I couldn't have been more happy with my experience there. The staff and assistance we got were…read moreamazing. I will definitely be back.

Stopped by for the night as the temps were so hot for camping on a sandbar. 2.00 a foot on Sunday…read morewhen most restaurants are closed. WiFi not working and the staff really should provide a map with slip numbers.

Just spent 3 nights on Therapy, 2 adults, 3 teenage boys and 1 dog. The staff (Chris, Hugh, étal)…read morewas very nice, very easy to deal with. Check in was a breeze, and you get trained before you head off on your own. The boat was clean, there was plenty of space for all of us. We did bring disinfectant spray and wipes though, and used those as soon as we entered the boat, for precaution during these times. The kitchen was well equipped - I found the fridge more than adequate for our 3 night stay. The boat had a generator - so you can have air conditioning on, on days when you need a break from the heat. The houseboat experience itself was good too. There are plenty of beaches to chose from, and Lake Pepin was nice for just hanging around during the day. "Parking" in public docks can be tough, there are limited spaces on the dock. One time we waited so long we gave up, the other time we waited and got lucky. The fishing was meh. 3 nights and we didn't get a nibble until the last night, when we finally switched to live bait. We caught one fish and that's it. It's probably us, and our lack of fishing skills. :-). We got into trouble one night, when we were trying to beach, and was able to get help from Hugh right away, guiding us over the phone. They also came and checked on us that same afternoon. No judgement and no drama, very professional. Overall I would recommend Great River Houseboats for a safe, socially distanced family getaway, that's still quite fun and adventurous.

Two years on a drive through Alma we stopped at the GRH, viewed the the boats and decided to book…read more Unfortunately a week before we were to take out the boat the wife of our friend broke her foot. We had to cancel and the manager of the GRH was kind enough to let us apply the deposit towards another date. In July (last month) we took took out a Houseboat for a 3 day adventure. Unfortunately the condition of the boat was disappointing and was not the boat we saw when visited 2 years prior. Among the issues: 1. No locks on the the entrance and rear patio doors. We felt unsafe at night or when we left our belongings on the boat and when we stopped in town for dinner. 2. While laying on the bottom bunk in the main cabin you would see either water stain or urine stains on the bottom board of the bunk above. 3. No canopy on the top deck (again different from what we saw when we visited). It made the top deck unusable since during the trip it was extremely hot, humid and sunny. 4. Chipped toilet seat. 5. Dead fly's on the ceiling of the main cabin. 6. Cabinet door fell off in the kitchen area. 7. Area below the sink where the trash can was absolutely filthy. To be fair, the staff was very nice and the river views were magnificent. We cannot in good faith recommend this company to anybody. We contacted management after the trip and requested a refund, they refused to offer a full or partial refund. They told us they informed us about the condition of this particular boat in advance...NOT TRUE, would never have accepted this boat, in this condition, for this amount of money.

Very friendly and good food. Stopped by with family before boarding house boat. Great startread more

