I can't say enough good things about our experience with VTRC. Beautiful scenery, friendly, knowledgeable staff, and very clean boat. Great value too! We plan on booking again soon and bringing more of our family! read more

Great signage to find the location! Tim greeted us at the walkway, directed us to check in. The man at check in was jovial and invited me in to be accounted for on the list. ​Tim assisted my friend down the path, as she has some problems with her walking. Tim was very informative about safety, as well as the tour itself. Lots of fun facts about the area, and folk lore as well. The day was perfect. The water birds entertained us up and down the river. The ride was smooth, the boat well maintained. Fresh iced tea or water available. Clean restrooms. Upper or lower decks both have plenty of seating and availability for pictures. Tim came around close to the end of the tour and offered to take pictures of us as a wonderful reminder of what a great time we had! It's a great experience! I highly recommend it! read more

Vanishing Texas River Cruise - Waterfall, Ceremonial Rock, and a "use your imagination rock". All part of the tour upriver. Beautiful country! Take binoculars! - Tours Near Me - Burnet, Texas

Friendly & knowledgeable staff! Safe boat! Beautiful views! Fun time! Would definitely do it again!!! read more

Vanishing Texas River Cruise - The waterfalls! - Tours Near Me - Burnet, Texas

It was a beautiful day and we have had a great time. We also enjoyed the travelogue, which was excellent and we learned so much I would definitely go back. They also have a birding tour which I would like to do. I highly recommend this. read more

The cruise lasts about 2 hours and is a slow, relaxing time. Tim, the tour guide, was knowledgable and Captain Shawn was very pleasant. Easy to book, very reasonably priced. The boat is very clean, has rest rooms, water and iced tea and a climate controlled lower deck with tables and chairs and a very nice upper deck. If you enjoy soaking up some history, seeing beautiful birds and waterfalls, you will love this cruise. read more

I recently went on my second Vanishing Texas River Cruise. It's a great way to spend a relaxing day on the lake, particularly on a hot Texas summer day, when the temperatures on the lake are much more pleasant. Bring binoculars if you want to be able to see the egrets up close. read more

Saw goats on a cliff running like there is no such thing as gravity. Made my photo of them into a poster but it was years ago. I went back a few years ago with my sister and the cruise was much shorter and didn't go as far back into the canyons. I read it is because of the ongoing drought. If you want to have a greater time, call when the drought is over if ever. It was fun the last time but the first time was magical. read more

We've been on the river cruise twice now and really enjoyed it both times. The ship's captain has been doing this for over 40 years and is very knowledgeable about the scenery and local wildlife. If you're visiting the area I definitely recommend it. read more

I've been wanting to do this for 30 years and finally got to go this week. What a beautiful, magical experience!! The guide was very knowledgeable and shared not just about the history of the lakes and the various birds, but also about the geology of the region. The atmosphere was very casual and comfortable so we all felt comfortable about asking questions. We actually got to see three juvenile bald eagles on our tour. While the bald eagles are considered the highlights, the other amazing creatures were also breathtaking: osprey, blue heron, and the magnificent white pelican. We will definitely take the tour again. If you haven't gone, GO! If you've gone, go again. I can't recommend this experience enough. read more

This is a very pleasant way to spend time on the water. The lake is really low right now so the trip was only on the lake and back. But we did see some birds and the staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. They offer drinks on board and the boat has restrooms. Hopefully one of these days the water level will rise and they can offer the full tour. read more

