Trying to decide which bat cruise to take to see the bats. Has anyone been or either of these two cruises?
Thanks.

I went on Capital Cruises. It was a tiny boat and exceptionally crowded...the chairs were lawn chairs put on the boat... It was very hot (it was July) and very boring...it goes down the river - if you don't sit close to the person doing the tour you won't hear what is going on...
It takes a long time..right around sunset you finally get over to where the bats are and it is dependent on the evening/time you are there if you will be "wowed".
In retrospect, we should have just found a spot on the corner of Congress Avenue Bridge and watched from there...
jmo.

We did the Capital Cruises tour; we loved it! I'd bring some bottled water along with you. It does get very hot in Austin in the summer. Seeing the bats come out is really impressive.

See that ... two very different experiences

Sorry you didn't have a good experience, Mom. Ours was the same as yours with the lawn chairs, but we had a good guide, so maybe that made the difference. I love any kind of boat though and being out on the water.

We just sat on the bank of the river close to Congress Ave Bridge (from where they fly out)--front row view and free!

It is okay Volcano - my family was gracious about it...they had a few different boats headed out and ours was seriously crammed and that made it uncomfortable - they brought a few more folding chairs on board and it was very crowded... We love the water too - could not hear the guide from where we were sitting and the heat intense.

I think next time, I would just do like Connie above did and grab a seat on the bank of the river on Congress and watch from there

Friends of ours recommended a hotel that's close by where you can grab drinks. I can't remember which one. Maybe an Austinite can help.

No need to take a boat - you can see the bats just fine from the south shore - park at the Austin American Statesman newpaper parking lot & hang out on the grass.

The hotel on the north bank is the Four Seasons.

Thank you for all the responses. We ended up with Capital Cruises on a two-level large boat. It was 8:00 at night, but we felt like we were in an oven (daytime temps reached 106). We parked at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, walked through their lobby, picked up some free cups of water that they were kind enough to offer to the tour boat people, and walked right down to the dock. Couldn't have been easier. We had our choice of boats....there was a small one with lawn-type chairs that we chose not to take.
I wish I had listened to volcanogirl and brought bottles of cold water with us....we ran out and they didn't sell any on the boat.
I've seen the bats on the bridge also; you can get pretty close by walking down to the river and watching the bats there. I agree that both ways are nice .... one is free and one is $10 .... but which ever way you chose, don't miss it!

J, thanks for the info. on the Four Seasons.

music, glad you guys had fun!