Fun in the Sun Houseboats - not worth the risk…read more We are a couple with extensive ocean and coastal experience - crossings, blue water trips and lake trips. Our experience included charters in interesting places far from home. Each of these charters, including this one, gave us the opportunity to experience a water location far from what we would see on our own boat. The Mississippi is a beautiful area to charter. Lovely small towns, nice people, some upscale dining, some down home meals, and scenery that met our every expectation. The boat, however, was a disappointment. We don't mind small, but the add promised a 13 cubic foot fridge and the 3.5 cubic foot box just wouldn't hold a week's food. The boat smelled from gasoline. USCG rules require: " VENTILATION: Boats with gasoline engines in closed compartments, built after 1 August 1980 must have a powered ventilation system. Those built prior to that date must have natural or powered ventilation. Boats with closed fuel tank compartments built after 1 August 1978 must meet requirements by displaying a "certificate of compliance." Boats built before that date must have either natural or powered ventilation in the fuel tank compartment." Our boat had been converted from inboard to outboard power, but the fuel tanks and lines were still inboard. Since the boat originally had powered ventilation, the quoted paragraph says that the closed fuel tank still requires powered ventilation. The switch was on the dash, but the vent was missing. We opened the hatches, allowed the gasoline shene to evaporate and hoped for the best. The same regulations require, " SOUND PRODUCING DEVICES: To comply with Navigation Rules and for distress signaling purposes all boats must carry a sound producing device (whistle, horn, siren, etc.) capable of a 4-second blast audible for 1/2 mile." Our kind of wimp horn didn't meet the regulations. Buried in out of the way places were the required 2B1 fire extinguishers. "FIRE EXTINGUISHERS: . NOTE: Fire extinguishers must be readily accessible and verified as serviceable." Since the unvented bilges presented a fire risk, we pulled our extinguishers out of hiding and left them in sight. "NAVIGATION LIGHTS: All boats must be able to display navigation lights between sunset and sunrise and in conditions of reduced visibility. Boats 16 feet or more in length must have properly installed, working navigation lights and an all- around anchor light capable of being lit independently from the red/green/white "running" lights." We were not permitted to operate at night, but would have liked the lights during a short period of reduced visibility. The defect that concerned us most was the propane routing, installation, lack of safety cutoff and lack of sniffer or leak detector. We found on our pre-departure check that the fire and carbon monoxide (CO) detector was expired and had four year expired batteries which they changed immediately. The first time we lit the small propane heater, the CO detector alarmed - still don't know if it was a real danger or if the alarm failed. Propane rules are set by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). The rule is quite complex: There were to many violations to state, however there MUST be a propane locker (our boat had none), "Controls - In order from the tank - first the pressure gauge, then regulator, then the solenoid shut-off. All such equipment must be inside the locker. Pressure gauges are often omitted by the DIY'r to save $12 but are a critical leak detection safety feature." Our boat also did not have a pressure gauge, a solenoid shut-off, or a flexible line between the clamped delivery line and the tank. The lack of a sensor is a major concern. Since the propane line is not of an approved type, small leaks will develop in time. Propane is heavier than air and will accumulate in the un-vented bilge. To their credit, they offered to refund out money. We decided to accept the risk having traveled a day to get there and not having any place to go. Hopefully, they will fix the problems, make the boats safer, or at least properly tell people, as they told me, "we do not really bother with lots of regulations, people have fun on these boats.

this place sucks. what they call a large cabin is absolutely tiny. The showers are clogged with…read morehair in the women's bathroom. and in the men's the water changes from hot to clod constantly. This place is pretty dirty. and I don't know what happened to Midwest nice at this place but it's gone. service takes forever, they're expensive, and rude. They will also kick u out over the smallest of things that can easily be solve. the new owners actually suck. I recommend spending your money elsewhere. For real don't stay here.

These guys are amazing!! Gift shop, bar, restaurant, boat repair, and camping!! I tell you more…read morebut I'd ruin the secret of this place. Come find out for yourself!

Knowmad gets my highest recommendation from our initial phone conversation to having a Knowmad…read morespecialist see us off at the airport for our return trip home. We spent an unforgettable 10 days hiking the (express!) Inca trail to Machu Picchu and visiting Lima, The Sacred Valley, Aguas Calientes and Cusco. I could write 10 pages about how much we loved traveling with Knowmad so I'll try to stick to the highlights. My husband and I usually handle all of our own travel planning, but when we came across Knowmad while researching how to visit Machu Picchu we realized we would probably get a lot more out of a trip to Peru traveling with specialists from the country. This was 1000% true and working with Knowmad made planning our trip so easy and fun. Our travel specialists Renee and Shannon found a way for us to do everything we wanted to do (and so much more!) while staying within our budget. They were remarkably thorough with answering my countless questions and we could not have been more prepared for our visit, with very minimal effort on our end. Once we met up with our Knowmad guide, Fernando, in Cusco every day of our trip was amazing and we learned so much about the Inca culture and the Andes while having a ton of fun and going at our own pace. By the time we made it to Machu Picchu it was so much more meaningful because we had an understanding of what makes it such a special and mystical site. The Inca trail was absolutely breathtaking (and I'm not talking about the altitude ) and we couldn't have done it without Fernando as our fearless guide. He looked out for us every step of the way and made us feel like family throughout our time with him. Our trip wouldn't have been nearly so memorable without him. Another highlight was our e-bike ride through the Sacred Valley with our awesome guide Kirvi, who was so kind and on top of making sure we were safe and even getting some awesome photos and videos along the way. Our driver Abraham made us feel so welcome and kept us moving along and safe throughout our trip. The restaurants and hotels Knowmad arranged for us were excellent, and our picnic in the Sacred Valley and Pachamanca experience were unbelievable. Thank you Knowmad for making our trip such an incredible experience we will never forget!

