Lone Star Riverboat Cruises
208 Barton Springs RoadAustin, TX, 78704
(512) 327-1388
Austin, TX, 78704
Austin, TX, 78704
(512) 327-1388
July 14, 2025
Highly recommend the Lone Star Riverboat for bat viewing in Austin! We had Han Solo as our captain on the smallest boat (the Little Star), and it was a great experience. Han Solo was funny and knowledgeable about the bats and being in the smallest boat of the four allowed us to squeeze in with all the kayakers and get a nice spot near the bridge. Very affordable, and you also get a little city tour on the water as the sun sets, which is a neat bonus!
July 13, 2025
An Unforgettable Family Experience on the Lone Star Riverboat! Our family recently enjoyed a truly fantastic time aboard the Lone Star Riverboat, and we can't recommend it enough! From start to finish, it was an engaging and memorable experience that offered so much more than just a boat ride. The tour provided fascinating insights into the buildings lining Lady Bird Lake, giving us a new appreciation for Austin's architecture and history. As the sun began to set, we were treated to a truly breathtaking display – one of the most beautiful sunsets we've ever seen, painting the sky with incredible colors. Of course, a highlight was witnessing the spectacular emergence of the bats from under the Congress Avenue Bridge. It's an iconic Austin experience, and seeing it from the unique vantage point of the river was absolutely magical. What truly elevated the experience were the knowledgeable guides. They shared a wealth of fun facts about the city, and we learned so much about the incredible bats that migrate all the way from Mexico to Austin, including their vital role in the city's ecosystem. Their commentary was engaging and made the entire tour feel both educational and entertaining. If you're looking for a unique and enjoyable way to experience Austin with your family, complete with stunning views, fascinating history, and an unforgettable natural phenomenon, the Lone Star Riverboat is an absolute must-do! We had a great time and made some wonderful family memories.
July 13, 2025
We did the sunset bat viewing tour. We were a family of 5: 2 adults, 1 senior citizen, 1 toddler and 1 child. Literally a group of all ages. It was a great experience. The weather was amazing,the tour guide was funny, and friendly. I will say the tour isn’t exactly “historic” information but just humorous. Atleast our tour guide was. They say to get there 45 mins earlier to board but that was tough with little kids as they started to get bored really fast. If you’re traveling with young kids I’d suggest getting there closer to the time. The total time on tour was about an hour to 1 hour 15 mins. Some folks did find it a bit boring because the boat does go pretty slow but personally I had came in with that expectation so it went really well for us. I would definitely do this sightseeing tour again. Maybe even multiple times. And maybe without the younger kids. Bats: that was a different experience! There were SO many. One pooped on me LOL but it wasn’t a lot and not many ppl felt that. It was cool to see, there’s a huge population of them under the bridge. Idk if I care to see that bats again but the tour itself was great. Overall 10/10 recommend. Whether you’re trying to have a mini romantic vibe, a good time with your parents, your family, Or even just visiting.
June 24, 2025
Highly recommend. Natalie was our tour guide on the Northern Star pontoon and she was terrific. Melissa greeted us, checked us in, and was the tour guide for the Southern Star pontoon; she was great as well. We sat in the front row and could hear all of Natalie's facts, tips, history, and information. That plastic lawn chairs were tolerable. The boat ride was lovely, the information was interesting, our guide was engaging, and the bats . . . The bats were AWESOME! The four of us completely enjoyed ourselves and would do this tour again.
June 18, 2025
So much value for the price point! I've done several boat tours all over the country, and I was impressed how knowledgeable and upbeat our tour leader Maverick Staub was. For my husband and I, admission was less than $30 for the bat watching sunset boat ride. For me the tour leader's knowledge and enthusiasm with leading the tour was well worth it. No restroom on the boat just seats for views and that's it, but it went a little over an hour.
April 22, 2025
Our tour guide Joseph was great! We had friends in town from Germany and they said the bat tour was the best part of their whole trip. Joseph was very funny and knowledgeable. Even though I've lived in Austin for 20 years, I learned a lot. It's fun to be a tourist in your own city sometimes. Highly recommend, especially for the really affordable price!
April 14, 2025
We really enjoyed our bat tour and architecture history from the river boat! Our guide was fun and engaging. The bats were so amazing to see and we learned so much. Highly recommend doing this as part of your Austin visit.
April 2, 2025
Arrive very early so you can find parking, the free parking lot by the dock is small and fills up quick. The price is cheap so it’s understandable why there are cheap plastic chairs for us to sit in. Our tour guide was amazing. Don’t remember her name but she said she was moving to Africa soon. She was so knowledgeable, funny, even her not funny jokes were funny…. If you know what I mean. She let us enjoy the view of the bats for a good while and she even took us further out rather than just doing circles around the same spot like I saw the other boats do. Our tour guide alone deserves FIVE stars. The experience once out on the water was also a FIVE star. Loved hearing about the city of Austin. It’s only a three star because you get what you pay for. Seats were cheap, waiting to leave was kind of chaotic.
March 31, 2025
The weather was so perfect the day we decided to take the cruise/tour, that we're so glad we did. Our Captain/Guide was witty and informative. She gave us great tips on where to shop, which watering holes that are worth the visit, and locations of where one can find amazing tacos or Tex-Mex. We took the afternoon tour, but I wouldn't mind coming back in the evening to see how beautiful the city looks during the sunset hours. Definitely worth your time and I highly recommend Lone Star Riverboat Cruises to anyone visiting from out of town.
Total Score:3330
Tina Baltazar
Excellent experience with Hans solo our captain on the Little Star. Awesome view of the Austin skyline, sunset and especially the Mexican free tail