Erie Canal Boat Rental and Canal Trip tips

Disclaimer: This video is not advice, just a bunch of opinions based on my experience.


In September of 2021 Robert Kothe, his wife Cathy and good friends rented a 42’ Lockmaster Canal boat and traveled the Erie Canal East to Newark, NY and ad far West to Holly Falls. The trip was a 5-day, 4-night rental.


Unlike most canal boat vacation videos the purpose of this video is to provide trips and tips to help with planning, safety and goal-setting on an Erie canal trip.
We rented from Erie Canal Adventures:
Email [email protected]

Phone (315) 986-3011


Address
1125 Marina Parkway
Macedon, NY 14502


eriecanaladventures.com


Highlights of a canal boat trip include going through locks and under lift bridges.


Robert and Cathy have a lot of boating experience including having owned a 32-foot cabin cruiser and are both current certified boat-crew members of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Cathy and Robert also volunteer as crew members of the 150 Year old Oyster sloop, the Pricilla.


Prior to taking the boat rental, they drove under the canal in Medina, NY and also drove to Lockport, NY and took a cave tour and visited museums.

on the way to and from Newark, New York we can see Port Gibson, NY. Port Gibson is not geared up for canal boats and is mostly private homes on the water.


On the first night of the trip they slept in Newark, NY. At first light they headed west, past Macedon, NY and towards their goal stop at Holley Falls.

Heading West they skipped Palmyra for the return trip. As it turns out they slept in Palmyra, NY on the last night to be closer to the boat return. Original concerns from the Internet feedback was that the train tracks were somewhat active but the trains added to the charm of the trip and nothing woke us up at night.


On the second day, cities visited along the way included Fairport NY, Pittsford NY, Bushnell Basin, and Spencerport. They passed by Greece NY and Slept in Spencerport night 2 and night 3.


We were advised to skip Binghamton, NY due to the fact that the city docks were silted in. This gave us more time to guarantee we would be able to reach Holley falls and return the boat on time.


On the fourth day stops included Brockport and the westmost goal of Holley Canal Falls. Bushnell Basin was supposed to be the Night 4 stop and instead stayed at Palmyra to be closer to the return dock.