1. Desert Belle Cruises

    1. Desert Belle Cruises

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    Mesa, AZ

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    Desert Belle Cruises

    4.7 (458 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 5:30 pm

    Services - Desert Belle Cruises

    Boat charters

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    Desert Belle Cruises Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Desert Belle Cruises

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    Nannaphat K.

    Wowww what a beautiful place! I was looking for the lake that I could take my kids have some fun in nature and short drive and I found this on google map. It took me 45 mins from Chandler and it was a beautiful drive along the road. The cruise is comfortable, clean, the have bathroom and some snacks and drink for you to purchase. Captain Jack and his crews are super friendly and great service, bring some cash for a tips if you wish to do so. I would recommend you book the ticket online which allow you not too rush to go there, bring some lunch, cooler and drink with you because there so may spot you can stop by and enjoy the view. The boat ride around 80 mins round trip, enjoy the beautiful view and learning history and nature at the same time.

    Matthew M.

    Stunning gorgeous cruise on the river! The music was great and the service and atmosphere were divine! Definitely would recommend 10/10! Adequate shade on a hot Arizona summer day (just had to alternate what side of the boat you are on). The drinks were well priced and the lower level had good air conditioning.

    Saguaro Lake
    Moncerrath N.

    You are able to book your tickets online in advance. It is $30 per adult plus tax. The booking process is easy and you can select the type of cruise you want to join. We booked the 90-minute cruise with live music on the double-decker Desert Belle boat at 4pm on a Saturday. The boat is smaller compared to the Lake Pleasant Cruises. Highly-Highly recommend you leave as early as possible. There was an accident on the road that caused us to reroute and added 35 minutes to our drive. The boat will leave without you! Get there early and explore the Saguaro Lake Grill (restaurant) or the gift shop next boat over. Once we arrived they offer free parking and the check in was easy. You board the boat and as you enter the boat's first deck, it is air-conditioned, offer tables and chairs and you are able to purchase snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). You can sit and enjoy the view from the inside or go to the second deck. The second deck offers only chair seating and the live music entertainment. The live musician was Eric Miller and they were amazing. Played a variety of acoustic songs from Coldplay, Chris Stapleton, John Mayer and more as we cruised down the lake. We were entertained all around, seeing people jet skiing, ride their boats, cliff jumping, seeing the amazing Arizona canyon walls, and the possibilities of seeing wildlife. They offer restrooms on the first deck. The staff were friendly, helpful and very attentive. You can order from the first deck or the staff will take your order and bring it to you. We would recommend checking them out.

    Did the Wednesday Wine and Music cruise. Fun ride and aw a bald eagle and some big horn sheep.

    We saw lots of cactuses
    Jennifer G.

    I've lived here almost my whole life and always wanted to do the Desert Belle Cruise, so on the 4th of July I finally did it! The boat ride is about 80 minutes total, and it's beautiful, relaxing and fun. It wasn't too hot on the covered top deck, and I just sat and watched the scenery while the guide told us about all about the area--history, animals, plants and more. Since there were a lot of people on the water that day, we saw jet-skiers, cliff-divers and fishermen. There is a snack bar on the lower deck that sells beer, wine, nonalcoholic drinks and a few food items. I didn't buy anything, but based on what I saw, the line was either long or slow or both. If you want to purchase something, I'd try to be near the front of the line when service begins. I had such a good time on the cruise and would return, especially for one of their sunset dinner cruises.

    Gina M.

    The day was cooler than usual, but thanks to Captain Justin, our trip was an absolute delight. He made the experience fun, engaging, and memorable, sharing his extensive knowledge and enthusiasm with us every step of the way. His warm & humorous personality made everyone so comfortable, and the stunning views only added to the magic. It was the perfect, relaxing cruise for our family visit, and we felt so lucky to have had him as our guide. We highly recommend this tour to anyone. I didn't capture the beauty as much as I'd have liked since we didn't have any sunshine, but the views in person are spectacular.

    Verdant Hillside, Saguaro Lake
    Tom S.

