Captain Felix and Guide Mr Run were great. Sharing fun and interesting information. We saw baby gators, a big Mama gator laying nearby, lots of birds and a few turtles! Also got to wave at some "canal" locals. It was the 2 hr canal tour and was a great deal. We also were able to bring our leashed Pomeranian Daisy May read more

See all

It was a beautiful day for a boat ride. Our party of 4 chose 1230 on a Tuesday aboard the Rusty Anchor 18 seater. Our Captain Shawn and Guide Ran were all about safety and making sure we were well informed. The host checked us in about 1215 and we boarded along with 2 other couples. Lake Dora is the second smallest of 6 lakes in Mt Dora named after being one of the highest points in Florida at just less than 190 feet above sea level. Very interesting commentary and history. The lake is expansive but the best part was a mile long absolutely beautiful canal at times resembling the Amazon. We saw foliage, alligators, otters and birds along the way. Enjoy! read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - 18 Seater - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Carol made it so easy to reserve and pay. She is so pleasant to speak with. The sunset cruise was amazing. We learned some of local history. Saw Eagles and Alligators. Beautiful sunset. Highly recommended. read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

My husband and I had taken a boat tour of Lake Dora and the Dora Canal a number of years ago and decided we wanted to do it again. The weather was slated to be favorable and not too warm. Booking our excursion online was quick and easy. We arrived with a little time to spare and after checking in (just give your name, the time of your booking and the number of guests). Easy peasy! When it was time, we boarded the Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - where our trusty tour guide, Ran, told us a great deal about the history of the lake and canal, pointing out many things of interest. We saw beautiful old houses, run-down boat shacks, gnome gardens (they had an "Elvis" gnome!), and lots of flora, fauna and wildlife. My husband happily took lots of photos. The boat was expertly driven by Captain Ted. I would be quite content taking this ride everyday. It was beautiful and oh, so relaxing. read more

See all

This was a third time we have taken a cruise with Rusty anchor to see the Mount canal. We took visiting friends and did the morning to our canal cruise. Both Capt. and tour guide were great as usual. We will be doing this again, especially with visiting guests. read more

Capt Felix was terrific! Me, my son and daughter in law took the earliest tour and were the only ones on the ship. It was awesome. I had reserved tickets on line & check in was super easy. We got parking right out front which was also nice. Overall, it was a pleasure & such fun. We saw interesting birds & some gators even though it was mating season. read more

Rusty Anchor always does a nice job entertaining their guests. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset cruise recently.

There were so many things to see on this tour. The ride was smooth and comfortable. Great for all ages! The guide was great at explaining things and telling us about the history. Reasonably priced as well! read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Such a fun way to explore old Florida canals! Beautiful afternoon on the water. highly recommend this excursion.

Rusty Anchor offers some nice tours but the Christmas Lights tour is not one of them! Riding in the dark seeing random lights in the far distance is not a Christmas Lights Tour. The 'grand finale' is a blue lit building and a few lit trees. Beautiful lights are better seen in the town of Mt Dora for free. Very disappointing and definitely not worth it. Reconsider a different daytime tour. read more

We chose the sunset dinner cruise and were not disappointed. We were the only 4 people on the cruise so got a VIP trip! I did not know all the history of this area and our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The sunset was beautiful of course. Dinner was actually at a O'Keefe's in Tavares and the Reuben was awesome! Then back on the boat for a breezy ride to home base. It was a very fun day at Mount Dora topped off by this sunset cruise! Highly recommend! read more

Everyone was so great. From our check-in, to waiting on the dock, our captain Sean and tour guide John. We did the 2 hour canal tour and highly recommend. read more

Very good fish and chips. Tasty Cole slaw, too. Server was friendly, cheerful and attentive.

It was a great boat ride. Our captain was informative and so pleasant. Very knowledgeable about the history. He made it fun.