Knowmad planned our trip to Argentina in March. They listened to what we wanted and then arranged…read morea flawless trip. They were also very responsive whenever I had questions. I highly recommend them if you wish to have a special excursion to a South American country.

Dave and his team are the best! We've been renting from him for at least five years now and always…read morefind the boats, the service and the experience on the river to be fantastic! Dave is easy to communicate with, responsive and goes above and beyond to make each outing special. We appreciate the location--Lake City or Wabasha Marina pick uos--just a quick weekend getaway or day trip from the Twin Cities. We love the location and the beauty of Lake Pepin and cruising up toward Red Wing or down river to Wabasha. There are some fun stops like Kelly's, Slippery's or the Pickle; but mostly tubing, skiing or fishing--Lake City Boat Club & Rentals has you covered if you are not yet ready to commit to boat ownership. We recommend this experience all the time--the boats are in excellent condition and there is a good variety to choose from especially if you book in advance! Highly recommend!

From the owner: We offer rentals for Pontoons & Ski Boats in Lake City & Wabasha, MN on the beautiful Mississippi…read moreRiver & Lake Pepin. We also rent Kayaks, Paddleboards, E-Bikes, Bounce Houses and Inflatables. Our retail shop had boating and recreational needs the constantly change with the season.

Very friendly group of people! There were 4 of us who…read morerented kayaks and paddled the Nelson Trevino Route 4th of July weekend. My husband and I had been kayaking a half dozen times but our friends had not been kayaking before. Peaceful and slow moving route until you get to the river. Carefully cross the Mississippi river and head to the back waters for the last leg of your trip. We counted 15 bald eagles and saw a couple of eagle nests. I am sure there were more that we did not see. Our trip was about 3 1/2 hours with a couple stops for snacks and picture. There was one other group of kayakers and paddle boarders that caught up with us and we passed one guy in a fishing boat who was catching bass and walleyes.

Sometimes the Carnivore likes to putter around in nature and try new things. Mrs. Carnivore found…read moreBroken Paddle, and convinced your favorite Carnivore to try sitting in a piece of plastic that genuinely looks like it is more likely to be at home upside-down than above water. Fortunately, she was right, and they are a lot less tippy than The Carnivore believed them to be. We were met by several of the staff, including our guides for the day and the "best shuttle driver ever." Everyone was super friendly and optimistic, assuring the newer folks to this mode of transportation of its fun and safety. I will at this point apologize to both the entire staff at Broken Paddle, and to you the reader for not doing a better job remembering names. My unfortunately foggy memory for names in no way takes away from the highly positive experience we had. We learned a bit about the area we would be kayaking in on the drive to the launch point, and once at said point, were given enough instruction to allow us to really get into serious trouble if we chose, but how to avoid most minor things that can get in the way of an enjoyable outing. We stopped for a swim a few times, and enjoyed a mostly peaceful and sunny journey, with plenty of wildlife and signs of even more wildlife. In this part of MN/WI, the main attraction would be bald eagles, several of which presented themselves, though The Carnivore is a little bummed that not one of them elected to land on his shoulder. Carnivore X believes that if he is to be on the water--pirate-style--he should have a proper bird perched on his shoulder, and what bird is more proper than a Bald Eagle? Mrs. Carnivore believes this to be a bad idea. At the end of the several-hour journey, we found the main channel of the mighty Missississississississississippi river. We waited until the river traffic was clear, than paddled like hell to get across. Unfortunately, a pontoon boat, two fishing boats, a cabin cruiser, and a string of barges with their tugboat were capsized in our mighty wake. Though the rescue and recovery efforts took a bit of time, everything was salvaged and thankfully no one was hurt. We then had a hands-on lesson on the evils of zebra mussles. It turns out that zebra mussels are no match for Carnivore muscles, as your favorite Carnivore peeled a bunch of them off of native mussels with his bare hands, and then executed them on the beach after finding them guilty of seditious aquatic activities. All in all, this was a very enjoyable time on the water, and The Carnivore strongly recommends it to anyone interested in finding out what a kayak is and how it works. Or to experienced kayak drivers looking for an enjoyable few hours. Or to wildlife enthusiasts willing to work a bit to get to an area they would otherwise not likely be able to partake of. Seriously, just take a day off and go!

