I think this is a must-do activity in Austin during the summer. There's great views of the city, you get a great view of the bats, and the guide knows lots of information on the city and the bats. The captains are very friendly and knowledgeable guys with a lot of patience for questions and great senses of humor. If you decide to do the bat cruise, there's things you should know.: 1) Reserve yourself a spot on the boat and then once you're on the boat you can smile at the schmucks waiting because they didn't reserve. Get there before they give away your spot. The price is $10 and they do not take credit/debit cards. Cash or check only. 2) Get there early (7 to 7:15ish? - we went in August so times will vary based on sunset) in order to find a good parking spot. It's hard to find a spot in the area at that time. They have a tiny parking lot and people are fighting over the other spots next to the trails. We had to park at Hooter's and walk down. 3) You will get dripped on. By bats. Pooping. Guano. Savor it. And don't wear your clubbing outfit unless you want it to smell musty. Bring some Shout! Wipes. Or an umbrella (just kidding - you'd look like an idiot). 4) There will be kids on the boat asking obnoxious questions and possibly being generally annoying, so brace yourself if you don't like kids. Pick your seat carefully. so you don't have someone else's kid pushing her chair back onto your legs or standing on it, making you afraid she's going to fall into your lap. Amazing how patient and accommodating the captain is and how oblivious parents are to their kids' behavior. 5) Remember your camera, unlike me, because I'm an idiot who forgot hers. There are wonderful views of the city, and the bats emerging is just a breathtaking spectacle. My one gripe and reason why I have 4/5 stars is that we missed the beginning of the bats emerging. We farted around on the other side of the bridge and then finally made our way down and the bats were already coming out. I wanted to see it from the beginning, although the information given while farting around was fascinating so maybe we could have left earlier? I was there for the bats, though. Otherwise, it was a great experience and I would go again and recommend it to anyone. read more

When I called to make a reservation, they said that the boat would leave at 7:00 but that we needed to be there by 6:45, because after that they would sell our spots to someone else. Fair enough. And we were running behind, so I wasn't sure if we were going to make it, but we made an honest effort. We got there at 6:43 (according to my time-synchronized cell phone), and our spots had already been sold. The guy who turned us away was nice, though. Shorter: get there early, they are loose with giving away reservations. read more

We have never experienced the bats in Austin and wanted to make sure we got a great view. So I booked tickets for our family of four. We enjoyed the tour of the lake and all of the information from our tour guide/captain. We had front row seats to see the bats and were right on time to see them depart on their nightly hunt. Our kids are looking forward to going back in the fall when the guide says the number of bats increase. We will definitely be booking here again. Do show up early as suggested even if you book your tickets on line so you have your choice of seats. We chose to ride on one of the smaller boats. read more

I was a part of a wedding that was held on one of the Lone Star River Boats. It was one of the best weddings I've ever been to. The bottom section of the boat is air conditioned which is nice during the summer, while the top is open. It was clean and the staff was as nice as it gets. Our cruise was during the evening which was nice because we were able to watch the sun set, as well as, watch the bats fly. If you are ever hosting an event with around 50 people, I would recommend this company. They did a great job!! read more

This was so much fun!! It's a great way to learn a little bit about Austin and Capt Shelby had a some great info about the surrounding buildings, bridges and lake. This a great outing for all ages. We took our 11 yr old and 2 yrs old with us. They got a kick out of the turtles in the water. The bats we amazing though!!!! After seeing a few scouts fly out suddenly tins were just flying out from under the bridge and flying over head and above the trees. They make the most adorable squeaking sounds!!!! We will definitely be back!!! read more

Terrible boarding system. Terrible. Don't arrive early because the greeter will just tell you to wait to the side for an hour as others board if you are a party of 2. Just a stupid system read more

Went on a private cruise and it was great! Very nice way to see a city that definitely shines at night. Private charter allowed us to BYOB with the use of their bartender so that is an added extra nice little bonus. The boat felt safe, took us on a great route and we returned safely...win/win read more

Do not go in june. Wait until august when the young bats are going out to feed. went on this cruise June 4th. We spent most of our time going up and down the river. When the bats did come out, we only saw about a 100 or so. Those were hard to see unless you were looking at the exact spot the captain was illuminating with his red spotlight. Not nearly as dramatic as we had hoped. read more

