Great way to see the bats downtown under the bridge! This is a awesome thing to do when visiting Austin for the first time. Went out with a group of people and spent a little over an hour on the boat cruising lady bird lake and taking in the sunset. When it got dark we made our way to the bat bridge and saw all the little ones flying around above us! Very cool experience. The staff was super nice and let us play our own music on the boat. Some people brought drinks (beers, etc) and food. Overall is was an awesome time and great view of the city, definitely recommend checking them out! read more

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Went on the bat tour on Sunday evening and had a great time. I didn't catch the tour guide's name, but he was a young guy, very knowledgeable about the lake and the surrounding area and fun to take a tour with. He explained that by mid-October many bats have already left for the season, but we still saw plenty. Would definitely take this tour again on a return trip to Austin. read more

such a great group of people that ran this boat cruise. it was a great experience.Thank you so much.

I LOVED my experience here! My friend and I rented paddle boards and the rental process was very easy and straight forward. They have small lockers you can rent for $2 to keep your keys, phone or other items in. One of the girls working was nice enough to take some pictures for us before putting my phone in the locker. It was a beautiful and windy day on the lake and the views couldn't have been more beautiful! read more

I found this place after I saw someone in a swan boat on the lake from my hotel room window. It was a gorgeous day and I couldn't think of a better Sunday afternoon activity. You get to walk along a bit of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail before you make it to the Capital Cruises dock. You can't really miss it since there's a welcome tent set up, lots of colorful canoes and kayaks, as well as a barge and a donut boat that both display their name prominently. When we got there no one was at the welcome tent and there wasn't really any signage indicating if they were out to lunch or not. We stood around not knowing what to do until someone came out from one of the buildings on the dock. I had to sign a statement saying that I was going to bring back the swan boat in good condition, paid the fee, and we were off to the races. The pedaling of the swan boat isn't strenuous at all. You can pedal faster but it doesn't actually make the swan go any faster. The lake has lots of water birds and we even saw a group of turtles sunning themselves on a rock! There's a big park on the south side of the lake and you can people watch and see dogs running around by the off leash area. Sometimes the dogs dive off a dock there. We had one that was super curious about what this strange giant bird was! The rate was pretty amazing considering it was only $15 for an entire hour for 2 people. I highly recommend this experience - it really is a unique way to enjoy the Austin skyline, to get some quick exercise in without fear of getting wet or sweaty, all while being outdoors. read more

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Took out of town guests on the bat cruise. Beautiful evening on the water. Crew knew just where to find the best viewing position. Great knowledge of the Austin skyline. We left very happy. read more

Had a fun time on Lady Bird Lake. Captain Molly was fun and informative, and the best guide ever!

We did the bat cruise on 4/25/22 & it was THE BEST!! Lorrie was our tour guide, and she was so great - full of relevant, fun info, and her TIMING WAS SPOT ON!!! After cruising down to watch a beautiful sunset, and learning a ton about Austin, Lorrie got us to the bridge before any of the other boats, and positioned us perfectly to watch the entire exodus of the colony. This was one of the coolest things I've ever seen...truly amazing! I can't imagine the experience could possibly be as good watching it from the bridge...I highly recommend this cruise!! read more

Capital Cruises - Sunset - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Was a fabulous time. The cruise was so good I forgot about the bats. Great value, experience and staff.

Capt Carson was fun and we had a wonderful time! The your and the music made the whole experience amazing for my family from out of town! They had the best time. Thanks Capt Carson for making my families visit to Austin memorial! read more

Carson was such an amazing tour guide we actually came two weeks in a row! It was an awesome experience and as somebody who has lived in Austin for a while I learned a lot about the city I never knew! We will definitely keep bringing friends and family that come to town. read more

They're so friendly! We've rented kayaks and canoes from Capital Cruises multiple times. Very easy going. We go over on time almost every time and we just pay for the extra time on the back end, no issues. We recently took the evening bat tour. Our guide rolled out with the dad jokes and knew the area very well. read more

Capital Cruises - My little kayaking buddy. - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Best experience. Our tour guide was funny and interactive. Considering COVID, we felt safe. We saw other boats filled which made us happier that we chose capital cruises. read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been on a few of these cruises and every time we have so much fun! Staff are courteous and let your crew just hang out and have a fun time under the lights and stars of downtown while cruising town lake. It's especially fun during bat season! Highly recommend for bdays, wedding parties or client events. read more

