The Bavarian Bell River boat ended up being one of the main highlights of our time in Frankenmuth and that's saying a lot because we had a really good time here. When we arrived, the woman selling the tickets was genuinely friendly and interested in our dog. I love that this is a dog-friendly activity and that always gets extra bonus points with me. She asked our dog's name and answered all our questions and when we saw her hours later walking around the town she called out to our dog by name and said hello. It was very sweet and just one example of the warm welcoming spirit of this city. The cruise itself was very calm and slow. Just a smooth ride down the Cass River and back. There's lots of time to take in the scenery and you learn a lot. The gentleman narrating our tour was knowledgeable and had a great voice on the microphone. I actually thought it was a recording for the first few minutes, but he introduced himself and explained that his son was the boat captain. He shared the history of Frankenmuth and the surrounding area and when he tells you the popcorn they sell on board is the best you'll ever have, he's not lying. The popcorn was the surprise star of this cruise! For only $2 you get this bag of fresh salty delicious popcorn and they actually encourage you to toss some to the ducks on the river. It was really fun watching them Rush up to the boat and watching the children laughing and enjoying themselves. I love popcorn though so unfortunately the ducks had to share with me because it was definitely the best $2 popcorn I've ever had! This is a must if you're in Frankenmuth and I'm so glad we got to experience it. We had such a nice time that we bought some souvenirs on our way off the boat, including a little Captain's hat for my husband to match the one we had for our pup already. It really was a lovely time. read more

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Cool ride on a riverboat down the Cass River. The captain, who is also the owner, is a wealth of knowledge. The tour gives a lot of history about the boat itself, as well as the town of Frankenmuth. Pretty reasonable for an hour ride and scenery. read more

Bavarian Belle Riverboat - Bow of the boat - Boat Tours Near Me - Frankenmuth, Michigan

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A flat bottom 2 story paddle boat. The ticket cost $16 and the ride lasted 50 minutes. The ride goes down the Cass river approximately a mile before turning around. The Captain was funny and gave some interesting information. The scenery was great and we got to see some 11 day old ducklings and a hawk. They say sometimes you can see large and apparently fast turtles and the 2nd largest owl in the states. Neither one made an appearance today though, nor did the Bald Eagle! Apparently this riverboat was built in 1981 and floated down the Mississippi River to the Ohio River in Indiana and then the Arkansas River in Little Rock Arkansas. Then came up here in 1999/2000. It is privately owned and Captain by a father and his 2 sons, so very cool. Overall a highly recommended 5 star review. Would I return? Absolutely! read more

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I love this riverboat that takes you up and down the river from the heart of downtown Frankenmuth! They have an interior downstairs space and the upstairs is covered, but open air and it gives you such a lovely view of the Frankenmuth area. Both times that I've ridden on this riverboat have been during the Dog Bowl, when they do special riverboat rides for you and your furry friends! I believe that even outside of the Dog Bowl, they are dog friendly as well, so it's something you and your pets can enjoy together! The riverboat is so gentle and a very slow ride, so it will hopefully not be too difficult or anxiety-inducing for your pups as well! As you ride up and down the river, they patch through the speakers some history of the Frankenmuth area and the riverboat itself. It's educational, the views are great, and it's a wonderful time to share with your friends and family alike! For the price of your ticket (~$15 for an adult), this is more than worth it!! A ride is roughly around an hour, they sell concessions including freshly popped popcorn, and it's just an absolute delight! Definitely more than worth it to be a part of your trip to explore the Frankenmuth area! read more

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This was a great little River tour in Frankenmuth. Run by a family there was a lot of info and a cool boat to take a relaxed ride on. My kids loved that you could buy a bag of popcorn to feed the ducks and watch them race to the boat for the treats. read more

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Do you want to just sit and relax for an hour, this rides for you. Not a lot of scenery, but the gentleman running it was very knowledgeable read more

The boat ride was nice. The owners were wonderful. It was informational and relaxing. We enjoyed feeding the ducks. We got to see baby ducks, turtles and even some deer. read more

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We brought Jasper the Adventure dog (http://www.jaspertheadventuredog.com/) to take a trip with us on this riverboat. They are a dog friendly venue. A wonderful employee named Evy sold us our tickets. The trip was amazing. Jasper walked up front, watching the ducks, the water and wildlife along the bank of the river. Pictures from this event will end up on a another future book. I highly recommend this activity for anyone and especially for those with well behaved dogs. read more

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Nice relaxing boat ride. They point out things of interest on both sides and give some history of the town and the boat. There's a small snack bar on the lower level, I recommend the pop corn. read more

