If you have been thinking about a canal boat vacation but have not yet experienced it you are missing out! We recently returned from our seven-day trip and it was simply amazing! Right from the start we could tell that we were dealing with an organization that are experts in what they do. We arrived slightly early and received a friendly greeting and directions to our boat, the Seneca. The crew was just finishing up with making the boat ready for us and we were able to get our food on ice before orientation began. Orientation was put together very well with a combination classroom/video presentation and several printed handouts that we could take with us. Dell provided great info to augment the videos and answered all of our questions completely. After orientation we moved our stuff onto the boat and got settled in. There were three of us, myself, my wife and her mom (in her 80s) and we had plenty of room. Shelly made sure that the boat was squeaky clean and in excellent condition. All dishes and linens were fresh, clean, and in plastic totes. We had ample time to unload the totes, fill the fridge and unpack our suitcases. There was more storage than we expected (which was a good thing!) and we left the totes and our suitcases in the car after they were emptied. Sam, our onboard trainer, arrived next. He walked us through the boat systems and was very good at explaining and answering all of our questions. He then taught us some basic knots for tying up the boat that we had to demonstrate and we were ready for on-the-water training. Sam coached us out of the marina, taught us some maneuvers, and walked us through the operating capabilities of the boat. He then coached us through our first lock. That went great, so we u-turned and went back through the lock with Sam supervising our performance. We passed! We returned to base, said goodbye to Sam and were on our way west on the Erie Canal! I had spent a lot of time planning our trip using the resources provided by Erie Canal Adventures and the internet. During the pre-planning Allie was a great contact for answering questions about the boat, both by phone and email. She, like everyone else we met at ECA, was intent on giving us the best vacation possible. We spent the week enjoying the towns to the west of Macedon, as far as Medina. The town information for restaurants, etc. provided by ECA was excellent. Special kudos to Susan and the staff at the Brockport Visitor Center for over-and-above hospitality! Planning and knowing in advance where we were going each day made the trip much easier. The Erie Canal Adventures smart phone app was a great cruising tool for navigation knowledge, FAQs, etc. Boats are boats, and boats sometimes break. We experienced a non-safety related issue toward the end of our trip and the manner which ECA addressed it was simply outstanding. It happened on a Sunday afternoon and, since we were near the ECA base, we decided to make our way there in order to have the problem looked at in the morning. We notified ECA by using the app and within minutes our phone rang. Brian, who is the owner of Erie Canal Adventures, was calling to ask about the problem. We discussed it, and we assured him that we were OK. Brian promised us that his team would address the problem first thing Monday morning. We made it to the base without issue and were surprised when Brian showed up at the boat. He checked a few things but the problem persisted, so he again promised to have his team look at it first thing Monday morning. The problem was resolved Monday morning and we continued on our vacation happy with the knowledge that our vacation and 100% satisfaction was the goal of Brian and the entire ECA staff. We drove from Minnesota to experience the Erie Canal, and we would love to do it again. There is no other company that we would even consider booking the experience with. Thank you, Erie Canal Adventures! read more

This was our fourth trip with Erie Canal Adventures, and the longest yet - we were on the boat for 11 days. The canal boats are easy and fun to drive, exceptionally well maintained, nicely equipped (the knives are awful, but aren't they always?), comfortable, and supported by a great team of exceptionally helpful staff. The Erie Canal and upstate New York are amazing. The summer climate is outstanding, mosquitoes are few, the cities and towns along the canal are so much fun to explore, and fellow boaters are friendly and helpful. We only used our A/C two nights out of eleven, and slept out "in the wild" two nights. This year we went west for the first time, after traveling eastbound the last 3 adventures. East and West provide very different experiences. West is far more urban and upscale, east is generally more rural, natural (passing through the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge), and definitely quieter both on and off the canal. A couple of tips...before you choose to tie up for the night, check the distance to the train tracks on the map, and listen for a while before finalizing your decision. The train noise can be thunderous depending on proximity of the tracks, and it varies greatly by location. Go slow, but...at low speed, these boats are almost indestructible. Don't worry, you will be well trained in both the theory and practice of navigation before your trainer turns you loose on the canal, and yes, you will handle it just fine. Bring your own knife, but pretty much everything else will be supplied that you need. We eat in most nights, but you can eat out everywhere to the west, and in most towns to the east if you prefer. Read a book about the history of the canal before you go if you're into that sort of thing (or bring it along to read along the way). It's almost impossible to overestimate the importance of the Erie Canal in creating the country we live in today. Tech support is top notch. We discovered we were missing a screen the first night out...and called in to base to ask for a replacement. They had one fabricated on the first weekday we were out, and delivered it to one of the lift-bridge masters we were heading toward. The bridge master brought it down to us after we passed under the lift bridge. Finally, the moment where you get to pilot your boat over a bridge, and look down on the highway passing underneath your boat is super-cool. I've rented houseboats in Voyageurs National Park and Lake of the Woods in Minnesota/Ontario, Lake Roosevelt in Washington, half a dozen times on the Mississippi River between the Twin Cities and south of Dubuque, and owned a small houseboat on the Mississippi. These canal boats are cooler, as is the Canal. I'd recommend this trip over any of those for the boating experience (unless you're really into fishing...that's a different trip). read more