    Good: the scenery was spectacular. I had no idea this area had mountainous / rocky landscape that rivals the geography of southern Utah / Page, AZ areas. The plentiful AZ desert flora are icing on this cake. Such a great surprise. The boat captain and crew were friendly and pleasant. The captain's narrative of the cruise was informative and fun. Saw lots of wildlife -- waterfowl (various species of ducks, coots, grebes, comorrants, a great blue heron), a few raptors, and a half dozen desert bighorn sheep. The captain even backed the boat up to allow us a better look at the bighorns. That was cool. Easy booking online. Good value for the money. Needs Improvement: ideally they might do something to discourage the grackles that hound the boat 100% of the time, cruising and at the dock. Not fond of being on alert to not get bombarded by a bird flying through the upper deck compartment. Bottom Line: try this cruise if you're entertained by viewing beautiful scenery.

    Water and The Desert Belle.

    The whole cruise was very nice. Very informative. Captain Dan and crew were super nice and all had a sense of humor which made the hour and 20 minutes very

    Aubrie H.

    What a beautiful way to see this area. There are indoor and outdoor seats. As you sail along you hear lots of facts about the area, wildlife and plants. There are snacks and drinks for purchase and overall it is a nice relaxing way to spend some time. Really enjoyed ourselves on this tour.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    We do this cruise every time we come to Mesa, it is super relaxing, informative and affordable.

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    3 years ago

    We did the wine and music cruise. Everyone from age 3-78 thoroughly enjoyed it! Would definitely do this again

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Really nice cruise, beautiful scenery. The staff and captain are really friendly and entertaining. We really enjoyed the live music!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great boat ride ! Great for out of towers! 3rd time& will definitely use again !! Narrator was knowledgeable and funny...

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Fabulous! Captain Kenny was entertaining and very knowledgeable on history, fauna, animals and more . Delightful tour.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    It was a good time on the lake! Great crew & Captain , with interesting facts and fun !

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Fun personable captain Ken. Great music. Delightful scenery.

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    Page 4 of 12

    Ask the Community - Desert Belle Cruises

    Is there available parking for the cruise?

    Yes, the parking lot is close to where you buy tickets, but go early because it can fill up fast.

    Is there an age limit for the music tours? I'm trying to book and it allows me to buy children's tickets but a note pops up that you have to be 13

    Their website says tickets for children up to 12 are $17 and adults 13+ are $26. The music is wholesome classic pop, and we saw a few preteens on the upper deck during our cruise.

    Is there a restaurant near?

    Yes. It is adjacent to the boat. I believe it is called Shiprock. Have never eaten there. Doesn't appear to be fancy and I have heard mixed reviews on food quality.

    Are they still requiring masks for the cruise?

    Masks are not required while seated on the outdoor upper deck but, yes while walking around and when on the lower deck indoors.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Desert Belle Cruises

    Despite being a local and enjoying Saguaro lake during my entire childhood, I now look at the lake in a whole new way.

    Mentioned in 48 reviews

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    BG Wild - Havasu Falls

    BG Wild

    (6 reviews)

    This review is about HAVASUPAI BG WILD and not the majestical Havasupai Falls…read more This was by far the worse backpacking adventure I've ever been on. Save your money, research and anyone can do this on their own. I had to request an itinerary months after i paid in full. I had a few follow up questions because the itinerary that was emailed had conflicting instructions from the instructions posted on their website. It took an unreasonable amount of time for someone to respond to my email and I was told that the person designated was having family issues. The first day of arrival our guide text us around 7am to let us know that he wouldn't be starting with us, that he would catch up or fly in. I didn't understand why he sent out a text since we were not suppose to meet him until 10am. We were supposed to meet our guide at the tourist office for a meet and greet but also (more importantly) to give us our permits, but he never showed up. Some of us were stopped by a ranger on a horse because we didn't have the wristband permits that were supposed to be given to us by the guide. The ranger was nice but he still asked for my name and permit. I told him that I was with bgwild and our guide hadn't shown up and he said it was unacceptable that Cole hadn't given us our permits. Fast forward. It's now 11am and I'm at the campsite and I still have not met the guide. Another ranger named Erwin came over to the table where I was sitting and asked for my permit. I started asking around and no one had met our guide. This is a very long story so let me get to the point. This was a 2day/1 night traditional trip so in my opinion there was no room for error. We didn't meet our guide until 5:30pm. I prepaid to have my pack transported by helicopter sling and i didn't get it until 6:15. Which meant I had no food from 12-6:15p when my pack arrived, no swimsuit, no shoes or a change of clothes to continue the hike to Mooney and beaver falls. I would've carried my swimsuit and food had I been informed. I was under the impression that my pack would meet me there. There were no details given about what to expect in the itinerary or on their website. Even if I believe that Cole waited 5 hours for a helicopter and that the Natives were to blame for his tardiness, that means he didn't get to the trailhead until noon. He was supposed to greet us at the tourist office at 10am so he still was 2 hours late getting to the trailhead by his own admission. He arrived at the campsite around 5:30. When Cole finally arrived he didn't even apologize. A simple "I'm sorry for the delay" would've made the experience a little better but he immediately went into to defense mode. I'm sure we looked pissed when he walked up because he immediately started blaming the natives. This wasn't cool at all. Accept responsibility for your actions and stop blaming ppl for your tardiness. To date no one has apologized. I'm a member of a travel group on social media with over 376k members AND WILL SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH ANYONE THAT WILL LISTEN. I WILL NEVER USE THIS COMPANY AGAIN!!!!

