I was at a meeting and one guy asked "have any of you done the Buffalo River History Tour?" We all…read moreshrugged no and he proceeded to tell us what an enjoyable cruise he went on while discovering facts about Buffalo he didn't know. Since that moment I have been out on the river twice and absolutely enjoyed myself while learning new information on each trip up the river (I am still waiting for my stale donuts Tom ... haha). This is a well done tour whether you are a tourist or someone like me with a lifelong connection to the City of Good Neighbors. The river is beautiful and the history lessons interesting. If you find yourself downtown on a beautiful day with time on your hands take to the river!!

What a fantastic day out on the Buffalo River. The tour was very informative and the ride was…read morelovely. This was a work team event for us and they had another team to sign up as well. I would definitely do the 1.5 hour tour. It was beautiful seeing all the old architecture. The guides were very good.

My family did a 2 hour charter with Waves and we had an absolute blast! The boat is centrally…read morelocated at Charlie's Boat Yard which made parking and access a breeze. We were a little nervous bringing our 2 year old but Capt Nedim was great and he had so much fun! The boat was new, everything was clean, and they had lifejackets and toys for our little guy. We went up towards Riverworks but I would definitely book again to go to the beach with friends.

From the owner: Premier boat charters in WNY! Based out of Sun Life Marina at the Buffalo Harbor, we offer daily…read more4-hour, 7-hour, and 2-hour bookings. Charters are fully custom, accommodate up to 6 guests, and include the boat and licensed USCG captain! We take care of the hassles of boating while you enjoy your time out on the water! Book with us today!

Meh. Not great, not atrocious. Had higher hopes. Went in asking for recommendations from our guide,…read moreand she was not the most helpful. Speakers quiet and guide also quiet on the recommendations. She did not remind us of time limits and let us roam for too long. The speaker kept cutting in and out. I tried getting closer but that didn't even work!!!!! I don't not recommended this but I also don't think we got the best service. It was fun but it is what you make it so bring fun ass friends. i had fun!!! i would do it again!!

It is a lot of work, no motors to help for inclines The driver even had to get out of the…read moredrivers seat and push to get us started (and up hills - great guy).

Spirit of Buffalo is docked at Canalside, right next to the warships. Tickets can be bought online…read moreor at the booth (buying in person saves the processing fee). They offer a history tour, tiki boat ride, and a sailboat ride--just note the each sailing requires at least eight people to sail. They will cancel the door if they do not have eight people so call the J before to see how many people are booked on your sailing. I did the sunset sail, and it was fantastic. Tickets were $42 ($54 with a cocktail). There's a full bar and light snacks on board, plus a restroom. The sail lasted about two hours. There were only 25 guests onboard. This made the boat feel spacious and relaxed. The views were stunning--sunset over the Buffalo skyline, sailing past the Peace Bridge, and city lights on the way back. The crew was friendly and fun, and the captain went out of his way to chat and even raise the Bills flag for photos. Pro tip: bring a jacket or blanket, it gets chilly! I think it would be a great idea if they sold inexpensive blankets with the ship name on them for $10-$15. People would've bought them because it was cold and They would also make a great souvenir.

What a smooth and lovely sail along Lake Erie, you could sit where you wanted and move around for…read moregreat photo ops. It wasn't that crowded we each had our own space to chat or sit and reflect and enjoy the scenery. The price was good and for 2 hours worth it. Drinks were offered and served for purchase. You can pay a little more and get drinks included. There's a downstairs and bathroom on board as well. I would recommend bringing a jacket or blanket in the fall temps.

Having 3 tour boats available at the perfect location at Canalside by the Navy ships is really…read morecool. Buffalo is stepping up !! There's a few little shops on the boardwalk, a history, museum, and a restaurant. There's also Explore & More children's play museum. And- the historical Erie Canal western terminus from 1825 at Canalside.

