Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours

This was a nice trip! Captain Beth and the crew (Jean, I think) were very hospitable. I navigated poorly and was caught by. A freight train and missed my appointed time. Fortunately, the folks were very accommodating and since there was room on the next trip so they rebooked us. The trip itself was nice. We cruised to Lock 32 and went through, turned around, and came back past the mooring point and down river for a short distance where we turned around again and retuned to the start. The canal was pretty. The boat is not air conditioned so plan accordingly. Definitely recommend sunscreen for daytime summer trips. All in all, I’d recommend this trip (and the gelato place where it starts and ends!).

It was a great tour. Learning about the canal. Going up and down in the lock. The crew helped my mother on and off the boat. They let her on first because of the need for help. For a small outfit, it beats the bigger operations on the canal.

relaxing informative cruise on the Erie canal. Crew were entertaining and knowledgeable scenery was quite nice

What a unique travel experience! The Sam Patch tour was such a great way to get to know the area, and the team was so kind and knowledgeable. To top it off, we had the chance to experience one of the Erie Canal's famous locks! It's so wild to me how much work and knowledge went into creating a system like this, and that it's still here for us to experience today. Highly recommend booking a tour!

Even if you're local to Rochester but have never done this boat tour on the Erie Canal, go do it. Such a fun and relaxing activity and a great way to take in the canal.

We were on our way to Despatch Train store and saw the canal tour. It was so easy to buy the tickets online. The staff were so friendly. The tour was everything we thought it would be. Will did it again when in Rochester.

My family of 5 took the 75 minute tour of the Eire Canal with Sam Patch. It was incredible! My kids, ages 15, 13 & 10 all loved the tour as well. The guides and captain were great. The town of Pittsford was an awesome town. We would highly recommend Sam Patch!

This is my ideal kind of thing to do on vacation - beautiful weather and scenery on a pack-boat, learning history from a fun and informative guide (Evan Miller Watelet - see him on FB), hanging out with like minded people! Come on out an ride the Sam Patch to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of one of the most historic achievements in human history - the Erie Canal!

The Sam Patch Tour Boat offers various tours of the Erie Canal. One is at night, others for birders, 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.

Our tour guy, Evan, was simply a great person for this job. He's funny, informative, presentation of jokes or stories was great and had everyone laughing or shaking their heads lol He explained the whole tour dude what we were seeing and information on what would be going on along the canal. All very interesting. Then to hear him break out in song and the saxophone. Just a perfect end to the cruise. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a tour

It was so much fun to play "tourist" in our own town on Friday night. We took an evening cruise on Riverie, the new boat in the @cornhillnavigation fleet. Captain Larry and crew took good care of us and narrated the sights as we cruised the Genesee River and the Erie Canal for 90 minutes on a perfect summer evening. We ended the evening with margaritas and Mexican dining at @la_casa_roc in the South Wedge. I highly recommend it. #roc #eatlocal #summervibes

High quality and amazing service! My wife and I did a small and intimate vow renewal ceremony on the Riverie boat. I was amazed at how professional and friendly the coordinator was. After I booked the event, I got email confirmation and they reached out to me help see how they could help with the ceremony. I trusted how they wanted my vision for the event to come true. Communication was smooth. When I arrived, the boat was already clean and ready for us to board earlier than expected. They were excited and happy to see us. I just feel very encouraged and supported by the customer service. The Riverie is a great choice for a private event. We had 12 people in our group and it was enough space for the officiant, my wife and I to be at the front if the boat and for our 9 guests to watch for at 10 minute ceremony. Thanks so much!

We had a really lovely time on the Sam Patch Tour Boat! The crew was really nice, accommodating and knowledgeable. The boat was small but spacious (I'd recommend sitting up near the bow so you can easily see some of the fun) and the snacks and drink options were good (loved the local beer selections). By far, the best part was going through the Lock! This is something that I never though I'd do, or want to do, but so awesome to be a part of! For the money this tour is totally worth it! I also recommend saving room for gelato after the tour at the spot right where you dock

What a great trip! From the dock at Schoen Place through Lock 32 and back, everything was terrific (even with overcast and drizzly weather.) The guides were wonderful and knowledgeable. Learned so much and had a fabulous experience.

Highly recommend! Terrific tour for locals or out of town guests. Great experience for all ages. Learned so much about Rochester history from how the boats were used to help slaves escape to how and why the canals were built. We even spotted some blue heron! Absolutely loved when they played The Erie Canal song on the way back and everyone sang along.

Relaxing fun cruise with good information presented by knowledgeable crew members. My friend was here from CA and thoroughly enjoyed it too. highly recommend!

