Erie Canal Adventures Reviews

Erie Canal Adventures is definitely one of those EPIC “Bucket-List” adventures! Brian & Allie Keenan’s team developed a detailed curriculum prior to arrival with short videos to familiarize you with the electronics and safety features of the Lockmaster boat which were very helpful. Upon arrival, there is some classroom instruction before the practical application on the very Lockmaster boats that that you will be piloting for your multi-day adventure. The 1st half of the day was a bit overwhelming, but we had a fantastic instructor (Frank) who calmly walked us through the procedures until we felt comfortable piloting the boat ourselves, including going through a lock. Although there were 11 boats, we did not all sail together but there were people from all over the world and the U.S. including England, Canada, Kentucky and throughout the East Coast whom we saw along the way. There were some physical challenges to operating a 42-ft Lockmaster Boat but the boating community is also very cooperative and helpful along the Locks, docks and bridges….I highly recommend this trip to those wanting an adventure. The Ports have wonderful restaurants, bars and shops and if you have the energy you can use one of the included bikes for exploring. If your concept for a vacation is sitting on a deck, soaking up the sun, while sipping on a cocktail for four Days, then perhaps a Carnival Cruise or a beachside resort is a more suitable choice for your vacation. (which I also enjoy too). Frank who trained us as we sailed off also brought us back into port at the end of our adventure! Thanks Frank, You ROCK!

We found the boat and ECA facilities to be well taken care of. We were impressed with the cleanliness of the boat,rest room and all of the facilities at the marina. The staff were in one word excellent! The layout of the boat was well thought out. Everything was operational, worked as intended. We specially enjoyed the small towns along the western route. We found the people to be very hospitable, very welcoming. Traveling the locks and waiting for the lift bridges was a wondeful experience. Had a great time.

Excellent !! The staff at Erie Canal Adventures Were excellent!!!they made sure we could handle the canal boat safely !! very enjoyable !!

Just amazing! Incredible customer service and an all around great experience. Driving the boat is simple and you get the hang of it quickly. The training is simple and easy to follow and the staff are there whenever you need them. All the little towns on the way are easy to dock at and provide everything you need within walking distance and the bike paths are easy and great. The boat facilities themselves are great and you have everything you could want at your disposal. A trip of a lifetime!

What an amazing time! A true adventure. Experiencing the bridges and locks were so cool. So many wonderful birdlife and scenery. Welcoming towns with great food and music. A great way to re-connect with friends.

What a great experience! Allie was very responsive to my many pre-trip questions. The training was very thorough and we felt confident taking off. Cruising was relaxing with beautiful upstate scenery. Locks and lift bridges were neat. ECA team was always available for any questions. Great time! Highly recommend.

This was the best family vacation we could have imagined! We took our teenaged son and his girlfriend on a 3-night trip on the Cayuga - a gorgeous canal boat that was the perfect size and layout for a family with a queen berth, twin bunk beds, and an additional sleeping area in the kitchen. The Erie Canal Adventures staff were all wonderful, helpful, and friendly. They helped us rent the right type of boat, the training they gave us was excellent, and their oversight throughout our trip was impressive. Brian even stopped by our boat one morning to show us how to dock the boat in a better location - he just happened to be in town tending to other renters. The Erie Canal is absolutely lovely. Pretty, lively towns and beautiful scenery are everywhere. The tow path that runs beside it is fantastic for walking or cycling (and the boat came with bikes!). The locks and lift bridges are fascinating and the attendants are very friendly and helpful. And the history of the Canal's construction and importance to the growth of the country is just amazing. We can't wait to go back!

We did a 5 night canal cruise to Medina and back and loved it. The boat performed well with no issues. Enjoyed the time on the water and docked at the various towns. Highly recommend.

Erie Canal Adventures was a great company to work with, from their scheduling to staff to instructions. Their approach is polite, clear and simple to follow. We had the "Harriett" as our boat, it was clean, well maintained and simple to operate with the straightforward training provided. Our trip went from their docks in Macedon to Brockport with several stops in between and back. We traveled thru several locks and under a few lift bridges There are several towns to dock at overnight or just to visit. They provide a list of towns and their amenities available.They also provide you with 2 apps that have all info you may want including lock/lift bridge hours of operation, docking tips for each town,etc.. The best part is you decide when, where and what you do, You're the Captain. I was very impressed with this company start to finish and will certainly return and would recommend anyone give it a try

Epic adventure! Just got back from back to back 4 night charters. Amazing experience from the first call to get information to the completion of our journey. Erie Canal Adventures is a first rate company. The entire company was professional, friendly and made us feel like valued customers. The classroom and on the water training prepared us well and we were comfortable maneuvering the boat through the canal, locks, lift bridges and docking. The boat was spotless and well equipped and we had everything we needed for our trip. 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 exploring port towns easy. The suggested itineraries and information provided by ECA were helpful in planning the perfect trip. The lock masters and dock masters were also a great source of information. We can’t say enough about this amazing opportunity to explore this extraordinary engineering marvel. Can’t wait to book again! Thank you Erie Canal Adventures!

Excellent trip! Really enjoyed this boat. The company was great. Fun being on the canal. Lockport was the bomb!

Fabulous experience! Boats have everything you could possibly need. Terrific staff.

This was an amazing vacation experience! Erie Canal Adventures fully stocks your boat with bedding and all the table settings you’ll need, plus a first aid kit, a propane grill, camping chairs, and lots of fun extras. They do an efficient training course at the beginning and then send you on your way to explore the canal. The towns along the way are beautiful and full of sweet little shops and restaurants. We went with our dog and 4 kids (ages 14, 12, 11, and 8) and everyone involved LOVED it- they’ve requested that we make a yearly trip!

We did a 3-night trip on the Eerie Canal through Erie Canal Adventures this summer and it was fantastic. The boats are clean and cozy, the training from staff on how to maneuver the boat was great and this was a great way to explore a cool part of NY and U.S. history!

Awesome adventure. Our only boating experience prior to this trip was kayaking which made us nervous to operate the 30'+ canal boat on our own. The team at Eric Canal Adventures prepared an exceptional training program. We arrived at 12:30pm and were off on our own by 3:30pm that day. Frank (trainer) was awesome - helpful, good sense of humor, and patient. The canal and every town we visited was lovely. The boat was clean and well equipped. This was a 30th wedding anniversary trip and we'd highly recommend this company for such a lovely adventure.