Great bat boat tour! Fun guide and great service:-) Recommend this tour to all. Book in advance so you can get a guaranteed seat. Taking food and beverage made it more fun:-) read more

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We went on the 5oclock city tour with tyrell (Tyrone?) and he was just so informative about buildings along the lake and also very enthusiastic about giving us the opportunity to see the bats. We went mid November and so it wasn't technically a bat tour, but due to good weather, we were totally able to post under the bridge and see the bats emerge. Overall, it was the best $10 spent for a relaxing hour on the lake and I definitely recommend this, as well as maybe bringing some beverages of choice to enjoy the sunset read more

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This was such a great experience and Rainier was such a good tour guide. The views and the lake were absolutely stunning and the tour guide was very knowledgeable about the city and the bats read more

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I have been to Austin many times but I thought we'd take the tour just for fun. It was great! Hope, our tour guide was funny and knowledgeable about our state's capital. I'd highly recommend it to any new comers or old timers like me. read more

This bat watching cruise was excellent and Brittany made it sooo much fun!! First cruise in Austin and it was more than I expected!! read more

Capital Cruises - Views from Capitol Cruise - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

This was our first tour with Capital Cruises and had a great time! We chose the sunset bat tour. The tour captain Bret was very friendly and knowledgeable. The bats came out just a tad bit early but we didn't miss a thing. Despite the sudden thunderstorm everyone had a fun time. When we come back to Austin we're going to book with Capital Cruises again. read more

The bat tour is totally worth every penny! Layla was our tour guide and she was awesome. Knowledgeable and friendly. Capital Cruises was did a great job making everyone feel safe with their mask and social distance policy. I highly recommended. read more

Capital Cruises - Bats! - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Phenomenal cruise! Georgia was just the absolute coolest. We wound up in the perfect spot for every moment of the night. I literally couldn't think of something that could have made this cruise any better. read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Was on a business trip to sightsee the bats and look at the Austin cityscape. It was beautiful! read more

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I love this place! I've rented kayaks, swan boats, and duffy boats from them and always had a blast! Everyone who works here is super helpful, patient, and friendly. I really recommend getting a duffy boat and bringing some snacks and beers and enjoying the city.... really one of my favorite Austin things! read more

Our tour guide Michael was informative and humorous. The tour left on time and we got a nice ride up and down the river with some Austin facts before the main event. And what a main event! What an amazing sight! Millions of bats streaming out from their roost in the Congress Street Bridge. Highly recommended. read more

This was such a great experience, look no further when booking a cruise on Lady Bird Lake! Our group of 6 did the sunset bat cruise on 05/11 and it was SO FUN! Our guide was humorous and informative, answered all of our questions, and of course...seeing the bats from the water was amazing! Highly highly recommend booking through Capital Cruises, price is great and experience is unforgettable. Thank you to the team for providing such a wonderful time! read more

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I called Capital Cruises late afternoon a few days ago to inquire about the dinner cruises and spoke with Britney. She was very courteous and took the time to share more about the boats and pricing options, but proceeded to share with me that they weren't able to book me officially at the time because it was after hours. She shared that they only had one boat left for the date I requested but they would put a soft hold on it for me and I could call back to officially book with a credit card. No problem -- I completely understood that and was also very happy with her customer service orientation. Today I reached out to follow up, and spoke with Tony. I shared my name and that I called a few days ago about booking a boat, and he asked what date I was looking for. I shared the same date and he said they were booked until a week out from that date. I let him know that I had spoken to Britney about this earlier in the week and she placed a soft hold for me. He was clearly annoyed with this and shared that that isn't their policy but yes, they actually did have a boat available. He then immediately asked for my card info -- didn't bother to share more, didn't bother to see if I had questions, etc. I asked him directly if this would be a problem booking (since I noticed from his tone how annoyed he was). He said no and that I could call back when I was ready to book. After that experience I do not plan on booking this cruise anymore. I was prepared to spent over $500 for this package with the boat and the meal options I was considering and will gladly spend that money elsewhere. Disappointing customer service. read more

