on upper niagara river & erie canal, ny.

Where history is learned & fun-filled memories are made.

We at Niagara River Cruises love to provide a fun-filled, memorable experience coupled with the high-quality professionalism of our staff, compelling our passengers to recommend our Niagara River cruises to others. Leaving our guests with wonderful lasting memories is a large part of how we measure our success.

Charters are available for any type of gatherings … company outings, weddings, showers, birthday parties, anniversaries on the Upper Niagara River and/or the historic Erie Canal.

Remember you can bring your own food and beverages.

• User All ages
• Hour Glass 2 hours

Joe Bolognese Music Cruise

Come enjoy live music by local performer Joe Bolognese as the sun sets over the Niagara River and Erie Canal. Reserve your spot online.

• Hour Glass 2.0 hours

Psychic Cruise

Join WNY’s leading Psychic Reverends for their “Gallery Style” Psychic Cruise on the Niagara River to connect with your loved ones and hear inspirational messages.

• Hour Glass 1.5 hours

History Cruise

Come join us for a narrated history boat tour along the New York State Canal System which has been named a National Historic Landmark.

Grace Lougen Music Cruise

Grace Lougen is an award-winning guitar player and songwriter from Buffalo, NY. Known for her tasteful solos and versatility, she performs regularly with a variety of touring artists, but focuses mainly on her current project: Grosh.

Live Blues Cruise

Come join us for some great live blues music with a 3-piece band on this Niagara River live music cruise with Barry Arbogast and other talented performers.

Civiletto Sings Sinatra Co-starring April Mazzone

Jack Civiletto and April Mazzone are a wonderful blend of two exceptional talents……Jack Civiletto shows off his award winning smooth and stylish vocals  ……April Mazzone displays a passionate, heartfelt vocal style

Comedy Cruise

Enjoy a wonderful evening cruise on the upper Niagara River and watch the sun set as you laugh to a group of Buffalo’s best Comics.

Buffalo Bills Tailgate Cruise

Come dressed in your favorite Buffalo Bills attire and join the fun as we look forward to a fantastic season. You can bring your own food & beverages.

Stay tuned as da tes for 2024   are being developed.

DJ Trivia of WNY Cruise

With DJ Trivia of WNY, a live DJ hosts a fun-filled, interactive on-screen trivia game! You and your team play “Live” trivia against other onsite teams.

Father’s Day Cruise

Surprise your father or any of the special men in your family with this exciting Father’s Day cruise. We will have some of your favorite music played on our sound system.

Poker Run Cruise

Cruise the upper Niagara River under sunset skies while collecting your 5-card poker hand. Includes cruise, tournament and prizes!

Sunday Funday Brunch Cruise

Get out on a Sunday with friends and family. Bring your own favorite brunch treats and drinks on board and enjoy the peacefulness of the waterways during this wonderful cruise. Come join us for a great late morning Cruise enjoying the beautiful sites via the perspective of the water while listening to some great “Yacht Rock” favorites.

OUR MISSION

To provide a fun-filled, memorable experience coupled with the high-quality professionalism of our staff, compelling our passengers to recommend our Niagara River cruises to others. Leaving our guests with wonderful lasting memories is a large part of how we measure our success.

5-STAR NIAGARA RIVER CRUISES

The cruise with the psychic readings was interest in and lots of fun. Captains Tom and Erica were so kind and helpful. I would highly recommend and hope to take another cruise soon.

We had a great time on the BBQ n Blues cruise. Great food great music! This was our first but certainly not our last! Thanks to all for a nice night!

We went on The Queen of Peace the other nite with Robin Hoch as our captain! What a great time we had with everyone while Tom Bender played some of our favorite tunes! I highly recommend this!!

Fabulous !!!! The crew was awesome. It's a great venue to enjoy both strangers and friends company. Can't wait to do this again!

Book A Cruise

• Daily Cruises
• Group Cruises, Banquets, Parties
• Our Facilities
• Our History
• Testimonials
• Area Attractions & Links
• Purchase Tickets

We are observing New York State's Covid-19 requirements. Our rates for the 2021 season will remain the same as last year.

Get on board....

• Experience the Locks Experience the Locks
• Looking into the locks Looking into the locks
• Lockport V Lockport V

Click photo for more info...

Enjoy the Party...

• Outside party facility Outside party facility
• Group Cruise Group Cruise
• Veranda Dinner Veranda Dinner

Plan Your Memorable Wedding...

• Wedding Couple in front of boat Wedding Couple in front of boat
• Lockport Canalside outdoor seating Lockport Canalside outdoor seating
• elegant table elegant table

Daily Narrated Sightseeing Cruises

Local history is still very alive at Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises, and has been experienced by almost million people since its inception. Come aboard for a relaxing & informative ride on the 19th-century engineering marvel which opened up the American Frontier.

View Our Live Web Cam!

Click on the image for a larger view.

For more about our cruises, click on the Daily Cruises links above. Call us at 716-433-6155, or toll-free at 1-800-378-0352.

Group Cruises, Cruise & Food Packages, Canalside Banquets

Our unique and versatile facility is perfect for a variety of activities - Casual Parties, Weddings, Meetings, Reunions, Memorials, Company Picnics, or any time you want a unique memorable event. You can arrange special private charter times for your groups of 25 or more.

Our Party Menu Options

Click image to download our Party Menu.

For more about Lockport Locks Group Cruises, call 716-433-6155, or toll-free at 1-800-378-0352.

Wedding Packages and Reception Cruise

Lockport Canalside offers a one-of-a-kind year round location committed to providing you with a casual yet elegant experience.

We have a highly qualified chef, experienced staff and the flexibility to meet your needs. An experienced wedding advisor will help with planning and organizing your ceremony and reception.

Our Wedding Menu Options

Click image to download our Wedding Menu.

We invite you to plan your special event with us. Call 716-433-6155, or toll-free 1-800-378-0352.

Back to Top Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises 210 Market Street, Lockport, NY 14094 716-433-6155 or 800-378-0352 [email protected]

© Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises. All Rights Reserved

Select the tour for your group

This is for tours designed for adult or mixed-age groups, whether it be bus tours, university groups, senior living facilities, church outings, or others. Click here to get started with a group tour!

School Tour

This is for tours designed for institutions serving K-12 students, whether it be public schools, private schools, homeschool co-ops, or scouting groups. Click here to get started with a school tour!