It's been almost two years since Peg and I had the pleasure of taking the VTRC Ultimate Eagle Cruise and when we heard that more eagles than normal had taken up temporary residence, back to Burnet we went! Captain Shawn and Tim the Guide were with us again; felt like old home week! We were joined by an interesting group from a tour bus consisting of Oriental men and women who had married Caucasian Americans. I would have never imagined such an organized group existed but there they were and the nicest bunch of folks we could ever hope to meet. The day was dreary and misty, so I apologize that the photos are not of better quality, especially those of the eagles. And speaking of eagles, they were indeed out in force. During the four-hour cruise, there were nineteen sightings. I snapped over 200 photos but discarded most; misty weather and a telephoto lens stretched to its max don't mix very well, to say nothing of eagles who can whirl and spin out of frame on a dime. During this cruise, the geology bug bit and I went nuts snapping the natural features of the place. Some were of sites I captured in our previous trip but many are new to this one. Once again, Captain Shawn made his chicken gumbo; he's from Lafayette, Louisiana and knows his way around the kitchen! There was plenty to go around and many of us left with large Styrofoam cups full of it. In my last review, I commented on the kindness of the folks at VTRC and I'm happy to report that's still the case. Keep up the great work, guys--we'll be back! read more

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It was very informational. Great guide, friendly full of facts about the area and history.

Excellent boat ride up the Colorado River. It was evident the captain and the tour guide both let be this area. Great waterfalls and rock formations on the Colorado River. read more

Everybody has a different idea of what's fun. Some fast, some slow. If your looking for slow, the VTRC is wonderful. The double decker boat is docked at the north end of Lake Buchanan. The lower deck is enclosed. Yes, that means heated and Air Conditioned! Plenty of seating. The upper deck is open air. The wind in your hair, and maybe a little sweat in your eye. But who cares, upper deck it is! A short cruise got us to the mouth of the Colorado River. For a while it was lake houses and fancy boat docks. Then, civilization went away, and it was just us and the trees. All this time, the guide is telling us about the lake , the river, and it's history. Soon we came upon a water fall, so pretty out in the middle of nowhere. The fall colors were starting to show and they were beautiful. This area is a winter nesting area for bald eagles, and we saw 2 that had already arrived. The 2 1/2 hour trip was pure joy. Some people brought their own food and drink. The boat supplies water and tea. We will definitely do this again next time we're in the area! Hope you get the chance to try it! read more

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We just went on the VTRC this past weekend and really enjoyed the trip. The boat is a pretty nice board with plenty or inside and outside seating of the crowd we had on the Fourth of July weekend. The lower deck provides a comfortable climate controlled seating area with tables and chairs. We had a large group of 16 people with us, so we brought our lunch fixings and set up a table with our food and everyone made a sandwich to enjoy on the cruise. The windows of the lower seating area were clean and did not distract from the view of the scenery. The upper deck is covered seating but you will be out in the temperature of the day if you sit up here, so make sure you dress for the weather. There are no tables upstairs, so you are sitting on benches and chairs. The staff was very kind and the narrator does a great job telling you all about the river and the local history on the way up the river. It is like someone wound him up and he just goes the entire time. The speakers were a little loud and kept wishing he would turn down the volume just a little bit, but we did learn a lot along our journey. On the way back down, you get to enjoy the ride and talk with your friends. The board provides both a ladies and a men's restroom aboard which you may need as you enjoy the free water and ice tea that is provided during the cruise. Just a word of warning, depending on your cell phone carrier you may have periods during the drive out the cruise where you lose signal. Make sure you have a map of where you are heading so you do not get lost. One car in our group had this issue and pulled it really close to missing the launch time. All and all a pretty good experience and a good value for the ticket price. read more

Basically the cruise runs you back and forth the middle of the lake. The middle of the lake is boring. Nearer to the shore and God forbid, pointing out the campsites and nice houses, with a little info on each, might make this voyage close to interesting. Making this a sunset cruise would be much better as well. The tour guide is very knowledgeable about the lake's history but gosh, who owns that cool house way over there? When was that built? Pass me the binoculars so I can see it because we're out in the freaking middle of the lake! read more

Pretty fun little lake cruise, but the actual boat needs an update. I recommend bringing a snack and beverages. Not much to see but it was relaxing. read more

We went on this boat tour with the promise that they were advertising there was going to be bald eagles that are around this lake. We did not see any bald eagles we did not see any bald eagles nest we saw that the water was very murky like P green soup which is not conductive for bald eagles to fish in. My friend went to this boat tour in March of last year and he found the same thing there were no bald eagles around and he never saw one. I went on this tour February 2, 2017 and I found the same thing there are no bald eagles at this lake the water is not clear enough for bald eagles to see fish. read more