Our wonderful next door neighbors had out of town guests and were taking them to "see" Austin and decided to do this tour... they invited us along because they are Awesome. We both moved into our houses about a month apart; he is Active Duty Military and I just retired after 28 years! BUT THIS TOUR WAS AWESOME! Our guide Georgia was fun, entertaining and full of knowledge. She gave a history of the city (from Lady Bird Lake perspective) and her bat knowledge was uncanny. I would definitely recommend this for the best view of the colony leaving for their nightly hunt! read more

Capital Cruises - Bat Snake! - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

It was an experience I won't soon forget! Al did a great job as our Capt. She was engaging and enthusiastic. The bats were AMAZING!! read more

Very much enjoyed the sunset bat cruise! Got a bit of a tour prior to sunset. Our captain, a female and I'm sorry I don't remember her name on 5/30/22, was an excellent tour guide. She was very informative and seeing the bats was well worth it. Great value for the money!! read more

We had the best time watching the thousands of bats fly out at dusk. It was a magical experience to see it right under the bridge. I highly recommend this tour! read more

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Must see! Bat Cruise on Capital Cruises on Lady Bird Lake. You get a sight seeing tour of the lake. Captain Alex was great pointing out all the interesting trivia!!! When dusk comes, the boat goes under the bridge & you can see hundreds of bats flying out to start feeding. Bring a hat or a rain poncho to protect yourself from bat poop!! What a great experience!! Make sure you make reservations! The boat is located behind the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Austin. There is a $10.00 self parking lot next to the Hyatt hotel! read more

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we loved our trip! our tour guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and kept us laughing. definitely recommend to tourists and locals! skip the bridge and board the boat!! read more

The bats flight was incredible and the view can't be beat. Georgia was so entertaining and got us positioned into the perfect view. Highly recommended!! The cruise is about an hour and starts near the bridge behind the Hyatt. You'll go up river a little and then back across the bridge to see the full flight. Then as the bats are flying out you'll hang out under the bridge a little and hear the up close. read more

Can not say enough good things about this bat cruise. The weather was perfect, the seats on the boat were spaced out for social distancing and it felt like a private tour. Our guide, Georgia, was very knowledgeable, easy to listen to and just lovely overall. The view we had of the bats and the Austin skyline was breathtaking. Highly, highly recommend this tour! read more

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Amazing. Probably the best $13 I've spent in a while. We had Beck as our tour guide and he was the BEST. He was knowledgeable, funny, made great jokes, answered all our questions and seemed to genuinely enjoy his job talking about the bats and Austin. By far the best tour guide we've had our whole trip. (we've paid $$$ for other tours that didn't even come close). After we watched the bats, we got a great little 'tour' of the city from the water. Austin has some amazing buildings! I just wish I had known that the drivers take cash as their tips. Everything else is cashless so we only had a $5 to give him. I would've tipped $20 had I known. read more

WOW, this was a fun evening event. We learned a lot about not only the bats but also about many of the buildings along the shoreline. I strongly recommend taking the evening bat viewing cruise. read more

We joined the Capital Cruises bat tour again tonight, this time bringing family who were visiting from out of town. Once again, Capital Cruises did not disappoint! Very simple to purchase ticket on the website, quick and easy check-in at the dock. Captain Molly was awesome! Funny, knowledgeable, and engaging...the perfect Captain. She was also exceptionally kind to the youngsters in our group. Thank you for a fantastic evening! read more

Entertaining and informative guide, Michael, explained why we only saw a few bats and made the rest of the trip worth the money. We had a very pleasant evening. read more

Loved the Sightseeing tour. Our guide was great, very knowledgeable and charismatic. You get to see the whole downtown and become more informative about it as well. I definitely recommend it. read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Awesome experience! Great guide for the cruise. Very informative. Not hard at all for the kayaking.