Was in a pinch for a 50th birthday party idea, seeing my kids original plan was thwarted by Covid-19. On a last chance effort, I remembered the Erie Canal boats and thought that would be a great idea. Well like all great ideas comes problems. I contacted the marina and they were not technically open until the 16th of June (because that's when the locks open up) and I needed it for the 11th. On top of that they only did multiple day rentals and I just wanted it for 1 day. Brian at the marina saved our day. Not only did he rent us a boat on the 11 but he also gave me a 1 day rental price. He showed me how to drive the boat and away we went. It was perfect, the boat had just been refinished so it looked amazing. Aside from my daughter dropping the line pole in the water, and loosing it to the depths of the canal, the trip went without a hitch. I will absolutely go back but this time for a 3 day trip. The boats have everything you need and the canal has so many great spots to stop at. This is one of those bucket list things that need to be on your bucket list but you never even new existed. I rate it an 11 out of 10. Yes, I am biased because he saved my kids from a dud of a 50th B-Day party. So OK removing that I give them a 10/10. read more

My wife and I had the best vacation in our lives on the Erie Canal. Thank You Erie Canal Adventures!!! Your boats are the best available on the canal, and your customer service is the second to none. Gill was an awesome instructor, and was also right there to help us tie up on our return. We truly enjoyed having the canal almost to ourselves and a very peaceful and relaxing vacation. We can't wait until next year to do it all over again, and hope to make it an annual vacation. To those of you that might be considering a vacation on the Erie Canal why wait? There is a lot of history on the canals. The lockmasters would love to give you a tour of the locks. They are working museums. Jim gave us a tour of lock 27 (I think) where there is a dry dock with equipment that is retired and on the National Historical Register. What an awesome way to spend a couple hours. The only thing that disappointed me was the lack of business's and restaurants in some of the little towns we visited. They sure would appreciate your stopping by and maybe helping out their economy a little. We couldn't have asked for a better time, and there is so much left for us to see and do next year and the years to come. Thank you again Erie Canal Adventures!!! read more

We rented the 42 foot Seneca boat from Erie Canal Adventures and just returned from a wonderful 7 day cruise. From the time we called to make an inquiry about renting until our on-board training was complete, the ECA staff was great. Our pre-trip questions were always answered in a timely manner and the on-shore and on-board training we received gave us the confidence we needed to successfully pilot this boat for a week. We took our own bikes, but ECA could have provided bikes for our use and we biked and boated from Macedon to North Tonawanda and back enjoying the water, the time on the bike trail and all the little towns we stopped in. The boat was nicely outfitted and very comfortable and all the equipment (engine, A/C, lights, stove, hot water heater, etc.) worked as they were supposed to. The boat was spotlessly clean when we boarded and it was obvious that procedures were in place to handle COVID concerns. We were part of a group of 4, 2 couples, and the 2 berths and 2 bathrooms (heads) gave us all the privacy we wanted. The seating in the galley, the bow, and the stern were our gathering places. This adventure was all that we hoped for and more and Erie Canal Adventures gets our highest rating. Check them out! read more