We took the Bat Cruise on this service. Arrive REALLY early to get good seats. We arrived about 20-30 minutes before sailing and it was already pretty full. Our guide was entertaining, and the ride was pleasant, but the bats were the amazing part. Even my middle-schooler was impressed! It really is an amazing view from the water - worth the money. read more

I took my family from out of town on the bat tour at 7pm. We got there at 6:25 and were able to get seats upstairs with a table with a party of 9. The weather was perfect and the commentary from Aaron was entertaining. The price was great at only $10 per adult. We couldn't find parking where they suggested so we parked at the Hyatt. It was only $6 for under 4 hours and right next to the dock. Booking was a little confusing but the woman who called to confirm was totally nice, as were the people checking reservations as we boarded the boat. Don't expect an elaborate tour of all things Austin but they had good information about the bats and the architecture of the city. If you go in Oct, bring a sweatshirt or light jacket. The people next to us got there early and brought a deck of cards, which was a good idea to pass the time of you get there early. read more

A great interlude in a long day of sightseeing or conference-going in Austin. You can see the bats emerging so much better from below the bridge than from on the bridge or from land. The boat captains also carry a red light which illuminates the bats (without disturbing them). RESERVATIONS NEEDED I made a reservation by phone for our party of four in the morning, and we arrived just at the cut-off time for boarding and were able to get the very last seats (which were actually in a prime location for taking photos in the back.) Remember, no credit cards so bring cash. FINDING THE DOCK The driving directions on the website were very accurate. Do try the Hyatt Lot first before going to the $5 pay to park lot you pass as it is closer and more convenient to the dock. The dock is actually just in the back of the Hyatt and can be best accessed through the Hyatt lobby rather than tramping across the parking lot, which we didn't realize until after the tour. (This is one of those Hyatts with glass elevators, for additional kid-friendly entertainment before or after the tour.) ENJOY YOURSELF Let yourself enjoy the silly jokes that have been refined over many boat tours! We really enjoyed the details about the lake and lakefront development provided by Captain Johnny on our tour, and also had some quiet time to enjoy being on the water at sunset. He did a great job responding to the questions of a young boy throughout the door with kid-appropriate answers that contained an additional layer of humor for adults. BAT INFO There was plenty of background provided to understanding what you were seeing but not a detailed natural history of bats, so if you're really into bats you might want to read up on your own. BAT POOP We went later in the year when there were fewer bats so no one was pooped on, but it could easily happen when there are more bats so bring a hat or shawl to hold over yourself when passing under the bridge. read more

After purchasing 4 tickets for Lone Star's bat watching tour by boat, we expected to see bats. For the first 45 minutes of the boat tour we were subjected to jokes and facts about the Austin skyline but not until the tour was nearly over did our guide/"captain" mention that the bats had not come out for the last 3 nights until close to 10:00 p.m. and our tour was from 8-9 p.m. Lone Star had 3 boats full of people on the water waiting for bats and there were no bats. I went through my reservation confirmation email, their website and the reservation reminder and nowhere does it say that the bats may not leave the bridge during your tour. Not only is this misleading but it set expectations to the dozens of people on the boats that they would see bats. Everyone on our boat was upset, first because our guide/"captain" had hit large rocks under water numerous times but also because there was no recourse for booking a bat tour that was definitely not a bat tour. Our experience demonstrates that sadly, this company takes advantage of an overly hyped tourist spot. read more

Everyone on the boat was pissed!!! Parents came into town. Only thing they wanted to see was the bats. Weather was perfect. We sat under the bridge waiting for the bats. Once a couple of that bats came I guess that was enough and the boat headed in, they didn't wait for the swarm to come out. When we asked why why are we heading in and where are the bats, the tour captain changed the subject. I was so mad we never got to see the bats really come out. Especially after spending so much money on the tour. The Capital Cruises boat stayed out there until the bats came out. Not worth the money or disappointment. You also couldn't hear the tour guide/captain and she hit a few things with the boat. read more

Come early so you can get seats right next to the water. It was amazing. There was a beautiful breeze happening. It gets FULL FULL FULL and BYOB. Great way to see the city at night. read more

Captain Katy was fun, knowledgeable and wonderful! The skyline was gorgeous and the bats incredible. This was a very great deal and well worth the price! It was difficult figuring out where to park, but once we found the Hyatt parking garage (GREAT price - $6 for under 4 hours), we were good to go! read more

It was very fun and educational! Seeing the bats was amazing and we loved learning about them.

