Absolutely great 4 nights vacation! Boat has everything you need and it was all working fine! We were on a Hamlock. The sleeping place is too narrow for 2 people. Also bring your plastic support seat to have a comfort while driving the boat.
Alex Florida
Thank you Aleksandr for your 5-Star Review!! We appreciate it and so happy to hear you enjoyed your Upstate NY Fall Foliage Vacation!!!
Maddie22025.10.18
Verified
Seven Great Days On The Erie Canal
My wife and I and another couple spent a wonderful week on the Erie Canal recently on a canal boat rented from Erie Canal Adventures (ECA). The boat was easy to operate, and the scenery and towns along the route were beautiful. We started with classroom and hands-on training near the marina, and then went on our way. Yes, it was a little intimidating at first, but we got comfortable with the boat very quickly. ECA has a nice app which provided docking tips and restaurant recommendations at each of the stops along the route. Most of the towns along the west route were very pretty, with power and water hook-ups and showers; only a few were more basic and they are identified as such on the app. The boat was comfortable and very well equipped. We had a minor mechanical problem during our trip which was addressed quickly by ECA. If this trip appeals to you, the ECA videos on YouTube are well worth watching. We highly recommend ECA and the Erie Canal for a relaxing, scenic and fun vacation!!!
Can not say enough positives about our experience with this business. So I'll just say this. If you're looking for a laid back vacation experience without worries think about a trip to the historic Erie Canal using the services and equipment of this company. We had a really special 4 day trip.
Thank you Bill!!! We're thrilled to hear you had such a special experience cruising the Erie Canal with us. It means a lot that you took the time to share your trip, and we’re so glad we could help make it relaxing and worry-free. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon for another adventure!
Jeff Daggett2025.10.03
We did this trip with our long time friends and had a wonderful time. The weather, food, accommodations and people we met were all great. The company provides excellent training and guidance. We have chartered canal boats in France before and found that experience less accommodating than here. In France we were charged for hourly usage and bikes. Here everything was provided and no hidden fees. We highly recommend this company and the route. Jeff Daggett
Jeff - thank you very much for the great review! We are thrilled you enjoyed your trip together & appreciate you recommending us! Great highlights about the ease of renting, inclusive pricing and the experience. We hope to see you on the water again soon!
Greg Forbes2025.09.29
A great experience. Lots of fun. The fact that we want to do the boating again says it all.
Thanks Greg!!!! We hope to see you on the water again soon!
Brian Thompson2025.09.27
recommends
If your considering renting one of their boats. Do it, you will enjoy every minute. From the time you make the reservation to when you return from your trip. Everyone with Erie Canal Adventures to the people you’ll meet during your trip are outstanding.
Thank you, Brian! We're thrilled you had such a great experience and enjoyed every moment of your trip. Your kind words mean a lot, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
Jeffrey Stack2025.09.24
Everything was exactly as advertised. The bikes were a big hit. We plan to do this again. Top notch.
Thank you Jeffrey for your review & pictures shared! We appreciate it & we do hope to see you again on the water!!!!
Leslie Nichtern Hanellin2025.09.17
recommends
What an incredible adventure! We spent an amazing seven nights on the Skaneateles II. We traveled from Macedon to Lockport and the entire experience was truly one of a kind. Even though we live here near the Erie Canal, we got to see a completely different perspective of Western New York. I highly recommend this trip for people of all ages and abilities. The orientation, preparation, and training done by ECA was top-notch and we felt very prepared for the journey (Shout out to Sam). They train you how to operate the boat, including a trip through Lock 30, and practice docking. The boat is completely equipped with every single thing you need for your trip other than food. The bridge operators and lock operators along the way were some of the friendliest most helpful individuals I’ve ever encountered (shout out to Pritchard, Adam, John and Matt). If you do plan a trip on the Erie Canal, I recommend purchasing a copy of Skipper Bob’s Erie Canal guide. It was a helpful resource. Thank you to Erie Canal adventures for such a unique experience.