Epic adventure! We just got back from 2 back to back 4 night charters. We had an amazing experience from the first call for information to the completion of our journey. We found Erie Canal Adventures to be a first rate company. Everyone we dealt with from the company was professional, friendly and made us feel like valued customers. We were well prepared during the orientation and on water training. We were comfortable taking the boat and maneuvering the canal, locks, lift bridges and docking. The boat was spotless and well equipped and we had everything we needed for the journey. Although we are from the area we were surprised what a different experience it was from the water. The included bikes were great and made it easy to explore the port towns. The information and suggested itineraries provided by ECA were helpful in tailoring the trip to our preferences. We also found the lock masters and dock masters along the way to be very helpful with suggestions. We can't say enough about this amazing opportunity to explore this extraordinary engineering marvel. We can't wait to book another trip! Thank you Erie Canal Adventures! read more

My husband and I rented a canal barge from Monday to Friday in late September. We thought the informational film, orientation and on-board review were extremely helpful and well done. The boats are equipped with everything we needed, except what they specifically asked us to provide because of COVID precautions. The boats are in excellent condition and have a decent shower, heat, hot water and a/c. The beds are a bit smaller than queen size but were quite comfortable. The Erie Canal is spectacularly beautiful with wildlife and calm waters. I had brought books along but found the changing scenery so interesting and peaceful that I didn't open my book until the last day. We went east toward Seneca Falls and were able to make it there and back with no trouble. The locks add excitement but are easy to figure out. The lock masters were friendly and chatty and very knowledgeable. We highly recommend this trip and this rental company. It was a most memorable vacation. read more

We rented a 42 ' canal boat. When we arrived the boat was clean and ready to load our supplies. There was a short (1 hr) orientation class for everyone going out on a boat which was followed by hands on training. One of their captains comes onto the boat we rented and took us out on the canal to teach us all about the boat, how to dock, going through the locks, using the marine radio and a review of all the circuit breakers. We docked in a nw town eacxh night. Our itinerary was Pittsford, Spencerport, Brockport and finally Fairport. The boat is very easy to navigate and docking was pretty easy with the bow thruster. All the staff at Erie Canal Adventures is extremely nice and very helfull. If you want a memorable vacation this is perfect. We are already talking about our next trip. read more

I can't say enough fantastic things about our vacation with Erie Canal Adventures. Customer service was their top priority. When asked about their sanitizing strategy they explained their cleaning protocol to ensure that disinfecting for COVID was through. Therefore, I felt confident that I didn't have to worry about that for me and my family. They took the time to provide suggestions on traveling destinatins. The people that they had to explain the mechanicals on the boat and how to handle the boat were fantastic. They made us feel comfortable and taught us how to handle and maneuver the boat. In addition, there was a wonderful detailed presentation prior to getting on the boat. My family and I loved this vacation and would highly recommend it to anyone. Laura Pesce-Gray read more

We had the most relaxing trip aboard the Onondaga headed west. Once we got through the training, it was smooth boating onto our first night in Pittsford. The boat was spotless, well equipped and was easy to maneuver. We had a 3 night/4 day trip and wanted to spend more time on the water. Going through the locks was such fun thanks to the great training we had before we hit the water. We had a small issue with a strange noise at 3am and called the owner, Mr. Keenan, who answered the phone and told us how to correct the problem within a minute or so. That's commitment to customer satisfaction to answer his phone at that early hour in the morning! Very impressive operation and we are recommending it to everyone who asks. Thanks for an unforgettable adventure! read more

Our seven night houseboat experience was one of the most amazing things we've ever done together as a family. The team at Erie Canal Adventures answered every single one of our questions before our rental as we planned our itinerary, and then once we arrived, they were super helpful getting us oriented and trained on how to operate our home for the week. The houseboat itself was fully furnished and really very cute and comfy. All the mechanical and electrical systems worked well and gave us no headaches. They have someone on call 24 hours a day if you have any questions or difficulties, so we felt very supported as we had our own personal adventure on the Erie (and Cayuga-Seneca) Canal. Would do this again in a heartbeat! Thank you! read more

