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Mystic Belle Vermilion River Cruise
Good-for-Kids Rating
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Boat Tour
Boat Ride
Mystic Belle Vermilion River Cruise Description
End your busy day with a sunset trip down the historic Vermilion River on the gentle, easy-going Mystic Belle. The guides' ancestors came to Vermilion in the 1800s, so they know their history (including town gossip from way back when). Kids may not listen to the tour guide's spiel, but the boat is impressively loud (the teens love that) and the waves are bumpy out on Lake Erie. Preschoolers will tire arm muscles by enthusiastically waving to the people on shore, some of whom live in houses built on the lagoon with waterways instead of roads and sidewalks (the kids who live there row to their playdates).
Kid Tips
School-Age Kids: While the history might not interest them, sailing out onto Lake Erie on a small boat is a lot of fun -- the lake looks much bigger on a little boat than it does on the ferry to Kelley's Island.
Planning Notes
- You need numbers. There needs to be at least six people for the tour to run. The boat can accommodate a couple dozen people, but won't go out with fewer than six.
- Pipe up. If you have a special interest, tell the guide. They will tailor their talk to whatever you most want to hear about.
- Wheelchairs are welcome. The guides are comfortable getting them on- and off-board.
- Good for the end of the day. Kids revved up for roller coasters might be bored, but if they're tired of running around the Mystic Belle is a nice way to wind things down.
Just the Facts
Hours: Mystic Belle sails May through September Tue.-Sun., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Weekend sunset cruise: The boat departs half an hour before sunset.
Fees: $10 - $20
Recommended Time: 1 to 2 hours