    We had the best time with BG Wild!!! Food was great, the adventures were amazing and we did things…read morethat we wouldn't have had the opportunity to do if hadn't have been for Josh and Daniel. They showed us such a great time. They truly are FUN guides!!! ;) The campsite is in a great location. Close to bathrooms and the spring. I would absolutely recommend BG Wild. Well worth the money.

    Apache Trail Tours - Teddy Roosevelt was our guide!!! BULLY PULPIT!!!

    Apache Trail Tours

    (56 reviews)

    On-time with comfortable Jeep. Tour guide friendly and knowledgeable. He was good with my 5 year…read moreold grand nephew. Fast Eddie did a terrific job.

    We traveled to Apache Junction for the first time on 04-15-25 to check it out. It's a cool little…read moreplace. While we were there, we spotted a trail ride booth for Apache Trail Tours. The prices were great, but you just never know what kind of quality you'll get, even with expensive rides. We had our 6 year old with us, so we were praying that he wouldn't get bored haha! It was extremely hot outside too. We chose the 1 hour ride (just to play it safe), and we were blessed with an old cowboy named "Fast Eddie" as our driver and guide. Without exaggeration, we fell in love with Eddie in about one minute. The trail was awesome, but Eddie was better. The man was absolutely packed full of information and knowledge. We're from Northwest Pennsylvania and had a million questions. Eddie answered ALL of our questions, and incorporated them into his standard presentation. He was especially good with our 6yr. old, and kept everything extremely interesting. Eddie explained wildlife, rocks, views of the mountains, weather, etc, etc, etc..... WE COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF HIM!!!!!!!! Eddie stopped at several predetermined locations for beautiful views and photo opportunities, but he would also stop anytime we asked him to. We could see that he was one with nature, and that he absolutely loved all the plants and wildlife around him. It was so awesome!!!!!!! I don't know much about the company, we enjoyed our tour and our tour guide more than I can really express on here. Eddie was a great representative of the state of Arizona, as well as Apache Trail Tours. The man was like a historian, college professor, kindergarten teacher, comedian, rancher, cowboy, bullrider, park ranger and old friend all at once. Truly remarkable!

    Dolly Steamboat - Captain Jeff was SO helpful! He even let a smaller passenger be part of the steering process! Great fun Jeff!!

    Dolly Steamboat

    (964 reviews)

    My friend and I had such a great time on the Dolly Steamboat! Even though it's hot in the desert,…read morethere was a nice breeze out on the lake that made the ride incredibly comfortable while we were outside. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous, and the whole experience felt so peaceful. The crew was friendly, welcoming, and made the experience even more enjoyable. I loved it so much that I'm already planning to bring my mom and aunts when they visit in September. If you have binoculars, definitely bring them! You'll be able to spot the bighorn sheep along the cliffs better! After the cruise, I'd recommend grabbing lunch at the Tortilla Flat Saloon and taking a drive along the Apache Trail. Just know that part of the trail is unpaved with switchbacks and steep grades, so take your time and make sure you're comfortable driving those kinds of roads. It's a really unique experience with incredible views, and you'll eventually end up at the Roosevelt Dam. It was the perfect Arizona day and a wonderful way to experience the beauty, and history, of the desert.