The two hour cruise was great! Going through the canal part was beautiful, highly recommend. The boat is well maintained and a person in a wheelchair was in our group so it seemed handicap accessible. The captain was very safe. We saw a wide variety of birds, a few I do not recall seeing before. I would not expect to see a lot of alligators as there is a lot of boat traffic, but we did see one. We will definitely go again when we have visitors to entertain. read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Parents with babies - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

super fun tour of Lake Dora and Dora Canal. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about the history, flora & fauna, and the area. We learned a lot of interesting things. It is a beautiful hidden gem of Florida. read more

See all

A day with our grandson. He's 16 and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. We had lunch at Fish Camp restaurant and it was delicious. I recommend the shrimp sandwich. Never ate shrimp on a sandwich before and it was a toasted bun and absolutely delicious. My grandson and husband got the steak burger and they raved about how great it was. I highly recommend Rusty anchor for an enjoyable day through the Dora canal. read more

See all

The canal boat was comfortable, our guide was friendly and knowledgeable about the canal and the area, and the canal was absolutely beautiful. I wholeheartedly recommend this tour. read more

Someone mentioned a boat tour on a lake in a town that I have never heard of or been to so here we are. I just followed along. My Dora is a beautiful town to walk shop and eat. We all met at the dock and went on our tour. The service was good as the captain and mate were very knowledgeable and explained everything we needed to know about the lake. It was a fun day for all. Highly recommend. Enjoy read more

See all

Wonderful experience, our guide was friendly, accommodating , and professional . The lady at the pier was as well. Highly recommend!

Nice outing. Captain Bob and narrator Randy did great jobs. The canal with its ancient cypress trees is very beautiful. It was a busy Saturday with a stream of vessels going through, many pontoons, lots of motorboats, some jet skies, and even a water automobile from the 1960s. read more

See all

This was a unique and fun experience while in Mt. Dora. The captain and crew did a wonderful job explaining a lot of history of the area and providing us with a lot of information on the incredible wildlife we saw while on the tour. Great job! read more

See all

Captain Scott gave us a wonderful tour of Lake Dora and the Dora Canal this morning. He even found us a few alligators, which my hubby had never seen in the wild before. Thumbs up all around and well worth the cost! Don't forget to bring cash for tips for the crew. They work hard for it! read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Dora Canal - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Made a last minute reservation and enjoyed our tour with Eli. Great guy and wonderful ride on the lake. No complaints, but would have been great (5 stars) with a glass of champagne and maybe soft music playing. Was a bit chilly tonight but that's not controllable. Highly recommend and very reasonable price! read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Sunset - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

See all

This was such a great tour. Captain David took this experience from good to AWESOME. This is a tour and learning cruise. We saw gators, various birds, beautiful homes, and outstanding scenery. David pointed out the various animals and told us about their habitats. We learned the history connected to the different lakes. We would highly recommend this tour. Well worth the price. There is a really nice woman who checks you in and answers all your questions. read more

See all

Rusty Anchor never dissapoints. Captain Scott was awesome!!! We took the Mt. Dora canal tour which is 2 hours. Scott spotted a couple crocodiles and backed up to position the boat so we could see. He also was great about pointing out the waterfowl and telling us about their habitat. We also went through Eustis and Tavares and he pointed out all the landmarks on the way. Rusty Anchor in my opinion is the best option for seeing the canal. Definitely a must! read more

Absolutely Fantastic! A Must Do Activity ! Captain Ted and Ran were excellent hosts and very knowledgeable on the history, nature and facts about the area. I felt like i was goong thru Old Florida's waterways and nature. we went on a 2 hour day trip. good for any age and dogs allowed. Next time i will do the sunset cruise! read more

See all

The staff were very polite and informative. The boat was comfortable and clean. The ride was incredible. Loved the wildlife we saw. Highly recommend Rusty Anchor Mount Dora!! read more

See all

My wife and I went to take the Sunset tour as it was our 41st anniversary, it was the coldest day in only the 30 days we have been here, so we were the only passengers, but from the check in, to the tour it was excellent, friendly people greeting you, our Captain Ted, knew a lot of the history of the lake and surroundings..it was beautiful at Sunset...recommend it highly! Thank you Rusty Anchor! read more

Great tour! The narrators where witty and funny! Made the trip very enjoyable and variety of yours and rates! read more

See all

While out with the family, we learned of a boat tour taking place throughout the day. For a 30 minute tour, my wife and I were $15 each, and the kids were free. The boat took us to view lighthouse park (they'll quiz you on this), and provide history on the homing properties along hte lake. The narrator and captain did great jobs navigating and providing great humor for the entire trip! They have longer tours available including a 2 hour tour that will take you down the canals attached to the lake. I recommend this for a nice ride along the water, with some history added. read more