This is our second trip with this establishment this season. The first, on the white two-story boat…read moreand most recently, the tiki boat. Both times we had Captain Dave, a tall gentleman with salt and pepper hair. He spoke rudely to a handful of customers and both of his bartenders. The first time we assumed he was having an off day, but seeing this attitude a second time on a different boat was shocking and disappointing. Perhaps the customers and bartenders were rude to him first, but regardless, it was inappropriate for others to witness. He also mentions at the start of the ride that there is no vaping onboard, which we found to be more than reasonable. However, my wife and I saw HIM vaping while driving the boat?! Additionally, we felt as if the drinks were overtly overpriced -- 2 oz well liquor for $12 is insane! No bar I have been to in the Buffalo area charges that much for a well cocktail. However, we did feel as if the price of the tour itself was reasonable. The music was also not to our liking, but we understand it is challenging to accommodate everyone. But, it would have been nice to suggest a song or two. Unfortunately, a few of our friends have has similar experiences.... We wished we had a better experience, but as it stands now, we will not return nor recommend this place to others.

Updated review 8/9/26…read more Another great WNY/Buffalo summer experience. I have increased my rating of the Moondance catamaran boat ride, leaving the Erie Basin Marina. Even though the boat does not sail out onto a Lake Erie as far as one would expect, $28 for a cruise at sunset especially is definitely worth it. The views of the Buffalo skyline, the lit up silo and the Naval Park, are spectacular from the water. Next year, I'm considering buying a season pass. This way I can enjoy the sailing anytime I want. as much as I want during the sailing season. Cocktails are reasonably priced on board. You're allowed to bring your own food and snacks from home. The music to accompany the tour was a little loud at first, but then turn down which was appreciated. The captain and his crew were friendly and gave good advice on before the sail began. The ramp from the dock makes it easy for those with disabilities to board and exit the ship. There are two bathrooms below deck. But they do require some stairs to go down.

It's an inexpensive way to spend a beautiful afternoon....love, love. Great for pictures. Insta…read moreworthy.

When planning our event, I had been in communication with Rachel for approximately six months…read moreregarding scheduling a bachelorette boat cruise. Throughout this time, I was waiting on a finalized dinner menu, which I was originally told would be provided in January but was not shared with me until April. Because I did not receive the necessary menu and details needed to move forward, I never signed a contract for the date and time that was being discussed. Despite this, communication continued as though the date and time were being held and finalized. Unfortunately, due to the lack of timely communication and formal confirmation, I lost the originally discussed time slot. The alternative time offered did not work for most of my group, resulting in many of my guests being unable to attend. Rachel was not kind or understanding about the issue and did not provide helpful support in resolving the situation, which added to the frustration. That being said, Captain Bruce Andrews was amazing, and the food was actually pretty good.

They apparently had big group on the upstairs. Lots of people drinking (at 10:45am) They only had…read moregroup tables up there & they were mostly filled up, so I decided to go to the lower desk where it was quiet & there was a nice breeze. Enjoyed the tour around the harbor , but the person speaking about the history was on the upper deck & they had no speakers on the lower deck, so I missed most of the history.

It was nice ! We were celebrating a birthday with friends and relatives. We had fun on a beautiful…read moreevening on the water! It was nice to see the old Buffalo grain elevators and to think of the glory day of the past! The staff were fun too! It is a fun and different way to celebrate with a group of friends and family!

I recently went on these boats as part of a team building afternoon with my company. I will admit,…read morethe reason I did not try this sooner was because of the expense, and the inability to fill a boat with friends who want to pedal away and hang out on the water! We went out on a gray day, and we knew the rain was coming, but we were prepared. We dressed appropriately, and the captain and first mate explained that we would need to turn back if we saw lightning, for safety. That was totally OK, and we all understood. The crew was friendly and incredibly professional. People tend to forget that boats are serious vessels, and you can easily drown, and need to know the safety procedures. They got that out of the way quickly, but we were fully informed of all the safety procedures and protocols (including the lightning warning). We spent an hour heading out to the lake, had a bluetooth hookup so one of us could DJ while we floated away. The center part has 2 deep coolers where you can load up ice, drinks, etc. You can bring whatever snacks and drinks you want! We had a wonderful time chatting, pedaling, drinking and noshing. We were caught in the rain but thanks to the roof we didn't notice! We all stayed totally dry while on the boat (we did get a little soaked running form the boat to our cars, but that's to be expected!). There are port a potty's at the launch site so you can feel at ease that there is a bathroom. There is a large sign to tell you where to go when you arrive at the parking lot. There is a sunshade and picnic tables while you wait. You have to park in the apartment complex lot, and you just head towards the water- it's not hard to find, but use your GPS if you are unsure. It was a really nice adventure, a great team building event, a unique experience, and definitely something to try this summer!