Thank you, Leslie! We're thrilled you had such an amazing adventure and enjoyed exploring the Erie Canal from a new perspective. We'll pass your kind words to Sam and the team. Your recommendation will inspire future travelers!
D Ferris2025.09.16
I could write a BOOK about the fine time I had on my seven-day boat trip with Erie Canal Adventures. It would be full of superlatives like Excellent! And Wonderful! And Amazing! But to sum it up succinctly I would say it was above and beyond spectacular! I appreciate the fantastic training that was provided before we set out on our journey. We enjoyed the terrific amenities on the boat, from full linens to cooking and washing accommodations, to assorted helpful travel guides. Everything we needed to have a smooth and enjoyable trip was on the boat, except for the food we brought ourselves. To be so well prepared on such a finely crafted vessel meant that we had time to take in the beauty of the canal and the countryside it passes through. Along the way we met and engaged with friendly lock operators, helpful bridge operators, and of course the general public who wanted to learn more about Erie Canal Adventures. I highly, HIGHLY recommend an Erie Canal trip with this agency! It is money well spent for all that we got out of it. Keep up the great work, ECA! You might just see me again in a few years.
Thank you soooo much!!! This review made us smile knowing how much you enjoyed your trip, our boats and most importantly the people that make the magic happen for every customer! We truly appreciate your review, your accolades and we hope to see you on the water again soon!
Ray Henry2025.09.11
What an awesome adventure put together by an awesome team!!! We'll done, and thank you!
Thank you so much for your fantastic review!!! We appreciate all the comments about our team & will definitely share with them!!!! We hope to see you on the water again soon!
Michelle2025.09.08
We had a GREAT trip! Best vacation we have had as a family (2 adults and a teenager) Highly recommend!!! Everyone at Erie Canal Adventures was friendly and fantastic. Showed us all we needed to know and gave us lots of great advice! We rented a 41' (The Cayuga) for 7 days; Lockport and back. The boat was perfect...fully stocked with all we needed plus! Very comfortable! Was sooo relaxing...cruising, going thru locks, docking, and exploring all the towns along the way. Favorite spot to dock was the top of lock 35 in Lockport!!
Great experience from a totally different perspective. We were close to home but didn't feel that way!
Thanks Michelle for the fabulous review! We agree - locals always comment that they feel like world travelers when they vacation on the Erie with us!! A totally different perspective & so relaxing! We appreciate all your kind words about our team, process & experience! We hope to see you on the water again soon!
Thomas F.2025.09.07
Verified
Exceptionally well organized. The vessel was very clean and had everything that we needed. They had provided a recommended itinerary of ports to visit and it really gave our trip a great foundation.
The initial class time and hands on training really prepared us for the trip and gave us the needed confidence to handle the trip.
Each of the ports (cities) that we visited had their own special features and we couldn't pick one favorite.
Wonderful trip
Thank you Thomas for your review, we appreciate you taking the time to reflect on your vacation with us & your thoughtful comments about our trip planning Itineraries, training and the company!!! Thank you!
Denise O2025.09.01
Verified
Simply Amazing...
We just came home from our Erie Canal Adventure, and we can’t rave enough about every aspect of it. The staff is amazing, and the mentorship of the boats is exceptional - so much patience for all of us that are new to the canal experience. The boats themselves are quite special. The accommodations have EVERYTHING we needed: from a cosy bed, ‘warm’ shower, coffee machine, as well as linens, a microwave, even wine ‘glasses’. And everything was immaculate and in ’ship shape’. Beyond the boat itself, they supply grills and bikes and plenty of customized recommendations of where to dock and dine along the way. It made for the perfect adventure. We LOVED every minute - even the bursts of rain along the way made us truly appreciate the glorious sunshine and calm of the canal.
Thank you, Denise! We're thrilled to hear about your amazing adventure and how much you enjoyed every aspect, from the boats to the recommendations. Your kind words mean so much, and we hope to welcome you back soon!
Mike Mcglone2025.08.28
I would recommend it to anyone. We had a great time. We did the seven day. We won a kayak On the trip, it was a great plus going to the Towns and spending the night we met a lot of really nice people thoroughly enjoyed it
Thank you Mike for the great review! How fun to win the kayak along your travels! :) We hope to see you on the water again soon!
