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Riverside Dreamer Cruise on the Rio Grande in Mission, Texas

I first heard about the Riverside Dreamer a couple of weeks ago when I attended the Winter Texan Expo in McAllen. Another, yet quite different , opportunity to be on the water! I was very excited by the idea of a cruise on the Rio Grande on the Riverside Dreamer. And it is relatively close to me – less than an hour away. I haven’t done a river cruise since I was in Germany, too many years ago to admit to, so I was really looking forward to it.

The Riverside Dreamer

The Riverside Dreamer is a custom built 55-foot pontoon boat. It has cushioned seats and a maximum capacity of 49 passengers. There’s a snack bar and restroom. No alcoholic beverages from the Riverside Club are allowed on board.

Reservations are not required but highly recommended. You can only make a reservation one week in advance and I was told the tours often fill by the Friday before. They only take cash so you don’t pay until you arrive. As a consequence, there are sometimes no shows and you might be able to fill in those spots if you arrive without a reservation. Ticket sales start about 50 minutes prior to departure time. Rates are $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, and $9 for children for the one-hour cruise. The two-hour cruise is $24 for adults, $20 for seniors and $16 for children.

The Riverside Dreamer Cruise on the Rio Grande

The one-hour tour, which goes down river to the dam, departs Monday through Saturday at noon. The two-hour cruise goes upriver Tuesday and Thursday at 1 pm. Of course, since I wanted to spend as much time as possible on the water, I chose the two-hour cruise.

Border security was ever-present with both Border Patrol and Highway Patrol boats. There are also towers with cameras that are monitored in McAllen.

It was surprising to me that the US side of the river, after a few houses near the Riverside Club and RV park, marked by the distinct chimney , had very little development. There were sugar cane fields and undeveloped scrub.

By contrast, the Mexican side had more development in the way of parks, restaurants, bars and beautiful homes. Sadly, many of these things were badly damaged during Hurricane Alex in 2010 . The hurricane caused the Rio Grande to rise by 12 feet, which destroyed a great deal of property along the river. Some of it is being restored but much of it looks abandoned. The Mexican Army had a couple of encampments along the river.

The Border Wall

This was an aspect of the cruise I was not expecting. I have always been in favor of the border wall but never gave much thought to its impact. I’m not in favor of the wall because I think we need to be separated from Mexico. The fact that we need it makes me sad, but it seems the best way to help stem the flow of criminals and drug trafficking into the US from Mexico. You can see evidence of this every day occurrence all along the river.

On the two-hour cruise up the Rio Grande, the Riverside Dreamer goes past a long stretch of wall that is being built on private land by a private company . The company’s goal is to show that the wall can be built cheaper and quicker than the government’s contract (which has already been awarded to another company). Apparently, they are succeeding in spades. The many miles of wall they have built so far has taken about two months and is coming in at less than half the contract amount.

The Riverside Club

I arrived a couple of hours before my cruise time because I wanted to eat lunch on the river. The family-owned Riverside Club Bar & Grill is open year round from 11 am to 8 pm. They have nachos as well as a plethora of deep-fried appetizers. Salads and sandwiches make up the meal offerings. The pork tenderloin sandwich (see photo below) seems to be one of the most popular items on the menu. It is huge and tasty. Enjoy a cocktail from the full bar before or after your meal, or while you just relax by the river.

Final Thoughts on the Riverside Dreamer Cruise on the Rio Grande

The boat is quiet and the river is smooth so the ride is very steady. Even if you get seasick on the ocean, you could easily do this cruise. Don’t expect spectacular scenery. Instead, go prepared to learn some interesting facts and have a relaxing afternoon outdoors on the river. Combine this with a meal in the open-air, tranquil ambience at the Riverside Club and you’ll have a great time. I will definitely be returning!

For current information, follow their Facebook page .

Until next time…

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This sounds like a lot of fun. I think when I get to Texas again this is something I would like to do.

Hope you get a chance to check it out!

This looks like so much fun! I love boat cruises on the river. I have really only done river boat cruises in other countries. I forget how awesome they are in the states! Thanks for the inspiration.

I haven’t done a lot of river cruises but I love any opportunity to be on the water. A bucket list cruise is the Mississippi River on a paddle wheel boat.

Would like to buy tickets for this Saturday

Hi Peggy. Thanks for visiting. I am not affiliated with Riverside Dreamer or the Riverside Club. This post is about my experience when I visited. If you read the post, you’ll see you can’t buy tickets in advance. You can call (956) 581-1033 to make a reservation but you pay (in cash) for your ticket when you arrive there. Click on the link to their Facebook page for current information as well as contact info. Enjoy!

