The Bavarian Bell River boat ended up being one of the main highlights of our time in Frankenmuth…read moreand that's saying a lot because we had a really good time here. When we arrived, the woman selling the tickets was genuinely friendly and interested in our dog. I love that this is a dog-friendly activity and that always gets extra bonus points with me. She asked our dog's name and answered all our questions and when we saw her hours later walking around the town she called out to our dog by name and said hello. It was very sweet and just one example of the warm welcoming spirit of this city. The cruise itself was very calm and slow. Just a smooth ride down the Cass River and back. There's lots of time to take in the scenery and you learn a lot. The gentleman narrating our tour was knowledgeable and had a great voice on the microphone. I actually thought it was a recording for the first few minutes, but he introduced himself and explained that his son was the boat captain. He shared the history of Frankenmuth and the surrounding area and when he tells you the popcorn they sell on board is the best you'll ever have, he's not lying. The popcorn was the surprise star of this cruise! For only $2 you get this bag of fresh salty delicious popcorn and they actually encourage you to toss some to the ducks on the river. It was really fun watching them Rush up to the boat and watching the children laughing and enjoying themselves. I love popcorn though so unfortunately the ducks had to share with me because it was definitely the best $2 popcorn I've ever had! This is a must if you're in Frankenmuth and I'm so glad we got to experience it. We had such a nice time that we bought some souvenirs on our way off the boat, including a little Captain's hat for my husband to match the one we had for our pup already. It really was a lovely time.

I love Bavarian Belle Riverboat tours. They are reasonable. Tickets are $18 for adults and the…read moresnacks are reasonable. My husband bought two waters, two popcorns that cost $8.00. We recently did the one hour tour on Memorial Day. The tour was scenic and relaxing and enjoyable.

Wonderful experience around the Tawas Bay getting to appreciate a Tall Ship! Staff was very…read moreknowledgeable and answered all questions, worked really well together and it was a super memorable experience. Kids got to help pull the ropes for one of the sails and learn about how much work it is to live on and manage that sized sail boat! Boat was very well maintained, got to a pretty good speed and even on a rough water day, didn't feel really much boat rocking at all. Very cool experience to check out!

We had a most excellent time. The captain and crew were top notch. My wifes first time sailing and…read moreshe loved it. She said she felt completely safe and enjoyed everything.

We enjoyed our time with Bay City Boats. The only reason my rating is not 5 stars is because the…read moreband was less than impressive, vocally. The food was delicious and plentiful. The staff was courteous and dutiful. The scenery was lovely. It was a fun and relaxing cruise. The rest of the group seemed to enjoy the band. Many were dancing. There was plenty of seating and space on the upper deck to view the river and bay. Our weather was perfect. A great time, we recommend.

Booked a last minute ticket to the fireworks extravaganza cruise!! Such a good time. Live music,…read morelots of good company and a meal was provided! After we docked we were able to stay on the boat to watch fireworks!! Such a fun time!

My family recently took a tour with Will exploring the Saginaw River system and the "Everglades of…read moreMichigan". Had a really interesting trip. We were out for a little over 3 hours and enjoyed every minute. 6 adults, a teenager, and 2 young people all n our group. Lots of room, very safe, and an enjoyable afternoon had by all. I would highly recommend this outfitter to anyone who enjoys/appreciates nature and appreciates lots of interesting info as well as anecdotes.

AMAZING tour! Don't waste your time with cheap imitations! Johnny Panther Quests is the real…read moredeal. Will has stories and the history of the area that will keep you entertained the whole day. The serenity of the scenery and the amazing wildlife is second to none. We seen more then 10 eagles, more great egrets than we could keep count. Turtles, fish and the list goes on. The time flew by.... i will definitely do this again.

Took the Genesee Bell cruise during a work in-service meeting that we had. Pretty nice ride,…read morebeautiful view. In all, it was a very peaceful boat ride along Mott Lake. It doesn't take too long to motor around the lake, but there are always groups of fisherman standing off to the side and boaters trying to reel in the catch of the day to see. The view is great for this short excursion cruise. There is the Genesee Veterans Memorial Park off to one side and the Village of Genesee in the background. The cruise lasts not quite an hour. The Genesee Bell is built to resemble an old-fashioned gambling river boat. It was no great shakes, but it was a relaxing way to wind down our in-service pow wow. Cheap fun for all ages. It makes for an ideal family-oriented activity.

Nice ride with the chamber. However we were sitting on top and the sound system didn't work.read more

Fantastic ~2 hour cruise along St. Claire river and onto Lake Huron! We experienced a competent…read more crew, interesting information along the way, plenty of sitting space, clean bathrooms, room to walk around for views and photos, and available snacks and drinks. Pictures are taken at the beginning. I was a tad annoyed that they didn't seem to be optional and I wasn't interested. However, after seeing the photos, the reasonable $10 charge wasn't bad.

This was different! A cruise into Port Huron to watch the beginning of the Mackinac race. It was a…read morecloudy day and still exciting to follow the sailboats to the starting point. They played the starts on the radio (at times it was difficult to hear due to poor reception). So fun to watch and at one point we were so close the coast guard came by and told us to "MOVE BACk!" Great time easy to see and still protected from the rain .