History at its best! Learning first hand about historic events that were disrupters and changed the course of history. The Erie Canal put New York State on the world map. A ride on the Sam Patch puts you back in time to appreciate the marvels of human ingenuity. The Erie Canal has been called the 7th wonder of the world! This tour makes that wonder come to life. Great tour, friendly and knowledgeable staff, carefully making your ride safe and memorable.

This tour was on my husbands bucket list for years. When researching the companies they all offered the same type tour. However what drew us to Sam Patch was their foundation for canal learning and history. Well very disappointed. There was little information on the canal, it's importance, history. Just what you would read on a postcard. Thought they would be more enthusiastic about why it is considered the "8th wonder of the world"

I highly recommend this tour. Seven of us did the tour, the oldest being 89 and the youngest 14 years old and we all enjoyed it. We got some NY history, entertainment (us singing along) and1.5 hours on water for a reasonable price; a 3-fer. You could get some snacks on board to if you're sort of desperate. Get your feed on before or after the tour is best. There are very good restaurants dockside. However, there is water, beer, soda, wine and other snacks on board for sale. We ordered water all around for our crew. After the introduction and safety briefing by the Captain you are encouraged to move about to get the best views as you go along. We went through Lock 32 and returned then passed the dock for about a mile in the other direction of the Erie Canal. The Captains mate shared a lot of canal history and folk lore making the trip very interesting.

we actually took a tour on the Riverie, their boat that cruises the Genesee River to the Erie Canal and back. this cruise exceeded all of my expectations. super friendly crew, beautiful ship and stunning scenery. a huge thank you to all of the staff and crew for making our day perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgAFqNF5QRM The Sam Patch Tour Boat is a fun as well as historical ride along the old Erie Canal. A lot of great views and scenery. You get to see how the locks work, the way things were back in the days. The Captain was a good skipper, he knew the canal inside and out, was polite and informative. A long with the first mate who talked about the canal and it's history. They sell snacks and refreshments on board also. And there are places to dine near where the Sam Patch docks. I definitely suggest to anyone who enjoys the water, boat rides, history, to sail on the Sam Patch Tour Boat. Check out my video.

We took the Riverie boat tour from Exchange Blvd through Lock 33 and back. When we made reservations, it said it served Beer and wine and refreshments for purchase. They had water, soft drink and bag of chips. Big disappointment. The narrator was terrible! She could have been way more educated about the area, and the history. She said "I don't know" to questions we googled, and had the answers in a second! It was an expensive ticket for what you get. Waste of money.

Great tour and ride. Refreshments available, information about canal and locks provided. Good for families with kids! Easy on and off. (No air conditioning- we went on a 90+ degree day.) Make reservations on line and arrive 10 minutes early for good seating.

This was the perfect outing for my husband and I to treat my 89 year old mother and my brother to. We all found it fascinating how the locks work and all of us enjoyed the experience on the water and nature views only available there. The Captain and crew 'Jean' were very informative, attentive and the boat was in ship shape. Just wonderful and so affordable.

Fun afternoon with fun people from ticket window, to the crew(guide) to the captain. Would do it again maybe with sun this time.

Super easy to book online unless you're me.....accidentally booked the wrong day staff was very accommodating and understanding and quickly rectified my mistake. Great boat and crew informative and amazing cruise through the canal and lock. Every precaution taken during this ongoing Covid situation to ensure safety definitely recommend this cruise

The Captain and assistant shared some great history of the Canal. Going through the lock was enjoyable. Very knowledgeable crew.

The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, and the cruise through the lock and back was fun. I'm glad to have done it once. There are other things to do in the area, including restaurants.

The Sam Patch and Mary Jemison are tour boats run by Corn Hill Navigation. The Sam Patch tours the Erie Canal, departing from Pittsford's Schoen Place. The Mary Jemison departs from Corn Hill Landing in downtown Rochester and tours the Genesee River. My experience was on the Sam Patch recently. A friend gathered a group of friends together for a dinner cruise on the Sam Patch in late September 2009. The cruise began at 6:30 pm, and unfortunately, due to rainy weather and the time of year, we had only about 45 minutes to view the scenary as we travelled down the Erie Canal. The boat went through one lock, the lock next to Clover St., immediately turned around and went through the lock agin. We cruised down past Busnells Basin before returning to Schoen Place in Pittsford. We were on the boat for about 3 hours. Again, my review was largely based upon the weather and time of year, which were poor choices. I imagine, with beautiful weather and longer daylight hours, I would have given the boat tour 4 stars. The food was catered by Lorraine's Food Factory of Rochester and was served buffet style. The food was surprisingly good for a buffet, but Lorraine's has an excellent reputation. There were alcoholic drinks available; I had a 'cup' of cabernet sauvignon and a bottled beer. Unfortunately, the drinks were served in plastic cups, diminishing some of the elegance associated with drinking wine. The beer and wine selection was very limited, but you are on a packet boat. I imagine they could seat only 20 people. Considering the space available on the boat, I was content with the food and drinks. This is not a fancy dinning experience, so do not dress up. Again, my 3 stars was for the overall experience and weather and available daylight were major factors. The cost was quite expensive, again considering the weather & time of year. For two people, with having a combined four drinks (wine & yuengling beer), plus about a 18% gratuity came to $115 (including tickets for the boat ride). For that kind of money, I could have had an amazing dinning experience somewhere in Rochester. Next time (if there is a next time), I'd probably separate the dinning and boat ride experiences. Additionally, I'd bail if the weather was less than ideal.

