We celebrated my husband's 90th birthday with a Kentucky River Tour, along with our daughter, who…read morewas visiting from Denver, CO, with her teenage daughter. Our daughter had spent part of her growing-up years here in Frankfort, where my husband and I have lived for 50+ years. She enjoys introducing her Colorado daughter to the beautifully forested, living beauty of Kentucky's natural world. Before departing the dock, we enjoyed browsing in the gift shop, with a great assortment of caps, tee shirts, memorabilia, and some Ale8! Upon boarding the boat, the crew offered a bourbon service that would rival most any local selection. We all enjoyed lovely bourbon refreshments! Together with visitors from Tennessee and other nearby states, we learned some Kentucky River geography and history, along with equine, bourbon, and horse racing history. The captain was skillful and knowledgeable, as she cruised the riverboat on the sunny Sunday afternoon. The tour guide was a true font of history with amusing anecdotes of his personal career in the bourbon industry and his overall knowledge of the Commonwealth. Treat yourself, your family and your friends to an altogether enjoyable, educational, and Kentucky-based adventure-- spend some time on the riverboat! You'll be glad you did! Date of experience: July 2026

We enjoyed the relaxing and informative cruise on the Kentucky River. Daryl, our tour guide, shared…read moreinteresting stories about the River, Kentucky history and bourbon making. He was friendly, engaging and humorous. The round trip ride lasted about 90 minutes. The boat was very nice with bench seating and the ride was smooth. We sat upstairs in the open air to enjoy to scenery. A bar tender will take drink orders and deliver beverages to your seats. Drink prices are reasonable. Drinks can also be ordered and purchased on line. (I think snacks were also available). We booked our cruise several months in advance with tour and tasting tickets at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Two members of our party backed out and we were able to cancel their reservations (thankfully) the week before and get a refund. We started with our visit to Buffalo Trace. We arrived about an hour early so we could shop at the distillery and we were glad we did because we did not have time to shop after the tasting and getting to the boat. The tight timeline between the tasting and the boat departure was the only downside to the trip. I recommend the cruise, but plan on going at least an hour early to the distillery to shop.

We've taken our children on the Mary M. Miller kids cruises on three different occasions over the…read morelast two summers. It's an experience that we've felt was worth repeating. Tickets for adults are only $12.99 and infants (children 4 and under included) are free. It's a relatively inexpensive activity that causes a lot of excitement in our home. It's a 90-minute cruise that starts in downtown Louisville and goes north before circling back. It offers a scenic view of the Louisville skyline and the Ohio River. The Mary M. Miller, built in 1985, has vintage charm with more modern amenities. It has three decks, offering indoor and outdoor spaces. The indoor spaces are climate controlled. The have bar and offer concessions during the kids cruises. It is propeller-driven. My children love to get a table on the second floor deck so they have a view of the paddle wheel. There are a few tables in shade that make it comfortable to be outside in the summer. We ordered drinks and spinach and cheese dip with chips. The kid's cruises partner with local organizations. Sunday's Hometown music cruise featured the Louisville Folk School. They not only provide live entertainment, they also provide crafts to keep the kids engaged. The children receive a small Belle of Louisville activity book, coloring page, and coloring pencils, in addition to the materials needed to make other crafts. On this particular cruise, July 23rd, the kids made kazoos and DIY boats. Taking a riverboat cruise down the Ohio for twenty-something bucks for a family of four is a bargain. I love that they are able to engage the kids and the experience is equally enjoyable for adults. The staff is always warm and welcoming. Whether you're visiting Louisville as a tourist, or your local, this a great way to explore the city. The Belle of Louisville is a historical icon; it's the only remaining steamboat from the American packet boat era. But if you have kids, booking a kid's cruise on Mary M. Miller is a family and budget friendly option that you won't regret.

If you have kiddos...their kid's cruise is a lot of fun!…read more It's a great 90 minute ride down the Ohio River. There were a few day camp groups but the boat is big! We pre-ordered a charcuterie plate which did its trick for a snack on board. The crew was great and nice! They have a cute kids booklet with color pencils and includes a scavenger hunt! Plus they had learning stations and great kids music playing. Best part they lend out headphones for a silent disco for most of the cruise which was great for all ages! And a dance party at the end for the kids before they arrive at port. Plenty of space and bathrooms, and a nice cruise for the family down the river!