We had an amazing adventure that was full of oohs and ahs as we toured the canal, docked at great towns and simply fell into the rhythms of boat life. The boat was perfectly outfitted, the staff guidance and support in learning how to guide it down the canals and through the locks was thorough and patient. Sleeping quarters were comfy and there's just nothing like brewing up a coffee and sitting on deck as the sun rises over a cute little town. The part of the canal we toured (westward from Macedon) was largely lined by lush woods and wetlands, so we did see some great wildlife--herons, baby ducks and a bald eagle sighting. Going through the locks was a front row seat on history and engineering. We will be back--probably a few times! read more

The Harriet IS the perfect boat for a couple. Easy to handle, spacious, well fitted out overall and a great galley. What a relaxing week of visiting 7 different canal-side towns, cooking our own breakfast in the well-equipped galley, heat on chilly nights, a/c on hot afternoons. 1 1/2 baths with nice shower. ECA staff covered boat operation & systems on arrival so that we were very comfortable heading out the first day. Going thru the locks and under the lift bridges (we headed west) were fun parts of each day's travel. Lots to see along the canal as you motor for a few hours each day. We hiked some trails, explored some towns....never had time to try out the bikes! Next trip we'll know to book for longer! read more

This was an absolute awesome time. The boat was great and had everything on board you needed. The instruction for using the boat was also great. We had no worries and enjoyed every stop, the history, and the small shops and restaurants at each. We went West to Bushnell Basin the first night. Cruised on up to Spencerport and stayed the second night, stayed at Pittsford the third night, stayed at Fairport the last night. Even used Uber and went to the cinema in Pittsford and saw "Downtown Abby". The weather was beautiful in the low 60'2 and sunshine every day. There was even a little color in some of the trees along the bank. Would highly recommend this and would do it again. There were four of us. read more

What a great Adventure for 2020. Our family of 5 is local and had seen the boats in the Canal before, but had never thought of actually renting one. This year we did and had a great time. Just the perfect timing for a long weekend break of Fri-Mon. We went screen free, played games, ate out, took bike rides, spent good quality family time, and relaxed on the Erie Canal. The boat was spacious enough, it had adequate sleeping areas, had the necessary amenities (toilets, shower, stove top, fridge, AC), and was not as intimidating to drive as expected. It is a multi-person job to park it, but that just added to the Adventure. The staff was also very patient and a first class team. ... Great Time all around. read more

Great trip, great company and a wonderful experience all around. My wife and two adult children had such an enjoyable experience that we are planning to do it again next summer. The boat was in immaculate condition and was a pleasure to operate. The instructions were top notch and we had no problems with piloting the boats through the locks or with docking at the many wonderful canal towns along the way. This is a company that takes tremendous pride in their boats and ensuring customer satisfaction. We stayed in a different town each night and enjoyed many terrific meals and cocktails. It was one of the most relaxing and peaceful vacations we have been on. I can't recommend it enough. read more

The trip itself is five stars...driving a hotel (complete with AC) at a leisurely pace on an empty waterway that feels like it's the Amazon at times, but with amazing hospitality at the ports and no way to get lost. The company is also amazing. From arriving to leaving, they were patient (they do have to teach you to drive an enormous boat through locks and onto docks without hurting yourself or the boat ;-), super helpful and courteous. Although food is on you, the boat part was essentially all inclusive, as in all the fuel was included and water and electricity are easily accessible along the way mostly for free. A must try adventure! read more

We had a great vacation on the canal with Erie Canal Adventures! The boats are beautiful and very well maintained. Our family of 4 had more than enough room on the Lockmaster 42. The training and orientation were very well done, and we had no trouble piloting such a large vessel, even as fairly inexperienced boaters. My only suggestion is that, if you are going in summer, note that only some of the boats are air conditioned--which makes a big difference on an 80 degree night! Despite the heat, our girls (ages 9 and 11) absolutely loved life onboard and we all created memories we will never forget. We highly recommend Erie Canal Adventures! read more

From the ease of making a reservation, to the information about the boats and the check out on the boat before heading out on our own it could not have been easier or more thorough. The staff was attentive and comprehensive making sure all questions were answered. The boat performed beautifully, the information on where to stop, resturants and navigation was excellent and made the trip worry free. I spent almost 20 years working on commercial boats and was impressed with the handling of the boat, and how well maintained and in perfect working order everything was. We are already planning our next trip with Erie Canal Adventures. read more