Erie Canal Barge Cruise
 

We're thinking of renting a barge & cruise along the Erie canal this summer. Has anyone done this? Any recommendations for charter companies? Some of the ones on the web look, well, a bit 'funky' - I'd like something a bit more upscale - not a 5 star, but something more plush. I know, I should just check into a 5 star resort but this sounds like fun.

"I've got a mule, her name is Sal; Fifteen years on the Erie Canal"

I live just a few miles from the canal and it DOES sound like fun. It seems a number of companies have come and gone who propose such trips. Most of them do not provide on-board lodging, but rather docking and transporting passengers to local motels.

Keep in mind that most of the cities & towns along the Canal are old, deteriorating mill-towns and that about the best lodging to be found will be a Best Western, Holiday Inn, Super8, or whatever chain.

If you have the url of some of the companies you're considering, post them here -- I'd like to check them out. Good luck.

I work in a town which sits on the Canal. At one point, my office overlooked one of the operating locks. Cruising on the Canal is sort of like watching grass grow-you can only travel at a very slow rate of speed to prevent wakes. I find it a little too slow to be enjoyable.

http://www.midlakesnav.com/

I know someone who went with them and every year I do their day cruises. Well run company.

Looks interesting, BQ. I did a cruise (ocean) once & hated it. I think I'd like canal (or riverboat) cruises more because of the history & activities along the shoreline. I'd bicycle into towns and meet the boat further up/down the river.

As a child, I recall many large barges, often covered with cargo, travelling up and down the canal, and often wondered why General Electric has never (to my knowledge) used it for the large T/G's they build in Schenectady. I don't know what happened to all those large barges, but once thought that one way to put one to use would be to haul people in their RV's up and down the canal. And like hotels of various ratings, so are RV's. babsie could have a top of the line while maybe others would merely pitch a tent, as long as restroom/shower facilities were available -- and of course you'd want utility hookups for the RV's. Am I on to something here??