On a slightly overcast morning, this was a very calming and peaceful start to the day. A nice walk…read moreout on the pier to see the light beacon as I begin to make my way across Northern New York from Rochester. The Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge was closed so there was no opportunity to cross the harbor on foot or by vehicle without driving all the way around the harbor. So that's a downer. The pier is smooth and easy to walk. I think it could be wheelchair accessible. Enjoy the view of the lake and the light beacon! [Review 1527 of 2024 - 443 in New York - 22550 overall]

Hands down, this is my new favorite place to visit when in Rochester. The entire place is so…read morebeautiful. There is definitely something for everyone to enjoy. Boats, jet skis, canoes..... whatever you are looking for, it is here. There is even a small beach which people seemed to enjoy very much. A nice place to kick back and enjoy the weather while getting much needed rest and relaxation. I really enjoyed visiting this place and hope to visit again in the future.

We bought the wine and jazz cruise and enjoyed it thoroughly. There was 2 wineries and one…read morebeer/winery on board. Because I bought my ticket with the nys wine card it was a VIP ticket so we boarded before general admission. We did some tasting prior to sailing off so we could enjoy the music and view while out on Lake Ontario. They also served light snacks which was a great idea! I think we will have to do it again next year. There was 3 cruises to choose from and if you are reading this they still have one more cruise in October for this year. Great time and wonderful fun people.

I am an sales associate with Howard Hanna Greece office and we were treated to a boat trip today on…read morethe Harbor Town Belle. I have to say that the staff, food, cleanliness and even the weather was excellent! I will recommend the trip to others.

This place is THE BEST place to rent kayaks/canoes on the Erie Canal. It is perfectly located…read moreright by the chute entrance into the canal, making it so simple to rent and be in the water in seconds. The chute entrance into the canal is suited for anyone - but especially useful for elders or those with mobility issues. But the best part of Erie Canal Boat Company in Fairport is the owner Pete. He wants everyone to love boating and get the best experience possible. First he has and knows everything about the equipment and will get you perfectly situated for what you need to have an amazing time out on the water. What really shines is his personality though... Pete is a giver and is generous with his time, expertise and enthusiasm for paddling. He not only runs the shop, but helps get you in and out of the boat and safely in and out of the canal. He loves what he does and he loves helping you get out and enjoying the canal. His enthusiasm is contagious. He is simply THE BEST!!! We had the best time this morning and can't wait to spend many days this summer out on the water with Pete's help. Just be brave and go. It's the most wonderful feeling!

We rented a tandem kayak from 5pm to 7pm (we finished up at about 6:20 because it started raining)…read more The water was not crowded at all; there were two boats that passed by us. The water was clean in some parts and not in others. There were a few large branches we had to avoid. We got a quick good lesson on kayaking before we went into the water; it was very helpful. Our kayaking journey was absolutely beautiful. We passed a whole lot of ducks. They really kept us entertained. We passed a cute park, went through some gorgeous neighborhoods. Overall, there were a lot of trees on the shore by the canal so it felt very serene. I would recommend kayaking here! :)

I had a wonderful experience renting a kayak from Genesee Waterways! Drive directly to the back of…read moreGenesee Valley Park, past the pool and other green spaces, and there's a large sign denoting the booth where you can rent. There was no one in the booth when I arrived - if this happens just take a walk around the building and there is likely someone just tending to the kayaks who will come back around. This is going to be a better deal than some of the other rental options, with 3 hours only setting you back $25. You can paddle to the left and see some of the UofR campus, but paddling to the right will allow you to head down the canal and see a lot more nature and views. The single employee pulls and pushes everyone out to the water, which blew my mind. I will absolutely be coming here again and look forward to many more trips down the river and canal.

This place is awesome! I lived in Rochester for the majority of my life and it's not until I moved…read moreaway did I realize how amazing it would be do kayak on the Erie Canal. So on my most recent visit to Rochester this past summer my cousin and I scoped out various places to rent kayaks. We settled on Genesee Waterways Center. Renting the kayaks was supper easy. We rented them for 2 hours for $25 per person. The rental process was seamless and the woman taking care of us was super friendly and knowledgeable. We kayaked along the Genesee river towards the canal. It was very peaceful and scenic. It was such a fun experience and we can't wait to go again! I'd definitely recommend this place to others. Also be sure to wear sunscreen and bring water on the very hot days.

The Sam Patch Tour Boat offers various tours of the Erie Canal. One is at night, others for…read morebirders, another for kids. I took the 90 minutes tour through Lock 32, which goes through it, tours a bit, and turns around. Light refreshments including beer and wine are available. The tour guides are well informed and the staff very friendly. It's a pleasant and educational trip. Adults pay $30, with lower fees for seniors, military and kids. Very much worthwhile.

Pre-pandemic, I took my initial tour on a Sam Patch boat. It was very nice, but the leaves were not…read morein full fall color. Last October, when the Fall color was at its peak, I decided to take another canal tour. A lunch tour to lock 32. At the last minute a friend wanted to join me. I called the office, and they were able to accommodate us, but not able to get the lunch for her. We had a blast. We shared the Fairport Lunch, drank seltzer water and beer and shared the boat with a group on a surprise tour that ended on the canal tour. This trip was completely different from my previous one in the opposite direction. The experiences were different and the colors of the foliage enviable; gold, reds, oranges. The weather was perfect, partly cloudy, and then the sun broke and warmth came up and we had a sunny day Toward the end of the ride, the wind started to pick up. Along the way there were historical facts given by the crew. And we sang the famous "Low Bridge" song I was very happy, and my friend was also impressed with the trip. I highly recommend this tour.