    A friend and I went on the Dinner Astronomy Cruise. There were only 40 of the 160 people boat…read moreholds, which means lots of room and more if a personal experience. We left promptly at 6:30 PM four our narrated tour and dinner. The weather and temps could not have been better. We toured the lake, saw fossils on the Canyon Walls I didn't know existed, saw Big horn sheep and beautiful scenery. The food was really good with smoke portions, Dr. Sky finished the evening with a discussion on the Blue Moon, Venus, Jupiter and the elusive Space Station. A very enjoyable trip snd memories. I highly recommend this for a family, romantic evening or just an evening out.

    Goldfield Ghost Town - Mammoth bar

    Goldfield Ghost Town

    (537 reviews)

    Free parking, free admission. The ghost town was located half an hour from Mesa…read more Came on a weekday morning. There was a good amount of people roaming around. The town was located really close to the Lost Dutchman State Park. All of the shops had air conditioning which was nice. The cowboy hat shop was really cool. Saw some of the hats were $79. They have a saloon called the Mammoth worth checking out. They had a lot of cute attractions, such as gold panning, mine tour, zip lining, and railroad riding. Bought a pound of copper from the museum for $50. Apparently everything in the museum was tax free. Admission to the cost $10 for 13 and up, $8 for 65 and up, $5 for 8 to 12, and free for those under 8. Really fun town to spend an hour or two. Lots of things to do for all ages. All the staff were friendly. Town was clean. Would return.

    What a great stop! I was on my way to tortilla flats and turned around to stop and explore this…read morelittle gem off the side of the road. They have everything from ice cream to sandwiches to a steak restaurant saloon to tattoos, ghost, mine and horseback riding tours. I was most excited to see an old town photo studio. What a fun experience! Definitely worth stopping! I had lunch at miners grill (blt) before exploring! The train tour was so cool! Tour guide Bruce was great and very funny! The mystical building was unreal. Be warned if you very motion sickness I got queasy! Matt at the mine tour was also great! Loved this so much I came back to hear the ghost tour by Michael! So good! I got lucky as I was the only one on the tour so I basically got it private tour and Michael's storytelling is off the chain! Love the multimedia to accent his stories. I'm actually going back next week and can't wait to take my mom. The ghosts tour was definitely the highlight of an already wonderful day!

    JoyridesAZ - Robby and Rosie enjoying the Ice Cream/Gelato Tour

    JoyridesAZ

    (48 reviews)

    We were in the Scottsdale area on vacation and came across their website. We texted them and…read morereceived a call back from Monica within 15 minutes. We booked an Ice cream and Gelato tour around Old Town and the Waterfront and were picked up within 15 minutes by "Captain Kirk". He is a very warm and personable guide. He was well versed in the area including buildings/archetecture, public art, history of the area, restaurants and entertainment venues. We had three stops on the tour for 1) Ice cream, 2) gelato and 3) sorbet. All were excellent. We certainly had our fill of sweet treats, all included in the price of the tour. We would certainly recommend this company for one of their many various tours, based on this experience. It was a weekday in January so just be aware that you may need to make more advanced reservations than we did. Thank you Monica and Kirk.

    This is a unique and fun way to see sights and get some fresh air! Captain Kirk was ready to go…read morefrom the moment we pulled up; we scheduled a private tour for my husband's birthday and the golf cart was decked out! We bopped around Old Town Scottsdale, being given historical information about the town/city and various landmarks. It was extremely interesting and a nice mellow way to start the tour. We then went up towards the Phoenician resort and toured the ritzy neighborhoods to see the beautiful homes - that is definitely an spect of the tour I don't think we'd get anywhere else! There were options to stop for photos, beverages etc. I would note to be prepared for the breeze as you ride on the golf cart and be aware you'll likely be on a couple busy roads with actual cars so ensure your belongings are secure. It was an absolutely fantastic time and I can confidently say I'd love to do another tour with any out-of-town guests who visit me!

    Desert Belle Cruises - tours - Updated July 2026

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