Great Inland Waterways

You can go just about anywhere in this beautiful country using inland waterways. A boater can travel the Hudson River, New York and Ontario waterways, the Great Lakes, the great Western Rivers (Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee) and proceed to the Tenn-Tom Waterway to the Gulf of Mexico. Enthusiasts can stop and enjoy the Gulf Coast Inter Coastal Waterway and continue to Florida’s Lake Okeechobee or the Keys. You can close the loop with a trip up the Atlantic Inter Coastal Waterway to the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays and finish your trip at the Jersey Shore – amazing, simply amazing! The New York State Canals system alone is a 524-mile waterway complex! You can cruise to Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket or Bermuda. Some of that journey would be in open waters, as would some of the aforementioned trips, but mainly they are in sheltered waters.

Navigating these inland waterways is an intimate, family-oriented experience, revealing each destination’s local culture, fascinating history and natural beauty. This mode of travel is laid-back, flexible, casual and unregimented. It can provide a rich cultural and educational experience all wrapped up in a grand adventure. Travel in this fashion offers a truly different perspective than any other mode of transportation. Cruising the inland waterways can provide a glimpse of our great country similar to that seen by early explorers while also presenting a never-to-be forgotten vacation.

Prime cruising months range from May through September. However, you can still take advantage of the warmer weather at the end of September through the beginning of October to sail up the Eastern Seaboard or New York State Canals system to catch the fall foliage from a very different angle. The Mississippi or the St. Lawrence Rivers are a fantastic way to see America’s heartland. Whale watching in the Sea of Cortez or Baja during the winter months can be an unforgettable experience. Explore the Columbia and Williamette Rivers in the Northwestern portion of the United States and British Columbia to see the country much the way Lewis and Clark did. Perhaps exploring the inland waterways of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys and sampling all that they have to offer is more to your liking. In fact, weather may well be your primary consideration beyond the area you wish to explore

Interior rivers and lakes can be accessed from many different cities. Even if you do not own a boat or if your boat is not located in the city of choice, this mode of travel is not closed to you. Boston, New York and Montreal are the most accessible northeastern ports while Los Angeles and San Francisco service the west coast.

Good information, careful planning and timing are key to a successful trip. Think about what you’d like to experience and the length of time your schedule permits. These inland waterway journeys showcase historical treasures, breath-taking scenery and a look at America’s heritage in a way that land travel may not otherwise reveal. An amazing adventure and a remarkable vacation await you.