Vanishing Texas River Cruise - Tours Near Me - Burnet, Texas

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We went on the Scenic Wilderness River Cruise on a Sunday in July. We would have loved the eagles, but if you read their website the season for that is November through March. Still, the trip was pretty idyllic for a Sunday afternoon. I'll paint the scene for you: A gentle breeze, the shade of the top deck roof and the soft, rhythmic hum of the engine behind you. From the stern, a hint of diesel fuel. Clear, strong speakers permeate the air with the lazy drawl of a storytelling tour guide. Fun trivia: ranchers and Tonkawas, mayors and developers; egrets, herons, willows and oaks; limestone uplifts; ceremonial rock and Fall Creek Falls. Lots of adorable kids, too... though I can't guarantee them every day. :) 11 miles out, 11 miles back. There's no narration on the ride back, and no data connection the majority of the ride. Bring a deck of cards for the kids! And enjoy the relaxing tour. read more

I went on this cruise in 1991 and why didn't I come back sooner? I finally made it back and I was soooo glad I did!!. The cruise needs to change over the years depending on drought, flooding, etc. The boat has toilets, narrated, tour, upper deck for viewing and plenty of seating. It is about $22 per person and that is a bargain for a 2 hour cruise. There is coffee tea and water on board. There are great views of the lake depending on the lake level, flooding etc. It is about 15 -20 minutes off of HWY 29 by Inks Lake and Burnet, so allow yourself plenty of time to get there.I will post pictures to show you it is worth the trip!! read more

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On Friday we took some out-of-town friends on this cruise We arrived at the dock near Burnet about 45 minutes prior to departure. We soon boarded and took seats on the top deck on plactic chairs. Next time I would take more comfortable chairs. The boat holds about 140 people but they said they keep it down to 100 max. We had 40 people on our cruise. The cruise lasted a bit over two hour and the tour guide seems like it was her first cruise and was confused much of the time. It was a hot and humid day and we were glad to get back to the air conditioned car. read more

We went on the Wilderness Cruise with the kids during spring break. Shelled out $100 dollars. Here is what the cruise promised- according to their website: "Enjoy visions of waterfalls, towering cliffs, abundant native Texas wildlife, world-class birding...etc" Sounds great, right? None of this occurred. As we started cruising along, the captain made a comment that they have noticed this week that due to some debris and muck clogging the engine that they may need to stop a few times to clean it out. He said it was bad yesterday and would definitely be bad again today, so they'd have to stop at least once to clean it. Okay....no big deal. As we were rolling down the river, all of a sudden the captain said, "oh- it's really bad. Going to have to turn us around" WHAT? No waterfall????? So- this was no "surprise" and "who knows what the river will bring". THEY KNEW that the trek to the waterfall would not occur. I live on a creek... I know how these things work and of course they knew and purposely chose NOT to tell us. I know this to be the case. And I won't tolerate companies who lie and deceive. Tell us ahead of time- offer a discount- and let us decide if it's worth it. As far as "world class birding" -these were the birds I saw: White Pelicans, Double Crested Cormorant, American Coot, Ring-billed Gulls, Great Blue Heron" That is IT. As a birder myself, I see more in my backyard. Definitely not world class -or even close. It's a shame. A lot of money was spent for a whole lot of disappointment. The worst of it is that they gladly took our money while telling us lies. I understand that wildlife isn't consistent and the river isn't the same. But don't try to tell me they didn't know we'd skip the falls. A big, boring disappointment. read more

What a cool opportunity! I really enjoyed the calming visualizations of the scenery during an the 11 mile stretch I saw (22 miles total there and back) taking about 2 hours. I went with my family and grandparents and we all had a pretty enjoyable time. Note: It's great for elderly individuals since it didn't require a lot of energy, the first floor was air conditioned and the waves were soft against the boat so motion sickness wasn't an issue for any member of my group. Tip: consider bringing sun screen, sun glasses, and cool clothing during summer days. read more