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Day Trips: The Riverside Dreamer, Mission

Rolling on the rio grande, by gerald e. mcleod , fri., april 30, 2021.

The Riverside Dreamer takes visitors on a short and unique tour of the international border from the Riverside Club restaurant in Mission .

The section of the Rio Grande above Anzalduas Dam is wide and deep for nearly 50 miles. Tall levees, most of them topped with a rust-colored border fence, cordon off the American side of the river. Houses and recreation areas come right to the water's edge on the Mexican side.

Captain Tommy gently pilots the 55-foot pontoon boat with a roof, restroom, and a bar down one river bank and then up the other bank. Along the way he keeps a lively dialogue going for the hourlong cruise, telling stories and pointing out features along the river.

Upstream from the restaurant's dock stands one of the biggest boondoggles along the river. In 2019, a contractor from North Dakota bragged that he could build the border fence faster and cheaper than the federal government. The resulting three miles of open-ended wall was built in three weeks for around $43.5 million. Unfortunately, it was placed only 35 feet from the river and well within the flood plain. A torrent of lawsuits have followed.

License plates from all over the country fill the parking lot when the cruises run four days a week from November to April. From May to October, the tours run on Friday and Sunday. Reservations are recommended.

The Riverside Dreamer sightseeing boat leaves from Riverside Club 2.5 miles south of Mission. The restaurant's menu is a bit plain, but the waterfront patio is special. The hours and menus change between seasons, so it's best to confirm ahead of time at 956/581-1033 or at www.ontheriver.net .

1,548th in a series. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel .

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Gerald E. McLeod, April 19, 2024

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A one-minute rowboat ride across the rio grande, wendy little.

As you approach the Boquillas International Ferry , it seems as though you’re traveling back in time. The ferry is actually a small rowboat that takes you from a checkpoint within the southeastern part of Big Bend National Park across the Rio Grande (Río Bravo to the Mexicans) to the banks of northern Coahuila, Mexico.

My husband and I, having lived in Alpine for nearly five years, have put off taking the trip to Boquillas del Carmen (or just Boquillas) for no good reason other than we just kept putting off getting our passports renewed. It was a beautiful April day, and with passports now in hand, we were excited about our trip to the remote, tiny village in Mexico.

After a brief stop at the checkpoint, we hiked to the river, where we were greeted by a man in a boat pleading, “ Vámanos” (“Let’s move on”) while I was snapping photos. The $5 -per-person (free if you swim or wade) one-minute boat ride dropped us at the shore, where our choice of chariot awaited: burro, horse or the back of a pickup, all for $5 to $10 per person. It’s almost a mile to town, so on a hot day, $5 is a bargain.

To get the most authentic experience possible, we both chose the burro. My bumpy ride was provided by Vicente, and my husband’s burro was a fairly new mama with a youngster following along.

The mesquite-lined road that took us into town was almost hiding, as if to surprise us with what awaited upon arriving in Boquillas. Situated in the Sierra del Carmen Mountains, and resting on a high bluff above the Rio Bravo at the southwest end of Boquillas Canyon, the village is surrounded by such awe-inspiring natural beauty that at first you can do nothing but look out, long before you even notice the town.

Around the turn of the 20th century, Boquillas was a thriving mining town and had a population of approximately 2,000. When the mining ceased in 1919, the town’s population rapidly declined as most of the residents moved away for other opportunities.

Fast forward to the 1970s, when José Falcon opened a restaurant. Crossing the border was freely done back then with no documentation, so Boquillas again began to thrive. Even though the town still had no electricity and operated on propane, tourism became the main trade from visitors to Big Bend.

After 9-11, the crossing was closed indefinitely, and the population plummeted to fewer than 100, as the residents could no longer sustain their 20th-century way of living without tourists. In 2013, Boquillas’ port of entry was officially reopened, wit more enforcement but with high hopes for the people of Boquillas to come back, which they did. Wanting the tiny village to succeed, the Mexican government helped Boquillas get back on its feet by supplying funds for a solar farm, a medical facility, building supplies to restore their school and properties, and a single telephone line. Just over 200 people live in the village today, with the prime industry again being tourism.

