We rented the boat for our reverse Rehearsal Dinner. We got married on Friday and we took all of our guests out on the boat Saturday night. The price is very reasonable (about $19 per person plus taxes) and then you get to bring your own alcohol and food. We catered Cabo Bob's Mexican food and they came and set it up on the boat for us. The boat offers a non alcoholic package at $5 per person and we just brought the alcoholic options. The bartender was very friendly and approachable and DJ, our boat captain was so wonderful to work with. He walked me through how the night would go and then walked me through the invoice at the end. He is very kind! Joye was our sales contact and she was very accommodating and helpful through the whole process, answering all of my questions on linens, food, timing, etc. We went from 6-8pm and saw the bats. Some of my favorite pictures from our wedding weekend was the city skyline on the boat. I highly recommend it for everyone's wedding weekend! read more

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Our captain "Hans Solo" was fun and knowledgeable about the city and the bats. We got front row seats to watch the bats as they came out from underneath the bridge. read more

Thanks Bella for a great tour on the little star! We had the best view of the sunset, the bats and the gorgeous city sky line. Thank you for a great evening. Don't forget to pack your cans of beer or white claw if you're into that. Lol read more

Really nice boat tour. Saw lots of bats. Tour guide was nice and informative. Highly recommend to both tourists and locals!

My parents were in town so I took them on the sunset bat cruise and it was awesome! The river is beautiful to be out on and the city is so lovely in the evening. The captain did a great job of telling us about both the city and the bats -- I learned a ton! As someone who just moved here, this was a great way to get more familiar with wonderful Austin. Even though it was early in the season, we saw a ton of bats, which was so cool. I learned a lot about how they first ended up coming here, what their lifecycle is like, how they survive, etc. The boat itself is simple, but it was fun to sit on the top deck. It's BYOB, so we brought a nice dinner picnic and it was great to enjoy it on the water. Super reasonably priced and an excellent activity for visitors! read more

I have looked at the bats on the South Congress bridge a number of times- some from above and a few times on boats. Lone Star River Boat is the best company out there! The crew are great and easy conversationalist. I forget his name but go with the guy with the light beard (and his fiance is generally there too). Wonderful time with friends and got some great pictures of the sunset and bats. Lone Star River Boat is not just for tourists from outside Austin! read more

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Fun, Fun, Fun! It's cheap and entertaining! Captain Shelby was a funny guide with lots of info about the and the surrounding area. Also this was a byob boat ride and it's a perfect to have a drink and enjoy the river. Would do again highly recommend read more

We had a great time on our cruise. We sat Out of the hot sun & enjoyed the beverages we brought on board. The guide was knowledgeable & the hour was just the right amount of time... little kids were on board with their parents. read more

Very well organized tour. We got there early and picked our boat. We chose smaller boat. But any would have been fine. Our captain was pleasant and made some good jokes, which was needed because the bats never left their nests under the bridge. It might have been weather related. Unusual bad luck, but no fault of the boat tour company read more

Knowledgeable captains provided great information about the Austin skyline and the bats. It was the highlight of our trip!

Such a great experience! Be sure to grab some drinks and a snack before getting on board. The Hyatt is a great place to park, use the potty, and grab some snacks. Fantastic family experience. read more

Lone Star Riverboat - View of the bridge from the boat - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We thoroughly enjoyed Lone Star Riverboat's "Bat Cruise". Employees were very friendly and welcoming. The cruise itself was very informative with lots of Austin history and information on the bats and also the Egrets that roost on the river. Highly recommended! read more

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Everything about the Lone Star Riverboat tours were wonderful! Great tour, great boat, great captains. My friend and I did the daytime tour and bat tour. These guys are doing everything they can to ensure you have the best time. Do not hesitate, book with Lone Star Riverboat! read more

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I thought it would be neat to bring some friends from out of town to see the bats, and I completely underestimated how much of a great time we would end up having. Captain Chris was an absolute pleasure to spend an hour on Ladybird Lake with. If he could take his tour on tour, he'd be a professional comedian. Cheap tickets, fun time, beautiful sunset, and boat loads of bats! read more

Lone Star Riverboat - Sunset at Bat Bridge - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was part of a kayak tour on the river where we left around 7pm and kayaked to the South Congress bridge and were waiting for the bats. Around 8pm or so boats starting to come out but were respectful and stayed on the right side as the left side was mainly kayakers. All boats expect one. The Lone Star. This boat captain around 8:30-9pm decided that he wanted to be where the kayakers were even though we have been out here for 1.5 hour in one spot. At first I thought he just needed to pass or get through then I realized he just wanted to move in where they were. He would just come up behind people on kayaks, almost hitting them causing them to have to quickly move out of the way. Imagine ALL the boats on the right side expect this boat. THEN he decides to come down on the dock and yell at me and my brother as we simply said that we have been out here for hours and deserved to stay in the spot we reserved and he said "fine, don't move, see what happens" as in he would run us over in a boat... I decided to take pictures/videos as it was so crazy! Imagine an 18-wheeler running over a motorcycle at a drive-in movie theater or a parking spot because he wanted that spot.... Ruined our experience on the river. edit: the boat was not trying to go under the bridge it was trying to move into our spot that we had been for over an hour read more