Had a fabulous time on this boat ride. The tour guide was very knowledgable, informative and funny. I liked that it was BYOB, but I did not like that we couldn't rearrange the seats to sit closely together. We arrived at the bat bridge at perfect timing. When we arrived, the bats had already started flying out. Also, it was nice to be able to face the skyline and get an awesome picture. We made a reservation online and got there 15 minutes prior to departure. We had no problems, but I did notice a family get sent away because they only accept CASH only at the dock. When you book online, you can pay by card. Overall, good time and I would recommend it to a friend. read more

AWESOME! 5/5 for Captain Chris alone! He is hilarious and not enough people were laughing at his jokes even though my family was cracking up! The tour gives a good overview of the city and the buildings and some history. It's an hour long so if you're coming during the summer I recommend bringing an umbrella or hat and come cool drinks (is BYOB!). Make sure you have sunscreen on as well. Brave the heat and sit on the upper deck--it's so worth it. read more

I came to Austin from Houston for a conference and decided to go on the boat tour solo last minute. I was able to book at 6 pm for an 8 pm sunset/bar tour on a Monday night. Luckily, there were 4 spots remaining. I was able to park for free at the park and walk to the dock - I didn't find any songs along the way, which would have been helpful. I arrived with around 7:30 and there was a waiting list for cancellations so make sure you reserve ahead. Our tour guide was humorous and had disguised adult jokes along the way. The bats were magnificent! I've been to the Waugh Bat Colony in Houston and nothing compares to the sunset reflecting on the water and the magnitude of bats flying in the sky. I would recommend this cruise to anyone that wants to try a unique (reasonably priced) experience. read more

My friend rented one of these boats to propose to his girlfriend on the top deck and have his guests waiting on the bottom deck for a surprise engagement party. It wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the team at Lone Star Riverboat. They were courteous, patient, and engaged. They were willing to answer questions and make suggestions to ensure it remained a surprise for the Fiancé. I was surprised how invested they were and how willing they were to keep the guests hidden during the proposal. You guys are amazing! read more

Took the 7pm bat sightseeing tour and it was great! A beautiful quick trip on the lake ending with a wow moment when the bats fly out to feed. BYOB! Definitely recommended! read more

The night cruise was very romantic, but I wish we had gotten there an hour earlier to get a good seat up top. We ended up standing until our legs were tired and then we moved inside to sit. The smell from the bathrooms was awful! If not for that, the cruise would have been much better. read more

Originally we were trying to book with Capital Cruises and they were not accommodating so we turned to Lone Star Riverboat and we had the best experience. From start to finish these guys were able to accommodate us last minute and it was a very pleasant experience. I had a group of 25 young entrepreneurs and we were in town for an event. We did the sunset/bat cruise fro 2 hours with our own private boat and it was perfect. We ended up not being able to see the bats due to our dinner reservations but everyone still had a great time. I would definitely recommend them for a fun time on the water! read more

boat was fun. captain was super funny and knowledgeable, well worth it. bats are super tiny, but she prepped us well. kids enjoyed it as well! read more

Wonderful time on the Lone Star Bat Cruise. All of the staff are so friendly and nice. It was very well organized too. I saw a few reviews where people complained about losing their seats. If you follow the instructions and arrive when they tell you too you will have no problems. We saw several people come later than what the instructions said and cause a scene, I felt sorry for the workers, it wasn't their fault. You can actually get on the boat, claim your seat and then go to the nearby Hyatt and use the restroom, get coffee at Starbucks or enjoy the bar at the Hyatt while you wait for the 8:00pm leave time. We had a great captain, Captain Hans Solo! He was so nice and shared history of the Austin area as we cruised around waiting for bat thirty. He timed it perfectly and we saw all the bats leaving to hunt with a beautiful Austin sunset in the background, amazing! It was so much fun and Captain Hans Solo was the best!! read more

Great relaxing boat ride and informative tour of the Austin riverfront area. Oh and the bats are great, too! Tour guide was knowledgeable and funny! read more

Went with 3 friends on the bat watching ride. It was great! Very reasonable price for a terrific way to watch the bat exodus. It lasts about an hour and you watch the sunset and see and learn about some of the Austin skyline before the bats start moving. Our captain was informative (and full of bad jokes!). Quite enjoyable. read more