Everyone gets a guide. The same guy who greets you off of the boat and introduces you to your burro stays with you the entire time, if you want him to. Whether for genuine hospitality, tips or to keep visitors in check, we liked having a guide. Ours was Esteban, who told us the history of the village and explained that the nearest town in Mexico is 160 miles away.

It was straight up noon and we were hungry, so José Falcon’s Restaurant was our first stop. Falcon’s outdoor patio sits above the Río Bravo looking north into Texas. Awesome view, simple delicious fresh food plus a giant margarita? Yes, please! While we were waiting for our lunch, we listened to a gentleman singing and playing guitar, then Esteban joined in. Maybe it was the music or the margarita or this little slice of heaven — but it was amazing.

Esteban was waiting for us when we finished lunch, and we explored the rest of the town. We bought some colorful handcrafted souvenirs from the vendors (set up by the women of the village) and ventured into the lone bar, where my husband ordered a Tecate and insisted it tasted different from the American brew of the same name. I was still too full from lunch for even one sip of beer, so I took his word for it.

Happy little kids run up offering treasures. There is zero vehicle traffic. Colorful buildings stand as if frozen in time in the constant stillness of the Sierra del Carmen.

This place is remote, rugged and wonderful. The streets are dirt, some of the buildings are dilapidated, and it’s tiny. So if you’re looking for lots of excitement and things to do, you’re out of luck, as the options are delightfully limited. If you need a grande double mocha latte, you won’t find one. If you need air conditioning to be comfortable, there isn’t any. If you don’t speak Spanish, it’s okay, but be prepared to get the side-eye from your husband while attempting to ask the waiter if the beans are vegetarian. (I ate them anyway.)

Visiting Boquillas is its own unique event, one that isn’t easily squandered. The people are warm and welcoming, and it’s obvious everyone is working toward a common goal.

We left Boquillas different people, feeling grateful for the modern conveniences we enjoy daily and in complete awe and admiration for the determination and spirit of the people who live in the village.

As we crossed the river back into Texas, we waved  adiós  and  gracias  and said we’d return soon. The people of Boquillas need us for their home to survive. I think we need them, too.

The Port of Entry May 3-Oct. 31 Fri.-Mon. 9 am-6 pm Nov. 1-April 30 Wed.-Sun. 8 am-5 pm

The Boquillas Port of Entry within Big Bend National Park, providing access to the town of Boquillas, Coahuila, Mexico, as well as the protected areas of Maderas del Carmen, Ocampo and Canon de Santa Elena, started 2019 summer hours of operation Friday, May 3.

Visitors can cross by foot (during low water) or by rowboat ferry (for a fee). This crossing doesn’t accommodate vehicle crossings or commercial importation of products.

Passports, passport cards or other official travel documentation are required.

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Nice Cruise on the Rio Grande - Riverside Dreamer River Tour

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• Riverside Dreamer River Tour

Comfortable boatride with a very entertaining and knowledgeable Captain. The food in the restaurant... read more

An interesting way to see Mexico. Also an interesting way to enter Mexico without steping foot... read more

Nice Cruise on the Rio Grande

My wife and I heard about this cruise from a friend who had been on the cruise recently so we decided to go for it. It was a beautiful hot sunny day with a stiff breeze but it was gorgeous cruising then river. The tour left at 1:00 pm and went up river from its' home base at the Riverside Club. The Captain narrated the highlights as we sat and enjoyed a peaceful afternoon. The cruise returned to home base at 3:00 pm and we all disembarked. They do sell beer, soft drinks & water as well as peanuts if you get thirsty on the river. The scenery and information were both great and we enjoyed the afternoon. We would go again.

A group of us came for a two hour cruise. We had a nice lunch prior to boarding at the Riverside Club (near the boat landing). Lunch was reasonably priced and there was outdoor seating overlooking the river. The cruise took you down the Rio Grande and the captain highlighted the sights on both sides of the River and did his best to engage with his passengers. The boat was clean and well maintained and the staff was friendly. I can only give it an average rating because the sights were average at best - a few parks, some wildlife, and a couple of really beautiful homes. It was a nice afternoon on the river, talking and visiting with friends,

A group of friends visited the Riverside Club for lunch, then went on the cruise of the Rio Grande River. Tickets for this cruise are sold at the Riverside Club and it is located just outside. The cost for the one hour cruise is $10 per person. they take you down the river where to the dam and the tour guide also gives you little bits of the history as you cruise down the river. Very nice and interesting as well as relaxing little cruise and priced right! Would recommend this attraction. Would go again. Would highly recommend making reservations for this attraction.