Went with my mom and wife to take some pictures and just have a relaxing day. Although the eagle sightings have been sparse we saw several young eagles flying around. Very cool. Saw a couple of white breasted hawks sitting proudly on top of some trees. They say the tour is 2 hours, but it's really about 2.5 hours. Weather was great. Saw all kinds of other birds and a beaver sleeping on top of its house. Very cool people running the cruise with a lot of historical knowledge over the speaker during the trip. Highly recommended. read more

A good tour. Not the most comfortable chairs but that's my only grumble. Tour was thorough and informative and a relaxing ride. Bonus we did see a pair of juvenile bald eagles. read more

My grandma, mother, and I were staying in Burnet for spring break and put this at the top of our list for things to do, but we're wondering when it was going to be over about twenty minutes into the cruise. The guide wasn't very exciting and we stared at the same scene (hills, murky water, trees) for two hours. Also, when we reached the end of the tour, the boat turned around and we went the same way we entered! Another hour of the same stuff! Save your money and do something else. read more

My family went on the Vanishing River cruise over the Memorial Day weekend and had a blast. We will definitely be going again. The cruise itself was so much fun, but our River history lesson from Candy was the hit if the day! Candy was very informative, funny, and very knowledgable. We enjoyed the mid-trip walk to the abandoned town foundation, but the elderly parties in our group couldn't safely make it down the ramp for that part. The lower deck is air conditioned and comfy. We probably won't get the Captain's lunch again (pressed ham and cheese on a croissant with a packet of mustard and mayo, tiny container of canned fruit, chips and a granola thing). We are looking forward to the Eagle Cruise! read more

Fun boat ride with good tour guide. The depth of the water has changed the tour, but still a great cruise. Got to walk out onto an old island and explore. The kids and us all enjoyed it. read more

This is everything you want from a kayak rental on one of the largest lakes in Texas. First of all, it is just a bit away from lovely Canyon of the Eagles. We came here quickly after we checked out as one last adventure before our weekend was over!! The attendant was super knowledgeable and kind, helping us in and out of the water with no complaints. We set out of the cove toward the island and made it there and back again in almost 2 hours. The lake is beautiful and well worth the journey! read more

My friend, his son and I rented a canoe from these guys to explore Lake Buchanan. It was a sunny, white-hot October day with no other business as far as we could see, but they met us at the arranged time; were super friendly and helpful with directions and tips for navigating the lake; and didn't mind that we came back a little late. Good folks. read more

We had a fantastic Mother's Day tour. There was a special lunch available that was excellent and also had very good service. I enjoyed learning about the history of the area and river from the tour guide during the cruise. read more

We had the best cruise. Beautiful scenery and very informative. We will definitely be returning.

What a jewel of a find! See the Texas Hill Country like you've never seen it before. The two hour tour was the perfect amount of time to be out with the kids, seven and three. We saw ferrel hogs, a eagle and numerous others birds out on the river. The crew is great and I really enjoyed the history lesson. Well worth the drive...everyone should go on this tour and at the very reasonable cost...everyone can! read more

On Saturday, July 9 we were guests on the Vanishing River Cruise out of Burnett,TX. It was great fun! People on board mingled and made new friends. The food was sprinkled with just a tad to much Cajun Spice but was average. The only disappointment is the rudeness of passengers to our tour guide- he tells many interesting things about the river but more than 1/2 isn't heard due to rowdy passengers. The Explanation of the River is actually only 39 minutes long and does extend into the dinner which is served within 10 minutes of boarding. What we did hear from the tour guide was quite interesting. I would like to think people of adult age would have enough manners to listen for the sake of learning and for the sake of other passengers who would like to hear the river descriptions.The trip starts at 5:30 and done at 8:30. After dinner there is plenty of time to dance and engage in camaraderie! The singer was quite accomplished and his guitar and singing wonderful country songs was much fun. Everyone aboard seemed to enjoy the trip tremendously. SHIRLE p read more