Capital Cruises - Up close and personal from the river boat. - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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JC was a great captain and seeing the bats emerge was unforgettable! We took her daughter for her 5th Birthday and the cruise was her favorite part of the trip. read more

Did the Bat Cruise with Georgia last night. She is awesome! Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and Georgia's commentary. Her passion for the city of Austin made the excursion even more fun. Price was $12 for adults & $7 for kids. Saw lots of bats! Highly recommend! read more

We had a lot of fun on this cruise. The guide Gabe was super helpful and knowledgeable. Would return again when bats are more active in the warmer months. read more

Actually was a highlight of our trip! was recommended to us by another couple we met on our Austin Eats walking food tour and we were delighted we did it. THANK YOU!! read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This was a really wonderful trip. Capital Cruises leaves from the river by the downtown Marriott in Austin on a "Bat Boat Tour". Millions of bats live underneath one of the river bridges. At twilight, they all fly out, almost blackening the sky. We were invited on the cruise as a part of a wedding event. The host rented an entire boat and there were probably 50 people on board. There are both upper and lower decks - the lower deck is enclosed (glass) and air-conditioned. Above, is open seating where you can either stand or watch. The cruise lasts a couple of hours during which you ride up and down the river just until twilight. Then, the bats start to come out. What a spectacle The bats come out over a period of about 15 minutes or so. Throughout, the sky blackens and the Austin skyline lights up. This is a must do for anyone visiting Austin. What a great adventure. read more

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I had family town and they wanted to get on a boat and cruise around Town lake. We happened to find seats with Capital cruises for their Father's Day Brew B Cruise for 44 pp. It was def worth it! All you can eat and drink. Plus live music from Beat Bodega on the upper deck. Good pizza from VIA 313, love their edge crust! Uncle Billy's canned cocktails over ice totally yum! Great service and friendly staff on board. I took home lots of wine from Gratsi! read more

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We did the bat boat tour on 3/28/23. I made reservations online, the week prior. We arrived and the crew boarded us right on time. Our captain, Alec, was super! He was really informative about the buildings and the history, the bat colony and the history of how they came about and why they do what they do. Great information on the graffiti bridge too. He was a perfect host, and VERY funny. We really enjoyed this dusk tour. I recommend it highly to anyone looking for an Austin excursion and the price is amazing!!! Thank you for a great time. read more

The bat cruise is something everyone should do when in Austin. Capital Cruises is a great company. It's hit or miss if the bats come out in full force, but the rest of the river cruise and learning about Austin makes up for it if the bats don't all fly out at once. Alec did a great job captaining the ship! read more

We had a great time on the sunset tour! It was beautiful and the guide (Captain Molly) was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Would strongly recommend! read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love their bat cruises, we enjoy taking our friends and family from out of town on them to get a great view of the Congress Bridge bat colony. The tour guides talk about the different buildings and features along the river which is fun to learn a little more about the city. It's super affordable too. read more

Fantastic tour!! Our tour guide was enthusiastic and made sure our boat stayed close to the bridge so that we were sure to see the initial flight out. He was definitely on-top of the times the bats had been making their initial flights out on previous nights. The bats had been flying out early and he made sure we didn't miss them. Great tour! read more

Such a must do experience with Capital cruises to watch the bats!! Trully was an unforgettable experience!!

Such an awesome experience! Captain Beck was absolutely brilliant - We learned so much about the city of Austin, saw the most incredible sunset and the bats were in full force this evening! Highly recommend this tour and especially Captain Beck! read more

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Started the tour by leaving the dock at 7. We had a wonderful time cruising down Lady Bird Lake looking at the city from the water. Our guide, Ashleigh, was absolutely amazing. She knew how to keep her crowd happy! We didn't see all the bats flu out at once, most likely due to it being end of season, but the tour is still worth it for the views alone!! Capital cruises has it going on!! I would definitely recommend. read more

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It's a very entertaining cruise. Our Captain, Alec, guides you though the lake with interesting information and jokes. But the Bats were great to watch. Highly recommend the the Bat watch. read more