Very relaxing fun! The tidbits that the crew shared were quite interesting along with the recorded information about the area. A nice smooth ride and a chance to chill out after a lot of walking about. Also, very clean and tidy despite serving popcorn and soft pretzels. Worth the price that seems a little high at first but the riverboat is owned and operated independently by a father and son team. Happy to support a family-owned business. Give it a go and you won't regret it. read more

Bavarian Belle Riverboat - Riverboat - Boat Tours Near Me - Frankenmuth, Michigan

Very nice boat ride with info about frankenmuth! The family owning the boat does a nice job! It's about an hour tour of the Cass River running through Frankenmuth. A nice narrative about some history of Frankenmuth wiht some well placed humor. I found a few places that I didn't know where in Frankenmuth that I'd like to check out next time I go back. My kids also enjoy feeding the ducks popcorn before the boat ride begins..lol! On a good summer day, it's a nice break when walking from shopping at Riverplace to chicken dinner at the Bavarrian! Found out the hard way-they don't except debt cards and there isn't an ATM at Riverplace!!! Thank goodness they will except a check. read more

Bavarian Belle Riverboat - Bavarian Belle - Boat Tours Near Me - Frankenmuth, Michigan

We had a lot of fun on this boat tour. We caught the first one of the day and it was a gorgeous day. The host of the tour, also the owner of the boat, was friendly and shared some of the great history of Frankenmuth. In addition, you get to see lots of animal life along the ride; turtles, ducks (you should totally buy the popcorn to feed the ducks!), etc. It was a nice break away from the hustle and bustle of town. Note, tickets are cash or check only. read more

Bavarian Belle Riverboat - Upon departing you get this amazing view! - Boat Tours Near Me - Frankenmuth, Michigan

Awesome boat ride !! Great service, my boyfriend and our 2 boys went on this boat and my oldest son has some issues with heights and new places in general so while boarding we bought waters and pretzels for the ride and my oldest dropped in the water and with out hesitation the conductor was quick to replace it with no charge and quickly calmed my son and it was just the best experience! We will definitely be back !! read more

You're in Frankenmuth, you see the little Cass River, and then you see this paddlewheel riverboat. You wonder how in the heck it can possibly float on that little river and get under that bridge. But it does. And it is actually a pretty fun little trip. You don't go very far, but the banter of the family that runs the boat makes it pretty enjoyable. Lots of history of the area and some scenery that you might not otherwise see. The family that runs the boat is seriously into photography and wildlife and they make a sincere effort to point out mink and other animals that you might not normally see. The story of how they got the boat up to Frankenmuth and into the river is worth the price of admission. I found it to be a leisurely and enjoyable hour during my visit there in June. read more

I'm 30 and have been coming to Frankenmuth since I was born, after coming here so often I got tired of the typical "touristy" things... The Bavarian Belle has been in the Riverplace Shops since 2000 when it opened. Having seen it every time I've been here, today I decided to go. The price is $12 for adults (not sure on kids). The one issue I had which I'm sure many others had is it is cash (or check) only. Its 2016, and it's a tourist town...have to take plastic! I won't knock them down for it because the tour was great but.... The operation is family owned which I appreciate. The dad runs it and the sons operate the boat. The dad also narrates the tour down the river with some humorous comments along the way. I had no idea the Cass River was that wide across to accommodate a riverboat. They give a history of the boat WHICH actually was used on the Mississippi River prior to coming up to Michigan (which is also a great story that they go over). Great scenery on the trip too. I highly recommend this next time you're in Frankenmuth. Worth the price of admission. read more

This is the coolest thing! Strongly encourage you to try it. It is a family that owns the ship, and the gentleman and his two sons take turns being the ships captain. Excellent commentary during a lovely ride. read more

We had such fun taking the scenic riverboat tour and learning about the history of Frankenmuth! The kids also had fun feeding pop corn to the ducks. read more

This riverboat ride is awesome l! I would highl recommend it to anyone. It's very family friendly and the crew and captain are very professional and knowledgeable. It is also very family friendly. read more

Loved this family owned, relaxing ride in the river! We had a group of 15, some of whom have mobility issues and use a wheelchair. All of the staff were extremely helpful, accommodating, and kind. One of the owners talks you through a ton of history of Frankenmuth and other fun facts during the ride- he is very knowledgeable. Overall well worth the money, our group would do it again in a heartbeat. read more

Great price for a nice relaxing ride, informative and friendly staff, and beautiful scenery. Will definitely visit again when I'm back in the area. I always like to support family owned small businesses! read more

Bavarian Belle Riverboat - Boat Tours Near Me - Frankenmuth, Michigan

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Experience was okay. Had little trouble in the boat with the crew regarding purchasing a hat which they forced me to buy. Please dont touch their hat, or else they will push you into buying it since you touched it. Hope this helps. Over all was not too bad read more

