October 2013 11am trip through the lakes. Relaxing, beautiful color, captain informative. Dress warm for October/November sailings.
There were mouse/rat droppings over by the food area(major public health hazard). I know it must be hard when the boat is outside most of the year but when you are entertaining guests this is pretty discusting. Tour was less than stated time. Would not do it again, kinda boring.
There are no roads around the Fulton Chain of Lakes that you can drive to view the lakes and camps, so taking this narrated cruise is the best way to fully enjoy the scenic beauty of the Fulton Chain, the camps (old or new, modest or impressive) along its shores and the Adirondack mountains that surround them all.
My husband and I had taken the mail boat ride in the past. There was only one seat left on the trip so my son was able to enjoy the mail boat trip. He enjoyed viewing the cottages from the lake. He was impressed that the captain had trips for the dogs,ther would run to the dock for their treats. this a very nice boat trip at OldForge.
The staff was friendly! The price was great. I wish we had taken a longer trip! I would really love to go again in the fall. There are so many beautiful sights to see on the lakes. Be sure to bring a camera.
We thoroughly enjoyed our almost 2-hour tour of Fulton Chain of lakes (from Old Forge pond to Lake #4). Obviously the experience was even better due to a smaller weekday morning crowd and a beautiful sunny day (but me being a "boat person" - I would have loved it in any weather). The captain pointed out a variety of homes and sights along the way, gave a bit of history, did an excellent job of commanding the boat in recreational boat traffic and the channels. Seeing other reviews that say it's boring -- umm, hello, it's a scenic cruise -- not an action adventure! Even my non-boating hubby enjoyed the tour -- we sat up top in the sun on the way out, and wandered downstairs to see the water and views up close on the way back. Definitely worth the time and money!
Very nice trip. The captain and first mate were very knowledgeable and friendly. The views were beautiful. Great that they had beverages and light snacks on board. It was a chilly day and that hot chocolate was just right. We were surprised to see several loons right from the boat as they tend to be pretty shy birds. I liked the fact that you could ride on the top deck out in the fresh air or go down below inside to warm up. Would definitely do this again sometime.
The Old Forge Lake Cruise is the best way to experience the Fulton Chain of Lakes (unless you have your own boat). They depart several times a day on two different boats and sail all four lakes. The trip is narrated giving the history of the area. The boats are child friendly and welcomes by the crew. In case of rain/cold, there is a lower deck for protection. If you have time, the Mail Boat run (which takes a few hours and needs you to register ahead of time) is wonderful for adults. Leasurely wan=y to see the lakes and properties up close at they deliver the US Mail.
Even though we went on our lake cruise after the leaves were past their prime it was still very scenic and pretty. I did see some loons! The captain narrated during the cruise and he was very informative without being too over-the-top. He pointed out lots of landmarks and had some good stories to tell. We thought it was well worth our time and the cost of the tickets.
Drove our family to Old Forge for the day with the idea of taking the boat ride and seeing some Old Forge sights. The night before we checked the website of the boat tour, got directions and price and the next morning started on our day trip. Drove into the "Old Forge Chain of Lakes" area only to find a sign that stated "No 1 or 3 tour". We sat with a few people waiting for the boat to arrive and buy our tickets and 3 pm came and went. Finally the boat chugged up and one of the ship mates said sorry no more boat rides today, we have a private charter. We were like "WHAT" just drove almost 3 hours for this, ship mate asked the driver of the boat who was the captain and ower and said we are "done for the day" Certainly there was plenty of time to take our family on a boat ride and the 17 other people who were also waiting. Told the owner that there was nothing on the website that stated there were no tours today, he said yes there was. Immediately one checking the sight on the iphone and there was absolutely nothing about the tours being cancelled. He ruined the day for 20+ people waiting for a boat tour. Needless to say we had a great day in Old Forge and would go back to see the many attractions but would definately not reccommend this boat ride for the simple fact the owner and operator is completly rude and non caring about his customers, he made his money for the day and did not care if he ruined plans for families. He is a complete idiot sticking his nose in the air when people were asking questions telling people to come back another day. We then decided to explore other places in Old Forge and told the business people of our terrible story about our plans for a boat ride that never happened......their jaw just dropped. they were so sorry our experience started that way in Old Forge and offered some advice on another boat ride in Raquette Lake. We are scheduled to take that August 20, 2013, and are so looking forward to it. . Do you really want to have your lives in the hand of this inconsiderate jerk!!!