Very rude and horrible customer service. Would not spend money with this business. They try to be vague and sneaky and honestly I don't know how they can run a business with their policies. read more

What a great trip! We took the bat cruise on 10/27 and had booked without knowing it was nearing the end of the season. We were thrilled to see so many bats. Our captain did a great job positioning our boat perfectly for optimal viewing. My only regret is that I didn't bring an adult beverage with me. Definitely a must do if you're in Austin. You learn about the city and get a great view of the skyline and the bats! read more

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You know how sometimes you go somewhere and have a great experience, but then your friends tell you they want to go somewhere else, and you say "okay...I'm sure it will be just as good." When it comes to renting paddleboards, I'll only make that mistake once. I went to another place on the Lake to rent paddleboards and it showed how great Capital Cruises really is: 1) Price: $25 for 2 hours is a great price, and they take cash or credit so you're not scrambling for an ATM. 2) Location: Easy to get to and the Hyatt behind it has a bathroom you can sneak in and use if you (or a friend or date) need to. 3) Service: They size you up so you have a paddle length that fits your height, get a board and life jacket that is appropriate, and the bungy cord to hold any belongings that actually looks sturdy. You don't realize how important the paddle length especially is until you have a paddle that's too short... 4) Easy departure and return: The dock is a real dock so you can actually get on and off pretty easily and the staff is smart and helpful to do so...unlike another place where I got tossed off a step from the edge (thanks guy who pushed my paddleboard away from the dock instead of holding it steady) and ended up stepping on something in the water that made my whole foot swell up in pain. So big thanks to Capital Cruises for giving me 2 smooth, awesome experiences, and 0 times limping home. I will be only coming here going forward for paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake. read more

Abhorrent customer service. My friends and I rented a donut boat and took it straight down the river where we were told to go. About ten minutes into the trip, the engine started sputtering and boat came to a standstill. We had to get towed back only to be told that we were being charged for entire rental PLUS a $250 motor replacement fee. This was after being told we would be receiving a full refund and additional compensation by the employee who towed us back. Seems like they do this a lot to try to take advantage of people. I'll be following up with the Texas Better Business Bureau for this sort of predatory treatment. read more

Great experience! The tour guide was entertaining and full of knowledge. The bats were an awesome site.

Heads up: the Swan ride is hard! If you have your heart set on trying out Capital Cruises and their very unique swan boat, be ready to work up a sweat. We were dead set on trying out this novelty and on the plus side you do get some nice photos with this cool looking boat. On the other hand, the boat has no power whatsoever so you'll be pedaling at max effort only to move at snail-like speeds. It can get pretty frustrating especially when the wind is cruel and spins you around in circles. To be fair, the guys at Capital Cruises warned us of the wind and that we would need at least two people to power the swan boat. They also advised against the Swan Boat at times of high winds but when in Austin you gotta go all out. Tip: go against the wind in the beginning because you want the wind to push you back to shore when you're tired at the end of the hour. Tip: parking on the streets near the Hyatt is free on Sundays or there are 2 hr visitor spaces near the Hyatt Regency. For $8/hr, (after $2 Yelp Check-In discount, $10 normally), this is an interesting way to explore the Barton Springs lake. I'll just go with a kayak next time! read more

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I worked with the Capital Cruises team to plan an event for apx. 20 of us in mid-May 2022. In terms of party planning, the night went about as perfect as I could have asked for! I connected with various team members (Shannon, Tony, Ryan) and each person was SO helpful. I ordered food through them (and we got a lot for the price!) then drinks through Spec's and GoPuff; everything was managed perfectly. I even appreciated the touches like menus of drinks being available at the bar and all of the food closed until people were ready to eat. When our 2 hours were up they let us opt for an extra hour, which was really the big hit of the night. (And made a solid dent in the margarita machine!) A great experience and I cannot recommend them enough for a memorable night out! read more