My sister surprised me with what she thought was going to be a lovely boat tour on my birthday (6/11) and we both could not be more confused, traumatized, and distraught over what took place. It started off as a calm ride along the Canal with some good narration, but quickly turned into a near-Titanic experience. By the time we reached the locks, the boat was unable to turn, violently crashing several times into the walls, where we ended up by the gates, taking on an overwhelmingly amount of water. To the point where I honestly didn't expect to return home. I understand that accidents happen, but was very surprised with the lack of disregard for us passengers -- who were of all ages, medical backgrounds, physical capabilities. It's no doubt that their first priority was to get the boat running properly again, but nobody seemed even a little bit concerned with our well-being. No reassurance. No accountability for what had happened. Not even a complementary water. The captain mentioned once that we were experiencing some difficulties, but never again updated us on our safety or our return or what had even happened. To my knowledge, these tours are given all the time and have been for many years, so it's expected that the crew be trained, qualified, and prepared to handle these types of circumstances. Instead, they relied on inexperienced passengers to help secure the boat to the lock walls, leaving some soaked, things falling off of tables, our folding chairs unsteady. After finally returning (although not sure how), over an hour past the expected time, and not seeing more than half of the tour, the captain joked that they were "all out of beer" and while making light of it, told us we could speak with someone to rebook our tour "if we wanted." My sister and I, as well as the other passengers, left immediately (in disbelief/shock/terror) and we decided to contact the manager the following day when we were able to gather our thoughts. We were fully reimbursed (which should've come without asking), but received a completely inappropriate, very sarcastic and snarky response from our captain, gaslighting us and refusing to take accountability. I want to express that my review does not come from a place of "dissatisfaction" from the quality of the tour (mostly because we weren't able to experience more than half of it!) It's not to discourage people from taking tours or coming to the Canal, as this may have been the first/only incident. It's not to turn anyone in, which is why I left names anonymous. It comes from a place of genuine concern for our lives. Our lives were put in danger -- and the public, as well as future passengers deserve to know what happened that day.

Fun trip and interesting to learn some of the history of the river and how it was used in the early days of Rochester and district. Also was an interesting feeling as the boat was raised and lowered via the lochs.

This is my third Erie Canal tour with Sam Patch. It is consistently enjoyable and was a pleasure to share with my family.

Staff were great! Good history & information. Chairs are a little rickety. Since it was very hot, we were glad we could purchase chilled water for only $1.

Great trip....especially for taking out of town visitors...of any age. Fun and informative. A great bargain. We went to Pittsford Farms Dairy afterwards for ice cream...a great way to end a fun afternoon.

We came here with my bf's family since we were looking for something to do that would be good for a 9 month old, her great grandmother, and everyone in between. This was actually pretty cool and I never would have thought of it myself. This ~1.5 hour boat ride led us through the canal and into one of the lochs. They give you some history, throw in a couple jokes, and even have a bar on board in case those other things don't do the trick. On a beautiful Friday afternoon, this little boat ride was relaxing and a good way to experience the area.

Our family (2 adults, 2 kids) enjoyed this boat ride a lot. We learned about the locks and the canal. It would be a good activity for family who come to town and want to learn about the area. Kind and friendly staff.

This is the second time in less than a month I have taken friends on this tour, that are visiting us here. Both times we had a wonderful time and each trip we learned something new. I highly recommend this to everyone!

Pleasant intro to some canal history good for visitors and kids. You get to experience a lock from the boat which is different that from onshore, and fun for kids.

Every year I come home for a visit and it is not complete without a ride down the Erie Canal on Sam Patch. Good information given on the history of the canal and it is 1.5 hours of plain fun. See you next year. Job well done employees of Sam Patch

This boat ride is 90 minutes long and just wonderful! You learn some history, observe wildlife, start and end at Shoen Place in Pittsford, and get to go through a lock. Snacks available on board. Worth every penny!

Great! Brought people from out of town they loved it and we did too! Very interesting. They need to tell people they have to give others the opportunity to stand in the front and not stand there the whole time. Also the boat needs some work and not pack as many people on there as it isn't comfortable and it's too tight!

A great venue, from the website--which has excellent (accurate and complete) information and instructions--to the operators, who are friendly and funny and full of interesting anecdotes and facts--to the ride itself, which is pleasant-- relaxing and unique! how many times in a year do we get to experience a canal lock? And how often do we think about the role the Erie Canal has played in America's history? We decided to take this ride to while away some time before a plane flight, and it was the best thing that happened all day. We'd been to Niagara Falls two days before, and though this doesn't have quite the spectacular-nature power of that phenom, this boat ride is certainly a worthwhile, enjoyable 90 minutes!

Had a fabulous time on the Sam Patch. I've done a couple rides including the wine cruise and the Thursday night happy hour. It was great each time and was a fun and beautiful way to spend an evening. My friends and I had a great time, and they had really great drink specials. The crew was nice and accommodating...you could tell they wanted us to enjoy the ride. I'll definitely be back!

I took a ride on the Sam Patch with some people from my office and it was tons o' fun. It's so unique to Rochester, to pass by all the little houses and villages on the banks, and the size is perfect for a group of friends to hang out together and enjoy the view. The captain is hilarious and the deckhand was lovely. Can't wait to go again!

We arrived with the boat tied to the dock . The time was 3 minutes before 10:00. We waited for the ticket taker to get off the phone. There was no one else in line or on the pier. 15 feet from us with only a handful of people on board I asked the captain to wait for a second. He looked at us, untied the boat and announced he was leaving. The ticket taker suddenly realized what was going on and called to him. He kept going. She ran out of the booth and towards the boat and yelled. He kept going. The cruise is for 90 minutes with the next one scheduled for 2:30. Very disappointed.

Fun way to spend an afternoon. Kids loved going through the lock especially. Not for adrenaline junkies!

I was on the 6pm Cruise to your Cone experience on Saturday 8/4/19. I found the Captain to be rude and dismissive, as the whole experience was not enjoyable at all. I thought the ice cream was included as part of the price of the cruise, but it was not. The workers at Abbots had no idea about the passengers on the cruise coming for ice cream, nor were they equipped or prepared to handle the rush of customers in that short time frame. The Captain was only concerned about keeping his schedule and not concerned about how stressful the situation was where everyone was scrambling to get their ice cream and then scrambling to get back onto the boat, under the threat from the Captain that we would have to take an Uber back if we were not back onto the boat on time; all so that the Captain could cater to his next trip, which was scheduled directly after our cruising. In my opinion the Captain was totally unprofessional and rude. My friend spoke to the Captain about the stress of the whole experience, and the Captain was rude and dismissive. The Captain said if there were problems getting ice cream that we should take that up with the people at Abbotts, meanwhile the workers at Abbotts had no idea the cruise was going there. In my opinion, just get some bicycles and ride along the Eerie Canal if you want to see it.

It was so exciting to actually ride on the Erie Canal and go through a lock (twice)! I wasn't looking forward to doing this, but it ended up being a highlight of the trip. That being said, oh my gosh it was so hot out and the boat was like an oven. Our trip was sold out so there wasn't a spare seat so it felt extra hot with everyone pressed in there. The seating is folding tables and chairs that are really jammed in there to maximize seating, but it's hard to move around once you get in. Thankfully once the boat departs anyone can visit the bow outside so there is a place to get fresh air when the boat is moving (which it's not while you are inside the lock). The very knowledgeable first mate narrated the trip and had lots of history about the canal, the boat, and the area. Our trip was 90 minutes and just went down through local 32 and returned, then made a brief trip in the other direction before turning around. By the time we left the boat, all four of us were sweaty messes and glad to be out of it. I would definitely do it again, but not on a day that the temperature is warm outside, since the humidity is amplified inside the boat and on the canal.

Used to come to the canal a lot when I was younger. The staff are really friendly and if you go later in the season towards the end, there are very few people that go.

Wonderful experience. Went on their afternoon Erie Canal cruise out of Scheon Place with my parents and we all had a great time. Comfortable seating with good views and exemplary service all at a very reasonable price($14 for adult and $11 each for seniors). Can't wait to go again and highly recommend to anyone looking for a delightful afternoon.