A boat cruise on the Connecticut River provides memorable scenic views, especially in fall when passengers take in the area's beautiful foliage. Winter offers chances to see resident eagles and wintering birds and in spring, look for new blooms and migratory birds returning to their summer sanctuaries. Most Connecticut River cruise services offer regularly scheduled trips as well as private cruises.
Connecticut River Expeditions cruises the lower Connecticut River with a 65 passenger vessel, the RiverQuest. Leaving from Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, Connecticut, and heading down river, you will hear about the area's history and nature. View Gillette's Castle, a Connecticut landmark and tourist attraction, along with the Goodspeed Opera House and the East Haddam Airport. Cruisers are permitted to bring a lunch or snack and may sit on the open deck or in the cabin area.
Connecticut River Expeditions
P.O. Box 496
Essex, CT 06426
860-662-0577
Depart the Charter Oak Landing or Riverfront Plaza in Hartford on a 49-passenger boat appropriately named the Hartford Belle, which offers river cruises from May through October. Enjoy the scenery from the mahogany-trimmed cabin -- the odds are in your favor for seeing a great blue heron or red tailed hawk. You can purchase soda, snacks or alcoholic beverages on your ride along the Connecticut River. Stand on the bow of the boat and look for American bald eagles while the captain narrates significant landmarks along the way.
The Hartford Belle
Charter Oak Landing
Reserve Road
Hartford, CT 06106
860-665-9428
Between New Hampshire and Vermont on the Connecticut River, beautiful scenery and smallmouth bass are waiting for you on a floating fishing trip with River Excitement. Fishing equipment is included in the cost of the river boat cruise -- though you are permitted to bring your own -- and lunch is included. The vessel's captain, John Marshall, author of "Fish On!" provides a free copy of his book to all passengers. You'll be riding on the "Cadillac" of drift boats, says Captain John, so even if you bring binoculars instead of fishing lures, you'll still have an enjoyable river journey.
River Excitement Trips
P.O. Box 65
Hartland Four Corners, VT 05049
802-457-4021
For a Connecticut River experience with more emphasis on the dining aspects of the cruise, the Lady Katharine is a good choice. Two to 200 passengers are accommodated on the boat, which is the setting for Sunday brunch, lunch and dinner cruises. You may reserve a seat on a one of the special-occasion excursions, such as the Oktoberfest Lunch, Tuscan Thanksgiving, Holiday Madness or New Year's Eve Gala cruise. The Lady Kate also features entertainment cruises with jazz, big band, oldies and salsa music.
The Lady Katharine
Charter Oak Landing
Reserve Road
Hartford, CT 06106
866-867-4837
The Connecticut Audubon Society has an EcoTravel program that offers eagle-viewing boat tours on the Connecticut River, departing from the Connecticut River Museum's Steamboat Dock in downtown Essex. According to the CAS, Connecticut has the greatest concentration of wintering eagles in the northeastern United States, so you may see American bald eagles -- and sometimes golden eagles -- along the lower Connecticut River. The cruises are just under two hours long and equipped with restrooms, a large heated cabin and open decks. Proof of previous American bald eagle sightings is the photo, posted on the CAS website, of the majestic bird soaring overhead during a cruise. The Society partners with local inns to offer "eagle-eye packages," which combine the boat trip with an overnight stay, continental breakfast and extras like free eagle prints or birds of prey presentations.
Connecticut Audubon Society EcoTravel Office
35 Pratt Street, Suite 201
Essex, CT 06426
860-767-0660 or 800-996-8747