Classy Venture is the charter to get for an engagement! Our daughter's boyfriend booked this for…read moreproposing to our daughter. She was so surprised!! They took a 2.5 hour ride. They cruised to downtown for sunset. The excursion team were great to work with. They made sure everything was perfect!! Thank you so much Andy for a memorable proposal. Andrew and Kate were over the moon!!

Had a great time! Staff was kind and courteous. Boat was beautiful. Definitely worth it!read more

We went on the Captain's Lunch Cruise on a sunny but chilly day in late April. It was really…read moreenjoyable and worth the price for sure. We sailed on the River Queen which is the smaller boat. The food buffet was very good and there was something for every taste. Very fresh salad with two dressing options, rolls, meltingly tender beef in a rich brown gravy, baked chicken, mashed potatoes, farfalle pasta in red sauce, scrumptious grilled vegetables. And decadent creamy cheesecake for dessert. Free coffee and tea, and reasonably priced bar drinks for purchase. Our server, Anna (Onna?) was most attentive and usually within sight if you wanted something. The whole crew were very professional, very polite and respectful and eager to please. Our entertainer was engaging with his ongoing narration of the sights and historical facts along the river interspersed with banjo music. The two hours went by quickly. I put on my hoodie and spent some time out on deck, where you can smoke 'em if you got 'em. I decided it was time for a cocktail so I ordered an Anchors Away which was delicious, nautically blue, and had a definite kick. I was really looking forward to getting the pictured souvenir glass, but the first of two wrinkles took place as I was advised they were out of them due to some recent large parties on the bigger boat. Boo. If you're going to advertise souvenir glasses, order more than enough to keep them in stock. Anna arranged to give me the drink in the larger souvenir vessel, which is pretty, but heavy ceramic and I don't see myself using it at home other than for a decoration. The second wrinkle was our bar tab printed out as though I ordered multiple drinks. My husband didn't look at it and just handed over the debit card...then I saw it and went up to tell them not to run it but it was too late. Somehow they had already realized it was wrong but it took such a long time for them to figure out how to void the transaction, which bothered me. The cruise director had to get involved to fix it. Her name was Tasha and she was very nice and so apologetic about the situation, she comped our drinks for the trouble and boxed up some cheesecake for us to take home. She seemed to agree with me that if the owners had not decided to "go cashless" last year this would never have happened. I asked her to pass on my comment that it is not good to refuse to accept payment in legal tender American money and I feel it was a bad move. For this reason I will never give five stars even if the cruise is flawless. Nonetheless I hope to have the chance to take a cruise on the River Queen later this year.

We did the historical sightseeing tour and overall had an okay experience. Our captain was…read moredefinitely a highlight! He was very friendly and even let us look inside the pilot house and ask questions, which was really cool and made the experience more personal. Compared to other boat tours we've done, I'd give this one 3/5 stars. The boat and overall experience could use a little modernization. We sat toward the back of the boat, and there was a private party happening one floor below us. Unfortunately, between the noise and where the speakers were located, we had a hard time hearing the historical narration from our seats. The information we were able to catch was interesting, and I wish we could have heard more of it. A couple helpful things to know: there are restrooms available on the boat, and there is onsite parking. We originally thought we would need to park under the bridge, but that wasn't necessary, which was nice! Overall, it was a nice way to spend some time on the river and see the area from a different perspective, but there are a few things that could be improved to make the experience better.

Did this for my birthday and had a blast. Definitely plan on running it back!…read more You can contact to their Bluetooth speaker and play your own music. You can bring your own food and brings on this boat. There is no bathroom on the boat but you do make a stop. While you are at that stop make sure you hit up that bar and get a few more drinks. The staff was cool and was having a good time with us and we wanted them to feel like they were apart of the party too. I believe you can have up to 14 people and we used all that space and fit comfortable on the boat.

This was a good time!! Think Handle bar on water…read more The crew was cool and they even waited for our late comers. Because we left late we skipped the stop we could have made. I expected the group I was with to be a little more lively and to really cut up but they didn't. It might have been because we were coming from Indy on a Sunday afternoon. I will do this again next time Im in Cincinnati with a live bunch and really take advantage.