I thought this was an excellent cruise! Our captain was named Beck, and he was patient (there were several children peppering him with questions), entertaining, good-natured and well-informed. I wish parking were a little easier, but everything to do is described really well on the confirmation emails, and when is parking ever simple in downtown Austin? We would have been hard-pressed to really see any bats if the boat captains weren't shining their red and orange lights at the bridge; I was glad they all did that! Well worth the money; highly recommend! read more

Years ago, I took my mom on one of the bat cruises here. You buy a ticket and board a large paddle boat with a bunch of strangers as you cruise up and down Austin's Lady Bird Lake (Town Lake) and take in the sights and get a glimpse of the bats taking off from under the Congress bridge at Sunset. But this year, I have twice rented one of their private 21' Duffy boats and gone out on the lake with friends at Sunset. The boat is lined with bench seats around the edge and has a table in the middle. You can drive the boat yourself or pay extra for a captain. These boats seat 10-12 people, but 10 is probably the max you would want. You can bring your own picnic and cruise around Town Lake at a leisurely pace. They have a 2 hour minimum rental at Sunset. 2 Hours is the perfect amount of time and it is really quite affordable for what you are getting. You will step off the boat happy and relaxed, wishing you could do this every week! They also rent paddle boards, canoes, kayaks, Swan pedal boats and smaller Duffy boats, as well as cater lunch and dinner cruises, and accommodate other private events (weddings, corporate...). They are conveniently located off the parking lot of the Hyatt Hotel. Renting a boat requires a credit card to reserve it and a Drivers License. So stop sitting on the shore and watching the boats go by. Get off the dock and cruise with the big swans! read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Our your guide Alec shared a lot of facts and history about the immediate area. We took the bat watching tour and he also shared a ton of facts about the bats! It was a great boat ride. read more

My 6-year-old son and I went on the bat tour and had a wonderful time! This tour is in the evening, so you get to see Lady Bird Lake and the Austin skyline during sunset which is absolutely gorgeous. Our tour guide Beck was knowledgeable and funny, making the ride both educational and funny. One thing I wish I knew beforehand is that you are able to bring your own food and drinks on the boat. read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

My boyfriend and I were visiting Austin from Las Vegas and heard about this tour. It was such an amazing experience. Our captain Georgia knew so much about the landmarks and history around the river, and had a love for the bats that she shared with us! Beauty sunset, calm waters, and bats!! we recommend this to anyone and everyone! read more

Capital Cruises - Bats over congress bridge - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

So I'm pretty convinced that Austin is beautiful every day, but I don't know. We tried to rent some kayaks to watch the bats at about 6:00PM on a Saturday evening, the boy working said they'd been completely sold out since 4:30PM, we were pretty disappointed, but hey, the early bat gets the boat. So we watched the bats on the sideline and it was still a great time. We learned our lesson and the next day we visited at around 4:00PM just to cruise around, we didn't plan to stay for the bats a second day, but the lake was so beautiful and the weather was perfect so we decided to take a ride anyway. My partner just had to have a swan boat so we got one and just kind of lazily rowed on the river for about an hour and a half (they charge hourly, btw). It was really relaxing, a great time overall. The equipment was nice and the guy helped us, more or less, get into the silly swan boat. When we got back, we were trying to dock ourselves but the guy came back and helped us get out and tether the swan back. Boy we're they busy at that point (at about 5:30PM)! There was a long line and a lot of people were crowding him impatiently asking for reservations and things like that. So it looks like we got there just in time. Overall: One of the most relaxing experiences I've had in awhile and I highly suggest it if you're a tourist or a local. That lake is really something else. It's a little slice of nature right in the middle of a big city. Very nice. My advice is get there much earlier than you think you need to be there and just take your time and enjoy yourself. You might want to cut the young people that work there some slack because they put up with a lot. The first time I came around when they were sold out, they seemed just defeated and they didn't look busy so I wasn't sure why, but when I got out of the swan and all those people were shouting and just crowding around like wolves it really put things in perspective. But anyway, I loved it and it definitely reignited my love for being out on a lake. read more

Capital Cruises - View from swan, ignore the white legs, I'm not from Texas, okay?! - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas