5 Fun Boat Cruises to Enjoy in Iowa This Summer

Looking for something interesting to do this summer? Take a ride on an Iowa riverboat! Here are five different cruises you can take in the Hawkeye State, courtesy of Travel Iowa:

Riverboat Twilight

• Types of Cruises
  • 2-Day Cruise
    • LeClaire to Dubuque
    • Starting at $439 per person
  • 1-Day Cruise
    • Dubuque to Guttenberg
    • $189 for ages 13+/$89 for ages 12 and under
  • Sightseeing Cruise
    • LeClaire Departure
    • 90-minutes long
    • $22 for ages 13+/$15 for ages 3 to 12
• "Marvel at the majestic Mississippi river while relaxing in style aboard a stunningly replicated Victorian Riverboat. Allow yourself to be pampered by the Twilight’s attentive, informative, and welcoming crew. Delicious meals are prepared on board in the lower galley, while a full bar complete with top shelf liquors provides custom drinks to enhance your experience."
• Book a cruise online HERE

Celebration River Cruises

• Types of Cruises
  • Captain's Dinner & Dance Cruise
    • Moline Departure
    • 2.5 to 3 hours long
    • $56.95 for ages 11+/$46.95 for ages 3 to 10
  • Captain's Narrated Lunch Cruise
    • Moline Departure
    • 90-minutes long
    • $42.95 for ages 11+/$32.95 for ages 3 to 10
  • Narrated Sightseeing Cruise
    • Moline Departure
    • 90-minutes long
    • $20 for ages 11+/$14 for ages 3 to 10
  • Themed Cruises
  • Special Events Cruises
  • All Day Cruises
• "Our 750 passenger paddlewheel boat, the 'Celebration Belle' is specifically designed for cruising the waterways of the great Mississippi River, offering casual sightseeing, luncheon and dinner cruises. We offer various cruises to meet any sailor’s enjoyment needs!"
• Book a cruise online HERE

Queen II

• Departures from West Lake Okoboji
• Types of Cruises
  • Standard Cruise
  • History Cruise
  • Music Cruise
• $18.95 for ages 12+/$16.95 for ages 62+/$8.95 for ages 4 to 12
• "Climb aboard the Queen II excursion boat, with an open-air upper deck and enclosed lower deck.  Visitors of all ages will enjoy the narrated cruise around West Lake Okoboji, with beverages and snacks available for purchase.  The Queen II takes passengers out several times a day on scheduled rides and may be chartered for private parties and weddings.  Block bookings are also available for your small group to ensure a seat on a public cruise.  A replica of the original ‘Queen,’ she is the last member of the original Okoboji fleet to survive the end of the steamboat era. Come and join and for a cruise on the lake, sit back and relax and let the Captain do the driving."
• Tickets can only be purchased day-of cruise at the Arnolds Park Ticket Office
• Check out a cruise schedule HERE

Lady of the Lake

• Departures from Clear Lake
• Types of Cruises
  • Public Cruises
    • $16 for ages 13+/$7 for ages 3 to 12
  • Private Cruises
    • "​The cost of a two-hour private charter of the Lady of the Lake is $1500 plus tax. You can add an additional hour, dockside for $250 for each hour."
  • Dockside Concerts
    • No admission
• "Let us welcome you aboard the Lady of the Lake, North Iowa's premier cruise ship. Sit back and enjoy a 1½-hour public cruise around Clear Lake, a natural, spring-fed lake located in Clear Lake, Iowa, just minutes off I-35 and I-90.
  Charter the Lady or book a group on a public cruise and throw a party for your friends."
• Admission is taken as you board - no tickets are sold ahead of time, EXCEPT for reservations for groups of 15 people or more
• Cash or check only
• Check out a cruise schedule HERE

Scenic City Empress

• Departures from Iowa Falls
• Types of Cruises
  • Standard Public Cruise
    • $10 for ages 13+/$5 for ages 3 to 12
    • No reservations necessary
  • Public Catered Concert Cruise
  • Public Catered Lunch Cruise
  • Private Chartered Cruise
  • Private Catered Cruise
• "The Empress is a 50 passenger double-decker pontoon boat that hosts weekend public cruises as well as private cruises June through mid-October.  Cruises offer beautiful scenery of limestone bluffs, man-made waterfall, wildlife, the historic swinging bridge, and more- all pointed out by the Captain’s historic narrative.  Enjoy the cruise in the enclosed air-conditioned lower level or on the upper deck for breathtaking views."