We've lived in Austin almost a year without seeing the bats due to the wet fall and spring, but last Wednesday, we finally made it out to Capital Cruises for the 7:30 bat tour. It was sold out (as it seems to be most nights) and the line was a sight to be seen. When it was our turn, they let us choose our boat, and we nabbed our plastic lawn chairs on a pontoon. They offered water for $2 as we boarded and gave everyone the chance to nab a beverage and use the restroom at the Hyatt if desired. Some folks brought pizza and a small cooler. Our captain - Georgia - was an Austin native and true bat lover made the tour memorable and fun. She was knowledgeable and personable. We were so lucky to see so many bats and pups. It was amazing. My only warning is that you may feel a little bat poop but it felt like rain drops -- just bring some hand sanitizer. read more

Capital Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Beautiful night! Captain Alec was fun and patient with the maternity bats that slowly came out. Our second trip to see the bats with visiting friends from out of state. Unique to Austin. Love it! read more

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Not sure if this is a winter thing, but the two times I've been on a self-captained boat (it's electric) with them in the last couple months it's only been $75/hour. We've always had 6 folks, so it's a super economical outing and it's BYOB and snacks. They have a little thingie for you to plug your phone in for some tunes, too. Very little interaction with staff beyond checking in, getting the quick lay of the land, errr, lake, and when they help you dock at the end, so super COVID safe, in that respect. read more

We went on the nightly bat cruise on Lady Bird Lake. Our Captain, Carson was amazing. He knew everything about the area and was super informative. The bats were less then cooperative, but the sites were beautiful and we had the best time! I highly recommend, and tip them! For the little amount you pay they deserve it! read more

Have rented twice, one boat for 12 and one for 20. The larger comes with captain. Very helpful and friendly staff, definitely recommend

I booked a private electric boat(Duffy) through Capital cruises for a Birthday surprise for my husband. It was quiet easy to call in and make a reservation and the person on the phone was very helpful. They gave me all the basic information and answered all my queries as well. Since It was a surprise, I got there earlier and my boat was ready. They helped me get onto the boat and allowed me to do some decor for b'day that I had brought along. The Girl who assisted me in Filling the paper work and gave all the required information to operate the boat, was super sweet as well. The location is perfect, back side of Hyatt, so either you can use the hotel parking or you can park under the first street bridge. Once my husband arrived he was guided on how to use the boat along with the map of the lake and safety instruction. It was a fun ride and the boat was roomy, comfortable, had a nice long table so we were able to easily enjoy a meal on board. There are speakers in the boat and has AUX so we plugged in our phone and played our favorite music as well. The prices are reasonable as well. Their website offers almost all the information you want and even they offer a lot of add-on's for the boat. Though the quote generator on the website adds taxes over the per hour rate(which they don't charge). It would be good if they could have more flexible timings as the website offered all the time slots, but when I called to book they said they it would be tough to do it post 5:00 pm.(I wanted it from 4:00- 6:00 pm or 3:30 - 5:30 pm so that we could enjoy a bit of dusk as well) Anyways, would like to be back with some group of friends and would like to do it again. And would love to try the Bat cruises as well. read more

Capital Cruises - Hubby enjoying his birthday surprise. - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We we're impressed by the additional river cruise commentary about the area before we went to the bats. The captain made it to the bats at the right time to see them move. I learned a lot about the bats! read more

Fast easy process. Family enjoyed it. beautiful view. It's BYOB, they let you go to the hotel and get something from the bar and take it to the boat. read more

I did one of the bat watching tours with my parents when they were visiting for a long weekend and we had a great time with Capt Raynard (this may or may not be how you spell his name). We left with plenty of sunlight still so he took us down the river and told us about the various downtown buildings. We even caught the sunset. At the end, we made it by the Congress St bridge where we saw the bats fly out. We had the best view of the bats from our boat! The docks are behind the Hyatt Downtown hotel. The hotel has parking, and you just walk around to the back. I have some friends visiting next month and will definitely do the tour with them again! read more

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I read that Austin was known for its abundance of bats and figured it was best to try to catch a bat tour while the weather was nice when I was in town. I somehow got a ticket last minute (basically ordered 2 days in advance). For $12, it's a solid value. The tour itself was about an hour. The boat fit about 20 people and everyone seemed to have a fun time. The tour guide himself (I forget his name, but whoever works on Tuesday) was really awesome. His jokes were hilarious. Made the trip even better. We also saw a ton of bats too, so that made it even better. Do it while you're there! I know people can just wait on the bridge or near the front or back of the bridge to wait for the bats to fly, but I think it's a much better experience on the boat. read more

Michael was a fabulous tour guide And seeing the bats depart in the evening Was an amazing experience well worth it!!! read more