My friend had her birthday party on the Lonestar River Boat last Saturday from 10 pm to 1 am! We pre-purchased our tickets on-line and I think their boat max is 150 people. It was a glow party which was cool at night against the city skyline! The boat docks right behind the Hyatt and during construction downtown it seemed the easiest to access it through the Hyatt parking lot. We boarded and dropped off our beer to the bartender on the downstairs level of the boat. Yes, it was BYOB which is fantastic! They provide all the mixers, cups, fruit, bartenders, etc. The upstairs of the boat is a rooftop deck with tables and chairs that offers optimal downtown skyline viewing. I recommend wearing flats or sandals because the steps going up and down are very steep! When we pulled out we headed slowly west on Town Lake. There were kayakers in the water and a few other boats here and there but, you pretty much have the lake to yourself! It was really a great way to see the city and Lake at night and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to have a different type of party or event. They have 2 bathrooms located on the main floor of the boat and there is only one toilet in each so, we had some lines at some points. The bottom level was really hot and didn't have air conditioning but, they did open the windows and you got a little breeze as the boat was moving. The bartender was friendly and the staff pretty much kept to themselves and let you enjoy yourself. I also noticed on-line that they do bat watching trips most nights and that they offer other various tours but, I would recommend pre-purchasing tickets since I could see it filling up fast during peak months. I would also recommend putting on and taking some bug spray with you because the mosquitos were fierce! read more

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I will never ride on this line again. Mike was the rudest man I have ever met. We reserved online and we arrived at 7:47 and he was selling off our seats. I will be filing a complaint with the BBB as well. Nike needs some customer service classes adapt before you lose even more customers. read more

Lone Star Riverboat - This guy has ZERO CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS. He should never work with the general public what so ever. - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

Not worth the money at all. Was very boring, very slow moving boat, very old outdated decor inside, water in the bathroom doesn't work. Driver gave a bunch of useless facts about downtown buildings that no one cared about.. no food offered... I recommend taking the duck boat tour instead. Much more lively read more

Beautiful sunset tour on Lady Bird Lake and after the sun set we got to see a lot of bats underneath the bridges. History & scenery is amazing !!! read more

Been on this tour 6 times, always have recommended it but never again on principle. We were 2 minutes late (7:47pm instead of 7:45, tour at 8pm) due to parking with elderly relatives and a pregnant wife. They sold off our 7 spots after we waited in line behind people. Not even an exchange on our $100 for a later date. read more

Great time very knowledgeable captain telling us about the history of Austin and the bats

Going into this I couldn't imagine what it would be like. Boats are rudimentary, the guide was knowledgeable and personable and funny. The tour was lovely, we learn about the Austin downtown and riverscape. We then positioned ourselves to watch the bats. I've never seen anything like it. 750,000 bats emerging more or less at once and following a flight path so crowded their look like a black ribbon in the sky. Incredible! read more

I just move to Austin, and our captain was obviously wonderful. the whole boat ride was funny and exciting. Even tho the bats came out late we barely saw them but it was still lots of fun, best thing was BYOB! read more

It was a very relaxing and informative cruise. We went at 3 and the sun was very bright so take a hat! There wasn't an excessive amount of talking by the host which allowed my husband and I to enjoy each other's company for awhile. We also learned about some places we will explore next time we are in Austin. read more

Lone Star Riverboat - View from launch - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

SO MUCH FUN! This riverboat cruise was filled with a bunch of information and history about Austin and our tour guide, Melissa, did an amazing job keeping us informed with the history of the buildings, cool facts, and kept us laughing the whole time. We were parked in the PERFECT location to watch the bats! It was all in all a very great experience! read more

Captain Fred went beyond and above standards! He has jokes, great Austin information while enjoying the cruise. The am set was beautiful and the bats sure knew to put on a show for isB thank you so much Captain Fred!! 10/10 recommendation!! read more

Knowledgeable crew and entertaining as well! Highly recommend for people visiting Austin for the first time

Bought a ticket on a whim a few hours before.. and for the price could not ask for more! Definitely recommend bringing a nice beverage to drink on the ride. Extremely beautiful at sunset and great way to see the city from a different perspective read more

We had a blast on the sunset bat tour. The bats had just returned to the bridge so the exit wasn't quite as impressive as I'd hoped but the boat ride itself was plenty. The bats we did get to see were just icing on the cake. It's fun to see downtown Austin from the water and at just $10 per person for the hour ride, narrated by your captain, it's the best deal deal in town! read more

Lone Star Riverboat - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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It was under $30 for 2 of us on the moonlight cruise. There were only 3 other couples on the boat. The city looks amazing at night, it's even better from the water. The crew of the ship were great guys. Will go again. read more

I enjoyed the riverboat tour that teaches you about Austin and the bats under Congress bridge. The price is affordable, but I thought we got scammed since the photos picture a much nicer boat. We were placed on the equivalent of a open air dingy that didn't have bathrooms etc. When I asked, they said the other boat was rented out for a special private party. We were taken up and down the lake and headed under the bridge for dusk. When the bats took off, we were pooped on... which felt like rain drizzle. Again, not something that would have happened on the boat pictured online!!! read more