Diane Siegel2025.08.25
AMAZING!! Sharing this journey with extended family on 3 boats was an unforgettable adventure. The Erie Canal staff is top notch! They provide you with everything you need to make your journey successful and wonderful. It's a once in a lifetime adventure and a highly recommend!
Thank you so much Diane!!!! We are thrilled you and your extended family enjoyed your flotilla celebration together! Thank you for the wonderful review - we appreciate it!
Diane S.2025.08.25
Verified
AMAZING!!! We rented 3 boats across 3 generations to celebrate my Dad's 90th and it was an adventure of a lifetime! The staff at Erie Canal is absolutely wonderful to work with ... truly top notch! A highly recommend!
We are thrilled you enjoyed your family trip with 3 of our boats, celebrating your Dad's birthday!!! What a fun celebration you had, and we appreciate your thoughtful review!!! We hope to see you again on the water soon!!!
Jeff Digital2025.08.20
What a fun adventure, we brought our family of 6 for 3 nights on the canal and we all had an amazing time, stayed overnight in Pittsford, Spencerport and Fairport and had an absolute blast. Easy to find restaurants and activities while docked. Weather was fantastic but hot, so the boat did get warm at times. The classroom and on boat training was very adequate and I was very confident piloting afterwards. The boat was comfortable enough for 6 people and having indoor and outdoor spaces was really nice. We spent a lot of time playing cards in the front room with the table. Kitchen was larger than expected and the shower was not too difficult to use. Only two complaints, The seals on our toilets were worn, so the bowls would not hold water... so the smell did build up if the windows were closed, or the boat was locked up... leaving them open would help a little, but also let bugs in despite the screens, The smaller bathroom didn't have a screen. The AC is loud but we were happy to have it, the rear two rooms got ice cold, but the kitchen had trouble cooling down, even with the use of the 3 provided fans. Would consider doing it again, especially if that toilet issue was resolved.
Thank you Jeff for your great review - we are so thrilled you enjoyed your vacation with your family! We appreciate all your thoughtful comments about the towns, the training, our team and the boat. We truly appreciate your honest feedback about the bathroom and AC — our team has already worked on resolving the maintenance repair & improvements so future trips are even more comfortable. Your notes are very helpful for our team.
We’d love to welcome you and your family back for another journey on the canal —we hope to see you on the water again soon!
margaret b2025.08.16
Verified
Relaxing on the canal
Great trip!! Very well appointed canal boat. After our training session we were set to pilot on our own, a bit daunting but turns out very doable.One small issue that was resolved quickly by the staff. Overall it was a memorable experience that we may well repeat. Highly recommend !!
Thank you Ernie! We appreciate your review and we hope to see you on the water again soon!
Jim P2025.08.07
Always wanted to vacation on a barge canal in Europe, but wasn't looking forward to long flights and being on someone else's schedule. ECA provided the experience we were looking for, on our terms. Our boat (Seneca) was impeccably maintained and outfitted custom for us.
The training/orientation ECA provided was well-honed and practical, while 24 hour support during the cruise was just a phone call away. (Not to mention the helpful planning info on the website and in the app) All of this inspired great confidence for a successful self-directed trip.
The cruising part was very relaxing, and the canal towns wonderful. We docked at Pittsford on the first night, next to a gazebo with a band performing Sinatra/standards, followed by a gritty blues band at the microbrewery just across the canal. Spencerport and Fairport were also charming. We were able to make lovely meals in the galley, but also had fabulous meals out, walking distance from the dock. Our cruise was mid-summer, but a late season trip with fall colors could be pretty great...
The experience was incomparable and the people at ECA were wonderful to deal with every step of the way.
Thank you Jim for your wonderful review!! We love hearing about your experience at all the Canal Towns along your journey and we are thrilled that our boats, team and services exceeded your expectations!! No need to go to Europe to experience the beauty and adventure of a barge Canal Trip!!! :) Thank you and we hope to see you on the water again soon!
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