Spent a beautiful 3 hours with Captain Bob exploring the Dora Canal. He was knowledgeable of the local history and wildlife. It was a relaxing journey with complimentary water and blankets. Captain Bob was very conscientious of the weather and navigated the boat with finesse. The tour left on time and on schedule. The wildlife and scenery were top notch. We would highly recommend Rusty Anchor tours with Captain Bob! read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Dora Canal - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

We have been on Rusty Anchor before and always love the tour. We enjoy the size of the boat and ease of moving around so we can take pictures of the highlights that the captain and tour guide points out. It's always very enjoyable! read more

I wanted to do something different for my wife for Mother's Day since our son was going to be working. I searched cruises online first, then found Rusty Anchor on GROUPON... yes, they have tix on sale for certain cruises. I chose the sunset cruise for 2 and we absolutely LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The staff on board is great, knowledgeable, friendly, and funny. I definitely recommend taking a trip with these blokes. They even have a 30 minute $10 tour. read more

See all

Amazing soothing ride on "Too Wendy" The Sunset cruise was definitely worth it. Plus learning about the area and different homes. Take advantage of it if you can when in Mt Dora. read more

See all

We decided on Mother's Day to take in the canal cruise in Mount Dora, and we all loved it. Quite honestly, the opening trek across the lake to the canal and the trek back across the lake were really relaxing. The canal itself was just beautiful. Being from Florida, I love natural beauty and that's what you see. Of course, alligators, turtles, birds and even a bald eagle. There was a lot of boat traffic, but other than that, it was very enjoyable. Give it a try, I think you'll like it. read more

See all

Fantastic canal boat tour! 2 hours and so worthy. The old Florida Cypress trees flocked with Spanish moss, providing a perfect canopy in the canal, was almost spiritual. Nature at her best. Our tour moderator was so very knowledgeable!! He taught of the history Mount Dora and the Chain of Lakes, fauna, foul - he was amazing and i can't wait to go back again! read more

See all

Great experience and the staff were so friendly. The tour was very well versed and boat captain was awesome. Next time will try the 2 hour boat tour. Amazing and awesome read more

The Rusty Anchor's one hour shoreline cruise of Lake Dora and Lake Beauclair was delightful. It was a great way to enjoy a beautiful day and get out on the water for a while. The boat's Captain (The Admiral) and the tour guide were welcoming and informative. We encountered quite a bit of wildlife from alligators, bald eagles, osprey, anhinga and several other large birds and their nests. If you're in Mount Dora on a sunny day, I highly recommend this attraction. read more

Rusty Anchor Mount Dora - Boat Tours Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

My girlfriend's grandparents came into town to hangout for a few days, so we decided to take them on a boat ride around Lake Dora. We were going to go with the other company, but they were not communicative enough to want our business apparently, so we came to the Rusty Anchor, and thank God we did. We have a captain and another guy on our boat for color commentary. I forget the captain's name, but the other guy was Chris, and they were both great. The ride was super smooth and the lake itself it beautiful and massive. There were unique houses along the coast and a Bald Eagle nest. They stop and tell you about all the interesting stuff along the way. It was quite informative. And these guys were entertaining. After the lake, the next part of the tour was through the canal. You go through a long no wake zone where there are tons of birds and plant life that the guys talk about. It was so interesting getting to see all the waterfront houses and boat launches and birds and stuff. Friendly boaters are everywhere, too, always waving and being friendly. Speaking of friendly, there's complimentary water bottles on the boat for you to have. Also, later on, talking to my girlfriend's mom about things. The other company wasn't getting back to our messages because they were waiting to see if they had enough people to even run a tour, so they were hesitating. We ended up just canceling them and going with Rusty Anchor, and you know what? They ran a tour with just seven of us on that boat. Seven. That's so nice of them. I'm so glad they did that. On my way out I tipped the guys mighty nicely for going out with only seven of us and for the great ride and for the great conversation. If you like great value boat tours of the Mount Dora area, I recommend this place wholeheartedly. read more

See all