What a great way to spend an afternoon! We lunched at a nearby restaurant and arrived in time for the 1:30pm boat ride. Capt Huck and his crew were wonderful. The captain's storytelling skills are excellent, as he involves everyone on the boat in sharing the story of the C&O canal. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the boats, canal, railroads and the traveling experiences of the late 1850's. Be prepared to pay the nominal NPS park fee (or use your NPS Senior Card for free admission). The fare for the boat ride was under $10/pp, which is a wonderful bargain for the hour-long ride and history lesion. . And, they had a free bike loan arrangement so you can bike along the canal tow, if you are so inclined. The kids on the boat were really having a great time, too! Worth doing again
The canal boat ride is fun for children. The guides on the boat dress in period costumes, adding to the charm. They offer informative talks and engage young passengers with lots of questions. One really gets an understanding of life on the canal and the importance of the canal to trade in the early days of our country.
This is a great place to visit hiking along the river and seeing the falls, enjoying a leisurely ride in a canal boat. It is history come alive!
Shows how we used to move goods up and down the Potomac prior to trains which have also gone by wayside. It is quaint and a reminder of days gone past.
I live in the area and have this taken the boat ride a couple of times. It's very leisurely being pulled along by a mule. It's perhaps not exciting for some children but the Great Falls Park where the trips start & end offers other fun things. To miss everything else is to walk away perhaps a little disappointed with the boat ride. A visit to Great Falls on the MD side includes a very interesting museum with movies, a good walk along the canal, manually-operated locks, and a very cool path that takes you right over the Potomac. Flaura and forna everywhere, rocks, tumbling water, and a suspension bridge (but beware of kids who think it's fun to run across unsupervised). There's also a great view of the VA side of the Falls. Add a picnic area and a small snack concession and you have a great family outing. The area is operated by the National Parks http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm
The bar was a map of the C & O canal. The barmen were 'Park Volunteers' who served up a lot of advice and information about the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.The location was not easy to find without a good map and directions for another volunteer at Williamsport, MD. We were surprised to find so many visitors for a Friday and the entrance gate to this National Park unmanned.Such a gem of a park and so close to the DC beltway and so remote at the same time.
This is a lot of fun for children. They get to understand how difficult transportation was in the old days. Most enjoyable ride, and the kids love to pet the gentle mules who pull the boat. The rangers and volunteer staff at the park are knowledgeable and patient, and really make the kids feel they have had a historical experience. I would not recommend this for adult visitors unless they were real history buffs, although I have seen many adults taking this ride. Its really something for little guys to enjoy. We live near the park and hike down there often, but only do the ride when friends with little children are visiting
It was a learning experience to see how they moved the canal boat by mules. They dressed in period cloths and explained the canal process back in the day so that even children would enjoy it.
it's historical and a bit corny but if you want to imagine the experience a 100 years ago you can do this during the season.Check first that they are operating though and it is better to not go on a hot day.
Did the trip first when my kids were young, and they were bored on this elementary school field trip. It's still boring and hoaky. Just go see the canal museum at Great Falls, MD. You learn a lot more.