We went to check this place out with family visiting from out of state…read more They offer cave boat tours (every hour I believe it was). Adults were $26 as of 7/2026. Our boat trip probably had 12 people - give or take. The boat tour was really informative and immersive. The tour guide shares in's and outs of how the cave was found, how they expanded, and how they created the business. You can see some fish, crawfish, and bats. The tour is done in lower level lighting from the light on the boat and with the tour guides flashlight. They also have a little section to "mine" for gemstones. You can buy a few different sizes in the gift shop and that was a fun way to do while we waited for the next tour.

Very cool, peaceful, intriguing, wonderous, sciency, fun…read more Make sure you take the quick trail around the massive sink whole/Woods/creek. Looks boring at first but it's getting more interesting as you walked around it. Overall a great trip.

This is a great experience! Probably the best we've ever had in Cincinnati. Captain Kevin was an…read moreall star and told us all kinds of interesting facts about the city and the sights we came across. This is an absolute blast and a fun way to see the city like you've never seen it before. Sunset cruise at the end of the summer was a perfect time to do it. Can't recommend this enough! Thanks Kevin!

Such an amazing time! This was my fourth experience and they keep getting better and better!read more

A lot of fun! I wish it was longer! I'd been wanting to do…read morethis for ages and finally had a travel buddy who was interested in active outdoor fun thangs to do so we booked this to do on our way to the Gorge for a gal's week away. These are electric-assisted pedaled car things and it is really quite easy to do. You actually have to work the most to not go too hard or fast because there is no resistance except for the first few pedals to wake up the electric-assist. The scenery was absolutely lovely. The guides were warm and welcoming. You end up at the entrance to the railroad bridge over the river that you can see from Wild Turkey, which was a slight bummer...I would have DIED to go across the bridge, but I get it. Safety and whatever. LOL. It simply was a lovely time in gorgeous nature and I wish it was longer. Now I need to visit every Rail Explorers location and do them ALL. Hot tip: do considering bringing a towel or a booty pad to sit on. I wore black athletic pants so my sweaty butt from the hard plastic seats wasn't terribly noticeable. But you might benefit from some material between you and the seat.

A fun, different kind of activity that offers pretty scenery and some physical activity. You can…read morerent two seaters or four seaters. For the four seaters, the back right seat controls the pedaling, the braking, the motor, and the speed. The others can pedal, but it doesn't contribute to the function of the car. The cars go 10-15 miles per hour and the ride is five miles out and five miles back in, culminating in a beautiful view of an abandoned railroad and nearby distilleries. Lasted about an hour. It's easy enough that almost anyone can do it, the electric motor does most of the work. The staff were super nice. We were running late and got there about 15 minutes after the requested time. They phoned us for a status update and were helpful in getting us set up immediately upon our arrival. They ensured we were buckled in and kept an eye out for our safety the entire ride. We noticed the umbrellas on the car for sun and rain. I agree with some of the others, I wish it had lasted longer. The only other criticism I have is that you have so many people on the rail that it's difficult to go at your own pace. On the way out, we were last, and behind a couple so slow that I couldn't pedal fast enough to keep the electric motor engaged, resulting in frustration and extra work. On the way back, they flip the cars, so we were first, and I was able to move at a brisk pace. For four people it was almost 205 dollars with tax and fees. Just under 50 bucks per person. They do require a waiver you can sign online ahead of time. Easy and expansive parking.

The trip on the Belle of Louisville was amazing. This was my first time and hopefully not my last…read more I plan on doing this again and again. The crew members were all so sweet. They walked around with smiles on there faces. Yep I will be back.

First time on this ride and it was smooth sailing! The sunset was beautiful, the music was good,…read moreand the drinks made it even better! They also offered snacks for purchase, which was a nice option. Overall, such a fun and relaxing experience! Definitely enjoyed the vibes.

The little town of Madison is a beauty. I have been trying to appreciate the smaller towns around…read moreme more, and it's amazing the hidden gems that you can come across. Located right by the Ohio river, Madison is a beaming community. Their main street stretches pretty far, and many of their residents live right on there. A lot of pedestrians, and easy walking access to most businesses. You could consider it a college town being close to Hanover, but you'll find folks of all age ranges here. In the summertime, you can head down to the river and hop on a boat for a joyride. Only about an hour from Louisville, and a cleaner-looking side of the Ohio River, this town sure has a lot going for it.

Historical town in Indiana along the Ohio River. Great little places to eat, tours, shopping and…read moreclose by is Clifty Falls State Park and Hanover College. We really enjoyed it.