My parents and I enjoyed this lovely, relaxing, and informative ride down the Cass River! Not only was the staff informative and humorous, but they provided wheelchairs (and personable staff) for both my folks - both embarking and disembarking the steamboat! Definitely another sweet feature of Frankenmuth! read more

The boat ride was awesome. It was a beautiful day with my fiancé on my birthday. We had stopped in Frankenmuth on our way back from Grayling. read more

Best & Funniest Place To Go!!!!!! I recommend it to everyone who wants to have a good time and learn about the area read more

A great way to break away from the kitsch and commercialism of Frankenmuth - and learn about the area, its history and its natural side. The boat ride lasts an hour and includes an engaging narration by the lead captain and patriarch of the family that owns and runs the boat company. Kids can roam around and everyone can feed the ducks. Handicap accessible too! And thankfully there are bathrooms on board. read more

I was a little skeptical of this place. I thought it might be too tame for me and my boyfriend but I was pleasantly surprised. The captain and his family run the riverboat and take great pride in it. I learned a lot about riverboats and about Frankenmuth. We saw a lot of little turtles and ducks but not much else ( but probably because it was a 12:30pm cruise). This is not a tourist boat but a real flat bottom riverboat. Great for young families, couples and elderly. read more

Nice, family owned boat ride away from the busyness of Frankenmuth. Ride provides a historical perspective on the Cass river and the area. Well worth the $12 cost (for adults, prices change for kids) read more

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My niece and I were here 6/25/19----it was a awesome day and a awesome boat ride! Great way to learn about the town and how it came about! The guy and his 2 sons were really nice and friendly! We really enjoyed it ---the price is great also! Very affordable ! read more

The boat ride was extremely pleasant and informative. Staff was helpful and the boat was impeccable. Would recommend to any visitors coming to Frankenmuth. read more

We really enjoyed this tour of the Cass River. The view is beautiful and my family and I learned a lot about the history of the area, the river and the boat itself. The family that runs this business does a great job of educating in an interesting manner. You can't beat the price- $12! read more

Friendly and informative crew....a good value.....a gentle boat ride worth the $. Recommend for kids and family.

1-hour cruise on the Cass River for $10 per person. The popcorn ($2) is tasty and a must buy for yourself and the ducks that stalk the boat. The narration is very informative with a bit of humor. The owner and his sons run the cruise and do a wonderful job!!!! read more

We took this Ferry Ride with our kids last month. The Father and the Sons who run this operation are doing an awesome job! They have in-depth knowledge and history behind every location and spot we crossed on the river banks. And the Captain (the father and the narrator or the trip) has a very soothing voice while he narrates the tour. We (including our kids) thoroughly enjoy this 60 to 90 mins ferry ride. Will do it again when in the area and we highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to do things in the Frankenmuth Area. read more

Excellent way to spend an hour in Frankenmuth. Very knowledgeable captain shares many interesting facts of the area during the pleasant tour. I would highly recommend this tour for the whole family. read more

What a peaceful and informative way to end a day in the Bavarian village of Frankenmuth. We took the 3:30 pm cruise up and down Cass River. Didn't even know that was the name of the river. Jene, the owner, was very informative as he told us stories and history along the way. He pointed out flora and turtles and told us of other sightings. Little kids loved tossing popcorn ($2 per bag) into the water for the ducks. It was well worth the expense of $12 per adult. Cash or check only! No credit cards or presumably debit cards. Enjoy the time. read more

Great adventure and worth every cent. A detailed history of Frankenmuth and the Cass River.

We had a beautiful day for a tour Sunday.... and we loved this attraction. Clean, family friendly, affordable. The narration was interesting with a touch of humor... and the kids loved watching the ducks trying to keep up as they tossed popcorn. My 11 year old Grandson loved mining for gems after the trip.. and asked if we could come back again! Highly recommended. read more

This is a wonderful surprise & great experience to occupy an hour or so. The Cass River is a beautiful oasis of history & wildlife to enjoy during this narrated cruise onboard an authentic Mississippi Rear Paddle Wheel Riverboat. This family run enterprise is well run, clean, & safe to enjoy by all. Purchase some popcorn to eat & feed the family of accompanying ducks as you spend some relaxing time along the way. Afterwards enjoy the shops just above the dock for treats & interesting curios. read more

I was really impressed with this 1 hour tour. It is a family owned and operated riverboat. The family does a good job to make sure that you will enjoy yourself and the tour gives a lot of details about the area and the riverboat. Definitely worth checking out. read more

The Bavarian Belle was a reasonably priced pleasant way to spend a little time on the Cass River in Frankenmuth. Tossing popcorn, which could be purchased on the boat, to the ducks who often paddled up to the craft was also fun. read more