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I booked LSR for a rehearsal dinner and it was honestly the best decision I ever made. My wife and I were blown away by how perfectly it went, and our guests were in awe of the entire experience. We had about 45 people on our cruise (most from out of town) and we were so happy to see how much they enjoyed seeing what Austin, Texas is all about. We had food catered in, brought our own adult beverages, and they let us do our thing. Captain AJ and Aaron were fantastic the whole time, and the views of downtown Austin at night were breathtaking. Towards the end of the night, they took us over to see the bats fly out! Thank you all for making it a wonderful time! Definitely recommended for any large parties or a rehearsal dinner! read more

Okay, we didn't ride on the big pretty riverboat. We took one of the two smaller boats for a sunset tour and bat-watching excursion. It was our first time to see the bats and I just thought it would be more fun from the river. I was so right! Our cruise was awesome. The guide told us all about the history of Lady Bird Lake, something I had never heard, even though I have gone to Austin several times a year for what seems like forever. He also told us everything you could want to know about the buildings downtown, except how to pay for one of those $6,000,000 condos way up there. (Anyone who knows, give me call!!!!!) When the bats started coming out of the bridge, backlit by a gorgeous Austin sunset, I knew we were in the best seats. We even got to go under the bridge, risking guano droppings, to see the bats free fall before catching the wind and flying off with the others. I highly recommend Lonestar for your bat-watching. You will not be sorry. Well, if you try to get on board without a reservation, you might be sorry. They are usually fully booked. And, don't be late. They really do give away reserved seats if you are! read more

My husband and I decided to go see the bats on a boat, it was such a neat experience. I recommend anyone who is a lover of animals, nature, or the city to go take this tour at least once! We left the dock about an hour before the bats flew and we went down the lake a little ways and our Captain, Alyssa, shared many facts about the city. We went to the bridge where the bats lived and she was very knowledgeable about the bats and answered many questions. The experience was nothing like I've ever done before. The only negative is that in our tour, there were some little children that made it very hard to hear some of the things she was saying. I know kids will be kids, but I would have liked a louder microphone! Parking was a little tricky to get to, other than that, the experience was great! read more

Lone Star Riverboat - The dark groups in the distance are the bats once they've woken up and left the bridge for the evening to go find food! - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Was advertised the large double decker boat and got a pontoon ride under the bridge. Our tour guide almost ran over some kayaks to get close to the bridge and we literally could not hear what he was saying On the before "tour" because the microphone wasn't loud enough. We asked several times for him to turn it up. It just didn't turn up anymore. Honestly the best part was the sunset over the cityscape. read more

Lone Star Riverboat - Bats they shine the red light to see them better. - Boat Charters Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We bought a groupon, so our afternoon tour was pretty cheap. Actually ridiculously cheap. If we paid full price, I would be rating this lower. The kids had fun. You can sit downstairs on the inside or upstairs on the outdoor deck. There is also limited outdoor space outside at the front of the boat, downstairs. The biggest issues were cleanliness related. The inside smelled slightly like a urinal cake/dirty bathroom smell. There are no urinals, but that is the smell. As you made your way back further, the odor thickened. Inside the restroom, it was downright unbearable. The table tops had a slight film of filth as well. It just felt a bit grimy. The announcer was nice, but super cheesy. Would I do it again? Maybe. On a nice day. I would be sure to sit outside and make sure to use the restroom elsewhere, prior to boarding. read more

Our Captain was super sweet, funny and knowledgeable. Even though the bats didn't cooperate and very few flew out, the tour was still very enjoyable! read more

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We had such a great experience. The tour was informative and our captain was hilarious. 10/10 recommend!

We went on the bat tour and it was amazing! Way more than we bargained for for $12...They gave us a short but interesting tour on the river of the beautiful nighttime city skyline while we waited for the bats to come out. Captain DJ did a great job! Loved it read more

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The Lone Star Riverboat provides a pretty nice tour of Austin on the water, introducing the various skyscrapers in the downtown area, showing the array of outdoors bars and restaurants that people frequent on the hot summer days, as well as parks and statues dating back to historic figures. Compared to other boat tours, this didn't seem as informational and was a bit disorganized, but it was still pleasant. Unfortunately the weather was so hot that we couldn't tolerate sitting up at the top, and perhaps we would have changed our minds if there were misters to keep us cool. The downstairs covered portion was okay; a bit dingy and outdated with a cash only bar serving simple drinks. The room was pretty small and intimate with only a few tables of people able to fit inside. The views were mediocre thanks to the semi-clean windows. I would recommend coming back during a time when the weather is tolerable and you can actually sit at the top. I've also got to say, it was a beautiful sight seeing all the kayaks and peddle boats out on the water, especially the swan-shaped ones for couples to sit in. Definitely something I'd want to try next time. This tour gave a nice idea of how it is in Austin during the summer--fun, carefree, full of laughs and good food and drinks. I can't wait to visit again. read more