I took my entire staff of 18 for a Bat Cruise. Captain Beard was super friendly, patient with our silliness and gave an informative yet entertaining tour of Town Lake between Lamar and Congress. We were lucky to see (and smell:) MANY Bats. Very cool! We planned ahead and brought some drinks that made the evening even more special. Thanks Capt. Beard! read more

Enjoyed a sunset bat tour aboard one of the Lone Star pontoon boats. Our guide (a blond female) was SO excellent. She was humorous, knowledgable, and really made the tour memorable! The bats exiting the bridge was quite incredible, AND I have 10 years of good luck. Allegedly you get 5 years of good luck every time you get pooped on by a bat. lol. Thanks for making me feel better tour guide :) It was fun that you got to BYOB aboard and I would recommend this for all people visiting Austin as the bats are quite a site and attraction in Austin. Awesome. read more

Was very awesome, even with knowing you may get bat pee on you! The tour guide was hillarious and made to ride very interesting. The trivia part he does is really cool. And OMG when he gives the safety instructions, he open and honest because it's a big deal, but manages to through a funny in tht as well read more

I was in Austin on business by myself and I have a thing for bats. I looked for bat watching tours and came across this place on line and decided to take a chance. The night tour is the pontoon boat with some stackable chairs on it, but for $8 what do you want. Our tour guide was nice, but nothing to write home about. He stumbled thru the tour but did his best to keep us entertained. However we were indeed dissapointed as the bats didn't really fly the night I was there. If I am ever back in Austin I might try another bat boat, since I saw there were a few out there. read more

This is THE best way to see the bats! We got to see them drop out from the bridge and stream out. The tour itself is a bit hokey, kind of funny that a kid from Minnesota giving predominantly Texans a tour of Austin, but nice enough. read more

I had family in from out of town this weekend. We did the daytime sightseeing tour. It was great! We had a lot of fun and got to see the city from Town Lake. I even had an issue with payment (my mistake) and they resolved it with no hassle at all. Great Customer service! read more

Had a great time tonight. Captain Erin and Captain Sparks were informative, considerate, and entertaining. Fun night!

I've lived here for four years and hadn't ever ridden in a riverboat for a bat tour. My friends came into town and we decided to do it! We reserved tickets in the afternoon and it was super easy, $12 a ticket and there was space still. We had Captain Alyssa on her 2nd ever solo boat tour and she was amazing. Cracking jokes with a little girl on our boat and her knowledge about Austin was extensive. It was windy so we didn't see a lot of bats compared to what I've seen before but she was able to help everyone see some, my friends were very happy! We suggest going with this company and ask for Captain Alyssa if you can! read more

I was so afraid of getting pooped on by bats or spit on my by the hundred ppl standing on the bridge that it was kind of hard to enjoy, lol... however, we did have a great time. We weren't able to do the complete tour b/c of the rain, there was so much debris in the water that we did laps in a circle. Meaning, I would recommend at a time that didn't follow rain so that the lake wasn't filled w/debris. We were the only ones that's BYOB b/c there were a lot of families and small children on this boat, but it's summer so families are everywhere. Also, we got mooned by someone in the park so it really was quite entertaining, lol. Recommend!... a fun night & something to do. read more

Excellent service on our charters. We've been out in the hot Summer evenings to see the bats, as well on a couple private parties. The crew went out of their way to make sure our trip and setup went well. I was curious and read the complaints. It seems complaints come from the half-price crowd who don't read the fine print. Maybe if the company didn't do half-off coupons they would have less self-entitled half-price customers. Anyway, remember BYOB for the bat cruises, and parking can be a hassle. We grab drinks at the Hyatt bar beforehand - it is next door. read more

Nice relaxing cruise. We enjoyed it immensely. Staff was informative. The only issue was they advertised beer on the ship but did not have any read more

SO FREAKING COOL! A MUST if you're visiting - our driver, Captain Alyssa, was hilarious and personable. Her spunk and humor made the boat trip! Seeing millions of bats fly out is truly indescribable, and seeing them from a boat is the best way to go for visibility, comfort, and ease purposes. read more

We had such a great experience on the moonlight/midnight cruise! Definitely recommend sitting upstairs to fully enjoy the Austin skyline.