What a cool way to see the houses along Grand River! I would highly recommend this cruise - we went…read moreon their Spring themed one and had such a nice time. Lunch was chicken salad on croissant, potato chips, coleslaw and a beautiful fruit salad. Cash bar. I think $42 per ticket is a very fair price for this cool outing - I'd love to go on one in the Fall to see the colors along the river. A family-owned business, the Captain did a very nice intro and the weather was perfect.

Great food. My friend and I did the lunch cruise and it's $43/person. They served a Thanksgiving…read morestyle buffet with vegetarian lasagna, stuffing, rolls, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad...And it's all made from scratch. There was a jazz band that took requests and a cash bar for pretty cheap. My Bloody Mary was $4.50 with well. After lunch we could explore the whole boat, and it's absolutely fabulous. The captain, Chris, is really nice and told us the story of the boat and how they purchased the Detroit one too. I won't ruin the story in case you go, it was really interesting! The manager and chef, Gary, is really nice too. I can't remember the front of the house manager's name, but she was also friendly and I enjoyed talking to her as well. I think it was well worth going!

My husband and I have been coming to the Tawas area every year for almost two decades. We had heard…read moreabout the Charity Island tour, and finally decided this is the year to do it! We're so glad we did. The experience involves a 60 minute boat trip to Charity Island, a brief trip through the woods, a lecture about the history of the island and its lighthouse, and dinner. The boat departs around 4 pm, and is timed to allow people to see the sunset on the way back to Brown's Landing (a few miles south of Tawas City). The boat is a converted fishing vessel that seats up to 35 people in folding chairs; there were about 25 of us on this trip. Our boat had a canopy (much appreciated, since it was threatening to rain). Once we got to the island, we were met by another boat that departed from another area. I noticed that boat didn't have a canopy, and felt a bit sorry for those folks. The ride over was exciting. I've spent very little time on boats, having spent much of my life in a landlocked city. The waves were up a bit, and the ride was, shall we say, bouncy. Grab ropes strung from the ceiling of the canopy allowed us to move around the boat. We were warmly welcomed by the captain and crew. Once the journey began, they provided soft drinks and cheese and crackers. We disembarked at the island, where we were offered the opportunity to walk the 1/4 mile through the woods to the lighthouse, or to ride in an open trailer. With the threatening rain, most of us opted for the ride. A word of advice: wear comfy shoes and bring bug spray. The mosquitoes on the island are relentless, and the terrain did not lend itself to one lady's cute (but utterly impractical) footwear. Also, bring a jacket. Even on warm days, the wind and the spray on the boat can make you shiver. One lady had a waterproof poncho--smart move. We got off the trailer and made our way to a lovely pavilion that was set up for dinner. The staff had place cards set up with our names on them. We sat with two delightful ladies, and very much enjoyed our time with them. Soft drinks and wine were offered as Mr. Wiltse, owner of part of the island, greeted us and gave a terrific presentation on the history of the island and the lighthouse keepers. His passion for the subject made him a sparkling speaker. I won't share his stories here, as I don't want to provide spoilers. Suffice it to say that this man has done a ton of research and has met some pretty interesting people along the way. Dinner was served, and the food was great. My husband and I both chose the steak, and our dinner companions chose the fish. Dinner came with hot, crusty bread, a perfectly cooked selection of vegetables, and red potatoes. The steak was tender and flavorful. The other ladies at our table sang the praises of the fish.The meal was served informally on disposable plates and with plastic wear. While initially I was put off by this, it later occurred to me that there were very few staff doing the work, and that dishwashing was probably not practical on an island that is completely off the grid. After dinner we toured the house and lighthouse. The house is currently occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Wiltse during the summers only. Accessing the island in the winter is very difficult. The tour started in the basement, where whale oil for the lighthouse light used to be stored. It continued through the main living area, and on to the upstairs bedrooms. The house is run off of energy generated from two large solar panels and a wind turbine. Batteries that store the energy are located in the basement. We were also able to go inside the actual lighthouse. It's clear that it needs a lot of work, but the original iron spiral stair way is still there and is sturdy as ever. Looking straight up from the bottom of the staircase induces a bit of vertigo, but is well worth it. After the tour of the house, some of us went to the tiny gift shop. It featured a selection of shirts and other Charity Island items. Of most interest was containers of honey (made from the bee hives that are on the island) and maple syrup made from the numerous maple trees that populate the island. Mr. Wiltse spent several days in February tapping the trees. Be sure to bring cash, though--they don't currently have the technology for credit cards. The rain returned in full force, delaying our return for about 20 minutes. We sat on the spacious front porch and watched the storm. It soon passed and we piled in the trailer for the return trip. The staff provided umbrellas for us. The trip back to Brown's Landing was rougher than our first. The lake was stirred up from the storms. The staff served cheesecake and soft drinks for dessert. Nearing our destination, we were greeted with a glorious sunset and a rainbow--a perfect ending to a fun and informative trip. Bottom line--if you have a chance to do this, do it. Experiences like this are way better than any souvenir.

From the owner: Our Signature "1857 Island Lighthouse Dining Adventure Cruise" to Charity Island beginning Saturday…read moreMay 28th will run every Weekend through the second Saturday in October. For the General Public we run every Friday, Saturday, & Sundays and typically have tour groups on weekdays with a General Public seats also available on those dates. Call for weekday availability.