Duane was extremely friendly, helpful, and punctual. Excellent service and equipment. We definitely…read moreplan to come back and see him again. 10/10. If you enjoy supporting local businesses this is the way to go.

Duane, the owner, was super responsive and made our day so easy! We called at 10AM and we were on…read morethe water by 1:00. He met us at a boat ramp that worked well for us and the rental rate was really affordable. Great service at an affordable price, highly recommend.

My son was coming up from Texas for his 30th birthday. He loves to fish so I looked for a guided…read morefishing trip all over Wisconsin and from Saint Paul to Michigan. Everything was way expensive and booked way in advance. I Stumbled onto www.smallcraftoutfitters.com . Guided Kayak Fishing. Incredibly inexpensive and addictively fun! Tyler (the owner/guide) is based on a small ~150 acre home lake, Eau Galle Reservoir but he guides on other lakes as well. Beautiful Lake Eau Galle (Spring Valley, Wi) is east of St Paul roughly 40 minutes A four hour fully furnished excursion aboard a personal custom fishing kayak waiting for you already in the water. Poles already fitted with lures ready to cast. Ice chest with water in the guide's boat and bring your own snacks. The rates for us that day was $75 for the 1st person and $25 for each additional person with their own Kayak. WOW! If we weren't to catch a fish at all it would still be worth it for just the guided tour around beautiful Lake Eau Galle. I have to add up front, I broke my foot a few weeks before and wearing a boot. Tyler was super accommodating making sure there was no trouble getting me into the Kayak. Also, handicap parking just 20 feet from the dock. I had never been in a kayak before but these were very stable and a very comfy seat. You are also fitted with life jackets. We got there around 630a, Tyler wasted no time getting underway. We headed straight for the dam and worked our way around the lake. I don't want to spoil anything for you but he will give you all kinds of interesting information about your surroundings and always quick to point out the eagles flying about. You can bring your own rods and tackle but his selection for you is all you need. I wasn't quite used to the open face spin reel and only a couple of times had to fix a minor tangle. That was mostly me and my lack of talent. Just to make it easy next time I'll bring a closed face spin/cast combo like a Zebco 33 or 808. The artificial lure he will likely select for you is a weedless top water frog. It's a light lure but his rod/line setup delivers casting distance. You can pretty much cast it anywhere.... Over logs, on top of water growth or up on land and jig is back towards you like a little frog swimming from the bank. I'm sure part of the reason for using the weedless lures was to promote more fishing and less toil of trying to get unsnagged from a bad cast. The trick with the frog lure is when the bass takes it under you have to wait a full 3 seconds before you set the hook or you will jerk it out of his mouth and not catch him. I had trouble forcing myself to wait but after I caught on I could make the catch. My son was a natural catching more than a half dozen decent sized ones from the morning and into the heat of noon. Opportunity was always there, I'd say we had 30 strikes between us. My son hooked a pike but it threw the lure before it could be landed. That's the way it goes sometimes. All in all a very pleasant outing, I'll do again. Bugs weren't bad at all but don't forget sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. Tyler is very humble and loves to talk. A few occasions I pulled my Kayak up to his and talked about everything under the sun while we watched my son catch fish. Bonus: Tyler will take lots of pictures for you and send up to a share drive so can view and download. Oh and did I mention how beautiful Lake Eau Galle is? One more thing to think about. So you could go and buy yourself a Kayak with every thing you need to do this and it would cost a good bit as well as having to store it, load it, haul it. Rather you might consider www.smallcraftoutfitters.com guided trip once a month for the short summers we have up here and it would cost you a lot less than owning your own fishing Kayak. Not to mention the space you'll save in your garage.

From the owner: A family owned business passionate about kayak fishing!read more