I was bummed to get to the park and find that the bridge was closed so I was unable to cross from…read morethe east side of the harbor to the west side without a major detour. But even with that, there is a wonderful and calming walk out on the pier to get to the end to view the beacon. At 6:00 am, there is plenty of parking and I have no idea how stringent they are during regular hours. But this early, it was quiet and peaceful when I parked the Sprinter and walked out. [Review 1526 of 2024 - 442 in New York - 22549 overall]

On Earth Day 2022 I would love to share my review of Irondequoit Bay Marine Park. We consider this…read morepark a little hidden gem and Rochester. A great and short little walk out of the pier gives you gorgeous views of the sunset. Fishing along the edge of the channel and from the bridge is also popular. A little parking area right next to the park and additional parking across the street. You can grab dinner at Don's original or Bill Gray's, get an ice cream after your walk or head to Marge's for a drink on the beach. A great little place to connect with nature... Popular also among local surfers

Thank you Sutters!…read more We had an amazing day celebrating the high school graduation of our godson and nephew! Together with family, we enjoyed tubing, laughter, and quality time on the beautiful lake. The boat was brand new, which made the whole experience feel even more luxurious and carefree. Thank you for helping us create such wonderful memories for this milestone! We will be back!!

Beautiful facility, the best boats and an excellent staff. Great place to do business.read more

What a wonderful start to our date night! For Christmas I got my boyfriend the NY Wine Card and…read morewith that I got an email advertizing this event. It was so wonderful. The staff was unbelievably nice. When we went there was one winery, distillery, and brewery. That level of the boat got very crowded so we were not comfortable but there were two other decks to choose from. The view from up top was awesome!! I do think they need to come up with a better system for approaching the tables for sipping and purchases from the vendors. It was very crowded and confusing.

This was our fourth trip with Erie Canal Adventures, and the longest yet - we were on the boat for…read more11 days. The canal boats are easy and fun to drive, exceptionally well maintained, nicely equipped (the knives are awful, but aren't they always?), comfortable, and supported by a great team of exceptionally helpful staff. The Erie Canal and upstate New York are amazing. The summer climate is outstanding, mosquitoes are few, the cities and towns along the canal are so much fun to explore, and fellow boaters are friendly and helpful. We only used our A/C two nights out of eleven, and slept out "in the wild" two nights. This year we went west for the first time, after traveling eastbound the last 3 adventures. East and West provide very different experiences. West is far more urban and upscale, east is generally more rural, natural (passing through the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge), and definitely quieter both on and off the canal. A couple of tips...before you choose to tie up for the night, check the distance to the train tracks on the map, and listen for a while before finalizing your decision. The train noise can be thunderous depending on proximity of the tracks, and it varies greatly by location. Go slow, but...at low speed, these boats are almost indestructible. Don't worry, you will be well trained in both the theory and practice of navigation before your trainer turns you loose on the canal, and yes, you will handle it just fine. Bring your own knife, but pretty much everything else will be supplied that you need. We eat in most nights, but you can eat out everywhere to the west, and in most towns to the east if you prefer. Read a book about the history of the canal before you go if you're into that sort of thing (or bring it along to read along the way). It's almost impossible to overestimate the importance of the Erie Canal in creating the country we live in today. Tech support is top notch. We discovered we were missing a screen the first night out...and called in to base to ask for a replacement. They had one fabricated on the first weekday we were out, and delivered it to one of the lift-bridge masters we were heading toward. The bridge master brought it down to us after we passed under the lift bridge. Finally, the moment where you get to pilot your boat over a bridge, and look down on the highway passing underneath your boat is super-cool. I've rented houseboats in Voyageurs National Park and Lake of the Woods in Minnesota/Ontario, Lake Roosevelt in Washington, half a dozen times on the Mississippi River between the Twin Cities and south of Dubuque, and owned a small houseboat on the Mississippi. These canal boats are cooler, as is the Canal. I'd recommend this trip over any of those for the boating experience (unless you're really into fishing...that's a different trip).

What an amazing vacation we had on the Canandaigua ! The boat seems a bit large on their web page,…read morebut it turns out it was perfectly sized for three , and easy enough to pilot and park. It had all the comforts of a small floating hotel room. A Full kitchen , comfortable beds, air conditioning , sheets, linens, towels, pots and pans, silverware and to top it all off, a bicycle for each of us. Erie Canal Adventures has thought of everything. Their three hour training was thorough and easy to understand, and included practice time on the canal and negotiating lock 30 twice. All their employees are patient and helpful as were all the other boaters we encountered. On several occasions we experienced a little difficulty with the docking process and each time other boaters were there to assist. There are many towns along the canal, most of which offer dock space and electrical and water hookups, sometimes for a small fee, but often for free. The boats motor along at a stately 6 mph, which might seem slow in 2025, but it's precisely the right pace on the canal. Even on the hottest days 6 mph was fast enough that there was always a cooling breeze. I can't recommended this vacation highly enough. I'd like to say that it was the vacation of a lifetime, but I strongly suspect I'll be back next year.

Yesterday we went on the leaf peeping cruise on the colonial belle. It was the 1st time we've ever…read morebeen on it. I very much enjoyed it. The weather was beautiful as the scenery was also. This is a woman owned business who has a an all woman staff. The staff were nice nice & knowledgeable and also walked around and asked us if we'd like a drink they had alcohol on board as well as coffee, water and soda and/ or a snack The captain was also our tour guide giving us some history on the boat and the Erie Canal. We will be back again next year. I do recommend this to anyone who is into the fall season, it's something different to do.

We went on a cruise today which was very nice. They had a lunch but could have been better…read more We will go on a cruise again, but definitely not when food is served